Premier Packaging Blog | Rochester, NY » Retailing Tips

Should you Ink Print or Hot Stamp?

Josh — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:15:17 +0000

What’s the Difference?

The big difference between Hot Stamping and Ink Printing that you will see is the way it looks. Hot Stamping is the process of heating up a colored foil and melting it to the bag or box, this gives you a shiny embossed look. Ink printing on the other hand is actually writing in ink on your packaging and gives you a crisp flat look.

What Works Best With My Packaging?

The type of packaging you already use will play a role in determining which method of printing you choose. We’ve made it easy to tell which packaging is good for ink printing and which works for hot stamping. Just look for the icons next to the product.

Is for Hot Stamping

Is for Ink Printing

Many of our packaging products work great with both types of printing if you’re using one of those and can’t decide, feel free to call our custom department (800.622.5024) they’re happy to give you more information about aesthetics.

What Works Best for My Needs in General?

As businessperson you know that “form” is only part of the equation, you also need to know about the “function” part. By this I’m referring to volume requirements. When products are hot stamped they are loaded one by one, this allows us to break it up into much smaller minimum requirements, whereas Ink Printing is loaded in bulk into the machine it is a much faster process, but also has a much higher minimum requirement (for example shopping bags have a minimum of 100 for Hot Stamping and 5,000 for Ink Printing). So your inventory needs may play a role in your decision.

There are a few things worth considering when making the Hot Stamp vs. Ink Print decision, but in the end it comes down to personal preference. Which choice will provide you with packaging that best represents your brand?

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

Tagged: custom hot stamping, custom printed bags and boxes, custom printing

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Custom Printed Packaging Made Easy

Josh — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:02:05 +0000

Many small business owners that we talk too, shy away from custom printing because they think it’s too hard for them to figure out or they don’t have the technical abilities to get it right. Sound Familiar? The truth is custom printing your packaging is easy, there’s just a few simple steps that anyone can do (and if you get stuck we’re happy to help).

Why custom Printing?

Custom printing your packaging is a great way to market your brand. People reuse bags, and will see your logo each time they do. When your happy customers are carrying your bags down the street it’s a great way to spur on word of mouth referrals. Simply put custom printed packaging is an affordable way to turn your every day supplies into a powerful marketing tool.

Picking A Size to Print

At this point you should already have the packaging you want to print picked out (if you don’t take a look here). The best guide for knowing what size plate to use is the size of the packing itself; in order to print we need a minimum of ½ inch around the print area. So look at the size of the bag or box and make sure the plate size you choose is at least an inch smaller all around (1/2 on either side).

Matching Colors

Making sure the colors match can be a bit tricky because the way things look on your computer screen is different from the way they look in real life. This is because the color of objects in real life is created by light being reflected whereas colors on a screen are created by light that is emitted. Not to worry though you can pick the product you want and the foil color you’d like to hot stamp, and request a sample. We’ll send it out to you so you can see that the colors match before you order.

Submitting Art Work

You can just email us your artwork, we accept (TIFFs, EPS, or PNG). If that sounds confusing ask your logo designer to send you a camera ready version of your logo. If you designed your own logo feel free to give us a call and we can walk you though getting it ready to print.

Hopefully by now, you’re thinking, “wow they weren’t kidding that really is easy!” Go ahead give it a try (If you’ve never tried it before you can get 50% off the printing fee and a FREE Plate). If you found this helpful and want to learn more about getting the most out of your packaging don’t forget to subscribe to our updates (It’s FREE).

If you have any questions please leave a comment.

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

Tagged: custom hot stamping, custom printed bags and boxes, custom printing

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From the Web to Your Front Door

Josh — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:38:20 +0000

The web is great for business on a number of levels, it allows you to expand your reach, it offers highly measurable marketing opportunities which are cost effective, it provides the opportunity to engage with customers and so on. There are seemingly infinite reasons your business should be online but a big one is its ability to drive foot traffic to your physical store. Here is some great data that shows the impact of online marketing on the offline world accompanied with some links that should help you take advantage of the opportunities.

Online Marketing’s Effect on Offline Business

Comscore research shows that search and display ads provide lift to retail sales.

Email can also be a driving force behind offline sales.

Measuring the Impact on Offline Sales

Measuring the offline sales generated by your online marketing campaigns can be a bit tricky but here are a few ways to make sure you give credit where credit is due.

Understanding how your customers use the web to research offline purchases is a crucial step to setting the right metrics for measuring success.

Maps and Local Listings

Now that you have a little background its time to get your business listed. The local business listings are a great place to start you can list your site in the major search engines (such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing) for free. You may want to consider other directories such as best of the web and Yelp as well.

Tips to Drive Foot Traffic

When planning your web marketing campaigns you’ll want to make sure that your online and offline marketing work together.

Make sure you offer ways for your customers to connect and contact you.

Getting Social On the Web: Case Studies

There are many ways to interact and build your business on the web but it always helps to get some ideas from what others are doing. Here are some examples of “Bricks and Mortar” stores that have their act together on the web.

1. NameCheap and others.

2. Longhi’s Restaurant

3. Naked Pizza

4. Sample Facebook Pages

5. @TheDryCleaner

If you have seen success for your offline business using the web let us know we’d love to hear about it.

Photo Credit: LinksmanJD

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

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Delight Customers With The Unexpected

Jesse Kanclerz — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:20:34 +0000

Normally, I avoid rehashing news, but this story is too important to pass up. Recently, the Retail Wire posted an interesting synopsis of a study published in the Journal of Marketing.

The research found that building true loyalty involves not just continually pleasing customers but making them feel “grateful.” In a relationship where much is already expected by the seller, creating grateful experiences is a challenge and often takes “random acts” of special rewards or exceptional service to get there.

Savvy, independent retailers can benefit most from this information. That’s because small businesses are uniquely positioned to create genuinely memorable experiences. Your big box competitors will try implementing formal programs, but these will lack the spontaneity found at smaller shops. In the meantime, you can act nimbly, and leave the giants coughing on your dust.

The key to creating this loyalty is hiring the best employees, and empowering them to make decisions that delight customers. After hiring, your next step should be actively encouraging employees to reward, and excel at helping customers.

When I worked for Snow Country Sports, the owner made it clear that employees could spend an allotted amount each month on customers. There were no rules for when you could surprise a person with a reward. If a person walked into the shop looking to buy a helmet, but left with a new pair of ski’s and boots, I’d throw in an $18 pair of winter socks as a thank you.

After the shop switched owners, they went about formalizing the program. Instead of being rewarded by a random accessory, people received a gift bag filled with high-end chocolates, along with a gift certificate to a local spa. Plus, they had to qualify with a minimum of a $1000 purchase. In my opinion, that took a little of the fun and mystique out of it for both the customers, and employees. Nevertheless, the program is still successful.

Are Your Customers Delighted?

You can please customers, but your grateful, and true fans will spread the word about your business. What are you doing at your shop to delight people? What do you think works best in creating loyal retail customers, a process for rewarding people, or random acts of kindness?

Photo credit Lempsipmatt

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

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Think Outside The Gift Box

Jesse Kanclerz — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:34:52 +0000

J.G. Gallimore once said, “Image creates desire. You will what you imagine.” His words ring true for gift packaging, people normally assume that a creatively wrapped, or visually appealing package contains an equally cool and chic present. That’s why swirling ribbons tied around expertly wrapped gift boxes, along with custom labels are in vogue at independent retail shops.

However, while more shops offering gift packaging is great for customers, it also makes it tough for your packaging to stand out against competitors. You can place a safe bet with red, and green gift-wrap for Christmas, going with traditional colors for other holidays, or take risks, and think outside the gift box. You might be surprised that a dash of creative panache goes a long way in making a memorable impression, and tipping the balance in people choosing to shop at your store repeatedly.

How To Stand Out With Packaging

Make packaging a reflection of your personal style.

As a small business owner, you put a lot of effort into making your shop a unique destination. Your personality is wrapped up in your company, so your packaging should reflect that involvement. If you love retro patterns, and it matches your store décor, then choose something like deco flowers gift-wrap, which has a modernized, 1960’s flower motif.

Match your packaging with a theme.

If you run a shop specializing in gifts for pampered pets, choose a wrapping paper with animal print themes. Perhaps you’ve decided to run a limited time special on gifts for expecting mothers, that’s the perfect occasion for baby gift-wrap.

Explore unexpected colors and patterns in packaging.

There’s no written rule that says you have to use red and green packaging on Christmas. Instead use something out of the norm like a lavender hued spiral rosettes or bubbly bruno gift-wrap.

Express your values with packaging.

Show that you’re against the culture of disposability. Opt for recyclable bags, or better yet, boxes made from recycled content. Your customers want to know what you’re doing to save the environment. Promote the fact that your packaging is made using sustainable practices.

When you break from tradition it’s that much easier to create packaging that gets noticed. What have you done with your packaging lately that shows you’re taking risks?

Photo credit Kimberly*

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

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How To Account For Packaging When Book Keeping

Jesse Kanclerz — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:25:08 +0000

For an entrepreneur like yourself, juggling and developing new skills may be the reason you decided to go into business in the first place. Then again, maybe you consider dryer aspects like accounting or keeping inventory a necessary evil on the road to success.

Regardless of your attitude toward book keeping, at some point you’ll have a few questions that need help answering. For instance, how should packaging be accounted for when bookkeeping? Is packaging part of Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), or do you chalk it up as a marketing expense? Quite often the answer depends on how the packaging is used in your business. However, we’ve established a few guidelines that will point you in the right direction.

When To Include Packaging In COGS

Perhaps you’ve recently purchased a series of antique china vases. To make these containers really get noticed on display you’ve adorned them with bow ribbons. In fact, the presentation generates so much interest for the vases that you include the bow with each purchase. In this instance, you would include the bow as a cost of goods sold.

Here’s another example involving florists. When designing a beautiful floral display, ribbons, cello and enclosure cards are an inseparable part of the total creation. Again, these items would be tallied in COGS.

In general, any packaging that is included as part of the final product will be counted toward COGS.

When To Count Packaging As A Marketing Expense

There are exceptions to including packaging as part of COGS. Lets take the previous florist example, this savvy business owner decides to include their logo on the stationary cards, and have the company name printed on the ribbons used to hold the bouquet together. In this case, these items would be counted as a marketing expense.

In general, any branded items such as gift boxes, paper bags or even printed ribbons should included as a marketing expense.

Photo credit Jekert Gwapo

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

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Appreciating Customers

Jesse Kanclerz — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:59:04 +0000

Delight your customers with low-tech, time-tested gestures. Even at a time when technology is a driving force in every business, nothing is as important, nor garners more rewards, that the one-on-one, old fashion human touch. Having worked in a specialty retail shop for over 5 years, these are a few things I’ve done to show customers I appreciate their business:

1) Always thank them for shopping with you, even if they just stop by to “window shop”. This is something that is so simple, but not always practiced. Like myself, I bet you hate it when stores act like they’re doing you a favor by taking your money. Let customers know you appreciate their business, and be sure to say something like, “I’ll see you again,” or “You’ll enjoy,” rather than “Come Back Again.” This little semantic difference has powers of suggestion that nearly guarantees they will return.

2) Offer a token thank-you gift. This could be as simple as a few stickers for a parent’s well-behaved child, or having a bowl of hard candy out for the taking. For more significant purchases, I’ve given small velour pouches filled with chocolate from a nearby boutique, or a certificate for a day of pampering at the local spa. Even a coupon for ‘x’ amount off their next purchase, would leave a lasting impression, and help to ensure repeat business.

3) Send a thank-you card. A sale often lasts an hour or more, during this time I make a few mental notes about the conversation, and jot these down in a notepad right after the customer leaves. Afterwards, I’ll pick a subject we chatted about, and send a handwritten, customized thank-you note to that person.

I realize some small retailers might not have customer addresses on file, or as long a sales experience. If that’s the case, you can still leave a generic, hand written thank-you note tucked into their gift bag, or box.

Are you delighting customers after the sale? If yes, I’d really like to hear what you’re doing so be sure to leave a comment.

Photo credit Austrini

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

Tagged: customer service

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How Small Retailers Can Clear Out Excess Inventory

Jesse Kanclerz — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:57:06 +0000

There’s a nefarious syndrome plaguing many small retailers, and it’s called inventory creep. It begins innocuously enough, maybe that little stand of beach toys doesn’t sell so well over a wet summer, so you resolve to tuck the extras away for the following sunny season. Perhaps winter scarves don’t seem to be in vogue this year, so you box them up, awaiting the cyclical fashion trends. All of a sudden you’re spending more time playing a game of Tetris with stock, rather than putting your energy into selling.

Short of running a sale, what else can you do to move excess inventory or prevent it all together?

Package One Of A Kind Items Into A Gift Basket

This works especially well when you group products that are complimentary to each other. When people shop they may not make a connection between individual products, whereas when they see them grouped together in a gift basket the light bulb goes off. For instance,“Aha! I should have realized I need a moisturizer to go along with that handmade bar soap.”

Get In The Habit Of Remerchandising Products Often

Back to the scarf example, maybe it’s not that scarves aren’t in vogue; perhaps customers are having trouble picturing how the accessory fits with an outfit. It could be a presentation, not a style issue. If that’s the case, pair the scarf with a jacket and hat ensemble that your customers could see themselves wearing.

Swap Merchandise With Another Retailer

Shoppers are fickle, and unpredictable. A product may fly off the shelves at one business, while it could be a complete flop for another merchant in a neighboring town. Talk with other retailers, perhaps you both have slow selling items. Get creative, and suggest a barter if you think the exchange would be beneficial for each business.

Resort To The Internet

At this point you’ve tried every trick imaginable to move the excess inventory. As a last ditch effort use the power of the Internet, sites like Craigslist or Ebay are able to reach many people hungry for deals. While these websites are powerful tools, be prepared for a lot of tire kickers from Craigslist, and it would help to have decent photography skills for listing items on Ebay. Like other efforts, you’ll have to weigh the time costs against benefits gained before using these websites.

Dead inventory is costing you money. Quickly moving this product from the shop is crucial to making room for fresh items. If you have additional ideas to deal with inventory creep we’d love to hear them.

Photo credit Gastev

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

Tagged: inventory, merchandising

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Tips To Keep Merchandising Displays Fresh

Jesse Kanclerz — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:55:31 +0000

A well lit and presented display has the power to both increase foot traffic and drive sales, while creating a professional image for your shop. Getting the basics right is crucial to your business’s health, especially in the competitive retail industry.

Increase Walk-In Traffic, With Effective Window Displays

Reduce Clutter

Resist the temptation to cram a window display with an overabundance of merchandise. Narrow in on a few products or a specific line. Follow the mantra, less is more, and you’ll be off to a great start.

Maintain Interest

At a minimum, change up your window displays once or twice a month. Preferably, it’s better to do this more frequently. However, if you’re the sole proprietor and employee it may be tough to find the time. If that’s the case, try creating a themed setting that allows you to switch out similar groups of merchandise quickly.

Setting Up The Window

- Plan it on paper. Before you begin its best to visualize the setup with a quick sketch. Are you maximizing vertical or horizontal space? Will products be arranged in circular, linear or a conical pattern? Use shapes to create a layout. A triangle might represent a set of gifts, while a rectangle could be signage.

- Create a focal point, preferably at eye level. Customers don’t shop looking at their feet! The focus might be a new product, while complimentary items surround it to encourage multiple sales.

- Maintain visual balance. A display can appear lopsided and unbalanced if not carefully planned out. Don’t weight too many products to one side. If you do this, be sure to balance it out with a larger, heavier item on the opposing side. The same theory applies to color. Darker items usually work best on the bottom with a transition to lighter shades up top.

- Review every angle. Rarely do people stand in front of a display. Customers will approach it from multiple points of view. Does your focal point stand out from multiple angles? Is there still balance? Do you need to adjust signage to make the message visible to a greater field of view?

Create An Inspiration Library

The best ideas often come from other stores. Keep your camera handy, you might see a display you like when out about town. Keep these cataloged for a day when you’re feeling uninspired.

Creating Sales With Indoor Displays

Make A Memorable Entrance

The first 30 seconds, from when a customer steps foot into your store, are crucial in influencing their decision to buy. Are you making a great impression? Like window displays, it pays to constantly move products and fixtures to create and maintain excitement.

Arranging Floor Fixtures

The sizes and arrangement of gondola shelves, and other floor fixtures is dependent on your shop’s floor space, shape and needs. If you display a lot of merchandise on wall shelving, then it would probably be best to choose low, (neck height), gondolas to increase visibility throughout your store. Or you might opt for tall shelving fixtures (6 to 8’ tall) to create dividing sections for distinct product groups and themes.

Going Vertical

Don’t use wall space as the overflow parking lot for product that doesn’t fit on the floor. Keeping merchandise neat and orderly will directly affect its salability.

The Register

The cash register is the Alamo of retail. It’s your last chance to make one last impulse sale. However, resist the urge to flood the counter top with product. Just like shelving, keep the area clean and orderly. Be sure to swap out product occasionally to keep it fresh. Use the wall behind the register to highlight seasonally themed merchandise, or special promotional products.

What other merchandising tips and tricks do you use for selling products? We’d love to hear your comments.

Photo credits:
- Jake Miller
- Matt Grommes

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

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The Upside To A Down Economy

Josh — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:53:53 +0000

This is no Time to be Twiddling Your Thumbs:

No one is denying it’s a tough economy out there, with nearly everyone feeling it’s financial impact. Especially small retailers, with many struggling to meet ends meet during times of tight credit and sluggish sales.

Despite these hardships, there’s a silver lining for small businesses. You can focus on increasing profitability rather than sales growth.

Yes, it seems obvious, to the point of being cliché. But it’s tempting to look at sales growth and say business is great, when in fact profits are plummeting. Reverse the situation, a drop in sales may seem discouraging on the surface, but may potentially increase your bottom line.

When a recession causes tough times, there’s an opportunity to shore up both your top and bottom lines. Here are a few tips to help.

The Top Line Sales:

Sales are slow, with more window shoppers turning into lurkers rather than buyers. While this may be discouraging, don’t despair. You have been presented an opportunity – Time. Don’t spend it hoping for change, but use it to create change.

When business is buzzing you don’t always have time to give the extra personal touch to every customer. As a result, you purchase expensive mass media marketing opportunities like TV, Radio, and Newspaper ads. Now that you have some extra time, spend it letting your customers know you appreciate them, ask them how you can help them through the tough economy, and get referrals. Congratulations, you’ve just taken the first step to building more sales using cost effective marketing that will also reduce your advertising budget and boost profits.

Spend some time cleaning up the shop, design new displays, reorganize the layout, and get it ready to sell, for when a customer does come in the store.

Communicate with your staff. The people that work for you often have great ideas that are easy to implement, and will create new sales and profitability. Encourage your employees to get creative and share innovative ideas, so you can all grow together.

Bottom Line Savings:

You must scrutinize every dollar spent, to determine if it’s generating returns that lead to profitability. As discussed earlier, using more time intensive, but less money hungry marketing programs is a possible way to improve bottom line health.

Another is to optimize your business processes. Every day you perform many tasks, which may feel like rituals, because you have done them for so long, and so frequently that the act has become automatic.

Routines are great, however, it’s wise to periodically review processes to find new ways to reduce time and materials. For example, do you need to print out copies, or can you keep digital archives? A click of the mouse is faster then printing a copy. Further, using less paper and ink is both beneficial to the environment and your wallet. To quote Bob Dylan, the times they are a-changin, “because we’ve always done it that way,” is no longer a valid reason.

Another way to save is to buy smarter. Search out suppliers who offer quantity discounts, or other incentives, such as free shipping on orders over X dollars (Premier offer’s both in case you were wondering!).

If you cannot afford buying minimum orders, speak with other local retailers about pooling your resources, and placing one big purchase. Perhaps you’re worried your packaging will look too similar to others in a pooled order. If that’s the case, consider custom printing labels for your packaging. Take the time to look at how much you spend on packaging & other supplies, we bet you’ll find you can save a lot by buying wisely.

Take Back Your Time:

In conclusion, when sales are slow, take advantage of the extra time, and use it to help your business get through the tough times. This will prepare you to be stronger in the good times. If you have other tips for improving your profits please share them in the comments section below.

Photo credit JoelTelling

Origionally posted at retailpackaging.com Custom Printed Packaging is our Specialty.

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Premier Packaging Blog | Rochester, NY » Retailing Tips

Should you Ink Print or Hot Stamp?

Related Posts

Custom Printed Packaging Made Easy

Why custom Printing?

Picking A Size to Print

Matching Colors

Submitting Art Work

Related Posts

From the Web to Your Front Door

Related Posts

Delight Customers With The Unexpected

Are Your Customers Delighted?

Related Posts

Think Outside The Gift Box

How To Stand Out With Packaging

Make packaging a reflection of your personal style.

Match your packaging with a theme.

Explore unexpected colors and patterns in packaging.

Express your values with packaging.

Related Posts

How To Account For Packaging When Book Keeping

When To Include Packaging In COGS

When To Count Packaging As A Marketing Expense

Related Posts

Appreciating Customers

Related Posts

How Small Retailers Can Clear Out Excess Inventory

Package One Of A Kind Items Into A Gift Basket

Get In The Habit Of Remerchandising Products Often

Swap Merchandise With Another Retailer

Resort To The Internet

Related Posts

Tips To Keep Merchandising Displays Fresh

Increase Walk-In Traffic, With Effective Window Displays

Reduce Clutter

Maintain Interest

Setting Up The Window

Create An Inspiration Library

Creating Sales With Indoor Displays

Make A Memorable Entrance

Arranging Floor Fixtures

Going Vertical

The Register

Related Posts

The Upside To A Down Economy

This is no Time to be Twiddling Your Thumbs:

The Top Line Sales:

Bottom Line Savings:

Take Back Your Time:

Related Posts