How Do Independent Product Labels Square Up Against Those of Big Brands?

When shoppers are scanning grocery shelves, brand awareness can be a major contributor in terms of which items they pick, but independent product labels might actually have an advantage compared to the packaging used by national brands. Why? Products that people don't recognize represent a breath of fresh air amid the usual suspects with their well-known labels - and sometimes, an unfamiliar company name or packaging design turns out to be just the ticket for companies that are eager to set their products apart from the pack.

The Effect of Small Production Labels on Customers

Typically, small production labels are associated with small businesses. According to the United States Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, small businesses - defined as enterprises with a workforce of fewer than 500 people - made up 99.7 percent of employer firms in the nation in 2014. Given a statistic like that, chances are good that almost every shopper who walks down the aisles at the grocery store knows someone who works for a small business, is personally employed by such an enterprise or perhaps even owns one.

So, what does this mean in terms of the effect that small production labels have on consumer choices? When a customer comes across an item with a custom label, he or she is likely to infer that it was produced by a small business as opposed to a big-name corporation. As a result, the shopper may be more amenable to the idea of giving the unfamiliar product a try. On a retail playing field that pits small enterprises' offerings directly against those put out there by the big guys, many people are inclined to root for the underdog, which is great news for companies that use independent product labels.

Make Sure Custom Stickers and Labels Look High-Quality and Professional

The wares sold by small businesses may have a certain appeal to them, but if the custom stickers and labels on these products leave a lot to be desired, that could be a turnoff for customers. After all, cheap-looking packaging doesn't exactly reflect positively on the quality of the food inside the box, bag or jar.

With this in mind, how can small enterprises go about striking a balance in terms of leveraging custom labels that both set them apart from larger brands and assure shoppers that their products are up to snuff? Lightning Labels can help. Thanks to our state-of-the-art HP digital label printing technology, the stickers and labels that adorn your products will look as good as - if not better - than those of major national brands.

Add this to the fact that your company's name and logo are probably unfamiliar to consumers, which will likely pique their interest, and before you know it, your items will be in shoppers' carts and rolling along the conveyor belt at the register.

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