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Packaging is a market and marketing necessity. The 14 needs for packaging are:
Product protection
The main advantage of packaging is protection of the product or content. It keeps the content fresh, clean and unspoiled by using moisture proof, vermin proof and damage resistant material. This protection is given to the products from the birth till their death.
Product identification
Packaging of one product should be different from another product. Hence, it becomes a means of easy identification. The size, the color combinations, the graphics used in each package should be unique that can be easily remembered and recalled.
User convenience
It provides convenience in storage, transportation, handling and usage. A nicely designed product package facilities product shipping, storage, stocking, handling and transportation for the producers and distributors.
It provides point of purchase display
When the product is packed and kept for window display, it attracts the consumers to ‘get in’ and it allows the consumers to make comparison of competitor’s product.
It acts as a media of advertisement
The general appearance and selling features created by the package, decides the success of the product as the package acts as an advertising media.
Product publicity
Free or indirect advertising is done through package. When a consumer is carrying the product, people may see it on the way or it may be observed by another person when it is kept at home. It leads to publicity of the product.
Generates profit
Good package reduces cost of storage, transportation and handling. Also, the wastes that are common in marketing process can be minimized. Hence, it leads to generation of profits for years together to the producers and distributors. Further, sound packing is an effective tool of sales promotion, which also contributes towards profit maximization.
It provides product density
Product density implies selecting such package materials, design and shape that it helps to use the limited space in the best way. Product density improves relations with common carriers, permits better use of space in storage and usage and increases the grace and poise of arrangement.
Attract customers
It is the package size, design, color combinations and graphics that decide its ability to attract the valuable attention of prospects. Good packaging can attract customers, and help in selling the product more easily and quickly.
Differentiation
Differentiating ones product from competitors product is the most important factor in today’s competing world. This process of differentiation can be brought about either by branding or by packaging. The product package identifies the product, no matter where you see it; under what circumstances you see it, when you see it. A package is products’ personality or image.
It extends product life cycle
When a product in the process of going out of the market because of less demand or obsolescence, a change in product package will help in its extension of life, and hence, it will not go out of the market soon. Updating design may help to give the pack a more contemporary image. It is difficult and costly to come up with totally new product, but any variety of packaging innovation can be introduced which offers a new feature to the product. This can be achieved through improved convenience to not only consumers, but also to retailers, i.e., the packages which are easy to stock, price, mark, display and identify.
Provides information
A package provides information on the details of the manufacturer, distributor, price of the product, contents of the product, Brand name, and direction for use, warnings (if any), manufacturing and expiry date and other relevant information for the consumer. This information facilitates the consumers as well as the distributors.
It depicts family resemblance
Generally companies selling products of the same product line will have similar package for easy identification by the consumer. Therefore, all the similar products of the company can be easily identified because of family resemblance.
It helps in seasonal fluctuations
Certain goods are produced throughout the year, but are required seasonally, while, some goods are produces seasonally, but required throughout the year. Good packaging helps in keeping the goods fresh, clean, unspoilt and unaffected until there is demand for the product. Thus goods can be made available when there is demand and therefore reduces seasonal fluctuations.
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