You may think, ‘why should I put money and effort into packaging? The customers have already bought the product! They are going to throw out the packaging anyway.’
The value of good packaging may not be apparent at first, but they are a crucial part of your brand and your customers’ overall shopping experience.
Sure, you can put the jewelry in a zip lock bag and a padded mailer, but it’s likely that your customers would be quite disappointed when opening the order.
Although you may save a bit of cost, bad packaging can bring your jewelry down, making it seem less valuable than they are. That could potentially make the whole purchase less satisfactory for customers which prevent them from coming back to buy from you again.
Let’s look at why good packaging is important to your handmade jewelry shop.
Jewelry packaging serves two main purposes:
Good packaging enhances the overall experience of your customers’ purchases. Not only does well packaged jewelry gives them a positive first impression, it also makes them more likely to remember your shop and buy from you again in the future. Packaging can help you build your brand image and enhance long-term customer relationship.
Another aim of jewelry packaging is to protect the jewelry in transit. Jewelry is quite delicate and fragile usually. It could get damaged during shipping if it’s not well protected. There are some protective elements that you can add to make sure your customers gets the jewelry piece in perfect condition.
There are some elements that are popular in jewelry packaging. Let's take a look at each of the options:
The most popular choice for packaging jewelry. It comes in many shapes, sizes and materials to fit different jewelry pieces.
Most jewelry boxes are sturdy enough to provide protection to the jewelry pieces.
Jewelry gift bags are another classic way to package your jewelry order.
It is a more economical and simpler option, although that may not provides good protection to your jewelry. That’s why some sellers choose to put it inside a jewelry box.
There are many different materials available on the market, like velvet, cotton and organza. Pick one that fits your brand’s aesthetic and budget.
It’s good for items that won’t tangle easily. Some pieces like necklace chain can get tangled easily and it will likely tie itself into knots if it’s packaged wth just the bag. You probably know how annoying it is to untie a necklace chain!
Jewelry display cards have holes and slits that are designed to hold jewelry in place. It’s popular especially for earrings and necklaces, though sometimes it’s used for bracelets as well.
The card with the jewelry can be put in a box or a jewelry pouch.
Aside from the main packaging elements, there are a few things that you can consider including to make the order extra special.
These extra things often can set you apart from the big retailers. They can make the purchase more special and memorable in customers’ minds. Here are some examples:
Branding is important. It helps your shop stand out from competitors and make it easier for customers to recognise your shop in the future. Branding can also make your packaging more professional, which makes your jewelry look more expensive.
If you have the budget, you can consider custom-made jewelry box with your logo embossed. It has a more premium look to it which may be necessary if you are charging a high price for your jewelry. The downside of this method is that it usually is more pricey.
But it doesn’t need to be expensive. There are some more economical options.
Logo stamp is another popular way to brand your packaging. With the stamp, you will be able to put your logo on jewelry box, mailer, etc. Custom logo stamps are quite affordable and are available in many places including Etsy.
Other options include printed wrapping paper, custom stickers, custom tape, etc. You will be able to find them on Etsy as well.
As mentioned above, there are packaging options for each budget. There is no right answer of how much you should spend on packaging. Here is some examples of different budget’s options:
High cost: custom embossed jewelry box with unique or high end material (structured velvet, wooden box). Custom shaped boxes
Medium cost: Custom printed box with jewelry pouches
Low cost: Kraft paper boxes with branded stickers or stamp with logo. Just jewelry pouch
Ultimately, for most Etsy sellers, packaging should be practical, cost-efficient, and easy to put together.
One thing to keep in mind is that, once your shop gets more sales, you will be able to source the packaging in bulk to reduce the cost. Most suppliers have wholesale price when you buy in bulk.
A lot of times customers buy jewelry as gifts. Think about the holiday seasons, like Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
Those customers value jewelry that is already gift ready. So that they can either give it to the person directly without them worrying about gift wrapping, or even ship the order directly to the person getting the gift.
With the elements mentioned above, you should already have a good base of gift packaging. Some extra elements that you can consider include washi tape and ribbons, both of which can give that gift-worthy personal touch without adding too much cost.
Many jewelry pieces are delicate and needs to be protected during shipping.
Some jewelry needs more protective materials than others. For example, a delicate gemstone necklace would need to be shipped packed more securely than a chunky silver bracelet.
Some popular choices to protect your jewelry in transit include bubble mailer, foam peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.
However, the downside of them could be the excessive use of plastic and the negative impact on our environment. This could even turn some customers away from your shop.
Environmental friendly packaging has become a consideration for more and more customers. People don’t want more plastic to be thrown in the landfill.
Here are some of the things you can potentially do to reduce the environmental impact while packaging your jewelry securely:
If you make an effort towards being more eco-friendly and sustainable, make sure to communicate that to your customers. Let them know in the product photos, messaging and order inserts.
Although they may not seem to benefit your business, sustainable packaging will leave a positive impression on customers and potentially increase the return rate of customers.
