Even if not everybody likes to be the object of constructive criticism, it’s clear how you can improve after a gentle critique – including beauty products brands.
Denise Herich, cofounder of The Benchmaking Co., has asked to a female group to list their pet peeves about beauty products and why.
1- Inability to reach the last drop of product into the bottle, the jar or the tube
70% of consumers admit that a packaging that makes them throw away product is one of the most frustrating aspects of beauty products packaging. Colourful and fancy jars can catch our attention, but what assures a consumer’s loyalties are benefits and results. Choose a way where you can use even the last drop and job’s done.
2- Pumps that let product ooze, forming a hard plug or crust
More than 51% of consumers states that this is one of the most frustrating situations: losing expensive face cream does not only mean having to keep the packaging always clean, but also less product to use.
3- Bottle, pump or tube difficult to use
It’s mandatory that packaging is tested with actual consumers and not only in a lab, where its innovation can blind producers. If pumps are difficult to press, or the jar too big to hold in one hand, or the tube made with plastic too hard to squeeze, consumers are surely frustrated.
4- Not including instructions or directions about the product’s use
It seems like an obvious thing, but a lot of brands do not include instructions on the packaging. Nowadays women haven’t got time to waste trying to understand how to use a product.
5- Not be able to understand when a product is about to finish
The obscuration problem due to opaque packaging is a sore point for consumers. Whether this obscuration is caused by heavily coloured plastic or glass or poorly thought label placement, it’s still a frustrating aspect.
6- Flimsy components
Packaging fragility is a big problem: give the wide array of ways the consumer can interact with product, coming up with a solution that is both aesthetically pleasing and sturdy is the way to go.
7- Parts that are not easy to use
Breaking news: consumers don’t want difficult to open products. Too tight caps can be a source of frustration to the users: making your products difficult to open is a sure way to lose clients.
8- Difficult to read text
If consumers are having a hard time reading the product or the brand name, they will not buy it.
9- Packaging not air tight or it gets easily dirty
More than the 22% of beauty products consumers states to be perplexed by a packaging that is not air tight or gets easily dirty. It’s something to keep in mind, especially with skin care products.
10- The primary packaging is not recyclable
13% of consumers says that the fact that some packaging is not recyclable is a problem and it influences their shopping habits.
Source for the article on Packaging Digest