The Case for Branded Packing Tape

Would our customers benefit if we used packing tape with our logo printed on it on the goods we dispatch?

We often think that the main reason for using printed packing tape is to advertise your company name to make people more aware of it – Marketing essentially. But are there other less apparent benefits, including some which save time and money?

Logic says, no. The tape is only used to hold the consignment together, seal the box, etc. As long as the specification of the tape is the same it will make no difference to the customer if the tape is plain or has your logo/identity printed on it.

However, forget that for a minute and think about this:

Two different airlines use Airbus A320s, using the same engines, etc. The only difference between the 2 is that one offers complimentary tea/coffee and a scone. Which airline would be considered the better and, importantly, safer airline – the one who serves the complimentary refreshments! That doesn’t follow logic, coffee and scones don’t do anything for the safety of the airline. But… offering complimentary refreshments gives the traveller the impression that the airline cares about them and therefor must also care about their safety. Quite illogical, but humans aren’t particularly logical!

Or take another example from the airline industry – the only reason people use Ryanair is because they are cheap, and that is the only message Ryanair give. People do want cheap flights but as that is the only USP that Ryanair have customers complain about everything else – the complicated baggage rules, the long queues to get on the plane, the hard landings, the uncomfortable seats etc. However, if Ryanair gave you a complimentary refreshment, or a newspaper would you still complain about everything else that they annoy you about – probably not. You’d live with a certain level of discomfort in the knowledge that they do at least care about you a little bit!

 

Neither of the above has anything to do with packing tape, but they do illustrate that seemingly unconnected things do effect how people think and the unconscious conclusions they reach as a result.

Now, think about this…

If you showed someone 2 identical boxes, told them that the contents of one was more valuable than the other and asked them to take their pick they wouldn’t know which one to pick would they? But, if one box was taped closed with tape that said “House of Fraser” on it which one would they pick? Yes, the one with “House of Fraser” tape as the thought process is that there is a good chance the contents of it are more valuable as the tape says it comes from a high-end shop. In actual fact there is no logical reason that says the contents of the House of Fraser box are more valuable, human nature just assumes that they are.
So where does all this get us to…?

 

Are there advantages to our customer if we use printed/branded packaging tape? Possibly.

Would it give the impression that we care that bit more and want to make sure that they get their order in good condition? They therefore feel that we are looking after them.

How many times a week do we get a customer chasing up an order only to find that it has already been delivered but they haven’t recognised it? Printed tape would make our consignment recognisable.

At times a customer is in a hurry for their order. With printed tape they are more likely to know immediately it has arrived as it is clearly identified as coming from your company.

 

Would the delivery driver handle the delivery a little more carefully as it is different from other consignments? Perhaps.

Does the printed tape subconsciously increase the value of the order in the customer’s mind, making them feel that they are getting better value for money?

Interesting, isn’t it?

In addition to the above there is another advantage of using printed tape – if we use it on pallets and parcels and a customer tells us that a pallet was delivered in poor condition if we were to ask for a photo and no printed tape is visible then we know that the carrier has stripped the pallet and repacked it.

 

So, would using packing tape printed with your identity on all consignments make a difference? Possibly.

Is it worth a try? I’ll leave that up to you.

Russell Brennan
Sales Director
Hub Packaging Limited

Mobile: +353 87 963 8792
Email: russell.brennan@hub-packaging.com

Russell has over 15 years experience finding the right packaging solutions for his customers.
Get in touch with him to discuss how you could benefit from custom branded packing tape.