Baking delicious cookies, pastries, and cupcakes is only half the game when your goal is to climb the success ladder of marketing. The other half that actually makes the difference is making sure that your product is presented with irresistible looks, making it look tasty and delicious before consumers can even get a chance to take a bite. That is possible only with attractive custom packaging for bakery products.
Think about it, your bakery box is the first interaction your customer has with your brand. It’s not just a container. It’s a mood-setter. A vibe check. A silent salesperson who either screams premium and worth it! Or whispers Meh, just another baked good!”
So, if your sales aren’t rising like the sourdough, then there must be a flaw in your packaging strategy, and it needs improvement. Let’s break down 7 common mistakes in packaging that must be sabotaging your well-earned growth!
Using Generic & Unbranded Boxes
If you are using plain and boring colorless packaging, then you are missing a major branding opportunity. You’re just trying to sell your baked goods without an identity. Customers won’t remember where they got that great cookie or cupcake. This means zero brand recall, zero word-of-mouth, and zero return visits. Custom packaging works wonders, and one of the wonders is highlighting your brand and building up your individuality.
A report of Lucidpress shared by Forbes shows that companies were able to receive increased revenue of up to 23% only by using consistent brand presentation across all platforms. So, if you want to see the same results, it is high time you start investing in custom bakery boxes that:
- Reflects your brand’s logo, design, colors, and tone of voice.
- Make sure that the box demonstrates your brand’s vibes and aesthetics.
- Use the “spread the word” tactics with hashtags and QR codes.
Ignoring The Visual Appeal
Keeping your packaging bland is one thing, but using weird visuals is another way of making sure you don’t succeed in the bakery industry. First impressions happen in seconds. Whether it’s a customer browsing in store or someone watching an unboxing online, dull packaging gets overlooked. Upscale your packaging aesthetics:
- The color palette that represents your brand. For bakery products, it is advisable to go with earthy tones, having more brown hues and shades in them. You can also opt for pastel shades, especially for your pastries, macarons, or cake products.
- Use typography that is easy to read and has proper visuals, so that when the consumer is looking through the aisle, your baked goods get recognized instantly.
- Think of a design style or layout that aligns with your bakery’s aesthetics. Go minimalist or use integrated graphics for artistic visuals.
No Proper Story Telling Of The Brand
Connecting with clients is essential. If your packaging doesn’t say anything about who you are, you’re missing a powerful chance to connect. Just like any other industrial niche, the only way to sell your baked goods is by advertising yourself as much as you can. A plain box with no message feels transactional. There’s no emotional hook, no reason to remember you, and definitely no reason to come back. But there is a way:
- Use custom bakery boxes to tell your brand’s story. Messages like these make your one-time buyer your loyal fan forever.
- A short origin blurb, a heartfelt tagline, or even a handwritten “baked with love” note adds warmth and personality.
Skimming On Packaging Quality
Many unsuccessful brands are not investing in packaging as much as they should. Yes, if you are a startup company, you have a tight budget and you need to fit your goals within it. That doesn’t mean you need to lower your standards. Flimsy and low-grade boxes send the wrong message. Consumers start assuming you aren’t putting all your efforts into ensuring customers get every bit of your product in a perfect manner. And this eventually leads to no trust in brands, and consequently, you lose your customer. To ensure you don’t face this issue, use:
- Use durable and well-constructed boxes that reflect the care you put into your treats.
- A lot of brands use rigid or corrugated boxes to ensure that not only does the product look premium, but also keeps baked goods fresh and protected.
Packaging That is Not Eco-Conscious
Statistics show that about 60% of people are now leaning towards brands that support sustainability and are willing to spend more on them (McKinsey). This number has not gone down but is growing with the passing of time. It is simple: if you want to survive the tough marketing competition, then your products need to be recyclable, compostable, or at least reusable. Otherwise, you are missing out on a huge chunk of eco-conscious consumers. This is so true for Gen Z and Millennials, who are actively seeking greener options.
Not Focusing on The Unboxing Experience
Having a bland and poorly appealing exterior of the packaging is one thing, but having the interior as dull as possible is equivalent to losing. A plain box interior is a missed opportunity to wow your customer. You instantly lose out on free social media exposure. Unboxing hauls have become a worldwide thing among many social platforms, and there is no way this will go anywhere soon. To ensure you win the online presence game as well, don’t skip on ensuring your product looks good from the inside as well by giving:
- Playful, artistic, or unique prints
- Surprise discount codes
- A QR code linking to your bakery story
Using a One-Size-Fits-All Approach
A baked good needs packaging that gives it a snug and proper fit. Loose, oversized, and awkward-sized bakery boxes look unprofessional. Moreover, it is a waste of supplies and money. A cupcake rattling around in a box meant for a loaf of bread means the risk of damage. It also sends the message that you didn’t think it through. You lose your brand’s credibility and also lose your product’s value. Therefore:
- Customize the shape and style of your packaging according to your baked good size, type, and quantity. Collaborate with a good packaging provider to get custom packaging designed for your product specifically.
- Use snug, well-fitted boxes for cupcakes, cookies, macarons, and pastries to enhance appearance and protect freshness.
Conclusion
Know that if your custom bakery packaging is bland, bulky, not impressive, not functional, and is easily forgettable, then you are losing A LOT! You are not just failing in marketing competition, but all of this is heavily costing your investment, time, and energy.
The good news? Fixing them isn’t rocket science.
Smart, well-branded, and functional packaging does more than protect baked goods. It elevates your brand! Makes a lasting impression and keeps customers coming back for more!
Ready for a packaging glow-up? Make smart and profitable changes to your marketing custom bakery packaging by focusing on the above 7 points and see positive results in your sales and growth.
