How Shopping Bags Evolved Through Time?
The first shopping bags were created in 1912 by a grocery store owner named Walter H. Deubner because he noticed that his customers are having difficulty shopping and limit their purchases because of inconvenience of carrying all the shopping items to their homes. At the time shopping bags were first launched in the market it was sold for 5 cents, the same price most “wholesale outlets” charge these days.
Few decades ago, marketing experts realized that printing their company logo on a bag could help their brand get more exposure and establish a strong relationship with their clients. During the era of indoor shopping malls, buyers would visit every store in their area and ostentatiously carry the logo of the retailer where they just bought items from. At that time, the consumers embraced advertising on the paper shopping bags which were free and easy to carry. Throughout the 80’s until early 2000’s, shopping bags were considered as a status symbol. Those who buy fewer items from retail stores pay for a bag but in the case of large multinational businesses that paid for goods in bulk, bags are provided for free. For high class retailers, the quality and eminence of their bag became part of their business’ trademark. Now, there are retailers who offer heavy duty reusable tote bags for only $1-$5, but many consumers did not buy this kind of marketing strategy. In the first place, why would buyers pay to advertise your company?
Many years and decades have passed until the market has changed their view on shopping bag. Today, most consumers consider shopping bag as one of the culprit to the environmental damages. For that reason, entrepreneurs today are finding ways on how we can lessen our plastic wastes in the landfills and large bodies of water. Nowadays, promotional bags are not only utilized as marketing tool and a way boost your retail business’ sales but it is also used for promoting public environmental awareness.
Now, more and more businesses are switching to the more ecological means of advertising their business through the use of green bags. There are businesses that would offer and deliver cloth bags right at your door, in this way they are able to encourage and persuade buyers to use green bags with ease and save the environment at the same time.
Every day, as you walk down the street you will notice that more people are using their reusable paper shopping bags or canvas tote bags not only for shopping but for other purpose, too. Students, mothers and even professionals are obsessed with using these fancy bags because of its environmental benefit to the community.
So for a small business like you, one simple thing that you can do for your community is making recycled kraft bags or promotional tote bags available for customers free of charge at your store. Also, to convince more consumers to switch to reusable shopping bags make sure that the bags are eye-catching and durable. The more bags you give away to your consumers the more chance that your brand will be visible to the public and get attention from your target customers.