The moment your customer opens their parcel is the first time they physically interact with your brand. A great unboxing experience makes them feel looked after, gets them excited about the product and gives them a reason to share a photo or video online.
Big brands spend thousands on custom printed boxes to create that feeling. The good news is you don't have to. With a few smart choices, you can create a memorable unboxing for a small extra cost per order.
Why the Unboxing Experience Matters
- It shapes how customers see your product. The same item feels more valuable when it arrives beautifully presented.
- It drives repeat purchases. Customers remember brands that make them feel special.
- It's free marketing. Attractive parcels get photographed, posted and tagged.
- It reduces the sting of shipping costs. A thoughtful package makes the delivery feel like part of the product.
Start With the Outside: Colour Is Your Cheapest Branding Tool
Before your customer sees anything else, they see the outside of the parcel. Swapping a plain brown box or white satchel for a coloured one is one of the easiest upgrades you can make.
- Coloured mailing boxes: choose one colour that matches your brand and use it consistently. Our colour mailing boxes include black, pink, rose pink, purple, blue and red.
- Coloured poly mailers: if you ship clothing in satchels, black or hot pink poly mailers stand out instantly on the doorstep.
- Metallic bubble mailers: for small items like jewellery and cosmetics, premium metallic bubble mailers feel like a gift before they're even opened.
Tip: a black or coloured box with a single branded sticker on the lid looks almost as polished as a custom printed box, at a fraction of the commitment.
Choose a Box That Opens Beautifully
How a box opens matters as much as how it looks. Premium tuck mailing boxes open like a gift box with no tape across the front, which makes them perfect for unboxing. If you're weighing up styles, our mailing boxes buying guide compares diecut, tuck and self-seal boxes.
Tissue Paper: The Biggest Impact for the Lowest Cost
If you only make one change, make it tissue paper. A sheet or two wrapped around your product instantly changes the experience from "delivery" to "present". It also protects products from scuffs and dust.
Our acid-free tissue paper comes in 50 x 70cm sheets in colours including white, black, light pink, lavender, mint blue and red. Bought in bulk, each sheet costs very little.
How to wrap with tissue paper
- Lay one or two sheets across the box so they overhang the sides.
- Place the product in the centre.
- Fold the sides in neatly over the product, one at a time.
- Seal with a branded sticker where the edges meet.
Colour tip: contrast works well. Black tissue inside a white box, or pink tissue inside a black box, looks striking in photos.
Stickers and Seals
A custom logo sticker is the most affordable piece of branded packaging you can buy. Use them to:
- Seal the tissue paper
- Brand the outside of a plain or coloured box
- Close a tuck box and add tamper evidence
Round stickers in your brand colour, with your logo or a short message like "Made for you" or "Thank you", are inexpensive when ordered in rolls and do a lot of work.
Inserts That Customers Actually Keep
The best inserts feel personal, not like advertising. Try one or two of these:
- A thank-you card. Even a short printed note feels thoughtful. A handwritten signature or first name makes it feel personal.
- A discount code for the next order. Turns a one-off buyer into a repeat customer and lets you track how well your inserts work.
- Care or how-to instructions. Useful for skincare, clothing, candles and plants.
- A small sample or freebie. A sample of another product introduces customers to more of your range.
- A social media prompt. A simple card asking customers to share their unboxing and tag your brand.
Little Details That Make a Big Difference
- Use the right size packaging. A product rattling around in an oversized box feels careless, and it costs more to ship. Our guide on how to measure a box helps you choose the right fit.
- Choose attractive void fill. Crinkle paper or packing paper looks far nicer than loose plastic.
- Keep it consistent. The same colours, the same tissue fold and the same sticker placement on every order make your brand recognisable.
- Think about the order things are revealed. Card on top, tissue next, then the product. It builds a little anticipation.
- Protect the product first. No amount of tissue paper makes up for a broken item. See our tips for packing shipments that arrive in perfect condition.
A Budget Unboxing Kit, Step by Step
Here's a simple setup that works for most small brands:
- A coloured diecut or premium tuck mailing box in your brand colour
- One or two sheets of contrasting tissue paper
- A branded sticker to seal the tissue
- A thank-you card with a discount code
- A second sticker on the outside of the box
That's it. It's quick to pack, looks considered and costs far less than a custom printed box run.
When to Move to Custom Printed Packaging
Once your order volumes are steady, custom printed boxes can become surprisingly affordable per unit. If you're wondering when it makes sense, read our guide to custom printed boxes, MOQs and costs, or our comparison of branded vs plain packaging.
Until then, colour, tissue and a few thoughtful extras will do the job beautifully. Browse eBPak's colour mailing boxes and tissue paper to build your own unboxing kit.