More customers are shopping online than ever before this Black Friday, so what are the Black Friday e-commerce packaging trends? And how is customer desire for online shopping shaping the future of e-commerce packaging?

Black Friday is, traditionally a more ‘in-store’ experience than the tech-focused Cyber Monday, but a growing number of consumers are logging on to shop the day after Thanksgiving. Every year online purchases increase and it’s easy to understand why – with the pressures of modern life, customers are time-strapped and busy, and therefore, what better way to browse than from the comfort of your own home? 

Despite not celebrating Thanksgiving, the rest of the world has the Black Friday bug, too. Australia, Asia and European brands have all embraced the tradition. Now seen as the perfect opportunity to get ahead of Christmas shopping, it’s safe to say that Black Friday is a firm favorite in the consumer shopping calendar.

The move towards online shopping for Black Friday isn’t surprising when you take into account that global e-commerce sales have been growing. What’s also adding to the popularity of e-commerce is that because non-American markets don’t have any Black Friday traditions that center around days off or shopping with family, brands have been freer to push e-commerce as the ideal way to shop. Overall, the message is clear: online shopping on Black Friday is fast, efficient and fun.

So while marketplace giants such as Amazon may be fueling the boom, boutique DTC brands and social media-based transactions are also cementing themselves as crucial ways to shop in the Black Friday online space. Consumers enjoy the convenience of being able to make purchases 24/7, while online discounts, time-saving, price comparison and greater product variety also strongly incite people to take their spending online. 

E-commerce and brick and mortar stores can be complementary

For many brands, consumer shifts towards e-commerce shopping is the new reality. What’s changing though, is how brands understand these buying patterns: the rising trend towards e-commerce isn’t because customers don’t like brick and mortar stores, it’s simply that they can be a more convenient way to shop in certain circumstances. As an example, just because a harried mom quickly gets some Christmas shopping done online when the kids are in bed, doesn’t mean she doesn’t plan to take her kids to a physical toy store in the future. In the past, headlines have suggested that physical and e-commerce stores are in direct competition, but in fact, they are both complementary to each other, serving different needs at different times. 

Black Friday or not, brand continuity is key for e-commerce packaging

In the exceedingly competitive Black Friday e-commerce sales, brands have long been looking to get an edge over their competition: particularly at the top end of the market. Every aspect of the online shopping experience has been analyzed in the absence of consumers presence in physical stores. For brands, the focus continues to be around customer experience, and brand continuity: particularly for younger millennials and Gen Z, an online experience alone isn’t enough to retain brand loyalty, especially if visuals and aesthetics let customers down when it comes to delivery. Extending the brand experience all the way through to delivery is vital.

All this means that brands are asking bigger questions while looking to extend the brand experience to the unboxing stage – something that has previously been overlooked. How does this feel experience feel to the customer? Is this interaction with our brand everything our customers want it to be? How does the whole of this e-commerce experience compare to the in-store experience? What is the delivery experience like for our customers?

Sustainability and packaging design come together

Sustainability remains an important topic consideration for consumers. What’s interesting though, is that it is also shaped by packaging design in size, shape and visual appeal of e-commerce packaging. Long gone are the days when customers unquestioningly accepted unnecessarily big cardboard parcels stuffed with protective bubble wrap that contain tiny purchases. Instead, appropriately sized boxes made from recyclable materials paired with visual and brand appeal is a 'must' for retaining customer loyalty. 

What does Nissha Metallizing Solutions do in the e-commerce packaging space?

Nissha Metallizing Solutions can support litho lamination applications for brands and players in the e-commerce space. We offer premium finishes for shipping boxes, large goods (such as televisions or computers) and display stands for physical stores. 

We're helping brands to get ahead and produce bold, alluring looks for their e-commerce packaging. Robust, beautiful and recyclable, at the same time, our litho lamination solutions are designed to look great after they have been exposed to a multitude of rigorous environments, (even including the shipping process and delivery processes).