The Trend’s In the Bag
Reusable bags are hot these days. You’ve seen them at your local grocery store, at Wal-Mart, and maybe at your favorite department store. As more and more businesses strive to reduce waste and promote sustainability, customers are jumping into the game as well, saving bags from their favorite stores to use again and again, especially if the bags provided are well-made and fashionable. The trend has taken hold among all classes of shoppers, and businesses are beginning to realize the marketing potential that can be tapped by taking advantage of the tendency of their customers to reuse store bags.
The Evolution of Shopping Bags
In the past, shopping bags have been viewed by most businesses as a non-recoverable expense-a necessary item that gave little or no benefit to the store. These days, however, stores have begun to incorporate shopping bags into their marketing strategy. Stores that provide durable, trendy looking shopping bags for their customers see an increase in the number of people who save their store bags and use them again for everything from lunch carriers to dry-cleaning pickup. As these bags travel with the consumer throughout his or her sphere of operation, they act as moveable billboards, displaying the company name and logo to thousands of eyes that might never see or print or television ad.
For some consumers, the bags themselves become the target of shopping excursions, even more so than the merchandise they carry. Companies such as Lululemon Athletica have discovered that creating desirable shopping bags may create previously unanticipated problems. The yoga retailer’s desirable red, white, and black bags have led to customers asking for a bag without buying anything, or requesting large bags for small items. When the goal of creating reusable bags is to decrease the amount of plastic necessary over time, customers who hoard shopping bags ultimately defeat the purpose. As a result, some stores have begun offering incentives such as a charity donation for each customer who does not take a shopping bag with his or her purchase.
How to Cash In
So how can small businesses cash in on the trend? The first step is to create a memorable bag that announces your business to the public. You can incorporate your store name and logo inexpensively by purchasing from a supplier that offers screen printing. Second, choose heavy duty bags that lend themselves to reuse rather than thin paper or plastic bags that seem disposable. Whatever material you choose for your bags, make sure it is something that can handle a little wear and tear. Handles made from cord, ribbon or plastic as opposed to thin paper handles also give a bag more durability. Third allot part of your marketing budget for shopping bags. While that may seem counterintuitive, really great bags will encourage customers to use them again and again, giving your business exposure in places you might never reach otherwise.
Apaper specializes in shopping bags and retail package.
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