The power of unboxing marketing: Building a compelling business case for your team

Unboxing marketing is quickly becoming a game-changer for ecommerce brands looking to build stronger relationships with their customers. More than just a nice touch, it turns the moment of receiving a package into a powerful marketing channel that encourages repeat purchases and boosts loyalty. 

But how do you convince your team to invest in unboxing marketing? Here’s how to make the case – with data, impact, and practical steps.

Why unboxing marketing matters

At its core, unboxing marketing involves adding personalised inserts to packages, such as thank-you notes, discount codes, or product recommendations. This offline channel ensures brands can engage with 100% of customers post-purchase, avoiding the limitations of email and SMS, which can often get lost in crowded inboxes.

Unboxing marketing not only boosts visibility but also creates deeper, more emotional connections with customers. According to the ebook A Marketer’s Guide to Unboxing Campaigns, this offline touchpoint improves retention, encourages repeat purchases, and elevates customer lifetime value (CLTV)​.

Key benefits of unboxing marketing

1. Guaranteed visibility and engagement

Unboxing campaigns guarantee 100% visibility—every customer who opens a package interacts with the brand message. This contrasts sharply with email campaigns with a 40% open rate, meaning many customers never see your post-purchase marketing.

2. Immediate revenue impact

Unboxing marketing offers brands a competitive edge through higher conversion rates. Personalised inserts with QR codes can drive customers back to the website, encouraging additional purchases with minimal friction. These campaigns typically achieve conversion rates of 2.65%, significantly outperforming digital channels like SMS (0.11%)​.

3. Increased customer lifetime value

Long-term engagement is the goal of unboxing marketing. Personalised campaigns have been shown to raise purchase frequency and increase average order value (AOV) by up to 27%. These higher-value interactions strengthen customer loyalty, reducing churn and boosting long-term profitability​.

How to build your business case for unboxing marketing

When pitching unboxing marketing to stakeholders, it’s essential to frame the strategy around key business metrics. Below is a step-by-step approach to crafting a convincing business case:

1. Highlight KPIs aligned with business goals

Emphasise how unboxing marketing supports objectives like higher retention, repeat purchases, and improved CLTV. Reference data points from our ebook that show unboxing marketing can raise repeat purchase frequency by 6-11% and achieve ROI of up to 6.7x​ .

2. Present the competitive advantage

In an increasingly crowded market, providing a unique experience is critical. Personalised unboxing inserts differentiate your brand and build deeper connections with customers. Additionally, this strategy combats the challenges of digital-only channels, ensuring your message stands out with 100% delivery certainty.

3. Communicate the missed opportunity

Brands that neglect unboxing marketing leave revenue on the table. Without engaging customers the moment they receive their purchase, you risk losing potential repeat sales. Make the case that relying solely on email or SMS means overlooking the highest engagement moment in the customer journey.

4. Leverage data to estimate ROI

Next, forecast financial outcomes. For example, if your current AOV is £35 and you increase it by 27% with personalised unboxing inserts, your new AOV would rise to £44.45. Projected across your customer base, this can translate into substantial revenue growth​. For more benchmarks, check out our guide to unboxing campaigns here.

5. Outline a smooth implementation plan

Concerns about operational complexity often hinder new initiatives. Clarify that platforms like Penny Black streamline the creation and management of unboxing campaigns. Their easy integration with warehouse management systems ensures inserts are printed and added efficiently without disrupting existing processes​.

Quick-win unboxing marketing campaigns for immediate results

When launching unboxing marketing, it’s useful to highlight both short-term and long-term strategies to demonstrate value. Here are some practical examples:

New customer discount 💸

 Include a QR code offering 15% off the next purchase. This encourages first-time buyers to become repeat customers, increasing conversion rates by up to 2.5%.

Loyalty program engagement 💖

Use inserts to promote membership benefits, driving enrolment and deeper participation. Campaigns that integrate with loyalty programs often see conversion rates of 4.5%.

Referral incentives 🤗

Include personalised referral codes in packages, offering rewards for both the referrer and the referred customer. These campaigns not only increase customer acquisition but also deepen existing customer relationships.

Long-term gains through personalised engagement

Unboxing marketing isn’t just a tactic for immediate sales; it builds sustainable growth by fostering long-term customer loyalty. Personalised touchpoints like thank-you notes and gift recommendations strengthen emotional connections. Brands that implement this strategy report reduced churn and higher profitability as customers return more frequently and spend more over time​.

Conclusion

Investing in unboxing marketing is more than just adding inserts to packages – it’s about transforming the post-purchase experience into a powerful retention channel. By building a strong business case around metrics like AOV, CLTV, and conversion rates, you can confidently demonstrate the impact unboxing marketing will have on your brand. With platforms like Penny Black simplifying the operational side, there’s never been a better time to unlock the potential of unboxing marketing and drive long-term growth.

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Get inspired by examples of unboxing campaigns 

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Get your copy of the Owning the Unboxing Moment ebook

Fill out the form below to unlock your personal copy of the ebook.

Get your copy of the Owning the Unboxing Moment ebook

Fill out the form below to unlock your personal copy of the ebook.

Get inspired by examples of unboxing campaigns 

Fill out the form below to unlock your personal copy of the ebook.

Owning the unboxing moment ebook

Get your copy of the Owning the Unboxing Moment ebook

Fill out the form below to unlock your personal copy of the ebook.