1. What is the product?

Not a trick question; this should be an easy one. What are you selling? How big is it? What materials is it made of? Is it delicate?

This question is going to help you determine if there are any logistical musts for your product packaging. For example, a delicate product will require more secure packaging. Something that is large or with odd dimensions, on the other hand, may require a custom packaging solution instead of an out-of-the-box box.

2. Who’s buying the product?

Is the product supposed to be used by men, women or both? Is it for children or adults? Is it geared towards people who are environmentally conscious? To those on a budget or with lots of disposable income?

A product’s packaging should appeal to its ideal consumer; it’s important to know who that consumer is before you start the design process. Products for older adults may need larger text. Alternatively, items geared towards an affluent customer will need to consider materials that create a feeling of luxury.

3. How are people buying the product?

Are they purchasing it in a supermarket? A small boutique? Online?

You’re going to want to think about packaging differently if the product is going to be sold online and shipped than if it’s going to need to stand out from the competition on a big-box store shelf. Items that will be sold online probably shouldn’t have a lot of extra space that could cause the product to rattle around, or the package to bend. And those that will be on a boutique shelf will need to catch the eye of a buyer surrounded by cutesy items in cutesy packages.

Got your answers? Good. These will guide you in making all of the other (many) decisions that you’ll have to make in the packaging design process.

Still, pondering these questions? You’re probably not ready to start the packaging design process just yet. That’s okay! It’s better to take your time and get it right than jump in too soon.

Information you need to collect

Brand Requirements

Sometimes a product is stand-alone, and in other cases, it’s representing an established brand. If your packaging needs to represent a certain brand aesthetic, make sure you’ve gathered the following information before you start:

• Colors
  If you already have the CMYK values or Pantone Matching Values (PMS) colors include those as they’re specifically for printing. (If not, a hex code is fine, too.)
• Fonts
  Make sure you have the proper fonts and any specific usage instructions (like kerning or weight).
• Logo
  If you need to put a logo on the package, make sure you have a vector file available.

Content that needs to go on the packaging

What this is is going to be pretty unique to your specific product, but you’ll want to make sure you have it all sorted out before you start to design. Note that depending on your industry, there may be some things you’re required to put on your packaging for legal reasons.

You may need:

• Written copy
  This can include anything from the name of your product to a description to words enticing someone to purchase.
• Imagery
  Want to put photos on your packaging? You’ll need to have those ready to go before you start the design process.
• Required marks
  Depending on your product/industry, you may be required to include a barcode, nutrition information, association marks, etc.
• Know what temporary content you need
  Some products—like foods or cosmetics—have additional information that needs to be put on different batches of products (expiration dates or batch numbers). You probably don’t want to print this directly onto your packaging as it will be changing regularly, but you’ll want to make sure you save space for a sticker or stamp to be placed at a later date with that information.