Internet retailers are set to benefit from an “unboxing” survey which is being launched by Macfarlane Packaging, the country’s leading supplier of protective packaging, and which could be the largest ever of its kind in the UK. The results are expected to provide online retailers with valuable feedback from consumers on their experiences of opening and unpacking goods ordered over the internet.
The experience of opening a package containing a product ordered online has become known as unboxing and, with the advent of video blogging, consumers’ reviews of not only products, but the packaging that they arrive in, are becoming increasingly important to online retailers. (YouTube now features almost 60 million unboxing videos – some with millions of views.) Internet retailing continues to grow, with UK online sales exceeded £130 billion in 2016 (Source: IMRG).
Macfarlane’s first unboxing survey was published last year and revealed that almost one in three (30%) of parcels despatched by UK internet retailers could be improved, with as many as 10% containing damaged contents as a result of inappropriate packaging. This year’s survey is being opened up to all UK online shoppers for the first time in order to provide online retailers with first hand consumer feedback of their unboxing experiences.
Laurel Granville, Marketing Director of Macfarlane Packaging said: “The whole unboxing experience is an important issue for internet retailers and presents opportunities for them to enhance their image, build their brand and reduce their costs while delivering an excellent experience for their customers.
“Last year’s unboxing survey showed that there was room for significant improvement among the UK’s online retailers. Too much packaging, too little packaging and hard to open packaging puts not only products but reputations at risk and we want to see what’s changed in the last 12 months to help retailers to ensure that they’re providing their customer with the best experience possible.”
Macfarlane’s unboxing survey enables online shoppers to assess the:
appropriateness of outer packaging size
durability of packaging
ease of opening
amount of packaging materials used
recyclability of packaging
ability to use packaging for returns
use of branding
The survey can be accessed at: https://www.macfarlanepackaging.com/open-up-about-unboxing/ . Participants will be entered for a prize draw with the chance to win a prize each week including a £250 One4All gift card; Sonos PLAY:3 smart speaker; and a GoPro HERO5 Camcorder. The survey will be open until 28th July 2017 and the results are expected to be published in August 2017.
