3 Tips To Create Awesome Product Packaging

Eco Brothers is Simon’s packaging company, and Simon helps ecommerce sellers create packaging that protects the product, supports the brand story, and improves the customer experience after delivery.

Product packaging is not just a box around your product.

It is the first physical moment your buyer has with your brand after they decide to purchase from you.

A weak package can make a good product feel cheap.

A smart package can make the same product feel more premium, more thoughtful, and more memorable.

In my conversation with Simon, we focused on three packaging ideas that matter for ecommerce sellers.

Those ideas are design and structure, sustainability, and raw material selection.

In this guide, I will break those ideas down in a practical way so you can think about your packaging before you spend money on production.

The Direct Answer: What Makes Product Packaging Awesome?

Awesome product packaging does three jobs at the same time.

It protects the product, communicates the brand story, and creates the right feeling when the customer opens it.

That means packaging should never be judged only by how pretty it looks on a mockup.

It also needs the right structure, the right material, the right size, the right inserts, and the right message for your product category.

• Design should explain what your brand stands for.

• Structure should match the product’s shape, value, fragility, and message.

• Sustainability should reduce waste without weakening the customer experience.

• Raw materials should feel right for the product and survive real shipping conditions.

• Small components such as inserts, tissue paper, stickers, and internal printing should support the unboxing moment.

Tip 1: Start With Design And Structure

Design is not only the artwork on the outside of the box.

Design also includes the structure of the packaging.

A gift-style box, a clean medical-style carton, a luxury rigid box, a simple mailer, and a protective ecommerce box all communicate different things before the customer even touches the product.

That is why structure should come before decoration.

Before choosing colors, foil, embossing, or graphics, ask what the package needs to say about the product.

The right structure should feel natural for the category and believable for the price.

If your product is premium but the packaging feels generic, customers can feel the gap immediately.

If your product is practical but the packaging is too complicated, the customer may feel that the brand is wasting material or charging for unnecessary presentation.

Use Packaging To Tell Your Brand Story

Your packaging should tell the customer what kind of brand they just bought from.

That story can be simple, clean, eco-friendly, playful, serious, premium, technical, handmade, or giftable.

The mistake is trying to communicate everything at once.

Good packaging usually has one clear feeling and one clear message.

• Choose the emotion you want the customer to feel first.

• Choose the main brand message that should appear on the package.

• Choose colors that match the product category and buyer expectation.

• Use the inside of the package when the unboxing moment matters.

• Avoid printing every possible benefit if it makes the package feel noisy.

Tip 2: Make Sustainability Practical, Not Decorative

Sustainability should not be a buzzword printed on a box just because it sounds good.

It should affect the actual packaging decisions you make.

Simon’s sustainability point has three practical parts.

Those parts are design, raw materials, and supply chain footprint.

The easiest place to start is package size.

A package that is bigger than needed can cost more to ship, use more material, take more warehouse space, and create a worse environmental impression.

Sustainable packaging is not always the cheapest option at the start.

But wasteful packaging can also become expensive when it increases freight, storage, damage, or negative customer perception.

Think About Ecommerce Packaging Differently From Retail Packaging

Retail packaging has to fight for attention on a shelf.

Ecommerce packaging usually appears after the customer has already bought the product.

That means ecommerce packaging has a different job.

It should confirm the buyer made the right choice, make the product feel cared for, and reduce the chance of disappointment after delivery.

For Amazon sellers, this is especially important because the customer may first experience the product through a shipping box, FBA handling, and a quick unboxing moment.

• Make the package strong enough for fulfillment and delivery.

• Make the opening experience easy enough for the customer.

• Make the internal message clear enough to feel personal.

• Make the packaging efficient enough to avoid unnecessary size and weight.

• Make the brand impression strong enough to be remembered after the product is removed.

Tip 3: Choose The Right Raw Materials

Raw materials change how the packaging looks, feels, protects, and sells the product.

A thicker paper can feel more premium.

A textured paper can make the brand feel more natural or handmade.

A glossy finish can feel modern or bold, but it may not fit every sustainability goal.

A flimsy board can make the customer question the product before they even use it.

This is why raw material selection should match the product’s price, positioning, fragility, and buyer expectation.

Do Not Forget Amazon FBA Handling And Prep

If you sell through Amazon FBA, your product packaging has to survive more than a pretty photoshoot.

It has to survive inbound shipping, prep requirements, warehouse handling, storage, picking, packing, and delivery.

A package that looks great but damages easily is not great packaging for FBA.

A package that cannot be labeled, scanned, packed, or handled properly can create operational problems even if the branding looks nice.

Before finalizing packaging, review Amazon’s official Fulfillment by Amazon guide and confirm the current prep, packing, and labeling requirements inside Seller Central.

• Check whether the package needs a barcode, label, suffocation warning, or special prep.

• Check whether the product can move inside the package during shipping.

• Check whether the package corners and edges can handle normal handling.

• Check whether the size increases storage, fulfillment, or carton costs unnecessarily.

• Check whether the packaging still looks good when it arrives after real logistics.

Use Inserts And Internal Printing Carefully

One of Simon’s practical ideas is that small packaging components can change the customer experience.

A product insert, thank-you card, internal message, sticker, or simple tissue wrap can make a normal unboxing feel more intentional.

The key is to use these components with a real purpose.

Do not add a card just because everyone else adds one.

Add it because it helps the customer use the product, remember the brand, avoid confusion, or feel better about the purchase.

• Use inserts to explain product use when instructions matter.

• Use internal printing to turn the unboxing moment into a brand moment.

• Use simple thank-you cards when you want the brand to feel human.

• Use stickers or wrapping only when they improve the experience instead of creating waste.

• Use compliant messaging if you sell on Amazon and avoid anything that could create policy issues.

Packaging And Listing Images Should Match

A common mistake is creating beautiful packaging that does not match the listing images.

Your Amazon images, product page, brand colors, insert card, box design, and customer experience should feel like one brand.

If the listing promises premium quality but the package feels cheap, the customer may feel misled.

If the packaging is premium but the listing images look generic, the customer may never click in the first place.

• Use the same brand colors across the listing and packaging.

• Use the same value proposition in the product images and packaging message.

• Use product photos that reflect how the item actually arrives.

• Use packaging callouts only when they are true and visible to the customer.

• Use the box and insert to reinforce the buying decision after checkout.

A Simple Packaging Development Workflow

Good packaging usually comes from a clear process, not a random design request.

Before asking a factory for a quote, define what the package needs to do.

• Start with the product size, shape, fragility, and price point.

• Define what the buyer should feel when the package arrives.

• Choose the structure before choosing surface decoration.

• Choose materials that match the product and shipping environment.

• Design the outside and inside with one clear brand message.

• Order a sample before committing to mass production.

• Check Amazon prep, labeling, carton packing, and logistics before final approval.

What To Ask A Packaging Supplier Before Ordering

A packaging supplier should help you make better decisions, not only quote the lowest box price.

The right questions can save you from packaging that looks nice but fails in shipping, costs too much, or does not match your brand.

• Which packaging structure do you recommend for this exact product and why?

• Which material options fit my target price and brand positioning?

• What is the minimum order quantity for each packaging option?

• How does the packaging size affect carton packing and freight?

• Can you create samples before mass production?

• Which finishing options are worth the cost for my category?

• Can the packaging support Amazon FBA labeling and prep requirements?

• Can you include a product insert, internal printing, or a custom unboxing component?

Common Product Packaging Mistakes

Most packaging mistakes happen because sellers rush the packaging decision at the end of product development.

Packaging should be part of the product plan from the beginning.

• Do not choose a box only because it looks nice on screen.

• Do not make the package bigger than needed for the product.

• Do not ignore the inside of the package if unboxing matters for the category.

• Do not add premium finishes without understanding cost, recyclability, and brand fit.

• Do not approve mass production without seeing and testing a physical sample.

• Do not forget how the package will be packed into master cartons and shipped to Amazon.

• Do not let packaging make claims that the product, material, or brand cannot support.

FAQ About Creating Awesome Product Packaging

What are the three main tips for creating awesome product packaging?

The three main tips are to focus on design and structure, make sustainability practical, and choose the right raw materials for your product and brand.

Why does packaging structure matter?

Packaging structure matters because it controls protection, unboxing, shipping efficiency, product presentation, and the first physical impression of your brand.

Does ecommerce packaging need to look different from retail packaging?

Yes, ecommerce packaging should focus more on delivery protection, unboxing, customer reassurance, and post-purchase brand experience because the customer usually sees it after buying.

How can packaging make a product feel more premium?

Packaging can feel more premium through better structure, stronger materials, clean design, thoughtful internal printing, useful inserts, and finishes that match the brand instead of overwhelming it.

Should Amazon sellers use product inserts?

Product inserts can be useful when they help customers use the product, understand the brand, or avoid confusion, but sellers should keep all insert messaging compliant with Amazon policies.

What is the Eco Brothers offer from Simon?

The offer shared in the original article is to mention Vova Even when contacting Simon’s packaging company and ask about getting a free insert for each package.

Should I test a packaging sample before production?

Yes, always review a physical sample before mass production because packaging feel, strength, finish, size, and product fit are hard to judge from digital mockups alone.

Final Thoughts

Awesome product packaging is not only about making a box look attractive.

It is about choosing the right structure, telling the right brand story, reducing unnecessary waste, selecting the right raw materials, and making the product feel good when it reaches the customer.

If you sell physical products online, your packaging can help you protect the product, improve perceived value, support customer loyalty, and create a more professional brand experience.

Start with the product, then choose the structure, then choose the materials, then build the design around the experience you want the customer to have.

And if you want help from Simon’s packaging company, use the link below and mention Vova Even to ask about the free product insert offer.