High-volume retailers are looking to packaging for maximum impact with minimal effort.

High-volume retailers have always dictated which products they carry in their stores, and now more of them are calling the shots when it comes to packaging. Today’s competitive sales environment gives them leverage in areas they had previously been excluded. The biggest demands on packaging come from three types of high-volume retailers- warehouse club stores, mass merchandisers, and “category killers.”

Each retailer wants packaging to fit its specific merchandising strategies. To meet the modern retailer’s needs, many packaging formats are becoming increasingly popular. These volume retailers look to packaging and Point-of-Purchase displays to simplify both the consumer’s buying decision and their own merchandising effort. The following are packaging options that fit into retailer logistical and marketing strategies:

• Display Packaging and Pallets: These utilize the secondary packaging as a “retail shelf.” This is done through printing on corrugate or having a minimum of three sides delivering visual impact. Since packaged good marketers have minimal control over the way a package or pallet is displayed, the secondary and tertiary packaging require greater emphasis.
• Floor Ready Merchandising: Stores want to eliminate the cost involved in preparing merchandise for display. These ready-made displays enhance merchandising options by maximizing floor space and minimizing the need for merchandisers.
• Multi-packs: Also known as variety packs, they are growing at a rate of 10 to 20% annually because they respond to retailer needs. Product packagers need to focus as much emphasis on the multi-pack as on the primary package it holds.
• High Visibility Packaging: Includes thermoformed clamshells and blister packs, which protect the product while allowing consumers to view the contents. Demand for high visibility packaging is projected to reach $7.2 billion in 2008.
• End-Cap Display: This packaging is designed as a display to be placed at the end of a row of shelving to attract attention to a featured item.
• CDU’s: Counter Display Units make use of additional impulse buying space on shelves and at checkout. They are pre-packed and easily merchandised in many areas.
• Island Display: Also known as a power wing, this secondary packaging is a free standing display unit that is pre-packed and floor ready. This format requires minimal set up time, and also elevates the product for better visibility.

No matter what the format, packagers must learn new ways to deal with issues that are specific to club store, mass merchandisers and other mass retailers. Otherwise they will lose opportunities in this growing $380 billion marketplace. BIG Design’s foundation is in high impact consumer packaging. We are experienced in creating custom packaging solutions that meet the high volume retailer’s requirements.

About BIG Design
BIG Design is a branding solutions studio specializing in creative design and pre-production services to retail product companies. BIG Design supports marketing communication professionals with a wide range of capabilities. These capabilities include brand identity, brand logos, brochures, consumer package designs, packaging design refresh, presentations, pre-production art files, print, trade show displays, web design, web Flash, web banner ads.