All too often, we have seen businesses cut costs in packaging only to sacrifice their product's name, image, and perception of worth. It's throwing your money away. Simple, two color graphics on a brown box is akin to spending money on advertising dollars, yet many businesses still fail to realize that, most often, this is the least expensive way to receive the most product name recognition.

While we have made a point to stress the real value of graphics. We would like to touch the fact that in order for graphics to work, the package itself must be functional! We have seen beautiful packages that quite simply don't work. The structural design of a package should be given the same consideration as the product that is enclosed. Have you ever walked down an aisle in a retail store and picked up a product where the item has broken through? When you see such an item, or one that has been previously opened or resealed, do you ever buy it? NO. Chances are you take the package that is in the best condition with no dents or tears. I doubt anybody is willing to pay the full price for a less than perfect looking product. In the consumer's mind, a damaged package equals a damaged product.

Handling and delivery of your product can also be controlled by appropriate packaging. A shipment that arrives at its destination that appears to be in less than A1 condition is immediately suspect. Often, it will be returned --and rightly so. This is the single, costliest, unnecessary expense of doing business. Think about it. First you loose profit on your product. In addition, you will incur the added cost of additional labor for rehandling and repackaging your product. Then there is the cost of reshipping to your customer as well as the cost of the return shipment. All this on top of missed delivery dates, rushing to "catch up", annoying your customer with the headache of returns, and the loss of perception that you have a quality product.

One of changes we have seen in today's marketplace is the emergence of mass merchandising and superstores. With row upon row of merchandising piled high in bare surroundings, manufacturer's shelf space is little more than a cold, metal pallet rack. The only thing standing between your product and obscurity among rows of merchandise is your packaging. Consumers are pacing the aisles, more rushed than ever before. If what you have to sell does not present itself and stand out on its own, it is immediately looked upon as unworthy.

Contributed by Leonard Oppenheimer, The Golden Box