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How willing are you to pay more for packaging?


How willing are you to pay more for packaging? A few dollars? Never?

Maybe 10% more just for packaging – if I can get the exact same product but pay 25% less because of packaging, I’ll go with the cheaper version. Unless there’s a functional purpose behind the packaging or it is actually a lot better.

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Kellie Avatar

Yes, I do it constantly. :/ I find that I tend to lean toward products that have a nice, durable, and overall aesthetic that I like, in regards to their packaging. I have a few products from E.L.F. and NYX. They’re great quality, too. I just have a difficult time picking them to wear because they look so cheap and lackluster. It is pure madness.

Stacy Ann Avatar

I tend to prefer minimalist, less bulky packaging. I ended up depotting my box of shadows 3&4 because the packaging was such a pain to store. Limited edition is nice, but no one sees it in it bathroom, so what is the point? I’d probably pay a little extra if they came in a z palette! Packaging for Too Faced’s A Few Of My Favorite Things > Sweet Indulgences, more shadows and the room required to store it is so much more convenient.

Zainab Avatar

I don’t mind paying more if I like it, and the amount I’d be willing to pay would be proportional to the degree I like the packaging. But sometimes I find packaging puts me off (in the ‘I want all my MAC lipsticks to look the same’ way).

A Name Avatar

It may be stupid, but packaging can definitely make something a no buy for me. I can’t stand clunky packaging, and tend to like sleek black packaging like Nars packaging and especially some Chanel packaging.

Ryou Avatar

My short answer is “not at all”. But if the packaging is something I consider really special (which is extremely rare), then I’d consider it.

Sydney Avatar

It really just depends I guess. Most of the time I would want to pay less and get basic packaging. Sometimes I enjoy special packaging, but it has to be really special I guess. I don’t like when MAC puts images on, or changes the color of the eyeshadow or blush containers. I like that most of my stuff all matches, it looks more organized I think. I also don’t care much for special lipstick packaging, but I really hate paying for for a lipstick that is barely different, like the new Devine night tubes.

Mietta Avatar

Depends what the money is going towards! If its functionality then yes definitely! I can barely open some palettes, the Sleek ones I always struggle with lol but they’re brilliant so I shut my mouth. I would kill for a better MAC Pigments packaging, that stuff goes EVERYWHERE every time I open it >_< In terms of looks, then…maybe. Lol! I like how MAC has the matte black packaging and then they change it up with some collections, Archie collection with the white packaging (hated the pictures but liked the white, Archie isn't really relevant to me, I'm Australia…), the new Riri collection…^o^

Diane Avatar

I wouldn’t mind paying a teeny bit extra (5%, maybe?) for decent packaging, as long as it’s functional, durable, and not excessive (i.e. huge eyeshadow case with one tiny eyeshadow inside – to me, that’s a waste). Most of the time, though, I’d take cheaper packaging if it means saving money; it’s the product inside that counts.

Nicole Avatar

I would only pay more for packaging if the packaging of the less expensive product was prohibitive of using or enjoying the product in some way (e.g. too much product lost or damaged due to poor packaging). In other words, I wouldn’t pay more for better packaging, but I would pay more to avoid poor packaging.

Katie F Avatar

For something I use all the time (like a lipstick), I don’t get too fussed about packaging and probably wouldn’t pay more, but cool/cute/functional packaging will make me more likely to buy (and also to use) a product I wouldn’t normally use, like blush or lipgloss. I didn’t use or even own a face powder/blush type product until MAC’s Archie collection, but I really liked the design of the compact, and now I use it fairly often.

shayna Avatar

I’m a sucker for limited edition packaging, specifically the mac lipsticks. my first were Kanga-Rouge from the Dame Edna collection and Sci-Fi-Delity from the neo sci fi collection. I’ve accumulated a lot of them, it’s kind of an addition. I also try to grab stuff from the holiday couture collections (loved the original marcel wanders lipsticks), if they’re good quality (didn’t get any last year). My favorite special packaging lipstick that I own is the Manish Arora lipstick, the packaging is to die for and I love the color (Kiss Manish), I also have the Devil blush from that collection, it’s so intense! But if I use a little dot of it, it works for my extremely pale complexion.

Unfortunately the packaging hasn’t been great in a while. I’m glad they haven’t used stickers in the latest stuff (I was worried the Archie lipsticks would be stickered), I thought the Riri Hearts MAC stuff would be cute, but they’re way more reflective than I hoped, and I really don’t like the logo they used. Crossing my fingers for this year’s couture collection, though I have a sneaking suspicion it’ll be replaced with Riri Hearts MAC Holiday.

Most expensive purchase? Ruby Woo from the A Mei collection.
Most desired at the moment? Lolipop Loving or Melrose Mood from the Heatherette collection and Too Fab from Dress Camp. These go for crazy amounts of money on ebay, though, not really willing/able to go for them at the moment.

Nikki Avatar

Not at all. I care much more about getting a quality product versus the packaging it comes in. If a product I really desire costs a little more and just happens to come in the special packaging, I’ll make the investment, but I’ve never bought a product that’s costs more simply because it has special packaging. No thanks!

Gabby Avatar

It depends – with a few, really high-end or luxury brands, I am willing to pay extra for the packaging but only when the product inside is also worth the initial high price. Generally though I prefer if my products sort of match so I don’t actually like “special” or LE type packaging since I don’t like how it looks different. I also avoid buying from some brands since I know the packaging will create clutter – i.e. eyeshadows palettes that can’t be easily depotted AND aren’t compact/travel-friendly like UD Naked. Overall, if the product is really great – I would be willing to pay a bit more for higher quality packaging (i.e. heavy duty glass over cheap plastic) but not necessarily LE packaging – with the one exception being UD liners (because I lurve them, lol).

Sarah Avatar

Most of the time, I view nice packaging as an extra bonus. Sometimes I am tempted by products based solely on cute packaging, like the Izak Zenou x Sephora collection or Alber Elbaz x Lancome, but I can’t remember if I actually ended up buying anything because of that (I didn’t buy anything from those collections, either). …Oh wait, yes I have – I bought Tony Moly mascara and lipstick based on the cat design (and a good review from Musings of a Muse). 🙂

Liz Avatar

I’m all for nice packaging! I haven’t really bought any problematic packaging as yet (I hate and never buy products with bulky packaging, eg Benefit sets and blushes). Except for the Naked palette, which I’d def be willing to pay 20% more so that it doesn’t get dirty so easily (I mean I like it, I just don’t like the dirty version of it). Plus I have a hard time finding a makeup bag that’d fit it (but then it has 12 shadows, so it’s hard to be more economical with space. Anw, I find that sometimes I opt for the higher-end brands just bc of the packaging, so I guess that matters a lot. I will never, ever try Too Faced just bc its packaging looks too flashy and showy to me. Also YSL Rouge Volupte, YSL duo color (a few years ago) and Guerlain Rouge G (and basically every lipstick with a mirror) throw me off. The packaging is just too much for a lipstick! I just want sth that looks sleek and nice, like Hourglass stuff.

Lauren Avatar

I don’t pay extra for packaging per se. However, packaging can keep me from buying a product. I don’t like bulky packaging (e.g., the UD Book of Shadows) unless it has removable components like the new Tarte Ulta holiday exclusive (Gorgeous Getaways), eyeshadow palettes without mirrors (hate this!), eyeshadow palettes where the lid is removable (learned my lesson after purchasing the UD 15th anniversary palette), cheap drugstore packaging, etc. I will not buy Wet N Wild shadows because the packaging looks cheap. I don’t care how low the price is, but I just won’t buy it.

While I favor higher end packaging for blushes and palettes, I won’t pay extra for LE packaging or buy a product just because it has cute packaging.

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