Purpose: Brand visibility is an ever increasing sensitive subject with the number of similar products on sale on the global market. The present research mainly focused on graphical and structural design opportunities of packaging that demonstrated tendency to amplify product and brand visibility in e-tailing. The study aspires to capture and retain browsers’ attention through interactive packaging display in e-tailing environment while building on consumers’ relationship with brands and products during browsing phase.

Design/methodology/approach: This paper proposes a new design concept: Attention Vehicle addressing brand visibility. The design concept was constructed following basic requirements that involved theories and principles of packaging design, website design, e-tailing context, sensory marketing and consumer emotional behaviour philosophy. Through mixed research methods, including observation, interviews, online chat and survey questionnaires, the concept and its design strategies were developed, evaluated and finalised.

Findings: The concept recommends three design strategy dimensions – (1) Sensorial Labelling, (2) Brand Feel and (3) Elemental Traits - as corresponding influential attributes for brand visibility in e-tailing to gain competitive edge. Findings highlighted the possibility to incorporate sensory expressions to packaging design intended for online retailing. This offers opportunities to stimulate online shoppers’ affective response towards a brand and its product provided the product compulsorily need packaging for display in e-tailing.

Practical implications: This study allows insights for tailor-made packaging design features and digital marketing strategies contributing to improve online shopping experience, consequently expanding packaging design prospect, e-marketers’ potential, e-tailers’ business opportunities and emotional online shopping feel for customers.

Originality/value: This paper has extended the scope of emotional and sensory experiences beyond physical shopping environment. It reveals the possibility to capture and retain browsers’ attention while stimulating online shoppers’ emotions and sensory responses through packaging design elements, packaging digital interactive presentation and website features in e-tailing context where the package is not tangible.

Leila Denmamode

Affiliation

Refine Results

Alternative Digital Packaging Design Strategies to gain visibility in E-tailing