Unboxing video ideas: make the first look worth watching
Across 770 posts from 339 stores (24 Jun to 25 Sep 2026), posts that open on an unboxing beat their store's typical post 53% of the time.
This week unboxing ranks #6 of 31 openings and performs about like a typical post. Lately it has been holding steady. An unboxing video opens on a sealed box and follows the first moment the product comes out. It shows what a buyer actually receives: the packaging, the size, the finish and any small extras. For a small brand, it's the closest thing to handing the parcel over in person.
Why people watch unboxing videos
An unboxing answers a quiet worry every online shopper has: what will turn up at my door? Seeing the box opened, the tissue lifted and the product held up for the first time makes the purchase feel real and safe. It's the moment a customer would film themselves, which is why it feels like a customer video even when you shot it.
Opening a box also builds a small wait into the first seconds. The lid lifts, the paper folds back and the viewer stays to see what's inside. That short pause is the hook, so the reveal has to come quickly and look good when it does.
It suits launches and restocks too. A first unboxing of a new colour or a limited batch gives followers a reason to watch, and it pairs well with a new product announcement.
How to film an unboxing video
- Start with the box already in hand. Skip the walk to the door. The first frame should be hands on a sealed parcel, ready to open.
- Film from above on a clean surface. Overhead keeps the box, the hands and the product in frame the whole time. A plain table near a window works best.
- Get to the product in a few seconds. Cut the slow parts: tape, scissors and padding. Keep the lid lifting and the first look at the product.
- Show the small touches. A handwritten note, a sticker, a sample or neat tissue paper. These are what make your parcel feel different from a big marketplace order.
- End on the product in use or in place. Finish with the product on, in hand or set where it belongs, so the viewer sees more than packaging.
// 9 examples
Unboxing video ideas to copy
Each card is one shot and one line you can copy. Swap in your product.
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Candle
Overhead shot of hands opening a kraft box, lifting tissue and turning the candle to show the label.
Unboxing the scent everyone keeps asking about
Hook line -
Earrings
A small velvet pouch tipped into a palm, the earrings catching window light.
This is how your order arrives
Hook line -
Skincare set
A box lid lifts to show three bottles in a tray, then one is picked up and turned.
Packing your order so you can see what's inside
Hook line -
Print
A flat mailer opened at the kitchen table, the print slid out and held up to the camera.
Opening the first print from the new batch
Hook line -
Dog harness
A box opened on the floor while a dog noses in, then the harness is lifted out.
Unboxing with my quality control team
Hook line -
Coffee beans
A paper bag pulled from a box, the seal torn and the beans poured into a jar.
Fresh bag, first smell. You can almost hear it
Hook line -
Phone case
A slim box slid open, the case lifted out and snapped onto a phone in one move.
Box to phone in one take
Hook line -
Gift hamper
A ribbon pulled loose, the lid lifted and each item set out on the table in a row.
Everything that comes in the hamper, one by one
Hook line -
Sweater
A folded sweater lifted from crisp tissue, shaken out and held up against the light.
Unfolding the colour that sold out last time
Hook line
Unboxing mistakes that lose viewers
- A long wait before the box opens. Cut the tape and scissors and get to the lid lifting straight away.
- Packaging that looks nothing like a real order. If it's a special gift box, say so, or buyers feel misled.
- A cluttered table that pulls the eye. Clear everything but the box and the product.
- Ending on the empty box. Finish on the product, held or in use, since that's what people are buying.
What this group covers
We count posts with any of these openings in this group, most used first:
- Unboxing first pull
- Packaging to use
- Delivery unboxing
- Order pack sequence
- Generic unboxing still
What is an unboxing video?
It's a video that opens a box or parcel and shows the product coming out for the first time. Stores use it to show what a customer receives, including packaging and any extras.
Do unboxing videos work for small brands?
They can, especially when your packaging is part of the appeal or you're launching something new. Keep the opening fast and the product clear. This week unboxing openings performs about like a typical post in our data from real store posts.
How long should an unboxing video be?
Short. Get from sealed box to product in a few seconds and keep the whole clip brief. Cut every slow moment that isn't the reveal.
Do I need to show my face in an unboxing video?
No. Most unboxing videos only show hands, the box and the product, filmed from above.
// nearby in the ranking
Related openings
Guides that use this opening
Instagram Reels hooks that stop the scroll for product brands
Guide · how to make product videosHow to make product videos that hook viewers in the first second
Xyla is the AI social media manager for online stores.
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