In the fast-paced world of technology, the success of your brand hinges on what ultimately ends up in the cart – whether it’s a physical purchase or a digital one. Mastering the art and science of packaging design, particularly in the context of other Point of Sale Materials (POSM) and your product’s position on the shelf relative to competitors, are essential for achieving optimal impact in the shopper journey.
As insights professionals in the technology sector, you know that shopping for electronic devices, peripherals, mobile phones, computers, and more, is heavily influenced by behavioral factors. Behavioral science offers valuable insights into how consumers make decisions and the subconscious cues that drive their choices. By understanding these behaviors, you can craft pack designs and POSM that resonate with your target audience and boost your brand’s performance in the marketplace.
Being Seen – Capturing Attention on the Physical and Digital Shelf
Establishing a strong retail and online presence is crucial for well-known brands and newcomers to the category. To be successful brands need to invest in, and leverage, visual assets that make them easily recognizable and distinct from their competitors. Strong visual assets ensure that your pack design stands out among the competition, catching the shopper’s eye in a crowded marketplace but also helping build brand salience and trust.
In a category where brands and products fulfill a complex mix of functional and emotional needs, it is key that the brand instills confidence among consumers. Large well-established brands have an advantage over small brands, in a category that is constantly evolving, as consumers are more willing to take a risk on something new when they know it is coming from a brand they trust and are familiar with. Even early adopters tend to prefer a well-known brand when new products or features are launched.
The big tech brands need to leverage therefore the assets they have to help consumers make quick and easy decisions and smaller brands need to invest in and use their brand assets consistently if they are to grow.
Being Shoppable – Making the Right Choice Effortless
For technology brands, being shoppable means effectively signaling to the shopper that they are making the right choice at different stages of the path to purchase. Consider factors like logos, color, hierarchy of information, and product positioning to influence decision-making positively. Empower consumers with a clear understanding of the product’s benefits and how it meets their specific needs. The quicker and more efficiently your pack and POSM communicate its value, the higher the likelihood of conversion.
Being Seductive – Engaging Emotions and Functionality
Technology products are not just about functionality; they are also about the emotional needs that they fulfill, such as membership, recognition, and pleasure. Being seductive in the tech sector involves engaging consumers emotionally through compelling imagery and design. Your pack and POSM should also vividly convey the functional benefits and “reasons to believe” in your product. Embrace a design that elicits positive emotions and creates a visceral connection with the shopper, enticing them to explore further.
Being Selected – The Path to Purchase
Ultimately, the measure of success lies in being selected by the shopper. Observing consumers as they place your product in their physical or virtual carts is a powerful way to validate your pack’s effectiveness. Gather data that ties back to measurable category and product-specific norms, and utilize advanced tech-driven methodologies, like eye tracking and virtual shelves, to gain deep insights into shopper behavior, going beyond mere self-reported intentions.
The Behavioral Model – Unveiling the Effectiveness of Packaging
We have developed a behavioral model tailored to the technology sector to assess the potential effectiveness of packaging. It revolves around four key questions:
- Did the shopper see it? Establishing brand visibility is the first step toward influencing a purchase decision.
- Did they find what they were looking for? Ensure that your pack/POSM communicates the right message to match the shopper’s needs and criteria.
- Did they get the message? Engage consumers emotionally and functionally through captivating pack design.
- Did they put the product in their cart? The ultimate validation of your pack’s success lies in the shopper’s action – selecting your product for purchase.
Unlocking Success with Tech-Driven Insights
Harness the power of tech-driven insights to optimize your pack designs. Advancements in eye tracking and virtual shelf testing allow you to simulate real shopping experiences with reliable results. These methodologies offer a window into actual purchasing behavior, elevating your decision-making process beyond subjective opinions.
The Underlying Guidelines – Balancing Change and Brand Elements
As technology brands, you invest heavily in creating exceptional products. When contemplating pack redesigns, question the need for change and carefully assess the impact it will have on your brand’s core elements. Balancing innovation with brand consistency is critical for maintaining recognition and loyalty.
Guided by Best Practices and Real-World Examples
Our extensive expertise and database of norms and outcomes offer valuable best practices for effective pack design. Real-world examples of successful packs and behavioral solutions applied to technology brands can inspire and inform your strategy. Let these guidelines pave the way for your brand’s growth and success in the dynamic world of technology.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you be Seen, Shoppable, Seductive, and Selected in the technology category.
THE AUTHOR
Simon Wyld is the Senior Vice President out of Behaviorally’s Los Angeles hub working with the Customer Success team. Simon has a strong passion for designing and implementing behavioral science-based market research solutions with a strong focus on the tech sector. Originally from England, he now lives in LA with his wife, twin kids, and pup. On weekends, you can catch Simon golfing!
