Attract the modern packaging buyer

The packaging industry, as a whole, is evolving and converters must adapt to these unique changes. Working directly for a converter nearly 15 years ago (I am hoping that doesn’t age me too much), I remember packaging buyers contacting us to try to find a way to produce their orders the most cost-effective way. This included waiting until inventory was nearly depleted so they could order as many pieces as possible. They knew we had a 2-week lead time, printing primarily flexo, and that we needed the time to produce plates and order tooling. They also knew they would need to order a few times a year and maintain high levels of inventory between those orders, taking a risk with possible artwork changes or fearing one of their customers would move to another vendor. Talk about hardship!

The Modern Buyer

Let’s fast forward to the present. The modern packaging buyer has created demand that has definitely changed the industry. Not only are they looking to order short runs and multiple SKUs with a faster turnaround, they want to hold the control throughout the ordering process. Buyers no longer want the back-and-forth communication over multiple days to get their order placed. They also don’t want to wait days to get their estimate to determine which vendor they should move forward with. They fully expect to go online, find their vendor, upload their artwork or place a reorder, visually see their package come to life, establish pricing and provide payment, and gain live updates as to when their order will deliver. Recent data from HubSpot shows that 67% of the buyer’s journey is now conducted digitally.

Not only is this process demanded by the buyer, but a hands-off approach to ordering becomes cheaper for the printer and can have an incredible impact on sales. Studies show that a customer is 21 times more likely to proceed with a quote that is generated in 5 minutes than one supplied in a half an hour.

Demand for Packaging

Emerging markets such as artisanal food product, cosmetics, craft breweries, and cannabis, are driving a heightened demand for packaging. The cosmetic industry alone is expected to grow from $420bn in 2018 to $716.3bn by 2025. Other unique attributes include increased digitization of developing economies, sustainable packaging needs, anti-counterfeit and security measures, and food safety advancements. As these requirements evolve and mature, new requirements are created for the packaging of niche products.

Evolving to Grow

Based on the modern buyer and the ultimate demand for packaging, converters are beginning to leverage automation within their processes to be able to keep up. Web-to-pack software kicks off this automation by connecting the buyer to their ordering process. It also allows for brand protection through template-based design, an enhanced sales channel that is available 24/7, simple integrations that reduce or even remove human intervention, and intelligent decision-making by having data and analytics available at your fingertips. Web-to-pack allows buyers to order any form of packaging, when they need it, from their own portal without having to scroll through irrelevant products. A truly personalized approach – what the modern buyer is looking for!

A Unique Partnership

Finding the right partner that understands your business and the future growth goals of your organization is very important when considering the creation of a digital strategy. It’s imperative to establish a solutions partner with an extended branch of technology partners that assist in implementing, integrating, and growing an e-Commerce business, and help provide the tools along the way for success. You may question how to get started or why your current storefronts aren’t successful. The right solution should be flexible and adaptable, but sophisticated enough to simplify the most complex requirements.

Download our latest white paper, Attract the modern packaging buyer to generate new revenue streams, as we dive into each of these topics, establishing ways to capitalise within the packaging industry by utilising e-Commerce.