Consumers are strongly influenced by the packaging of products that they are considering buying. Marketers are well aware of this fact, and go to great lengths to create packaging that will draw in consumers and convince them to buy the product. This dynamic leads to a riot of competing colors, shapes and promises in supermarkets and shopping malls across the land.
Size
The size of a package influences buying decisions. A larger package gives a consumer the impression that they are buying more of whatever product is in it. Although many products are required to have the weight listed on the package, the size of the package itself has more of an impact on the psychology of the consumer. This fact sometimes leads to questionable practices, such as making packaging far larger than it needs to be, thus misleading the consumer and wasting material. Larger packages also take up more shelf space in a store, thus increasing the odds that a consumer will see the product and buy it rather than a competing brand.
Positioning
The positioning of a package within a retail environment influences its level of sales. Products that are shelved at eye level and in the front of the store sell better than those that are near the floor, up high or hidden in the back. Bright, eye-catching packaging in an eye-level location at the front of the store is the goal of every merchandiser. Average shoppers do not scour the store for products; they grab the first thing they see that fulfills their requirements. This is why positioning of this kind is effective.
Promises
The packaging of a product is the ideal medium for promising the consumer all manner of things, from greater beauty to increased health to a more fulfilling social life. Food products are labeled as nutritious, containing eight vitamins, all-natural, or organic, depending on the demographic that the merchandiser is attempting to reach. Many of these promises are perfectly valid and accurate promotional techniques, while others walk a thin line between persuasion and deception. Marketing research departments base the promises that they put on packaging on what consumers want to hear. Promises are effective at increasing sales of a product. Shoppers seeking a particular effect from their purchases want to believe the claims that are made, and this makes them more likely to accept promises and to purchase the merchandise.
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