Packaging..........are you impressed with nice packaging or not?

This issue has recently come up in talking with another cookie person. We were discussing packaging and just how important is it in selling your cookies, cakes, etc.? First off let me say that I try to be very economical with my packaging and try to come up with creative ways to make inexpensive items look custom made. But how do you feel? Do you feel that your decorating and cookie flavors are the most important part of your business and the packaging isn't a big concern? I'm not saying there is anything in the world wrong with this, because it's true, if the product inside the fancy smancy packaging isn't well done or tasty then they won't be dialing or emailing you again just because it came in a cute little package.

To me it's a very important part of the service I offer as I feel it's just as important as the product. I want to take almost as much effort with the first thing they see as I do with what's inside. I've always been that way. Just ask my family how my Christmas packages are always wrapped, sometimes the package looks much better than what's inside. lol  The gift might only have cost a couple bucks, but by golly the wrapping and bow are going to look gorgeous.

Recently I was asked to make 80 truffles, 20 packages of 4 truffle's each. Originally I was asked if I would be putting them in boxes or bags. Not thinking when she asked I said boxes, because at first it was just 10 orders and I thought I had them. Then it went to 20! I knew I did not have that many so then I started to panic. Just what WAS I going to package them in. I knew from our conversation that they were to be gifts to teachers on the last day of classes so I knew they had to be a bit more special than just throwing them into a bag and tying a bow on them. So off to Michael's I go in search of something that doesn't cost a lot because I put a pretty big discount on the order to begin with since she was trying to keep it in a budget and because she is a loyal and frequent customer. Needless to say I found nothing that was even feasible to put them in. I don't consider 3 boxes for $4 to be very reasonable for this order, so I was left with trying to figure something out. Kim from the Cookie Puzzle suggested that maybe I could find a template to make truffle boxes on the Internet. Immediately I got online to look and sure enough I found some. So back to Michael's I go to buy some cute scrap booking paper because as luck would have it was on sale....5 for $1.00....SCORE!!!  I buy some that I think would make cute packages for teachers, you know like school buses, alphabets and things like that. She also wanted little stickers that said Thank You on them and since I couldn't find them, I thought why not just print out some from Clip Art.  I found some really cute ones and emailed her and of course she picked the ones that looked nothing like the scrap booking paper I bought. lol  No big deal, I really liked these better anyway. I made several boxes and they are cute, really cute, but they still didn't satisfy my idea of pretty packaging or at least they aren't my style.

Here is what I came up with!

I think they are pretty darn cute....I still have to do the label for the green ones but I am happy with them. I really think I need a Cricut or something. Not because I want to do scrap booking but because I want to be able to make more of my own packaging. It's such a personal touch and shows that you really put a lot of thought and effort into making their purchase just for them. In the past I've used bags with bows, boxes with bows and ribbons and they were pretty, I did put effort into them and everyone always complemented the packaging. So I think it's worth it.

The bags you see above were $2.99 for 12 of them and I got them 40% off and then another 20% off that total as they were having a special that week! Then I bought 4 pieces of scrap booking paper and a couple card stocks...for like $1.00 and I still have some left over for additional bags and 50 cents for the ribbon. So you see, it was cheap packaging and I think it looks really cute. Yes it took me some time to do it, but you know what???? I enjoyed it! I've always been someone who likes to do crafty things so this is up my alley.

So before you ask the obvious question here.....I will tell you. I have cute little cups for the truffles and then I am going to individually heat seal each one and then will put two in the bottom of the bag and then two more on top of those. I feel it will work just fine :)

I am gong to try and ask more questions of my customers as to how they want their items packaged and then that will be figured into the price. I know if it's just for them, just because they want a tasty treat then they probably don't mind them just bagged and put into a box or platter, but if it's a gift then I think they are willing to pay just a tiny bit more to wow their friend, co-worker etc. with a package that's just as pretty as the gift within.

So there you have it.................what is your opinion? Packaging, does it matter, does it impress you or not? Say you have two identical sets of cookies, one is in bags with no ribbons or anything and put into a plain white box, the next one comes sealed in bags as well, closely cut off to the cookie, sitting on shredded paper that coordinates with the cookie colors, also comes in a box and tied with a bright ribbon, label and a thank you card. The price is just a bit more expensive....couple bucks. Which one would you pick?

Me..............I'd take the prettier one, just because color and packaging attracts me, and makes me feel like I am getting something much nicer when in reality I'm getting the same product, but it makes me feel happier buying the one that is happier looking.

I welcome your feedback, good or bad :)  I'd love to hear what some non-business people have to say as well as other cookie/cake people. Just want to be sure that you know I'm not saying my way is the right way, there is no right way, it's whatever makes you and your customers happy.

Have a great weekend!

This is my little not so helpful helper. Whenever I'm in the kitchen, he is in there with me. Not such a good pic of him but he's a pretty little guy :)