Getting started
Five Decisions on a First Packaging Order
Most first packaging orders go wrong in the same handful of ways. None of them are difficult to avoid, and none of them are the things people spend the most time worrying about.
The five that matter
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Board weight, chosen from the filled weight
Not from the dimensions. A box sized correctly on too light a board bows across the face; on too heavy a board the tuck springs open. This is the single most common cause of a disappointing first order.
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The number of print colors
It is the largest cost lever at low quantity and it usually improves the design. Two colors used confidently beat four used timidly, and cost considerably less.
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Where the mandatory copy goes
Ingredient lists, nutrition panels and warnings have a minimum legible size and cannot be compressed. Lay them out first and design the front around what remains.
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Whether the pack ships or sits on a shelf
Those are two different specifications. Buying the retail one and posting it produces a damage rate that costs more than the difference ever would.
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Ordering a physical sample
Thirty seconds with the real box and your real product tells you more than any drawing, and it is the cheapest insurance available on a first run.
Things that matter less than people expect
- The exact board brand or mill — the weight and coating are what count
- Whether dimensions are round numbers — they should fit the product instead
- Getting the finish decided early — it can be chosen after the structure
- Choosing between kraft and coated on price — they are close at the same weight
- The precise quantity — ask for break points and choose from the shape of the curve
The question we ask first
What goes in the box, what does it weigh, and how does it get to the customer. Those three answers determine the material, the board weight and the closure, which is most of the specification.
A brief that starts with a box size and a finish is starting at the wrong end, and it usually has to be unpicked. Starting from the product takes ten minutes and removes most of the risk.
Budget for a second order
The tooling — the cutting die, any foil or emboss dies — is a one-off cost that is stored and reused. That means a second order is meaningfully cheaper per unit than the first, and it changes how a first run should be sized.
Rather than guessing at a large quantity to spread the tooling, a modest first run followed by an informed reorder is often both cheaper in total and considerably lower risk. The mechanics are in our piece on how quantity affects pricing.
What each decision costs if you get it wrong
Not all mistakes are equal. These are the consequences, which is what should drive how much attention each gets.
| Decision | If it is wrong | Recoverable? |
|---|---|---|
| Board weight | The pack bows or springs open | No — a reprint |
| Print colors | Costs more than it needed to | Yes, on the next order |
| Mandatory copy space | Illegible type, or a missing element | No — a reprint |
| Ship or shelf specification | Damage on arrival at customers | No — a reprint |
| Quantity | Overstock or a rushed reorder | Partly — a top-up run |
Questions this raises
What is the most common first-order mistake?
Choosing a board weight from the box dimensions rather than the filled weight of the pack. It is what makes a box bow across the face or spring open at the tuck.
Should I order a sample first?
Almost always. A physical sample in the final board with your own product in it is the cheapest way to find a specification problem before it becomes a full run.
How do I keep a first run affordable?
Fewer print colors, and a standard die rather than a bespoke shape. At low quantities the fixed costs dominate and those two are the largest of them.
How big should a first order be?
Large enough that the fixed costs are not absurd per unit, small enough that a design change is survivable. Ask for pricing at three quantities and choose from the shape of the curve.