It has always been known that embossing makes products more attractive. Research has shown that it measurably increases perceived value, willingness to buy and the price that can be achieved. Professor Georg Felser from Harz University of Applied Sciences has measured precisely this. And he is not alone: several independent studies on packaging finishing have reached similar conclusions.
The three student intake figures
Harz University of Applied Sciences · Prof. Georg Felser · Multisense Institute
Giftability
In the study, products with a bow were rated as ‘suitable as a gift’ significantly more often than identical products without a bow.
What this means for you:
Your product is more likely to be chosen spontaneously by end customers as a gift – without you having to change the packaging or reduce the price.
Attractiveness
Products with a bow were rated as significantly more appealing by test customers. This effect was observed regardless of product category or packaging design.
What this means for you:
More visibility on the shelf, without having to rearrange the display or take any additional promotional measures. The bow takes care of it.
Price premium
Consumers were willing to pay an average of 11% more for products with a bow than for the identical product without one.
What this means for you:
A pre-cut loop costs a few cents. The achievable additional revenue is in the single-digit percentage range – the return on investment is unrivalled.
As further studies confirm
Packaging enhancements increase willingness to pay by up to 50 per cent
STI Group / Ipsos Observer (2014): In the case of a chocolate brand, consumers were prepared to pay, on average, 50 per cent more for premium packaging than for the standard, unadorned packaging. For spirits, the willingness to pay a premium stood at 13 per cent.
Just under 70 per cent of purchasing decisions are only made once in the shop
GfK Store Effect (2009): A large proportion of purchasing decisions are not made at home, but directly at the point of sale. Whatever catches the eye on the shelf is the deciding factor in the purchase decision.
Packaging enhances appeal and influences purchasing decisions
FFI study "Shopper 2011" (German Folding Carton Association / K&A BrandResearch): Attractive packaging increases product visibility, helps shoppers navigate the product range and has a positive influence on purchase decisions at the point of sale.
Creative Packaging Design Boosts Purchase Intent and Brand Perception
Journal of Product & Brand Management: Attractive and unconventional packaging design increases the motivation to engage with a product, strengthens brand perception and influences purchase intention as well as impulse-buy decisions. Crucially, the design must be appropriate to the product and the occasion – and be perceived as relevant, not merely as arbitrary decoration.
Why this is the case and the psychology behind it
The Halo Effect
Even before you pick it up, your brain forms an opinion – and the bow colours everything that follows. Anyone who sees a product with a bow expects quality. This ‘first impression’ bias persists even after you’ve opened it.
Anticipation & Excitement
Gifts with a bow trigger a measurable sense of anticipation in the recipient – even before the parcel is opened. This sense of anticipation is a value in its own right, created by the bow.
Gift framing
As soon as a product is presented as a gift, the whole perception changes: it comes across as more personal, of higher quality and more emotional. A bow is the simplest way to achieve this effect.
Loss aversion
People are reluctant to return a beautifully packaged product. The psychological barrier to returning it increases because it feels like destroying something valuable. This explains the measurably lower return rate for products that are suitable as gifts.