Thank you!

Unreasonable expectations: we have all been subject to them and some of us have subjected others to them. Sometimes, our expectations are too high, but sometimes our own imaginations are limiting our progress. I believe the latter is true for product packaging.

When it comes to cosmetic color or shade selection in the drug store aisle, or any mass market retail environment, the burden of decision making falls directly on the shoulders of the consumer. For cosmetics companies, this creates a great deal of risk – what if the consumer begins to second guess whether they have the correct match? This problem is further compounded by the fact that despite all the shelving, backlighting and pricey fixtures… when the consumer is standing in the grocery aisle thinking she may need a new concealer, it all looks the same.

I had the privilege to speak at Smithers Pira’s E-PACK event in Chicago in September. E-Pack provided brand owners opportunity to discuss the challenges of staying competitive in the online retailing space and how packaging converters and packaging design firms can provide additional solutions for brand owners. If you missed the event, I’ve got three key learnings that I’m happy to share with you, as well as a recap of the presentation I gave with my former customer and still-current colleague John Morrow.

This past Monday, Amazon opened it’s first retail store outside its home state (Washington). I visited the Amazon Go Chicago yesterday and recorded my observations to satisfy your curiosity.