7 Powerful Reasons Why the Unboxing Experience Matters

Part of the joy of getting a new product or gift is unboxing it, evidenced by the growing unboxing video trend in ecommerce and retail. In fact, the unboxing experience plays a significant role in customer satisfaction – and a well-crafted unboxing experience can even boost your marketing efforts.

Consider these statistics:

• In 2023, there were more than 25 billion views of unboxing videos on YouTube (YouTube)
• Unboxing videos are the fourth most influential type of content social media users consider when deciding what to buy (MNTN Research)
• 62% of people who watch unboxing videos do it to make purchasing decisions (MNTN Research)

Savvy marketers are carefully crafting unboxing experiences that delight customers. Here are seven reasons why the unboxing experience matters.

1. First Impressions Last

Unboxing is the first physical interaction many customers have with your product, and often, your brand. First impressions are lasting impressions, so it’s important to create a distinctive, memorable, and enjoyable unboxing experience that paints a positive picture about your brand.

When you can wow your customers with a fantastic unboxing experience, they’re more likely to become repeat customers and even brand advocates, sharing their impressions of your company with their friends.

2. The Emotional Bond

A great unboxing experience can forge an emotional bond between customers and your brand. Consider key factors behind the psychology of the unboxing experience:

• Customers are excited to unbox their purchases, but they’re also paying attention to how the experience feels. Is the packaging easy to open? Does it reinforce their personal values in some way, such as with sustainable packaging?
• As they dive in, customers expect a reward: the product’s benefits, the reason they purchased it. Your unboxing experience is a key part of delivering that reward
• The more satisfying the unboxing experience – and the more it meets customer expectations – the stronger the emotional connection

If your unboxing experience is joyful, customers will associate that emotion with your brand.

3. It’s Your Time to Stand Out

Unique unboxing experiences help your brand stand out from competitors. Consider these scenarios:

• Package A arrives in an unmarked box. When you open it, the product parts are in baggies floating in a sea of Styrofoam
• Package B arrives in a colorful box that features the seller’s logo. When you open it, each part is neatly presented in a divider tray. Each tray is marked “1, 2, 3” to guide assembly, and a QR code is printed on the interior. The QR code leads to a video that shows you how to use the product effectively

Only one of these unboxing experiences is memorable and differentiates its respective brand.

4. Greater Customer Retention and Attraction

A well-crafted unboxing experience increases the likelihood that customers will share that experience with friends, family, and coworkers, helping you earn valuable word-of-mouth advertising.

Your unboxing experience could even motivate customers to post it on social media – that’s customer-generated content that drives free social engagement.

And consider this: 52% of online customers say they would continue purchasing from the same brand if their orders arrived in premium packaging (RetailMinded). A fantastic unboxing experience, then, can foster customer loyalty.

5. Superior Giftability

Eighty-one percent of customers say packaging design influences gift selection (IPSOS). That’s a powerful statistic for any retailer whose products are gifted, including those that sell electronics, clothing, jewelry, novelties, and more.

Notably, two-thirds of customers say paper and cardboard packaging makes products more attractive than other types of packaging materials (IPSOS) – something to consider when crafting your unboxing experience.

6. Tell Your Brand Story

The unboxing experience presents an excellent opportunity for brand storytelling. Consider ways to align your brand with customer values. For example, sustainable packaging showcases your eco-friendly agenda to environmentally conscious customers.

When you leverage the unboxing experience to tell your story – and align with customer values – you can enhance your overall brand image.

7. Perception of Quality

The unboxing experience can have a direct and strong impact on perception of quality, as quality packaging suggests a quality brand that sells quality products.

Think back to our example products A and B. One came in plain, nondescript packaging and Styrofoam popcorn. The other came in a colorful branded box with a neatly organized tray. Everything else being equal, which product would you consider to be of higher quality?

Ultimately, packaging design that elevates the unboxing experience is a high-ROI investment that offers significant benefits. Priority Envelope can help. As your packaging partner, we can lend expertise to help you craft a memorable and enjoyable unboxing experience that delights your customers.