The goods produced by companies today face stiff competition on retail shelves. If you are looking for a way to increase your profitability, evaluating your packaging design could be a good way to increase sales.

Here are 3 rules you should keep in mind when it comes to effective packaging design.

1. Keep it simple.

When it comes to designing effective product packaging, less is definitely more. The average consumer will dedicate a mere 4 seconds to evaluating product packaging on the shelf before making a purchasing decision.

You want to ensure that the design of your products' packaging is simple enough to allow consumers to determine what the product is, the use value of the product, and the brand behind it in those 4 seconds. Packaging that has a busy design will deter customers, which will negatively affect your bottom line.

2. Use surprising design elements.

If you evaluate the products on today's retail shelves, you will likely notice some similarities. Many companies opt to include product photography on their packaging, and many products have a contemporary look. Evaluate the packaging trends being used by your competitors, and try to stand apart from the crowd when designing your packaging to help your products appeal more readily to consumers.

An easy way to give your packaging a unique look is to use illustration rather than photography on the label. This surprising design element will set your product apart from the others on retail shelves, which will translate to increased sales over time.

3. Design with shelf impact in mind.

When designing product packaging, it is important to remember that consumers will never see your product alone on the shelves. Your product will be surrounded by many others, and these products will be arranged in horizontal and vertical rows. This arrangement causes consumers to initially pick up on patterns rather than individual products.

You can make your products more appealing in a retail setting by improving the shelf impact of your packaging design. Incorporate memorable colors and shapes into your products' packaging design to help consumers take notice. Designing with shelf impact in mind will allow you to use your product packaging to drive sales.

First impressions go a long way when it comes to helping consumers make purchasing decisions. By designing simple, unique packaging that makes an impact on retail shelves, you can increase your company's profitability through increased sales in the future. Firms like Arc and Co. can help you with design.