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5 Design Tips For Custom Mailer Boxes

Time to read 5 min

Custom Mailer Packaging Can Help

If you're an e-commerce business, you know one thing: mailers are a way of life. That's because customers who love these kinds of experiences have raised the bar for what is acceptable.


So, you're likely looking for new ways to enhance your branding and mailer. You've come to the right place!


When it comes to Mailers, it's all about the experience. But how do you create an unboxing experience that lasts with customers? Is printing on the inside enough? What about additional freebies?


It all starts with the overall design, graphics, and key choices. But that doesn't mean supply chains, optimization, and building customer profiles aren't necessary.


Let's dig into 5 Design Tips For Custom Mailers.

What Is A Mailer Box?

A mailer box is paperboard packaging used to store and ship goods. Thanks to interlocking flaps and wings, it's simple to put together and doesn't require sticky tape to close. Due to its two side walls, it is more robust and travel-resistant than other forms of paperboard packaging.

Tip #1 Build A Customer Profile

What do your customers want? What is a must-have, and what is a nice-to-have?


By creating a customer profile early on, you gain a confident understanding of their preferences, allowing you to plan for elements like color palettes, shapes, sizes, and more. The data from the beginning of your customer journey, before they become a buyer, is a valuable tool in this process.


If your customers prefer sustainable brands, the box should scream sustainability! This can be achieved by choosing earthy colors like brown or green or mentioning that you use fewer materials or recyclable items.


If the design is a special campaign, other customers may want to reuse the box and keep it. So consider designing a mailer box that can be reused.

Tip #2 Create A Graphic For Each Delivery

Next, consider using a new graphic for every delivery instead of a one-size-fits-all design. Every mailer box should still fit in with your overall design, but with each unique graphic, customers will feel like the purchase is more special.


Printing more graphics doesn't need to break your budget. You could simply make color changes that fit the season or the overall theme. You could also switch to digital printing instead of using traditional printing techniques like Flexo or Litho.


High-speed digital Printing allows you to print as many designs as you want without printing plates or waiting for additional tooling.

That means you can stay fresh in the customers eyes easier than ever before.

Tip #3 Optimize The Space

Although custom mailer boxes are designed with additional space, that doesn't mean they're always as optimized as possible. For example, you may include a larger-than-expected freebie, pushing the content to one side of the box.


When designing your custom mailer boxes, consider the practicality of using solid shapes like squares and rectangles. These shapes can help to optimize the space before printing, ensuring a more balanced and visually appealing layout.


One effective strategy for optimizing your custom mailer boxes is to eliminate any barriers between your products and your customers. This means avoiding the use of plastic bags or cellophane wrapping on the product before it's packaged. By doing so, you can enhance the customer's first impression of your product and increase the likelihood of them reusing your mailer packaging.


Both of those make it more difficult for customers to see what they'll receive and also make them less likely to re-use your mailer packaging after opening their order.

So simple things like tissue paper instead of plastic bubbles could be a nice touch. But what about the tissue paper?


Another way is to be creative with your designs! Fancy shapes aren't just for traditional marketing. And if you have those fancy shapes, why not use them? Think about all those little wasted areas as possibilities instead of problems.

If you're going to include something like this make sure it's a recycled or recyclable type of material, and that it's biodegradable.

Tip #4 Design An Unboxing Experience

Now that you've considered the space in your mailer box consider how customers will interact with it when they open their purchases. Many people like to take pictures and share them on social media, so this is something to keep in mind when designing a custom mailer box.


Don't underestimate the impact of a straightforward unboxing experience in cultivating a strong bond with your customers. Whether it's an online or offline relationship, simplicity can be a key driver of customer loyalty and advocacy.


If your customer feels special, you'll have more talking points for upselling future purchases. And if they feel good about buying from you, they'll spread the word about who they buy from. However, this also depends on factors like price and quality.


This is what leads to a brand becoming a viral hit online as they want to immediately share the cool unboxing of your product with everyone they know. So, become your customer, open the box, and look for unique ways to surprise them.

Tip #5 Create A Premium Option

Maybe you should create a higher tier of products for higher-priced items and customers. Instead of delivering your products in the same old box, deliver them in a box that feels special.


By investing in a more premium-feeling mailer box, you're not justifying higher costs, you're enhancing your brand's value. The key to e-commerce success is building a connection with customers, and what better way to do that than by making them feel special with every order?


For example, if you're selling T-shirts online, perhaps the additional cost is because they're printed on better, more expensive materials.


Or maybe your orders are coming from around the world instead of just one country, which increases the shipping costs too much without this premium packaging.

Although there are always exceptions, most people would pay extra to feel special when opening their products. It doesn't have to be anything crazy, but make sure to do it right.


So, if you're offering a higher-priced product, consider creating a custom mailer box option. This can be done for high-end customers such as influencers and brand partners, or it could simply be an option for anyone who wants to upgrade their order with something special.

Create Custom Mailer Boxes With Bennett Packaging!

If you want to create an unforgettable buying experience for your customers, consider creating a custom mailer box. With our help, the possibilities are endless! We have helped countless brands create amazing packaging that reflects their brand identity and makes them stand out from competitors.


If you're interested in learning more about how we can design customized boxes for any type of business or product, feel free to reach out with any questions. Contact Bennett Packaging today to get started on a new quote.


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