Packaging is perhaps the single most important factor in retail success. (After all, it’s the P in CPG!) Your packaging must convince a shopper that your product is the perfect fit for her needs. Every element — titles, headlines, callouts, graphic elements — must be carefully designed and included. If it doesn’t help the shopper understand the product and convince them to buy, it shouldn’t be on the package.

Of course, your packaging must comply with safety regulations as well as any retailer requirements for your category. 

And it absolutely must stand out on a crowded shelf. 

Retailers know that you have just a few seconds to get a shopper’s attention and make a good impression. Once a shopper notices your product and picks it up to learn more, your packaging must educate the shopper and convince them to make a purchase with just a few words and well-placed graphics. And it must be aligned with your messaging and online presence.

After years of working with retailers and carefully listening to their feedback about consumer packaging, we know exactly what they’re looking for. Whenever we’ve designed (or re-designed) product packaging, retailers call it “innovative,” “creative,” and a “perfect fit” for their shelves.

If retailers aren’t telling you that your packaging is perfect, then it’s falling short (and they’re just sparing your feelings).