Reducing Wrap Rage Through Consumer-Friendly Packaging Solutions
Wrap rage has long been explored while planning the branding and packaging activities of a brand. Various packaging companies have combined efforts with brands to examine the susceptibility of consumers’ experience to physical or psychological harm, frustration, or distress based on their packaging and unboxing experiences. Comparatively, the concept of consumer vulnerability and wrap rage caused due to the packaging is still in its infancy. However, the issue is slowly gaining attention and becoming the focal point of many brands and packaging companies.
Discussions regarding the nature of wrap rage within the marketplace have elevated in the last few years. Top packagers have explored the concept of wrap rage and consumer vulnerability triggered by too much packaging. They describe that consumer vulnerability occurs when consumers are unable to accomplish their goals in a product consumption or unboxing situation because of being powerless, out of control, and so forth. This has created a dependence on external factors like marketers to create fairness in the marketplace.
The conceptualization of wrap rage does not categorize the consumers as vulnerable based on demographics only. Instead, consumer vulnerability can be experienced through a combination of individual characteristics (e.g., age, socioeconomic position), individual states (e.g., mood, life phases, and transitions), and external conditions (e.g., logistical elements, discrimination). As such, consumer vulnerability is viewed as situational rather than a permanent condition. This situational nature means that through a combination of resources and support provided by the brands, consumer vulnerability may be lessened or alleviated for many people. It is for sure that apart from other factors, the consumers’ vulnerability can be caused due to the wrap rage triggered by excessive packaging.
Consumer Packaging Experiences
In order to understand your consumers’ customized packaging needs, we suggest you consider the consumer interactions across the packaging journey. The packaging company illustrates the variety of consumer-packaging interactions across the packaging journey, highlighting the following stages:
(1) The journey commences from the point of sale. Here, the consumer comes across the products, attracts towards them, and decides to buy them.
(2) Once purchased, the consumers transport the product home;
(3) Home storage;
(4) Unboxing;
(5) Consuming the product;
(6) Reclosing, storing, or putting away and
(7) Product disposal.
However, this is a generic phase list when it comes to preventing wrap rage incidents. The consumer’s interactions with FMCG packaging can vary. So far, packagers believe that the stages of POS and opening have gained the most attention. The impact of packaging at PoS is the greatest since this is the same stage from which the journey actually begins. The packaging company suggests its clients consider the effects of alternative graphical design elements on consumer decision-making. These packaging design elements may include but are not limited to typography, text, design, pattern, and colors, etc.
Every consumer audience is affected differently and creates varying product perceptions based on packaging colors, symbolism, typography, and materials. These factors that form the basis of consumer product perceptions may be influenced by mental associations formed due to traditions and events experienced across the life course.
Reducing Wrap Rage
There are several issues noted and encountered at one stage of the packaging journey. These issues can impact interactions at later stages (e.g., unboxing, opening, and closing for product storage), highlighting the iterative nature of packaging interactions. As far as the packaging ergonomics are concerned, the consumers have shown signs of frustration while operating particular packaging opening and closing mechanisms. The packaging experts have also provided specific insights into the effects of biological aging on certain packaging interactions, suggesting that changes to hand strength and dexterity as people age reduce their ability to open various FMCG products safely.
These difficulties and difficulties are further exacerbated by other biological changes that naturally affect most people in later life, such as changes to eyesight. This entails a state of powerlessness manifesting when individual characteristics and fluctuating consumer states combine with wrap rage can deviate the consumers from repurchasing your product. Other than the aged consumers, many have complained about paper cuts, bleeding, and rashes caused by the overly tight or gripped packaging such as blister packaging or clamshells.
To overcome this issue, the branding and packaging experts suggest using custom sleeve boxes. These boxes perfectly fit the criteria of an attractive marketing and branding tool. These boxes also secure and protect the encased product since the sleeve is further packed in a box; however, the opening and closing mechanisms are very simple since you just have to slide the sleeve box out to use the product.
Custom Packaging Solutions
The custom sleeve boxes are also perfect for older consumers due to the simple opening and closing mechanism. The simplicity offered by the sleeve boxes in terms of product usability boosts their confidence, avoids wrap rage, and convinces them to use the product again and again.
Custom sleeve boxes perform a number of functions. These include protecting and containing products, communicating logistical information and marketing communications messages, and providing various user conveniences such as re-sealable closures and alternative apportionment options. There is a need to consider how aging may affect consumer-packaging interactions across the packaging journey in relation to multiple functions of packaging. The effects of packaging-related stresses on an individual’s self-concept can also have implications for social aging. Difficulties with packaging boxes, such as the wrap rage, can also trigger social breakdown syndrome, especially among older consumers. This vicious circle of negative aspects can create a vulnerability and dependence on sources of external labeling.
In the case of packaging interactions, feelings of uselessness and inadequacy due to physical difficulties with packaging can become a self-fulfilling prophecy where older consumers assume a role that identifies with their negative emotions. Therefore, it is vital to consider an older consumer unboxing journey before finalizing your packaging extent and mechanisms. Remember, a good packaging design is not everything! You are required to think out of the box to make the perfect box.
Wrap rage is absolutely ridiculous! You may have experienced it yourself. Imagine receiving your presents in custom cardboard gift boxes, but the boxes are frustratingly hard to open due to excessive seals, tapes, and challenging opening mechanisms. How will your consumer feel if he ends up having bleeding fingers with lots of paper cuts? Undoubtedly, excessive packaging is a mood killer for consumers.
Custom cardboard gift boxes are becoming an essential part of the consumer experience, especially as they often represent the first physical contact with the product. Therefore, the brands and sellers need to do everything to reduce the dreaded wrap rage! There are three ways through you can improve your custom packaging boxes and minimize customer frustration.
1. Less is more – Excessive packaging is the primary culprit for triggering wrap rage. By avoiding excessive layers of packaging and providing guidelines can help eliminate this rage.
2. Easy access – In order to ensure product security during transit, and to make consumers happy, ensure to incorporate easy-open features in your custom cardboard gift boxes such as perforations, tear strips, or “cut here” as these factors can enhance the customer experience.
3. Pass the letterbox test – Rearranging delivery or collecting a parcel can be a hassle. Therefore, go for a packaging solution that passes the doorstep challenge by fitting through a letterbox. This will also alleviate the consumers’ frustration.
Problem-Free Packaging
Wrap rage is real, and packagers need to be aware of this growing issue. It is only getting more common in the golden age of ecommerce and on-demand deliveries. Keep these tips in mind as a product designer, packager, and shipper.