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Last Updated on June 19, 2023 by Packoi Team
Whether it’s for retail or grocery shopping, major retailers must think about the customer experience inside their stores. Why?
What goes on inside a store is also influenced by the retail bags that’ll be provided for them.
This is why before you put your brand name on your shopping bag, make sure you have the right one.
In this article, you’ll get the details on how you can create a good retail bag that’ll give your customers a memorable experience, and eventually increase your sales.
Why a Good Retail Bag Is Important
Every business wants its customers to have a positive experience inside their store. It doesn’t matter if you’re selling groceries, clothing, jewelry, or food. The goal is to make the customer happy and satisfied so they’re encouraged to buy, not just once, but several times.
A lot of business owners would focus on how their stores look or the product presentation. But they’re missing one important thing.
The Retail Bag
These are the bags that you give customers after they’ve made a purchase. It’s what they use to carry your products to their home.
If you want to create a positive customer experience, you have to create a connection that goes beyond what happens in your store.
This is where your retail bag can help.
Benefits of Shopping Bags
A well-designed shopping bag is what you need to keep the connection with consumers alive even after they step out of your store.
Not only that, shopping bags can serve as an advertising tool. When people see them, they’ll know about you.
The same bag can also remind your customers of the positive experience that they had in your store.
That’s how powerful this bag is. So before you finalize your retail bag design, make sure it has the right qualities to give your brand image a huge boost.
3 Key Considerations for Creating Good Shopping Bags
Creating good shopping bags doesn’t just happen. You need to consider a couple of things to ensure that this one bag can benefit your grocery or retail business.
As mentioned, the bag will extend the connection that you established when the customer was still in your store. If your bag doesn’t have the right elements in place, you’ll lose that connection. It’ll also make you miss the opportunity to market your brand outside.
So to ensure that you don’t miss the chance to maximize the benefits of your retail bag, take note of these three things.
Customer Preferences Matter
The goal of the bag is to impress and make a connection with your customers. That means you have to consider their preferences first.
According to a study, more than 9 out of 10 consumers prefer shopping bags to be simple and they prefer strength over visual appeal. More than 6 out of 10 also said that they want reusable bags to last more than a year. Not only that, but some consumers are even willing to pay extra if it means they can use the type of bag they prefer.
If this is what customers want, that only means it’ll be better for you to stop using single-use plastic bags. While a plastic shopping bag has its benefits, it’s obvious that people prefer sustainable alternatives.
By doing your research or conducting a survey among your client base, you’ll get a better idea of what they want to use as a retail bag.
Product Consideration Is Vital
Apart from what the market wants, you should also consider what your products need. After all, shopping bags are there to help your customers carry your products around. You want it to be functional so it can make things convenient for them and at the same time, it can protect your products.
At the very least, your products will help you determine the right materials to use in creating your retail bag. If you have fragile items, using flimsy materials won’t do. One bump and your products might be broken. The customer might think that you gave them a defective one and return it to you.
That’ll be a loss for your store.
In case your product requires a bag that consumers don’t like, what do you do?
Look for a compromise.
For instance, we all know that most consumers don’t like plastic materials. But if that’s the type of packaging that your product requires, look for an alternative that has plastic features but is environmentally friendly. Research bio-based plastics and use that instead.
Brand Alignment Is a Must
Finally, consider your brand when you’re designing shopping bags. Don’t forget, your bag will serve as an advertising tool for your business once your customer steps out of your store. If you don’t put your branding anywhere in that bag, how will it market on your behalf once it leaves your store?
But that’s not all. The bags you’ll use should be in alignment with the image and reputation that you’re building. So if you want to be positioned as a sustainable company, the materials you’ll use should reflect that.
If your branding is fun and energetic, your retail bags should reflect that as well. If it’s all about love and romance, make the bag show that as well.
As you put together your retail bag, it’s important to combine all three to maximize the benefits of using the mag as a marketing and advertising tool. Find a compromise and see how you can satisfy all three.
After you’ve considered that, here are 3 must-haves that your retail bag should have.
Must-Have 1: The Right Materials
Shopping bags are mostly meant to be functional. So if you choose the wrong material, it could make the bag ineffective. Given the three considerations mentioned above, think about the right material that’s appropriate for your bag.
Do you need plastic bags? Or maybe paper bags are more in line with what consumers expect from you?
As mentioned, using plastic bags may be taboo for some people but don’t eliminate this material just yet. There are biodegradable alternatives to plastic that you can use. Experts have been finding solutions to ensure that packaging materials are more sustainable. They’re also cost-effective so do your research to find the best option.
Just make sure the material you’ll use is durable and sturdy.
Must-Have 2: The Appropriate Size
The shopping bag that you’ll create should also be available in different sizes. There are a few factors to consider to determine the sizes that you’ll need.
First of all, you have to think about the product because it has to fit the bag. If you have a long product, your bag should accommodate that. If it’s wide, make the bag wider.
Second, think about the people who’ll carry it. What is their size? Creating a very big bag might make it hard for physically smaller individuals to carry it.
The gender of your client base is also a factor to consider. Women prefer bags that are longer and narrower. Men expect strong and durable bags.
It’s always ideal to create different sizes so you don’t waste a big retail bag for a small purchase. It’s more economical and sustainable if the size of the bag is just right.
Must-Have 3: Reusability
Most people prefer reusable shopping bags over single-use ones. Creating reusable bags won’t just satisfy this preference, it’ll have a positive environmental impact.
You see, a reusable shopping bag can help minimize packaging waste. It can keep your bag from adding to the growing problem of landfills.
Reusable bags aren’t just about making them durable enough to last for years. It’s about giving people ideas on how to repurpose them. For instance, a reusable bag made of paper can be turned into an arts and crafts material.
An eco-friendly bag can also be used as compost – if it has the right materials.
As long as you make the bag sturdy enough, your customers can continue to use it to carry their items. The more they use it, the more exposure your brand will have.
It’s a win for everyone.
It’s Time to Transform Your Brand Retail Bags. Packoi Printing Can Show You the Options You Can Choose From.
Finding the right bag for your store is easy as long as you know your customers, product, and branding well. Do your research and consider the different options available to you. Make a list of what you need and then talk to a reputable packaging supplier to help create your retail bags.
If you need help transforming your retail bags, Packoi Printing is here to help. We can give you several options that’ll help you put together the most functional, visually appealing, and sustainable bags.
Give us a call so we can discuss your ideas. We’ll get back to you with a fair quote in no time.
