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Packaging is a critical aspect of the marketing of electronic products. Electronic products are delicate and sensitive and thus they require durable Electronics Packaging to protect them.
The electronics packaging industry is expected to reach $22 billion by 2021.
The trend in the packaging of electronics is of using lightweight and effective packaging.
Brands are also investing heavily in designing premium and luxurious packaging.
Such packaging attracts customers’ attention and differentiates the products from the competition.
Premium packaging also acts as the promotion of the product in itself.
In this article, we will talk about:
- electronics market share
- famous electronics brands
- electronics types
- electronics packaging materials
- Electronic packaging design tips
- example of good electronic packaging
Companies are also moving towards green and eco-friendly packaging to reduce the environmental threats caused by packaging waste.
Electronics Market Share
Electronic products are very popular as they provide a means of staying connected and entertainment for customers.
The global electronics market is growing steadily. It was estimated at $1172 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $1787 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 6%.
Within the consumer electronics segment, smartphones are the most dominant category, accounting for 30% of the total market share by 2020.
Smart home devices are expected to grow at the fastest rate at a CAGR of 23% until the year 2020.
Due to growing incomes and customer preferences, Asia-Pacific will continue to grow as the largest market for electronic products.
Famous Electronics Brands
The electronics market is very competitive and segmented. There are many leading manufacturers and brands which have become household names.
Samsung is a global behemoth in the electronics industry and manufactures a diversified range of electronic products.
Another Korean brand LG is a popular global electronics brand. Apple, the iconic smartphone and wearables manufacturer has an incomparable market following and leadership.
Its products have always been market leaders in innovation and technology. The Japanese corporation, Sony is world renowned for its high-quality electronic products.
It manufactures a wide variety of electronic items like TVs, mobile phones, and cameras which are very popular among customers globally.
Type of Electronics
Electronic products are available in different forms and sizes. Some of the most common and popular electronic products are provided below:
TV Sets
TV sets are one of the most popular categories of consumer electronics. The market for TV sets has been expanding steadily over time.
with the advent of technology, LED and OLED TV panels have become quite popular and have taken the viewing experience to another level.
Smart TV sets have also become common and popular and have brought convergence with internet technology to customers.
Security Devices
Security devices are becoming common and important electronic items. They are mostly used for surveillance and ensuring the safety of people in offices and residences.
The market for security devices is expanding rapidly. Some of the common security devices include CCTV cameras, biometric devices, DVRs, etc.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones and accessories are perhaps the most popular category of electronic products currently.
The evolution of smartphones and mobile devices have taken the world by storm. Mobile phones are available with different budgets and features.
They have made communicating with people across the world seamless and instant.
Wearable Electronics
Wearable gadgets are emerging as a popular category of electronic products.
Examples of wearable electronic products include smartwatches and fitness trackers.
These wearable devices provide convenience to the users and keep them connected on the go.
Users can connect with the world and track their fitness stats using these wearable electronic devices.
Computers and Laptops
Computers are an important category of electronic products. They are fast-computing electronic devices and are widely used in residences and offices.
Computers have evolved considerably over time and with the advent of fast processors and hardware they have become very powerful and efficient.
Home Automation Devices
Home automation devices are a new category of electronic devices.
These are smart devices which automate the basic functions of the home like regulating temperature, light, air flow etc.
and provides convenience to the customers. These smart home automation devices can also be used to control multiple home electronic devices.
Materials Used for Electronics Packaging
Different materials are used for the packaging of electronic products. Some commonly used packaging materials for electronic products are provided below:
Paper and Cardboard
Paper and cardboard are the most commonly used materials for packaging of electronic items.
Corrugated cardboard boxes are lightweight and cost-effective and are popular in electronic packaging.
They provide adequate protection to the packaged electronics. They are also cost-effective for transportation as they consume lesser fuel and energy for products to be transported thereby reducing their environmental footprint.
Cardboard and paper packaging is also completely recyclable and eco-friendly.
Plastic
Plastic is another widely used material for the packaging of electronic products.
Plastic is also used in combination with cardboard and other materials to create transparent packaging for electronics.
Transparent packaging not only enhances the attractiveness of the packaging, but it also provides a sneak peek of the product to the customers and helps them to make the purchase decision.
Plastics are durable and provide good protection to the packaged products.
They also have good barrier properties which protect the electronic products from natural elements and prevent damage.
Metal
Metal cases are also used for packaging electronic products. Metal packaging is very durable and impact resistant and protects delicate electronics from abrasions, impacts, and damage during transit.
The metal packaging cases provide a very premium and sophisticated feel to the packaged products.
The metal cases are highly designed and friendly and they are versatile to allow different printing and branding options. Metals being recyclable are also eco-friendly.
Electronics Packaging Design Tips
Brands have been working towards differentiating their products through packaging. The packaging is the first point of contact between the brand and the customer. Some important tips for designing attractive electronic packaging are as follows:
Durable Packaging
Electronic products are sensitive and costly. They need to be securely packaged and with materials that can provide them with durable protection.
The packaging should be impact resistant and made from a strong material which will provide enough protection to the packaged product.
Electronic products are very delicate and extremely sensitive to natural elements like moisture, dirt, oxidation, etc.
which further emphasizes the need for protective and barrier-proof packaging. Packaging materials should be selected with care for electronic products.
Materials that are ant-static and chemical resistant are commonly used for packaging electronics.
Anti-static bags prevent the building of static charge inside the packaging, which can damage the internal circuit of the products.
Secure Internal Packaging
The packaging of electronic products should be secure. The size of the packaging box should be bigger than the size of the product.
Too large a packaging box should not be chosen as it will mean wastage of more void-filling materials.
The product should fill the packaging box up to two-thirds volume. Securing electronic product packaging with the use of void-filling materials is important.
Internal packaging materials like bubble wraps, air cushioning bags, fillers, anti-static bags, foam bags, etc.
should be used to provide additional cushioning to the packaged product and protect it from damage during transit. If the product is very scratch prone, then one layer of bubble wrapping can be used around it to protect it from damage.
Minimalistic and Elegant Design
Minimal and simplistic packaging designs for electronic products have become a trend.
Most of the leading brands opt for minimalistic packaging designs making use of minimal colors, illustrations, and details.
The minimalistic packaging designs feature a clean packaging layout, clean cuts, and lines which provide an attractive look to the packaging.
Customers generally do not like cluttered packaging with unnecessary graphics and illustrations as it does not clearly define the packaged product.
A simplistic packaging type makes the product packaging feel more premium and sophisticated.
Companies like Apple make use of minimalistic packaging designs to make their products stand out from the competition.
Convenience
Electronic packaging should provide convenience to customers. The packaging should house the electronic products in efficiently and securely which is easier to unbox and remove for the customers.
If the product is packaged in a cumbersome manner, unboxing will be an unpleasant experience for the customers and they may not recommend the product to others.
Sleeve box packaging which is used for packaging of electronic products provides a great option to display the products on retail shelves and attract the customer’s attention.
This type of packaging is user-friendly and offers convenience and ease for unboxing the products.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
Eco-friendly packaging is becoming an emerging trend in the packaging of electronic products. There has been a significant push by government authorities and regulators for moving towards green packaging.
More and more electronic products come packaged in green packaging which is made from completely recyclable materials.
The brands and the customers both are becoming conscious of eco-friendly packaging and protecting the environment from unwanted non-biodegradable packaging waste.
This is a major driving factor for eco-friendly packaging. Customers are preferring companies and brands which make use of green and sustainable packaging for electronic products.
Major brands like Dell, Samsung, etc. are already widely using green packaging for their electronic products.
Examples of Good Electronics Packaging
Some examples of good electronic packaging are provided below:
Gauss LED Lamps
The Gauss LED lamps packaging was done with a view to differentiate it from the competition and to present the brand as a premium product which would justify its premium pricing.
The packaging is simplistic and convenient. On the front face, the type of lamp and its appearance are printed. The shape of the lamps is UV lacquered to be more attractive.
Zune
Zune moved to a new packaging format from the earlier clamshell packaging. The new packaging is more efficient, eco-friendly, and convenient to open.
A plastic tray made from 80% recyclable paper pulp-because- which has a soft velvety texture. The packaging provides secure and durable packaging to the product.
Panasonic Note
The Panasonic Note has contemporary and innovative packaging. The packaging is done in the form of a musical note which adds to the effect and attractiveness of the product.
The product comes packaged in an elegant and simple white box with the Panasonic logo printed on the top.
Plantronics
The Plantronics packaging is clean and sophisticated. It makes lesser use of plastics and looks attractive on the display shelves.
The minimalistic but elegant packaging provides the details of the product effectively and helps the customers to make the purchase decision.
The packaging has been designed for a global audience and is available from leading retailers across the world.
Audiovox
The packaging of the Audiovox earphones is colorful and attractive. Audiovox discovered that customers choose the earphones as fashion accessories and thus they came out with cheerful packaging.
The packaging attracts customers of all age groups with the use of bold colors and beautiful illustrations.
Jawbone Era
The Jawbone Era is a wireless Bluetooth headset that comes with motion controls and exciting levels of interactivity.
The packaging is done with a slipcase of black uncoated paper and has laser-cut patterns which match the pattern of the headset inside the packaging.
There is additional space at the top of the packaging to protect the headset from impact and damage during transit. Packaging is made from 100% recyclable paper.
B&O Headphones
The packaging of B&O headphones is bold and minimal. It gives a premium and sophisticated feel to the product.
The use of fonts and impressive photography on the packaging makes it look attractive.
Each headphone is matched to a playlist which can be accessed by scanning the QR code on the packaging.
Mugo
Mugo a USB flash drive-based MP3 player and storage drive comes in attractive packaging wrapped in a vinyl packaging box.
The logo and the illustrations are embossed on the packaging which gives a colorful and impressive feel. The playful packaging attracts the attention of the customers.
Dell
Dell has introduced eco-friendly packaging for its laptops. Its Inspiron and Vostro line of laptops are packaged in recyclable cardboard packaging.
The packaging makes use of minimal graphics and fonts which provide it a simple and elegant look.
The one-color printing looks impressive on the kraft cardboard packaging.
Bell TV
Bell TV’s packaging focuses on bringing out a range of emotions. The packaging is strategic and unique and highlights the importance and focus that the brand has on its customers.
The use of human photographs and different emotions brings out optimistic, cheerful, and customer-friendly packaging.
