230: Product Packaging Advice for Your New Hardware Invention
Elizabeth Corbett, President of Enterprise Sales at AE Global, shares 30 years of packaging expertise with hardware startups, emphasizing that packaging must first protect the product, then represent the brand, and fit the budget. She discusses the critical differences between retail and e-commerce packaging, highlighting sustainability, cost reduction strategies like SIOC (Ship in Own Container), and the risk of porch theft. Corbett illustrates how unboxing experiences can drive viral marketing, citing examples from Tiffany, Wahl, and MeUndies, while advising founders to use packaging as 'free real estate' to connect directly with early customers via QR codes and personal videos.