How to craft an unboxing experience worth talking about
Imagine: you’ve just ordered something online, maybe that sleek new gadget you’ve been eyeing, or a skincare serum everyone’s raving about. You’re tracking it obsessively. You’ve already cleared a space on your desk or bathroom shelf. And then… it arrives.
How does it feel when you open that package?
If you're like most people, that moment is filled with anticipation, excitement, and probably a significant dopamine hit. It’s not just about what’s inside. It's about how it’s delivered, how it's wrapped, presented, and revealed. This, dear reader, is the power of the unboxing experience!
But it’s not just a feel-good moment. This one slice of the customer journey is a massively underestimated driver of retention, brand perception, sustainability, and — wait for it — even the economy.
Let’s unwrap this together and see how your unboxing experience can define, or defile, your brand.
The unboxing experience & psychology
At its core, the unboxing experience is a customer's emotional journey when opening a product they’ve purchased. This includes:
The outer packaging.
The material inside.
The arrangement and presentation.
Surprise elements (gifts, thank-you notes, and samples!).
The tactile experience.
The scent and sound (yes, brands think about the sound of opening a box).
The reusability of the packaging.
In ecommerce, customers make buying decisions without having touched or tried the product. That’s a lot of expectation to meet. The unboxing moment is the first real-life interaction they have with your brand.
It’s also often the moment they decide whether to buy again or not.
“This is the first thing that your client will have their hands on when they receive it, even before touching the actual product.”
— Nicolas Katkoff, Sales Manager at Woola
There’s a whole science behind why unboxing feels so good, and why people want to share their experience with those around them.
Anticipation + Surprise = Dopamine boost
When you open a well-thought-out package, your brain rewards you with a hit of dopamine. This emotional response builds a subconscious bond with the brand. It’s not just about the product, it’s about how it made you feel.
And in a hyper-competitive ecommerce industry, emotion trumps everything.
The data doesn’t lie: why unboxing means big business
Unboxing is a movement. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube are overflowing with unboxing content. According to MNTN Research, 60 million hours have been spent watching other people open things on YouTube, and over 90,000 people type ‘unboxing’ into YouTube every month. This includes everything from luxury watches to tiny earrings to even (we’re not kidding) artisanal jam.
Here are a few stats to get your heart racing about unboxing:
40% of online shoppers say branded packaging makes them more likely to recommend a product to friends.
74% of consumers say they are more likely to trust a brand that uses high-quality, sustainable packaging.
1 in 5 social media users has watched an unboxing video in the last year.
“The companies that really care about their brand and values, they understand how packaging is an extension of how these brand values reach the customer.”— Jevgeni Širai, Co-founder at Woola
The unboxing phenomenon isn’t random. It’s emotional, psychological, and behavioural marketing rolled into one, creating a deep connection between the product and the consumer.
Why the unboxing experience is a strategic move for sustainable ecommerce brands
Let’s not beat around the bush... Most ecommerce brands are fighting for attention in a sea of sameness. The same Shopify templates, same Facebook ads, and same logistics partners.
But packaging? That’s your blank canvas.
"Packaging seems to be one of those areas where it's possible to show that you made a sustainable change to what you're doing."
— Jevgeni Širai, Co-founder at Woola
1. It’s your sustainability story, told without a word
Before your customer even touches the product, they’re already forming impressions. From the materials to the textures to the message your packaging sends. Plastic says, “We don’t care.” Premium, waste wool packaging from Woola says, “We’re intentional about sustainability.”
“Rather than just including a line about how we reduce our footprint in the emails we send — no one’s going to pay attention to that — the envelopes don’t just say it but show it, which is nice.”
— Michael Clyne, Ecommerce Manager at BioGaia
2. It creates shareable, brand-building moments
Let’s be honest, no one’s posting a boring old cardboard box. But they will share a parcel wrapped in unique materials, with thoughtful textures and sustainable elegance.
Better, sustainable packaging is excellent for creating these moments. For when your customer pauses, smiles, and reaches for their camera. And when they post it, your brand is the hero.
3. It drives customer loyalty
Imagine this: over 200,000 tonnes of coarse wool go unused in the EU every year. It’s too rough for textiles, so it’s tossed or burned. We have taken that wool and turned it into a durable packaging material. Sustainable packaging tells customers: “You’re worth the extra care.” And that’s memorable.
Customers don’t return because of reward points anymore, they return because they feel seen. Carefully chosen packaging materials communicate quality, care, and commitment to the planet — all at once.
4. It reduces return rates
This one’s surprising. When a package looks premium and is well thought through, customers are less likely to return the product. Why? Because perceived value increases.
Presentation shapes perception.
It’s the difference between receiving a €200 ring in a bubble mailer instead of a snug padded Wool Box, maybe even combined with a handwritten note.
Real examples of unboxing magic (that you can steal for your products)
1. Patagonia
Patagonia doesn’t do flashy packaging, and that’s the point. Orders arrive in uncoated, recyclable cardboard boxes and sleeves, printed with soy-based inks or no branding at all. It’s minimal by design, which means less waste, less ego, more intention.
The packaging reflects their planet-first mission and reinforces trust with every delivery.
For Patagonia, the unboxing moment is a quiet but powerful reminder that sustainability doesn’t need decoration, it requires action. And customers love them for it.
2. Apple
Apple turns opening a product into an emotional event. The box lifts with a satisfying resistance. Every component has its place. There’s no noise, no filler, just sleek design that mirrors the product inside. It’s luxury in silence.
While Apple’s packaging isn’t wool or fibre-based (yet!), it still sets the gold standard for consistency, anticipation, and delight. The takeaway? Details matter. The tactile experience becomes part of the brand promise.
3. Mejuri
This modern jewellery brand understands that customers crave both elegance and ethics. Orders arrive in FSC-certified recyclable boxes with snug pouches and jewellery care cards printed on sustainable paper.
The entire experience feels personal, premium, and without excess. It’s a great example of sustainability without sacrificing style. And for a younger, values-driven demographic, that combination is everything.
4. agood company
Built on radical transparency and circularity, from how they source materials to how they package their products. Every parcel arrives in a custom-designed, low-impact mailer envelope. No plastic or greenwashing, just a clear commitment to progress.
The unboxing experience feels clean and consistent with the brand’s core mission: transforming thoughtful consumption into the new normal.
The dos and don’ts of creating an unboxing experience
Do:
Use sustainable, high-quality materials (bonus points if it’s a story people can tell).
Brand it — subtly or boldly, just make it yours.
Include something personal: a note, a message, even a discount code.
Think tactile: how it feels in the hand is just as important as how it looks.
Make it easy to recycle or reuse, and tell customers how.
Design it for Instagram (even if you’re not on there, your customers are).
Don’t:
Use plastic: there’s nothing luxurious about bubble wrap and tape that’s difficult to remove.
Add too much packaging.
Waste space. Fit the packaging to the product.
Send generic boxes without your brand’s touch.
Miss the personal touch: even a small “thank you” note makes a difference.
Final thoughts: what unboxing really means
In times where we buy more and touch less, the brands that get the unboxing experience right are the ones that win hearts and market share.
Whether you're sending out a handmade ceramic bowl, a bottle of mood-boosting supplements, or a pair of designer sunglasses, ask yourself this:
How will this feel to open?
Whether you go luxe, sustainable, quirky, or minimal, just make sure it’s something people remember. (And if it involves leftover wool instead of plastic… we definitely approve.)
Want to get your hands on Woola packaging? Request a free Woola sample or talk to our sales team to learn more about a custom solution for your brand.