Why We Keep Certain Boxes and Bin the Rest

It is advisable to keep some boxes and bin others for good reasons.

If you take a walk around your home at the present time, you probably will see one. A box that you have chosen to store. Perhaps it contained a watch, a special gift or a pair of shoes. You didn't have to keep it but you did. Dozens of other boxes, however, found themselves getting sent directly to the bin. What is it about some that keep us caught and others that get thrown out? The answer is intriguing, and it's important to brands.

Boxes We Just Cannot Throw Away

We all do it. There are boxes that seem to be too nice to put in the trash. They receive all sorts of mementos, letters or simply end up sitting on a shelf looking pretty.

These keepers have some common characteristics:

• They have a sense of solidity and good construction.

• They are neat and tidy.

• They appear to be a useful alternative use.

A weak box is easily crushed and thrown away. After a well-made and handsome box gets a second life. This simple distinction is a lot to say about the workings of our minds.

Perceived value is the key word: It Is All About Perceived Value

Now here's the scoop. Boxes that are important carry a special value in our house. Our brains match a quality box with a quality item, so it's a waste to put it in a garbage bin.

This is known as perceived value. A good box conveys an idea that it has value even in a vacant state. It's as if you're tossing money out the window. So we store it here instead.

Rip-off boxes evoke the exact opposite mood. From the beginning they feel like a mere disposable. They are soon dismissed as junk and they are gone. Its fate is in the hands of the quality of the box.

The ability to touch and weigh.Power of touch and weight.

Here our hands are playing a big role. Judging boxes is a thing we do without being aware of it. Signals are loud and clear when it comes to weight and texture.

A heavy and smooth box will feel premium. A light, flimsy one is cheap. That's why the boxes we store in our closets are usually sturdily built.

In seconds, we draw upon shapes to make our decisions:

• The weight indicates that it is a solid box and deserves to be stored.

• A special feel is created with texture such as soft-touch or matte.

• A sturdy construction conveys quality and attention to detail.

These tiniest of sensations make or break a box into a keepsake or trash. Companies that get it are ahead of the game.

Beauty Makes Us Hold On

Looks matter too. An eye-pleasing box is much harder to throw away! We're attracted to keep beautiful things, even simple.

A box looks like a worthwhile investment with clean designs, vibrant colors, and savvy finishes. It evolves into more than just packaging. It’s a little thing of value in and of itself.

That's why luxury boxes tend to make the bins so frequently. They can be used after for storage, decoration or a keepsake. They are designed thoughtfully and make an ever-lasting addition to the house.

The reasons why this will be important to your brand.

Ok, now the fun part. Each of the boxes you store is doing its work for the manufacturer of the brand. A kept box is no-cost, long-term advertising.

Think about it. This box is in someone's house for months or years. Whenever they see it, they recognize the brand. This creates loyalty and trust, subtly.

A kept box brings in huge payouts:

• Brand visibility in the customer's home for a long time!

• Then it's a constant reminder to purchase again.

• Let guests know of it at no cost when they see it.

A binned box does none of these. This is a lost opportunity. Which is why it is one of the smartest brands can make to make a box worth keeping.

Kids will learn the art of making a box that's worth keeping!

So what is needed to make a box people would not want to throw in the trash? It's all about some good decisions. The idea is to value and make it useful.

Pay attention to the following characteristics:

• Reliable construction that is durable and strong.

• premium look such as matte, foil and embossing.

• Helpful shapes that will be useful for storage later.

• Attractive, appealing appearance.

Rigid gift boxes wholesale are the perfect choice for this. They are well crafted and heavy - they keep themselves well. A lot of brands purchase hard gift boxes wholesale to obtain the quality at a sensible price.

There are genuine advantages to select solid gift boxes wholesale:

• Purchase boxes at a reduced cost if buying in bulk.

• Consistent and high quality in all orders.

• Environmental features that are important to consumers.

For the brand that gets rigid gift boxes wholesale, it is able to purchase the high quality feel with the keepable without spending a lot of money. This is how even small brands make packaging a lasting marketing.

The Eco Angle of Keeping

But there's a green side to it as well. Waste reduction means less waste generated by a box that is kept and re-used. You and the planet win!

Recycling your box in the best way you can is by giving it a second life: by having your customers reuse it! This is an ideal solution for current buyers' needs. Brands that are committed to minimizing waste are a favourite of theirs.

The story is enhanced by the use of recyclable and responsibly sourced materials. This is the kind of box a shopper can keep and is environmentally friendly. It checks all the boxes.

Final Thoughts

But why do we retain some boxes and throw away others? It really is all about value. We store boxes that are good, beautiful and useful. We put the cheap and flimsy ones in the bin! The second's our hands and eyes declare.

It's a golden lesson for brands. A box to be kept is a gift that continues to give. It resides inside homes, promotes your brand, and encourages customers to come back for nothing. A binned box takes away the opportunity to throw that chance.

It's an easy and obvious fix. Design your packaging to be durable, attractive and reusable. Make high-quality products, high priced finishes which customers don't want to put out to the trash. Do it, and your boxes won't simply serve to carry products. These will forever be a part of your customers' lives and in their thoughts inside their homes.

Written by the team at The Premier Packaging, a UK packaging company specialising in custom printed boxes for brands of every size.