Key takeaways
- Eight details decide the price: style, inside size, quantity, material, printing, finishing, inserts and delivery.
- Measure the inside space the product needs, then add a little clearance on each side.
- Ask for two or three quantities: the price per box drops as quantity rises.
- You can get a quote without finished artwork; a logo and a rough layout are enough.
Why two quotes for the same box can look so different
Ask three suppliers for "a price for 500 custom boxes" and you will get three very different numbers. Usually none of them is wrong. Each supplier simply guessed the parts you did not specify: the board, the print, the size, the finish.
The fix is easy. Give every supplier the same clear details and the prices become comparable, the quote arrives faster, and there are no surprises when the final invoice comes.
The 8 details that decide the price
You do not need to know packaging jargon. Answer these as best you can and leave the rest to the supplier.
| Detail | What to send | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Box style | Mailer, tuck end, rigid, window, pillow, or a photo of what you like | Style sets the cutting die and the board |
| 2. Inside size | Length x width x height of the space the product needs, with units | The biggest driver of material cost |
| 3. Quantity | Two or three options, e.g. 500, 1,000 and 2,500 | Price per box drops as quantity rises |
| 4. Material | Kraft, white, corrugated or rigid, or ask for a suggestion | Changes strength, look and cost |
| 5. Printing | Number of colours, outside only or inside too | Coverage and sides affect price |
| 6. Finishing | Matte, gloss, foil, spot UV, embossing, or none | Each finish is an extra step |
| 7. Inserts | Needed or not, and what they hold | Protects fragile products |
| 8. Delivery | Country, city and the date you need it by | Affects shipping cost and schedule |
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Get Free QuoteHow to measure your product the right way
Always measure the inside space the product needs, not the outside of an old box. Measure length (the longest side of the opening), then width, then height (depth), in that order.
Add a few millimetres of clearance on each side so the product slides in easily, more if it goes in tissue or a pouch. If you have several products, measure the largest one, or ask whether two sizes would be cheaper than one box that fits everything.
Not sure? Send a photo of the product next to a ruler and its weight. That is enough for us to suggest a size.
Ask for more than one quantity
Setup costs, the printing plates and the cutting die, are paid once per order. At 100 boxes those costs are shared by 100 boxes; at 2,000 they are shared by 2,000. That is why the price per box can fall sharply as quantity goes up.
Asking for two or three quantities in one request shows you where the price breaks are. Sometimes ordering a little more costs only slightly more in total and leaves you with stock for months.
Artwork: ready or not, you can still get a price
You do not need finished artwork to get a quote. A logo and a rough idea of where it goes is enough to price the job.
Once you approve the price, the supplier sends a dieline, the flat template of your box, and your designer places the artwork on it. If you do not have a designer, ask whether design help is included. Ours is, for simple layouts.
How to compare quotes fairly
Line the quotes up side by side and check that each one includes the same things: the same board and thickness, the same print and finish, the same quantity, and whether shipping and taxes are included.
Also compare what happens before production. Is a digital proof included? Is a physical sample available, and at what cost? How long is production after approval? A slightly higher price that includes a proof, samples and delivery can work out cheaper than a low price with extras added later.
What happens after you send a request
At Printy Packaging the steps are simple:
1. You send the details (the quote form takes about a minute).
2. We reply with pricing and suggestions, usually within 10-15 minutes.
3. You approve the price and we send a free dieline.
4. You or your designer add the artwork, and we send a digital proof.
5. After you approve the proof, production takes about 12 to 15 business days, then we ship to the USA, UK, Europe, UAE or Australia.
Minimum orders start from 100 boxes, so you can test a design before committing to a large run.
Products in this guide
