Design
Unboxing experience: what makes one worth filming
An unboxing experience is everything a customer sees, touches and does between the parcel arriving and the product coming out. The outer box, the first thing visible when it opens, the print inside the lid, how easily things lift out. Most of it is set by the box itself, not by extras added afterwards.
It matters most when customers film it. Then the lid, the order things come out and the sound of the box become your advert. It matters least when the product is cheap and the box is an afterthought.
By Talha LoneUpdated
What counts as an unboxing experience
- The outside. Does it look like it's from you, and did it arrive in one piece?
- The first reveal. What the customer sees when the lid lifts.
- The order. What comes out first, second and last.
- The touch. Board weight, coating, how the lid closes.
- The way out. Whether the box is easy to open without a knife and easy to recycle.
Notice what isn't on the list: confetti, ribbons or a second box. Those are extras. The five things above come from the box.
Build it in layers
| Layer | What it does | Where the money goes |
|---|---|---|
| Outer mailer | Survives the truck and says who sent it | One-color print outside is usually enough |
| Inside of the lid | The first thing seen, and the thing that gets filmed | Print here before anywhere else |
| Tissue or wrap | Slows the reveal by a few seconds | Plain tissue beats an elaborate wrap |
| Insert | Holds the product still and sets the order | Fit it to the product, or it rattles |
| Card or note | Gives a next step | Short and printed, not handwritten for 300 orders |
Print the inside of the lid, since that's what gets filmed. A custom mailer box can carry print inside and out, and it goes in the mail with nothing around it.
Unboxing for repeat orders and subscriptions
A one-off order needs one good reveal. A subscription box gets opened every month, so the reveal has to hold up the twelfth time. Keep the structure the same and change one thing inside each month, such as the card or the item on top. See custom subscription boxes for the styles that suit this.
The structure and print logic is covered in packaging design. Decide the order things come out before you decide the artwork.
Keep the unboxing recyclable
Customers notice the bin as well as the box. The EPA puts the recycling rate for corrugated boxes at 96.5% in 2018 and for paper and paperboard overall at 68.2%, per its paper and paperboard data. A plain paper box starts with that advantage.
If plastic-free matters to you, skip soft-touch and window film. Our paper-first materials are 100% recyclable, and soft-touch adds a plastic layer the box didn't have. Use a die-cut hole instead of a clear window.
When not to invest in an unboxing
An unboxing doesn't fix a late parcel or a product that breaks. If either is your problem, fix it first.
- Fewer than 50 orders to ship. A stock box with a printed sticker will cost you less.
- A launch next week. Production is 10–12 days plus shipping, so it won't make it. Buy stock boxes now and switch to custom for the next run.
- A low-priced item that's never filmed. A plain mailer protects it and costs less than a printed one.
For 50 or more, send the product's length x width x height and tell us what should come out first. We draw the box for free. Our subscription box range is the place to start.
Frequently asked questions
What is an unboxing experience?
It's the sequence of things a customer sees and does from the moment a parcel arrives to the moment the product is in their hands. The box, the print inside it, the order things come out and the ease of opening all count.
What makes a good unboxing experience?
A box that arrives intact, a clear first reveal, a product held still by an insert, and an easy way out. Print inside the lid does more than extras such as ribbons.
Does packaging affect repeat purchases?
It can, but we don't have numbers of our own to quote. What we can say is that a damaged or confusing box is the fastest way to lose the goodwill the product earned.
Is a branded unboxing expensive?
It depends on the box and print. A one-color print inside the lid is usually the best value. Orders start at 50 units per design, and structural design is $0.
Can an unboxing experience be eco-friendly?
Yes. Use paper-first materials, skip plastic film and soft-touch, and print only where it's seen. Aqueous coating is water-based and recycles with the box.