Packaging for Electronics: 3 Considerations for the Golden Quarter

It’s October, which means one thing: Halloween is just around the corner. Once the pumpkins have been carved and sweets eaten, then something even more famous is on its way. Christmas!

The first articles about top and trending gifts to sit under trees this festive season are being teased. Meaning, it’s not long until wish lists are drafted and the shopping marathon gets underway (unless you’ve started already!). If we’ve learnt anything from Christmases gone by, it’s that electronics are primed for high volumes of sales. Retailers will be banking on the likes of tablets, remote-controlled cars, and TVs flying off their physical and ecommerce shelves into Santa’s sleigh to secure golden profits.

We’ve taken a look at three electronics we expect to be all the rage this Christmas. Plus, those all-important packaging for electronics considerations that manufacturers need to make to ensure they get from the workshop to the chimney – in condition that elves would be proud of.

Trending Electronics for Christmas 2024

A Flip Phone Revival

Whether you watched a single minute of the Paris Olympics or the full event, there’s one electronic you can’t have missed: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6. The tech giant gifted a whopping 17,000 custom versions of the phones to Olympians, featuring the Olympics rings engraved on the back.

The Galaxy Z Flip6 was impossible to miss, with Olympians flicking open the phone to take selfies on the podium. The latest foray into the world of the flip phone (which we thought had left its heyday back in the 2000s!) by Samsung is well and truly reinventing the smartphone experience. The Flip6’s compact size doesn’t compromise its cutting-edge technology, nor its popularity.

Searches among Gen Z and younger millennials for these devices are up a whopping 15,369% in the past year. Will a flip phone revival be unwrapped during Christmas this year? If these stats are anything to by, it looks likely.

Drones – Dominating the Skies Above and Christmas Trees Below

Soaring to new heights as technology blossoms and price points lower, drones are set for another year as staples under the tree. For novices and techies alike! Over 500k drones are registered as ‘active’ in the UK among both hobbyists and commercial settings.

Now available for just £50, drones for the everyday person are more affordable – and accessible – than ever. Starting price points increase to around £600 for more specialist drones, like those used for high-quality photography and videography. Prices for drones used commercially, like inspection drones, fly upwards – they’re from around £5k. It’s fair to say it’s a drone’s world – we’re just living in it!

Full Steam Ahead with At-Home Coffee Machines

Serving barista-level coffee at home has never been easier. Many consumers are changing the way they view coffee machinery, feeling as though they’re more of a staple need than a luxury want.

Manufacturers, whether they’re at the top end of the machine market (i.e. SIEMENS), or more budget-friendly, like De’Longhi and Swan, have consumers drinking out their cup. We’re drinking an average of 98 million cups of the energiser a day, closing in on the number of cups of tea we drink (100 million)! It’s no wonder, then, the next five years is expected to see revenue from coffee machine sales (UK) grow by some 4.32%.

Christmas Packaging for Electronics Considerations

We know the electronics market shows no signs of slowing. But we also know growth goes hand-in-hand with competition. So, attracting and keeping custom is key for electronics manufacturers and retailers to safeguarding sales in the years ahead.

Whether it’s a £50 drone or an all-singing, all-dancing coffee machine, quality electronics need treating with the quality protection they deserve. With this in mind, our Matthew Kay, our Assistant Commercial Manager, is sharing his three packaging for electronics considerations that are non-negotiable for manufacturers looking for a rewarding Christmas season.

1. Durability of Materials Used in Packaging for Electronics

The range of fragility and weight of electronics goods has huge variation. Packaging must reflect that

When using cardboard in packaging for electronics, you need to make sure that board grade is properly considered.

 

Different grades offer different qualities, from rigidity and flexibility to degrees of protection from the elements.

 

Just as one size won’t fit all electronics, one board grade won’t, either.

 

It seems like an obvious suggestion, but you’d be surprised at the number of packages that are compromised due to a lack of grade consideration!

Matthew Kay

2. Waste Not, Want Not

Did you know the amount of cardboard used to package PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox consoles at Christmastime covers an area larger than central London?

“It’s lucky we’re able to recycle (if not reuse or repurpose) the cardboard that’s popular in packaging for electronics. But it’s only impactful if all of us, whether we’re the ones manufacturing the packaging or unwrapping it on Christmas morning, share and educate one another on how to properly recycle it.”

Next time you take your new PlayStation controller from its cardboard box, spare a minute to check the whole package’s recycling instructions. And for manufacturers still relying on traditional, yet often single-use, plastic components to keep electronics components in place inside a box, it’s time to explore alternatives. Paper fillers work just as well…

…but bespoke cardboard fitments are where it’s really at!

3. Aesthetic Appeal

Sturdy and sustainable boxes needn’t be bulky boxes that compromise aesthetic appeal. Once you’ve excitedly removed wrapping paper, electronics packaging is the next generator of excitement.

“The more recognisable your brand is on a product’s packaging, the more powerful the excitement of Christmas morning.”

Packaging for electronics should be an extension of your brand and the narrative you’ve crafted up until the big day.

Whilst it’s a simple way of boosting appeal, an attractive appearance is one that’ll sleigh!

Mistle-Toasting to the Christmas Season

Thanks, Matthew, for sharing your top tips on packaging for electronics for the 2024 festivities. If you’re inspired to add an extra jingle to your brand’s boxes this year, there’s still time to deck them with bells and holly (not quite, but you get the gist!).

Get in touch with Matt to see how you can make your electronics packaging sparkle this Christmas.