On the Internet, there’s a great many web pages with useful information on branding and, more importantly, using your retail packaging to enhance your brand (this post here come to mind). There are folks out there giving their opinions on what does and doesn’t work in the world of retail packaging. And while their insight is refreshing and useful, it still never pays quite the same dividends as pure customer insight.

Case in point: While skimming the web for retail packaging and branding news, a shopper’s blog came up. In it, the shopper described her shopping experience at two national retail outlets: one was a high-end department store found in malls across the country; the other was a bargain store known more for its great deals than its merchandise. Despite the stores’ differences in price and shopping experience, one thing stuck out to this shopper more than anything else: they shared the same style of plastic bag.

Perhaps she explains her bewilderment best (names of the stores have been replaced for the sake of anonymity):

“What’s the difference (between these bags)? Nothing…and that’s the problem. Both of these bags are about the same quality. This “grocery store” bag is perfect for a store like (the bargain store). It shouts “Hey, look I just got a bargain!” Very reflective of the (bargain stores) brand. Why in the world would (High-end department store) choose to use this same bag? Their brand shouts quality and class! Their plastic bag does not.”

The lesson: customers notice bags. They know it signifies their shopping experience, but more importantly they know it’s a measure of what the RETAILER thinks of their customer’s shopping experience. It seems like such common sense, but yet, many retailers do not consider it.

Here are some things to consider when picking the perfect bags for your store:

Style: Overall, what do you bags look like? Do they match the theme and mentality of your store? For example, a bargain store only needs to worry about simple, functional bags. A designer store, on the other hand, needs to worry about delivering a high-end experience and therefore needs bags that can match that task.

Color: Every store has colors that represent it, whether it’s deliberate or not. Think of a store’s logo and signage—it comes in specific colors that subconsciously trigger a response in shoppers (something we’ve delved deeper into with in another post). Make sure your bags deliver same subconscious trigger as your logo.

Material: Finally, the type of material a bag is made from makes as much difference as color and style! Paper bags elicits a certain, specific response in shoppers, as do plastic bags and reusable bags. Make sure that response matches up with shoppers’ expectations.

Americans love their food. That’s why most restaurants in our country pride themselves on serving portions massive enough to give an elephant a stomach ache. Because of that, many diners often find themselves stuffed full while still having some hefty proportions left on the plate. Since leftovers make great lunch the next day, sending patrons home with a “doggy bag” has become a treasured ending to the American dining experience.

That said, let’s take a quick second to evaluate that concept. “Doggy bag.” What does it mean? Going on just the connotation delivered by the name, one would presume a doggie bag is full of doggie food—meaning food fit for your dog. In other words, the idea of a doggy bag kinda/sorta implies that you’re bringing your pup foodstuffs you’ve deemed inadequate and, well, crumby. To further exacerbate the situation, many restaurants simply push their customers out the door with a doggy bag that looks like something someone would use for cleaning up after a dog instead of feeding one.

Restaurants are a tough business, one that’s usually only conquered by the proprietor’s passion for delivering an exceptional experience to diners. This experience doesn’t end once the bill is paid. It’s continued when the customer leaves and, most importantly, when they tell their friends and family about their dining experience. There leftovers factor into this experience, and so does the container with which they use to bring their leftovers home.

While t-shirt bags or something similar tend to be an unofficial standard for take-out bags, they’re more utilitarian than anything else. There’s no rule that’s says take-out bags MUST be practical (or even that they have to be bags!) Take home bags should add to the diners experience, not be a result of it. That said, there are some ways to punch up your take-out bag offering and, in the process, give your restaurant the reputation it deserves.

For starters, take a look at exactly what customers will be bringing home with them. Typically, leftovers come in containers that are flat. This will require bags that have bags that have a bottom gusset or flat bottom in order to keep the food level. Even though it wouldn’t be the restaurants fault if a diner spilled leftovers on themselves during the trek home, it may still give the diner a negative memory of the restaurant.

Next, think of how to class up the retail packaging as a whole. Whether it’s a small-time joint or has three Michelin Stars to its name, all restaurants have room for touch ups. Those leftovers are a representation of the restaurant—nibbled, half-eaten representations, but representations nonetheless! How do you want your food to be represented? As far as retail packaging and take-out bags are concerned, there’s a number of themes to choose from, allowing the restaurant’s proprietor to send the right message about their establishment and its offerings.

Finally, think about your brand. It’s a topic this blog has touched on time and time again, and that’s because it’s an important one. In short, a restaurant’s brand is its essence. On top of picking the type of bags that best represent the restaurant, consider placing the logo on the packaging as well—a little advertising via retail packaging never hurts.

When considering take-out bags and containers, there’s a lot more to think about than most people realize. But by keeping in mind the choices that will best represent the restaurant, proprietors can provide take-out bags and containers that will help their patrons carry their brand—and their passion for food—further.

What about you? Do you think some flair can make even take-out bags better?

A great philosopher named Kermit the Frog once said, “It’s not easy being green.” Despite that, the world seems content to try.

Over the past decade or so, everyone—from individuals to large corporate entities—have been doing their best to “Go Green,” putting the best interests of our environment and natural resources above all else. And why not? We’ve got a nice little planet here! We should take care of it!

The interesting thing about the “Green Movement,” as some call it, is that it’s completely scalable. Anything as simple as carpooling, as complex as redesigning soda bottles caps and everything in between has a positive effect on our planet, our environment and our future. Seeing as how so much can be done in such simple ways, it’s no wonder that the world at large has been quick to adapt to a new green lifestyle.

Retailers are no different. It’s now common place to build a reputation on customer satisfaction by listening to their eco-friendly sentiment and offering packaging made from recycled content, as well as reusable bags. Also, by adopting a green mentality to their stores, retailers can build a reputation for their eco-conscious ways—a nice compliment to a store’s reputation for stellar products and services.

In last week’s post, we discussed the idea of using the right packaging to carry your brand further. In this week’s post, we’re going to take that idea one step further by explaining how to use your retail packaging as a means to building your name as an environmentally conscious brand. Many major retailers are already using their packaging as a means of engaging customers into thinking greener while promoting their brand. By following that lead and taking it further to suit specific customers, retailers stand a good chance of boosting their brand–as well as their bottom line—while doing right by Mother Earth!

Here’s some steps to help get started:

Team Up!
All initiatives work better when the participants are on the same page. That said, the first thing to do is let customers know you’re with them about going green. There are a number of ways to do this, but one of the simplest is printing it on your custom-designed bags and boxes. Printing easy recycling ideas on the bottom of a box or the side of a bag is a great reminder to your customers, but also a way to proudly wave your green flag.

Encourage Creative Recycling
While some retailers encourage customers to bring back their packaging for reuse, there are more creative ways to recycle, some of which could potentially promote a retailer’s brand. For example, there’s a whole sub-culture of artists who work in the medium of recycled plastic and paper retail packaging (no, seriously! Take a look!) Hosting a contest to see who can create something new out of your recycled retail bags and boxes is an original way to encourage customers to go green while potentially spreading your brand. Imagine the attention a retailer could get if a customer made a handbag out of bags that had the store’s logo on it.

Donate to Re-users
While allowing customers to turn in and recycle their old retail bags and boxes can help the environment, a more charitable option exists: Donation. Many local charities, churches and even elementary teachers are willing to accepted recycled bags and boxes to use to their ends. For instance, many churches regularly host flea markets and bazaars, most of which use donated retail packaging for their goods. If your donated packaging already has your logo on it, that opens your branding efforts to a whole new demographic.

These are just some ideas to further your brand while pursuing a more eco-friendly agenda. As always, the secret to successful branding is creativity and flexibility. Fortunately, those traits can be used to help the planet at the same time.

What about you? What other ways do you stay “green” with your retail packaging?

In business, “branding” has become the new buzz word. Now, many may read that and, correctly, point out that this “new” buzz is anything but. The concept of branding is only a day younger than the concept of marketing, after all. But thanks to new tools and technology—social media, in particular—many companies are rushing out, trying their hardest to create the newest trends and tweets and blogs to get their marketing message across while forgetting about the fundamentals of branding and what it really means.

Branding, as one expert suggests, isn’t restricted to a company’s logo or its appearance online. Instead, a brand encompasses everything about that company: the aesthetics of the logo, the emotions its product inspires, the appeal those products have to the world at large. Everything a company does affects its brand.

Though it may not seem like it, something as simple as a bag can speak volumes about a company and the philosophy that company represents. Retail packaging plays a major role in this–that’s why you won’t find jewelry store customers carrying their purchases home in t-shirt bags.

The tricky thing about using retail packaging is that it’s such a practical need, that many people don’t consider how it reflects upon the retailer. This can serve a company to its advantage, if done right. Here are a few tips to remember when trying to find the best retail packaging support your brand:

- Know Yourself: Who are you, and how are your products/serviced perceived? Are you known for classing things up? Maybe you’re known for staying green? Your retail packaging is going to be one of the main outlets for reinforcing that perception.

- Know the Customer: Do they look for value? Do they look for luxury? The right bags and boxes can go a long way in helping them tell others what they, as consumers, believe in.

- Know the Experience: The most important thing to remember with branding is that you’re not selling just the products or services; you’re selling a sleek, customized experience that patrons take home with them (and hopefully re-use to carry your brand even further). They take this experience home in the packaging you provide—make sure the packaging is as memorable as the experience!

What do you think? Any lessons you’ve learned about branding that you’d be willing to share?

Ribbon is a key component of a finished gift wrapped package and has many other retail and artistic uses. Made in a multitude of widths, colors, designs, and materials, ribbon (at least some types) can be custom printed or hot stamped.

Wholesale ribbon is most often sold on spools and rolls or converted into bows. Wholesale bows will often come with an adhesive-backed card for easy application. Bows and ribbons of the same width and color complement each other excellently on any package. One exception to this is a pull bow, which is constructed with an inner ribbon that can ultimately be used to attach the bow to the package and eliminate the need for a separate ribbon.

Ribbon is often made from polypropylene or other synthetic materials but may also be fabricated from cotton, rayon, paper, or other natural fibers. The type of base material will affect the ribbon’s appearance and texture.

Some special-use ribbons are designed specifically for curling (known as curling ribbons), hand-tying, and machine-made bows. Another type of ribbon, stretch loops are a decorative elastic, tied into a large loop and a bow, that can be used in the place of a ribbon and bow combination. These loops are offered in a range of colors, with metallic gold and silver being the most popular.

S. Walter Packaging offers a full range of wholesale ribbons, including wraphia ribbons, sheer fabric ribbons, splendorette ribbons, satin ribbons, grosgrain ribbons, and tulle curling ribbons.  Our bows include splendorette pull bows; stretch loops in gold, silver, and copper; and many perfect bows. All of these are available in a variety of colors for easy coordination.

The most common specifications for ribbons are:

Custom labels are an inexpensive means of customizing a number of items, from retail bags and bows to gift cards and other stationary, with a retailer’s name or logo. They are particularly attractive to businesses who want to customize items without purchasing a large quantity of printed boxes. Labels may be ideal for small stores, businesses with a short-term promotion, or retailers with many types of packaging.

The image on a custom label is reproduced by flexographic (flexi) imprinting or hot stamping on adhesive paper or foil stock. S. Walter offers a wide variety of existing die shapes and sizes from which to choose; at a cost, custom die shapes can also be produced. We also have over forty foil colors on which to print your design. Our custom label machine hot stamps tens of thousands of labels a year.

We offer labels in one or two colors. Labels may also be embossed (raised) or debossed.

Embossed custom labels

• The embossed, or raised, portion cannot be printed. The remaining portion can be printed.
• Bold type or artwork provides embossing that is sharper and higher. Fine type does not emboss well.
• Most labels that utilize embossing will have embossed borders as well.

Debossed custom labels

• The debossed, or lowered, portion can be printed. The remaining portion cannot be printed.

Uses for custom labels include:

• As a logo for a shopping bag or box
• A a closure for tissue paper in a gift box
• To attach ribbon to a wrapped package in place of a bow
• As store identification on a gift wrapped package
• To seal gift certificate or gift card holders
• Store identification on clothes hangers
• Store identification on resale products

S. Walter also offers several types of stock embossed labels or medallions, which can be used to mark sales or seal packages or attach tissue paper or ribbon. These are available in wholesale quantities.

(Watch an informative video on our Print Shop and custom bags, box, and label capabilities in the blog post below.)

There are many factors that make a good and successful clothing store. The clothing is important, of course; customers want the latest fashions, a fresh or familiar look, a changing inventory, good materials, and affordable prices (customers want it all, don’t they!). The space is key too; the store should feel comfortable and airy, with plenty of light and a simple to navigate layout. Store arrangement is also important; a new display, a nicely attired manikin, and an inviting window set-up can make all the difference between a passerby and a purchaser. And no one could forget how crucial it is to have friendly and helpful salespeople, willing to approach the customer and able to give knowledgeable, helpful advice.

Other attributes could be added to this list: clean, spacious dressing rooms; a bright or subtly attractive store sign and logo; good use of advertising and press relations; location, location, location; word-of-mouth; and, well, luck. At S. Walter Packaging we think one consideration should be near the top of any clothing store’s list: retail packaging.

As a purveyor of fashion, clothing retailers understand the importance of appearance. Fine quality retail packaging boosts a store’s image as surely as a well put-together outfit boosts a person’s. Color coordinated bags and boxes are a must; packaging customized with a store name and brings added brand awareness and long-term advertising.

The necessary packaging for clothing stores includes shopping bags (either paper or plastic), apparel boxes (and perhaps hat boxes, tie boxes, or other specialty clothing item boxes), tissue paper to line an apparel box or shopping bag, ribbons to tie to bag handles or around a box, and bows to finish off bags and boxes. S. Walter carries a full selection of all these items, with many different sizes, styles, and colors. Browse our online catalog or contact customer service and find the packaging look right for your clothes store. Good packaging doesn’t just carry your clothing, it carries your brand.

Located in Philadelphia, PA, and with offices and distribution centers nationwide, S. Walter Packaging has been the leader in packaging for retailers around the world for 107 years. With an extensive distribution network around the United States, Canada, and now Europe and Asia, we can serve you with the best retail packaging products and fast delivery. Check out this video or read below for a description of our extensive print shop capabilities; we make it easier than ever to create custom packaging, ready when you need it.

S. Walter Packaging Print Shop Capabilities

• Hot Stamp Machine Capabilities: We have seventeen hotstamp machines and offer hotstamping up to two colors, two sides; we hotstamp paper and plastic bags, eutototes, and boxes;
• Flexo Ink Machine Technology: We have three paper flexo ink machines and can print up to two colors, two sides; we match PMS colors! We also have one plastic flexo ink machine which can imprint one color, one side;
• Ribbon Machine Capabilities: We have two ribbon machines, and you can customize your ribbon with our hotstamp capabilities; hotstamping is available as little as one roll of ribbon;
• Label Machine Capabilities: Create beautiful labels on our Label Machine; hotstamp up to two colors, emboss, or one color/emboss; we have over forty die shapes available for different labels;
• Plus: Our print shop is equipped with over 45 different foil shades for hotstamping; we made over 5 million print  impressions in 2010; our facility currently has 18 employees; we have over 100 years experience in the industry and over 15,000 customers

We would love to hear from you about creating a custom packaging program right for your business! Contact customer service (1-800-523-8888) or visit our website (www.SWalter.com) today!

On this blog, we regularly tout the value of custom packaging. Creating a unique coordinated packaging program, with matching colors and styles of boxes, bags, and tissue paper, is proven to improve a store’s image and boost sales. Imprinting retail packaging with a business logo or decal encourages customer loyalty and provides an easy advertising add-on.

But what if you use many different types of packaging and don’t want to stamp a brand name on each piece? Custom labels provide a flexible, easy-to-use alternative for custom packaging.

Add labels to even the most simple white or kraft bags to transform plain merchandise bags or SOS bags into stylish branded carriers. Not only that, they provide a useful and tasteful way to seal bags and keep the contents secure.

Combine with tissue paper or ribbon for added class. Printed labels can be applied to bags and boxes of all styles. They can also be used as letterhead, for envelopes, and in other displays. Often less expensive than custom-printed bags, and certainly more adaptable, custom labels provide a great option for small retailers and independent businesses, or for small-run promotions.

For an even more affordable option, consider stock seals and labels. Featuring resplendent medallions or other stock images, stock labels make a great way to secure and close packaging and to add a distinctive touch to bags and boxes. Choose stock labels with the pleasing message “A Gift for You” to delight and thank customers or clients. Other stock labels include one-inch gold medallions and one-and-three-quarter-inch medallions in gold and silver.

S. Walter Packaging offers a wide variety of label styles, sizes, shapes, and colors. We have dozens of different custom label styles. Available sizes range from tiny ovals (5/8″ by 1 1/8″) to large 3.5×5 shipping labels. Shapes include stars, ovals, rectangles, rounded rectangles, circles, triangles, and more. We have a simple label template form to find the size and shape right for you. Choose from our almost 50 different hot stamp foil colors to get the customized label you are looking for. Plus, if you need a design made, you can contact a customer care representative and they will coordinate with our art department to create something right for you. Minimum orders range from 500 to 2,000 labels. All our custom stickers come on convenient rolls.

Call a representative today for custom label pricing and information: 1-800-523-8888. Stock embossed labels are available for purchase online at swalter.com.

Time is running out to stock up on packaging for the holiday sales rush. But don’t panic! S. Walter Packaging has you covered with all your retail packaging essentials, competitively priced and ready to ship today. We carry the finest in shopping bags, gift boxes, bows, ribbon, tissue, gift wrap, and retail accessories, all in stock at a location near you. That’s one less thing to worry about this busy holiday season.

As any retail-oriented business knows, the final few months of the calendar year are the busiest time of the year. Sales will be large, visitors will be many. This is a time when consumers may be visiting your store for the first time, looking for that special gift. Opportunities are there to create a lasting impression on visitors, form lasting relationships, and boost sales.

A store’s image can depend on much: the window display, the appearance and friendliness of the sales staff, and the internal arrangement of the merchandise are just a few of the obvious factors. The bags and boxes with which you package your merchandise and the tissue paper, gift wrap, ribbons, and bows which you use to enhance this packaging speaks volumes about your brand image and identity.

Of course, early November is not a time when retail managers have extra time to plan an overhaul of their store’s packaging program or to search around for the right shopping bags or shade of tissue paper. S. Walter Packaging Corp. understands this. That’s why we’ve made it easier than ever to find the packaging you are looking for, with an easy to navigate print resource guide and online catalog.

We also understand that if you have retail packaging needs in the holiday season, they are likely to be immediate. That is why we ensure we have the largest stock of essential retail products in North America, spread across several shipping centers. This means we can get the items you need as soon as possible, so you have no fear of running out of the packaging you need, when you most need it. Stock merchandise from our warehouses ship daily, usually within 24 hours of receiving your order, and we have one or two day delivery times for most U.S. addresses.

The finest retail packaging essentials at competitive prices, ready to ship today — that should take your mind off one thing this holiday season! Remember: Keep Calm and Carry Your Brand Further!

Start shopping now and put those fears aside. Visit swalter.com for all your retail packaging needs.

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—Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy