Brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things….
Whether you are brand new to Etsy or an established seller with thousands of sales under your belt, there is no better feeling than receiving a glowing review from a happy customer. Possibly the only thing better would be turning that shopper into a repeat customer. Have you ever considered how creative Etsy packaging could help with that?
There are a myriad of pieces that go into creating a positive customer experience including Etsy storefront aesthetics, product imagery, clear and concise product descriptions, customer service, shipping time, and packaging.
How you package an order is almost as important as what you are packaging, so we are going to explore packaging—looking at the outer packaging as well as checking out the inside to see what goodies sellers are including with their product deliveries.
A peek at how sellers are packaging their products...
In the beginning, you’ll want to do some trial and error with your packaging to figure out what works and what doesn’t work. Some things you might absolutely love, but as your shop grows, you’ll find these things are taking a good chunk out of your profits. Once you find something that’s doable for you and your customers are responding with rave reviews, stick with it. Consistency is the key to growing customer relationships and building brand loyalty.
Packaging doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be consistent and on-brand. Packaging can be as simple as using recycled paper, ribbon, and a gift tag. @artbycritter keeps it fresh and professional with ribbon and a custom tag, and the brown wrapping provides that touch of intrigue. @furrycouturedesignss also employs brown paper wrapping with twine for her dog collars and accessories, intentionally using design elements in the packaging to accentuate the products one-of-a-kind details.
Here's their packaging. 🡣
There are a growing number of Etsy shops using custom-embossed boxes. @GemmaEveIllustrator and @palomitadutch have discovered a less expensive but equally effective option, investing in professionally branded stickers to use on plain brown craft boxes. Don’t be afraid of simplicity. These boxes look sleek and professional. @GypsySoulGB created a special hand block stamp with a whimsical woodland theme to use on plain craft boxes. The result speaks for itself—packaging that’s stunning!
@LilasHaberdasheryTX uses eye-catching polymailers from the premium paper company RUSPEPA. The polymailers are spot on with the brand’s bubbly, fun-loving personality. Opening your mailbox to find one of these—you couldn’t not smile!
What goodies can you put inside your packaging?
So what else can you do to create creative Etsy packaging? Inside the package a thank you card insert combined with a special discount code is pretty standard. But what can you do to prolong the customer’s experience with your brand? To really deliver that one-of-a-kind, memorable experience to your customer?
@maniushka creates and sells miniatures and play props. Along with a thank you card they attach a miniature potion bottle. This is a unique collectible that complements their brand.
When the customer opens their package, they will be surprised and delighted to discover the colorful potion bottle. That feeling becomes directly associated with your shop. This cultivates brand loyalty! So, the next time the customer goes to order a miniature, instead of just clicking on the first product image the search bar brings up, they’ll go directly to your shop.
On the tangible side, by including a small collectible item with an order, you are encouraging the customer to become a repeat customer and build their collection.
The vinyl sticker shop @ncocoscreatives includes an extra sticker with every order. This isn’t just any old sticker though, this is a sticker in a trendy handwritten typeface in support of small businesses and includes the shop’s name a smaller font. This cool, water-resistant sticker will likely end up on a water bottle or laptop—free advertising and a good reminder to come back and shop with you!
You wouldn’t expect to receive an invoice in your order to elicit a feeling of joy but take a look at this invoice by @itslittleprints. Don’t you just want to frame it?! This template with the personalization and added dimension (using the sticky note) is incredibly creative and beautifully done.
And this thank you card by @tortoiseshellsupply inspires curiosity. They smartly put a photo of just the front of the card on their various social media platforms. What’s on the back you ask? You’ll have to place an order to find out!
Creative and Complementary Product Ideas to Insert
The best product inserts or freebies reflect your brand in some way. You wouldn’t put a miniature potion bottle in with an order of trail mix or a 101 Creative Things to Do with Kids printable with elegant wedding tealights.
Here are a few ideas we’ve come up with to provide some inspiration.
So, if you sell….
Journals, planners, or vintage books?
Bookmarks! You can either buy a bulk order of blank ones to customize with each order or support another Etsy shop like @TinyHeartCo.
Candles, lotions, or other scented items?
Samples of other products/scents. With your shop selling items that rely heavily on scents to encourage a purchase, it makes the most sense to include samples of your other products.
Planters/pots, garden accessories, home decor?
Seed bombs (@PlantablesLLC), seed packs, seed paper (@SeedPaperSociety), mini succulents, or branded seed packets. Seed paper in particular is cost-effective, super fun, and you can easily attach them to a business card or thank you card!
Coffee mugs?
Chocolate dipped espresso beans (@BigBearChocolates).
Craft supplies?
A pdf how-to guide, creative craft ideas, or patterns.
Wedding invitations, jewelry, or wedding decorations?
A wedding checklist, printable wedding guestbook, or words of wisdom for the happy couple.
Spices, flavorings, or candy molds?
Blank recipe cards (@FavoriteStory) or your favorite signature recipe.
Toys, games, kid-related items?
Creative kids activities printable, custom BINGO game (@JovinCreations) or coloring page.
Crystals, rocks, gemstones?
A printable explaining the meaning behind the gemstone or a lint-free cloth for polishing.
Dog leashes, cat toys, or pet supplies?
Dog or cat treats, pet bandanas, or mini dog tags (@CamileeSupplies).
Home goods and interior décor?
Mini succulents (@InspiredbySucculents), decluttering printable (@DesignStudioTeti), or a signature tealight.
Ultimately, the packaging you choose is a direct reflection of your brand. It’s an important piece of the customer experience. Transform your customers into repeat buyers who become raving fans—loyal to your brand by using consistent and creative Etsy packaging!
Interested in a subscription to the magazine?
Interested in a digital or print subscription to our quarterly magazine? Or are you interested in reading back issues of the magazine?
