Blog

Every industry has jargon, and it can take years of exposure to become familiar with the terms that are common in any given industry.

Usually, you have time to get familiar with jargon when you enter a new industry, but that may not be the case when you are responsible for your organization’s packaging and shipping needs. It’s necessary for you to hit the ground running, and that means that you need to get acquainted with the related terms as quickly as possible.

Doing so will probably eliminate numerous obstacles as you work to design packaging that is absolutely perfect for your products. Contact Mid-Atlantic Packaging for any assistance you may need with designing packaging and shipping materials for your brand.

What Is Overpackaging?

“Overpackaging” is becoming an increasingly familiar term in the industry as consumers and brands become ever-more environmentally conscious. This term refers to the practice of including unnecessary packaging for products. Typically, this excess packaging serves no logistical reason or function.

How many times have you received an item that was placed in a box that was far too large for the contents? Amazon is a frequent offender in this overpackaging error, and you definitely don’t want to make the same mistake. A new company cannot afford to make costly missteps like these and hope to succeed.

Still, you want to be certain that your products will be properly protected so that they arrive at their destination whole and unspoiled. Some creative engineering may have to go into achieving these ends, which may mean that it is essential to work with a professional packaging designer such as those that you will find at Mid-Atlantic Packaging.

Defining Primary Packaging

The primary packaging is the wrapper, box, carton, bag, or other material that the end consumer actually handles. Accordingly, this term may be used to describe any material that the consumer touches immediately before touching the product itself.

Many brands put considerable research and testing into their choice of primary packaging. This research delves into not only what the primary packaging looks like but also what it feels like. Some of the considerations that may go into choosing primary packaging include:

• Colors
• Logos
• Text
• Images or graphics
• Finish
• Texture

These and other characteristics combine to provide an experience that can enhance the overall consumer experience.

Considering Secondary Packaging

“Secondary packaging” may be used to refer to any material that surrounds primary packaging. Similarly, this jargon is used for any protection or packaging that may group numerous goods, each of which has primary packaging.

Examples of secondary packaging may include point of sale units, boxes, and cases, any of which may help with shipping and distribution or even displays in brick-and-mortar stores.

What About Shelf-Ready Packaging?

Here is another type of packaging that you may want to consider for your particular products. Shelf-ready packaging is a container that not only contains and protects products but also displays them for sale on the store’s shelf. Sometimes abbreviated as SRP or called retail-ready packaging, this type of packaging frequently is sent straight from the factory where it is produced to the store where the products will be sold. Thus, the shipping box becomes the point of sale unit.

This type of packaging is especially common with items such as:

• Candy
• Toothpaste
• Gum
• Juice

Prototypes in Packaging

Perhaps you are already familiar with the concept of prototypes if you have invented a new product. Essentially, a prototype is a mock-up or model of the invented product, and the term frequently is used in the packaging industry as well. Usually made as a preliminary version, it is possible that several prototypes of proposed packaging will be made before you choose a final design.

You may hear a packaging prototype referred to as a “blank dummy.” Rather than being an optional part of the packaging design process, creating a prototype is essential to successful packaging design. It is impossible to test the attractiveness and functionality of a proposed packaging design using images or computer graphics. With prototypes, you have a real-world, functional example that can be tested for suitability.

When you can see and physically interact with the proposed packaging, you may notice design flaws that can be cured before the design goes into final production. At Mid-Atlantic Packaging, members of our expert design team always recommend having a prototype made so that both we and our clients can be confident that the design is just right.