Decision-makers considering die-cutting boxes should know their decision could significantly impact brand perception, recognition and impression. After all, consumers’ opinions of a business and its products are often tied to its packaging. How can leaders use custom-cut boxes to enhance the brand experience?

1. Stand Out from Other Brands

Many people write down generic products instead of name brands when creating shopping lists, opting to make decisions in-store. This seemingly insignificant choice gives companies an atypically effortless opportunity to stand out. Even if consumers are loyal to one brand, they’re not opposed to trying another.

In fact, according to one recent survey of 4,000 U.S.-based consumers, 45% of respondents admitted to changing their brand preference — and 62% said they expect their decision to switch will be permanent. Although brand commitment is undeniable, these findings prove it is not inevitable.

However, in aisles full of the same products, catching consumers’ eyes can be challenging regardless of their loyalty. In this scenario, custom-cut boxes help brands distinguish themselves from others. This advantage is particularly true in e-commerce markets where hundreds of similar products are competing.

2. Ensure Superior Packaging Protection

Die-cutting boxes enable tailored multilayered packaging since the dies can cut specialty materials like leather, films or rubber to exact specifications. This process makes it possible for companies to add custom-fit plastic sleeves or foam inserts, protecting their specially designed packaging from damage in transit.

3. Give an Impression of Quality

Consumers don’t dwell on purchasing decisions. Research shows they can make decisions in as little as one-third of a second, and even more complex choices only take between 6-18 seconds at most. These findings highlight the importance of first impressions — when people are only willing to give a product a cursory glance, its packaging becomes a critical factor.

With die-cutting boxes, organizations can align personalization with perceived quality to influence shoppers’ first impressions. When deciding between two similar brands — one in a generic, conventional box and the other in a custom-made container — they will often opt for the latter since an impression of quality becomes the deciding factor.

4. Ensure Superior Product Protection

Shipping items in standard-sized boxes may seem cost-effective, but it leads to lower returns and higher unexpected expenses. Even if supply chain workers are careful, inadequate cushioning can damage products. Each failed delivery attempt can cost over $17 on average — and that’s without mentioning the additional costs of manufacturing and fabrication.

Die-cutting boxes to enable custom-fit inserts is a relatively affordable option in itself. Decision-makers can experiment with computer-aided design (CAD) software and prototyping to ensure their final draft offers superior product protection before moving to mass production. They can minimize the strain on their budget and their reverse logistics process.

5. Enhance Brand and Product Perception

Research shows packaging complexity can influence a consumer’s willingness to pay as it influences their perception. The researchers discovered what works for one product type may not work for another. Customizing packaging to align its design with what consumers expect from its contents can improve the customer experience while driving purchases.

6. Become Accessible to Every Consumer

People remember when they had terrible experiences with packaging. Whether they have difficulty opening, resealing or storing it, that interaction can influence their purchasing decisions going forward. At best, they will still buy the product despite their annoyance. At worst, they will actively avoid it and complain to others, causing a ripple effect.

Scissors in clamshell packaging are one great example of poor packaging — people making this purchase are unlikely to have a spare pair they can use to open the plastic, leading to frustration. Designing custom packaging for relevant product categories can help certain consumer segments. Die-cutting boxes to prioritize accessibility and easy handling enhance their experience with a brand.

7. Maximize Stored and Dispatched Stock

Companies can leverage custom-cut boxes and inserts to maximize packaging capacity for various product lines. With techniques like nesting, they can eliminate unnecessary empty space to ensure they ship the maximum number of products on each pallet without compromising safety, design or durability.

This approach condenses packaging size, enabling efficient storage. The average rent for industrial real estate went from $6.81 per square foot in the first quarter of 2021 to $9.73 per square foot in the same period in 2024 — and shows no signs of declining. Since warehousing products are becoming more expensive, efficiency is ideal.

8. Make the Brand More Recognizable

When consumers get to pick conventional or custom-cut boxes, they will often choose the latter. Research shows creative packaging stands out in terms of imaginativeness and originality, making it more stimulating. It immediately piques their curiosity and makes the brand more recognizable during future shopping trips, potentially leading to higher conversions.

9. Appeal to Sustainability-Minded Consumers

Sustainability has become mainstream — and people are adjusting their purchasing patterns accordingly. As of 2024, 66.1% of consumers report they sometimes, often or always buy products with eco-friendly packaging, even if they’re more expensive than alternatives. About 25% are willing to pay 4%-7% more and 4%-7% say they will pay well over 10% more.

With custom-cut packaging, brands can use materials, colors and styles to appeal to sustainability-minded consumers. Once they develop the right design in CAD, it’s a matter of selecting from a list of a few variables. These minor changes can enhance the brand experience while substantially increasing revenue per product.

Die-Cutting Boxes Can Impact Business Success

Since packaging informs a person’s first — and lasting — impression of a brand, it is more important than many company leaders realize. In addition to enhancing the customer experience and strengthening peoples’ relationships with a company, it often results in various other business benefits.

If an organization uses custom containers, consumers may pay more for an item, recognize the brand faster, receive fewer damaged boxes and consider the product to be of better quality despite no meaningful differences from others. These enhancements may increase revenue, customer loyalty and satisfaction rates, leading to long-term business success.