From AI-generated ads to influencer overload, shoppers face more clutter than ever. Authentic, human touches — like handwritten notes or thoughtful personalized content — are a decisive competitive advantage.

• 57% of shoppers say timely alerts about items they’ve browsed are extremely helpful.

• Gen Z and Millennials increasingly trust creators and peers more than brand ads.
  
  

How to Apply This Trend:

• Personalize communications: restock alerts, cart reminders, or loyalty nudges.

• Partner with values-aligned micro-influencers for credibility.

• Add “offline personalization” through packaging: handwritten notes, QR codes that unlock unique content, or surprise samples that feel authentic in a way digital ads can’t.

One differentiator continues to cut through amid inflation, tariffs, and endless digital noise: sustainability. For many shoppers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, holiday purchases are about more than price — they’re about aligning with values.

• 62% of consumers say they’re likely to choose products based on sustainability, and 65% say they’d pay more for them.

• But trust is shaky: 55% of consumers believe brands only sometimes share accurate information, while 26% remain outright skeptical. Shoppers can spot vague “eco-friendly” claims or holiday marketing gimmicks quicker.

• Regulations are adding pressure. With California’s SB 343 requiring recyclability labeling and state-level EPR laws rolling out, brands can’t afford to overstate or misrepresent their packaging choices.

This creates both a risk and an opportunity. Brands that resort to greenwashing (or stay silent to avoid scrutiny) risk losing consumer confidence. But brands that show proof — and weave sustainability authentically into both products and packaging — stand to build loyalty that lasts long past December.

How to Apply This Trend:

• Lead with proof, not platitudes. Back up claims with third-party certifications (FSC®, RCS, How2Recycle). Make these visible on your website and directly on your packaging.

• Make sustainability tangible. Print specific data like “Made with 100% post-consumer waste” or “Printed with Algae Ink™ to lower carbon emissions” right on your boxes or mailers.

• Connect values to the season. Use your holiday packaging as a storytelling platform. For example: “Holiday joy, delivered in 100% recycled packaging” or “Celebrate the season, not the waste.”

• Be transparent about trade-offs. For example, if you’ve chosen recycled poly mailers over heavier boxes to cut shipping emissions, say so. Customers value honesty more than perfection.

• Empower customers. Include clear disposal or reuse instructions inside the package (“Recycle curbside with paper” or “Reuse this mailer for returns”). This positions customers as partners in your sustainability mission.

Key Takeaway: In 2025, sustainability isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s one of the most credible, differentiating ways to earn trust. Brands that showcase values through packaging (and back claims with proof) will resonate in a skeptical, crowded marketplace.

Understanding what today’s shoppers prioritize — affordability, convenience, authenticity, and value alignment — is only half the equation.

The other half is operational: ensuring you can meet demand without overspending or creating excess waste. Inventory planning, supply chain flexibility, and packaging choices all play a critical role in whether your brand thrives this holiday season.

The holiday season can make or break a brand’s year — but only if the right products and packaging are available at the right time.

Order too little, and you risk stockouts that frustrate customers. Order too much, and you tie up cash flow, discount heavily, or generate excess waste.

In 2025, with tariffs, uncertainty, and volatile discount marketplaces, the brands that succeed will be the ones that plan smart, stay flexible, and align inventory decisions with their sustainability goals.

Here are three strategies to guide your inventory approach this holiday season.

Your packaging is more than a delivery tool. In 2025, when consumers are cost-conscious, ad-fatigued, and skeptical of greenwashing, packaging is one of the most credible, human ways to reinforce your brand’s values.

When done thoughtfully, it builds recognition, makes unboxing feel personal, and serves as tangible proof of authenticity.

Here are three best practices to guide your holiday packaging strategy this year:

Best Practice: Use packaging design to stand out while staying true to your brand identity. Even small accents — custom tape, branded stickers, or festive inserts — can transform a plain shipment into a memorable experience.

• Custom Branding for Recognition: Custom-printed boxes, mailers, and tissue help your package break through the sea of plain cartons. Seasonal designs tied to your brand palette keep things festive without losing recognition.

• Pre-Printed Seasonal Flair: For brands with shorter timelines or tighter budgets, pre-printed holiday packaging adds cheer without committing to a custom run. EcoEnclose’s holiday collection of boxes, tissue, and notecards gives you quick-turn, affordable options.

• Stock Packaging with Festive Accents: 100% recycled stock boxes and mailers can shine when paired with reusable ribbons, printed stickers, or branded notecards. Our extensive stock packaging options offer neutral designs that can easily be dressed up for the season.

Why It Matters: Whether you go fully custom or keep it simple, intentional design choices reinforce recognition and authenticity — qualities customers crave in a season dominated by mass-market packaging.

Best Practice: Make unboxing an extension of your brand values. A gift-ready, personal presentation can delight the giver, wow the receiver, and create a moment worth sharing — without generating excess waste.

• Simplify Opening: Frustration-free design, like tear strips or minimal tape use, keeps customers happy.

• Layer with Purpose: Build anticipation with tissue, SpiroPak, or notecards that add interest without excess.

• Add Personal Touches: Handwritten notes, seasonal messages, or QR codes linking to holiday playlists or campaigns make the experience unique.

• Eliminate Plastic Thoughtfully: If your brand aims to reduce or eliminate plastic, consider vetted alternatives, such as swapping conventional poly bags with Vela™ Glassine Bags.

Why It Matters: Discounts may attract shoppers, but a thoughtful, sustainable unboxing can turn a one-time order into an opportunity for brand loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing.