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While “filler” isn’t something that most brands want to be associated with their products, void fill in packaging enhances product value upon arrival. Void fill serves many purposes. It adds style and class to a product’s presentation. It also ensures that products don’t get “shaken up” on their way to the shelf. Take a look at why adding void fill is the ultimate way to boost the unboxing experience.

What Are the Benefits of Void Fill?

Void fill makes packaging that isn’t necessarily custom feel very custom! While void fill may seem like it’s all about adding flair, the truth is that void fill is actually very important for protecting items. It creates insulation that keeps items in place when packaging is jostled or shaken. This can eliminate damaged products, returned products, and negative customer product reviews. It can also ensure that products look exactly how they should based on both brand standards and customer expectations for quality.

Void fill enhances the unboxing experience by adding interest during the first point of connection. It adds a sense of drama to the unveiling process. It also shows that special care was given when the product was being prepared for the recipient. Everything adds up to create an elegant, exciting unboxing experience that enhances customer perception from the start!

What to Consider When Choosing Void Fill

Prior to selecting void fill, it’s important to meditate on the qualities you want to convey with your brand packaging. This is a process that involves all elements of packaging, product preparation, and shipping. Cover these key points when deciding how void fill should fit into your overall brand attitude:

• How Your Void Fill Will Intersect With Your Packaging: Does your brand have a solidified packaging signature? Consider how void fill can be used to enhance this signature. Packaging and fill can align on the points of style, texture, colors and materials. The type of void fill used should also intuitively fit into the type of packaging being used.
• Prestige: While the right void fill can elevate the customer experience, the wrong void fill can actually cheapen the impression made by a product. Many brands pour time and capital into designing high-end packaging without considering that adding a “universal” fill that is used for everything from toys to kitchen appliances will take away the uniqueness of the unboxing experience. Reaching into packaging to “release” the product should be an enjoyable experience for all the senses that feels different from every other unboxing that came before it!
• Branding Opportunities: Brands don’t have to use the generic fill that all other brands are using. In fact, cleverly using fill for branding is a great way to reinforce brand identity in the crucial moment when a customer is making a sensory connection with a product. Consider adding logos, URLs, slogans and brand colors to fill because seeing “fanfare” makes a customer more excited about their purchase. Initiate them into the club with a big welcome!
• Quantity: Fill isn’t meant to bury a product. It’s important to use the “perfect” amount of fill to create intrigue and excitement without making the product feel obscured or inaccessible. Don’t make the customer wrestle the packaging to get to the product!

These points are all essential for choosing the right type of void fill. However, the real work for brands begins when they dig in to become familiar with the different types of void fill available. Next, take a look at what different fill options bring to the unboxing experience.

What Are the Different Types of Void Fill for Products?

Brands have never had more ways to choose fill that never feels like fill. The key to choosing the right void fill is selecting a material that feels like it belongs in the packaging instead of appearing like something that was placed inside as an afterthought. Consider these five favorites for major brands.

Recycled Shredded Paper

Recycled shredded paper is a light, “fluid” material that can be added easily using customized quantities for each package. Kraft paper is the most common choice for shredded fill paper. Many brands choose recycled paper because it has an earthy, eco-friendly vibe. Using recycled paper also creates an artisan, homespun appeal that can cause customers to feel like they are getting an item that was specially made just for them! Here are “best practices” for using shredded recycled paper effectively:

• Use strong branding in other elements of packaging to make up for the “blandness” of shredded paper.
• Use colored shredded paper if the rest of the packaging is unremarkable.
• Use uncolored kraft paper when striving for an organic, holistic and natural impression.
• Create an in-house measuring system for how to apply the correct amount of paper fill by packaging size to avoid waste.

While paper is lightweight, it offers great protection for boxed products. It fills in gaps nicely without any rigidity or tension. Finally, paper is often the most cost-effective fill option. Customers really appreciate recycled shredded paper due to its eco-friendly implications. According to a 2021 customer survey on customer attitudes toward green products, 64% of Americans are willing to pay more for sustainable products. In fact, consumer research shows that customers generally consider overpackaging to be “atrocious.” The consumer revolt against waste affects brand loyalty. Customers will remember if you left them with excess packaging waste when it’s time to make another buying decision.

Tissue Paper

While tissue paper doesn’t provide the “insulation” of something like recycled kraft paper, it certainly has a place in creating an amazing unboxing experience. Tissue paper is ideal for enhancing the appearance of luxury goods. In addition to adding visual value, tissue paper can add a minor level of protection.

Peanuts

While packing peanuts are past their heyday, they are still around simply because they work the best in some applications. Packing peanuts can be appropriate for high-cost, delicate items that need buffering against impact. The key here is only using packing peanuts when appropriate.

While a customer may feel that your brand is being wasteful if they open up a package containing a sweater surrounded by packing peanuts, that same customer will probably appreciate those packing peanuts if you’re shipping a high-ticket electric guitar. Packing peanuts add value when they are justified. Of course, it’s also important to talk about why packing peanuts are falling out of favor.

Packing peanuts can create a sloppy unboxing experience because they tend to float around. They also require more warehouse space for the seller when compared to other options. Finally, recycling is difficult with peanuts unless you’re using specific peanuts with eco-friendly designs.

Air Pillows

Air pillows are commonly used for products in larger boxes. These thin sheets of plastic that have been pumped with air create nice buffers for products that are being placed in standard-sized boxes because they reduce impact. Air pillows can be appreciated by customers purchasing high-ticket items that have the potential to break from impact or jostling. Investing in air pillows is certainly worth it for brands looking to reduce losses from product returns, damaged products, and negative customer reviews. However, air pillows aren’t necessary unless a product has a high “breakability” factor.

Custom Box Inserts

Fragile and “elite” items can benefit from custom box inserts. Consider this option when looking for void fill for unconventional or oddly shaped goods. In addition to protecting products, custom box inserts also increase perceived value by deviating from the norm. A custom box insert is one of the most important tools for building brand recognition because it enables brands to place all logos, images, and product information on the exterior of the shipping box. Many subscription-based online retailers exclusively use custom box inserts because this choice is so essential for reinforcing brand identity.

Explore Options for Creating a Fulfilling Unboxing Experience Using Fill

Matching a product to void fill isn’t always intuitive for brands. An unboxing experience without fill can seem incomplete. While the focus is on providing the right amount of protection with the right amount of style, there is always the fear of overdoing it in a way that makes the unboxing process more complicated than it needs to be. Reach out to Mid-Atlantic Packaging today for a custom packaging quote based on your needs.