Packaging Supplier Explores ‘Unboxing’ Video Craze

Packaging supplier Rajapack have examined the psychology behind unboxing products live on video, how the obsession continues to grow and just why delivery and packaging is becoming an important aspect of the product, which is making a huge impact on how consumers spend their money.

In 2014, a YouTube search for the term “unboxing” yielded more than 20 million search results. At the time of writing, the exact same search returned almost 50 million results. The highest earner on YouTube is the owner of a channel dedicated to unboxing Disney toys. DC Toys Collector is estimated to have earned $4.9 million in 2014 and has absolutely no affiliation with Disney.

Findings suggest that unboxing may be popular due to our capacity for empathy as humans. In 1992, the discovery was made that there were responses in the brain called “anticipation circuits”, which fire in our brain when we watch someone unbox something. “mirror neuron systems” also exist, and activate not only when we perform an action ourselves, but also when we watch someone else perform that action.

Psychologist Diana Parkinson describes unboxing as “… totally voyeuristic, there is no material reward, only transitory visual reward. The popularity of unboxing videos is astonishing, and I cannot think of a comparison”.

For vlogger Chase Aime, unboxing appeals to her due to seeing something she may purchase herself “The appeal lies in seeing a bag I might be interested in and experiencing the unboxing with the individual… It helps me to make more informed buying decisions and is also just as exciting seeing something beautiful being unwrapped” This highlights just how important packaging is becoming.

Unboxing videos of ‘luxury products’ is one of the most popular genres of the video trend. High-end brands such as Chanel invest in quality packaging as they realise the importance of the final reveal of the product.

Combining these aspects and considering the depth of a bag or a box, all contribute to the overall unboxing experience and should feel and sound pleasant. In an era of online shopping, the anticipation of receiving and opening an item is almost as important as eventual gratification.

Martin Lindstrom, author of Buyology: How everything we believe about why we buy is wrong suggests that brands should be making the packaging of their products as interesting as the items within. Chase Aime backs this up “I’ve had very expensive bags delivered to me in simple packaging before which has been underwhelming! If the item is packaged beautifully, then that certainly makes an impact – it adds to the whole experience and can make you even more excited about the bag. The best packaging is thoughtful, practical and recyclable! If there is a hint of luxury, then even better.”