Does Tech Packaging Matter?

Just pick up the latest and greatest piece of tech? Whether it be a smartphone, notebook or really any other electronic gadget, do you ever stop and analyze how nice the packaging is? And better still, does it matter to you what the packaging looks like?

The packaging “issue” is being brought to light once again with the help of Google’s Nexus 7, which as a YouTube video claims, is difficult to open. The box itself looks nice, but for some, opening it proves to be a frustrating experience – not great when we’re dealing with a new tech toy.

As you might have noticed from our content here at Techgage, we almost never include photos of product packaging. The reason? We don’t believe it matters as long as the product is safe. Us putting any weight into what a box looks like is like a fashion reviewer worrying about a clothes hanger. Would you ever base a purchase decision on packaging? Of course not.

That’s not to say that there hasn’t been a few exceptions. If a company’s packaging actually stands out from the crowd in some way, whether it be intuitive or exceptionally nice-looking, we’ll sometimes include a picture and talk about it. I can honestly say I don’t recall the last time we’ve done this.

To be fair, though, I do believe that sometimes packaging can add to the excitement of opening a new tech product – it’s just that most often, we don’t see that sort of packaging here (nor do most people get as excited opening a motherboard as they do a new smartphone). But take a company like Apple, for example, which puts more effort into its packaging than likely any other company on the planet.

According to an article posted at Network World earlier this year, Apple literally dedicates an entire lab to the development of new packaging. The company realizes that packaging can add to the pleasure of getting to the product, whereas other companies don’t seem to mind sticking to tried and true clamshell packaging or hard-to-open boxes that frustrate ever before the product is reached. Ironically, I have a clamshell Logitech controller next to me right now – I just haven’t been bothered to get my hachet from the toolshed.

What are your thoughts? Does it matter to you if a product is difficult to open? Are you fine regardless of what it looks like as long as it protects the product? Or do you favor packaging that’s had thought behind it, making the unboxing experience an enjoyable one?