E-commerce Packaging Trends

Have you ever considered packaging design to be an integral part of e-commerce success? The packaging of a product is the first thing your customers see, so it’s important to make a good first impression.

Whether you want a unique design, classy colors, or a simple layout, designing packaging for your products that will help customers remember your brand in a positive way is essential.

But where should you begin looking for inspiration for packaging design? You may already have a design idea in mind, but it can be overwhelming to think of the colors, texture, and other elements you’d like as part of your packaging.

To give you some inspiration—and to keep you up-to-date with current e-commerce packaging trends—here are a few examples of rising trends to keep an eye out for in 2022.

What trends to look out for this upcoming year

Any industry has yearly trends, and the e-commerce packaging industry is no exception. So, what trends should you be on the watch for in 2022?

1. Simple yet recognizable packaging

Symbols, logos, and colors hold more power than you may realize. By sticking to a recognizable design, you’re ensuring that customers know exactly who they’re supporting every time they receive a package.

2. Digital printing and customized packaging

Creating personalized packaging is easier than ever with the rise of digital printing technology. Now, even small businesses can print custom designs without the stress of doing everything by hand.

Not only is this easier than in the past, digital printing provides for more aesthetically pleasing designs that will catch each customer’s eye and are more efficient in color printing.

Ultimately, digital printing and personalized packaging increase brand loyalty and keep customers coming back for more.

3. Textured packaging

A particular design that’s recently grown in popularity is textured packaging, which has become more easily accessible thanks to digital printing technology.

Embossed or etched wording, designs, and logos prove for an experience that both looks and feels unique.

4. Sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging

This isn’t necessarily a new trend, but sustainable packaging is certainly one that’s not going to go away. Millennials and Gen-Z make up a large percent of e-commerce consumers and are among the most environmentally conscious buyers.

In order to cater to this large percent, businesses have to focus on implementing more environmentally friendly practices, including during the packaging process.

Some ways companies are doing this include:

• Using zero-waste packaging or plant-based packaging (with materials like mushrooms, sugar cane, coconut, corn starch, and plant-based paper)
• Shipping items in bulk
• Switching to automated packaging equipment
• Reducing packaging size
• Using compostable mailers
• Implementing return programs for empty containers so that they can be recycled or reused
• Using minimalist packaging to reduce waste

What trends have become obsolete?

The last thing you want is for your business to suffer because you’re using outdated packaging designs.

With that in mind, there are some trends which have stuck around or been introduced recently, while others have come and gone.

Do you remember the days of Styrofoam packing peanuts? Those are out now, replaced by recyclable air bags and biodegradable peanuts made from materials such as corn starch.

How about plain old cardboard boxes? Many consumers like fancy colors, logos, and customized unboxing experiences that make each purchase unique and fun—and more likely to bring them back for more.

When deciding on your newest packaging materials and style, keep in mind that many modern consumers simply don’t want packaging that isn’t recyclable, reusable, compostable, or biodegradable in some manner.

Your packaging is a reflection of your brand as a whole, so you want to make sure it’s the best and most modern it can be!

Where to look to find the hottest trends

There’s no better place to look than online, with articles like these to help you out and offer advice about the hottest e-commerce packaging trends!

Many e-commerce companies have blog pages on their websites or other online locations where you can look for ideas and inspiration.

Social media and small business sites like Pinterest and Etsy also generally keep up with the latest trends in both products and packaging.

In addition, customers or businesses who order through or work with an e-commerce company will often leave reviews about the products and/or packaging to inform other potential customers or business partners. So, looking up product reviews can be helpful as well.

With the e-commerce market constantly expanding and becoming more popular, it’s essential for any business looking to promote their brand and grow to consider their online presence and, by default, how they package their products—how the packaging looks, what it’s made of, how cost-effective and environmentally friendly it is.

By considering these factors and more, you can truly make yourself and your company stick out in a positive way and keep customers coming back for more.