Packaging Buying Guides · Quick guide
What Information Do You Need for a Packaging Quote?
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A packaging quote is only as accurate as the specification behind it. Send what goes in the box, its internal dimensions in millimetres, one to three quantities, the style, board, printing, finishes, any insert, where your artwork stands and your required delivery date. If you do not know some of these, say so and describe the product and how it is sold; we recommend the rest.
The packaging quote checklist
Use this table as your brief. The first three rows are essential; everything else sharpens the price and saves a round of questions.
| What to send | What we need to know | Why it matters | If you are not sure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | What goes in the box, its weight, and whether it is fragile, glass or liquid | Decides the construction, board and any insert | Describe it and send a photo |
| Internal dimensions (mm) | Length × width × depth of the space the product needs | Sets the dieline, board usage and postage band | Send the product's own measurements and we will allow clearance |
| Quantity or quantities | One figure, or two or three to compare | Unit cost changes with volume | Give a range; orders start at 50 boxes |
| Style | For example a mailer box, tuck end carton or magnetic closure box | Changes the materials, assembly and cost | Tell us how the product is sold and shipped |
| Board | Corrugated flute, folding boxboard, kraft or greyboard | Sets strength, print quality and feel | We recommend it once we know the product |
| Printing | Outside, inside or both; CMYK or Pantone; number of colours | Print coverage and colour method affect cost | Send your logo and brand colours |
| Finishes | Lamination, foil blocking, embossing, spot UV, windows | Each adds a process | Say what the box should feel like |
| Inserts | Whether the product needs holding in place, and how many items | Stops movement and presents the product | Tell us the number and size of items |
| Artwork status | Ready, in progress, logo only, or not started | Affects how the dieline and proof stage runs | Say where you are |
| Required delivery date | The date the boxes must arrive with you | Timing is confirmed against it on the quotation | Give the latest date that still works |
| Delivery postcode | Where the boxes should go | Your quotation confirms the address and timing | A postcode is enough at quote stage |
Dimensions: the detail that changes everything
Dimensions drive board usage, the cutter guide, how many boxes fit on a sheet and, for posted boxes, which postage band you land in. Give them as internal length × width × depth, in millimetres, in that order.
Measure the product as it will be packed: bottle with its cap, jar with its label, garment folded with its tissue. If an insert holds the product, the internal size is the space the insert needs, not the product alone. Our guide on how to measure a box walks through the method, and internal vs external dimensions explains how board thickness is added.
If an external limit matters, for example a Royal Mail size band or a retail shelf depth, give that figure as well and label it clearly as external. Our Royal Mail and courier sizes guide explains why this matters for mailers.
Quantities: why two or three figures help
Custom packaging carries setup work (the dieline, the cutting forme, press make-ready) that is spread across the run, so the unit cost falls as quantity rises. Asking for two or three quantities on one quotation shows you where the steps are and helps you decide how much stock to hold. Why unit cost falls with quantity explains the mechanics.
Our minimum order starts at 50 boxes, and the minimum order quantity explainer covers what is possible at small runs. If you ship several products, tell us each size and quantity; two or three box sizes often cover a range more efficiently than one large box.
Style, board and finish: say what you know
You do not need packaging vocabulary to get a good quote. If you know the style you want, name it; the box styles section explains each one. If you do not, tell us:
- how the product reaches the customer (posted, sold in a shop, handed over as a gift);
- how it should feel when opened (practical, premium, playful);
- anything it must survive (courier handling, stacking, a chilled counter).
We then recommend the construction and board, for example a B-flute corrugated board mailer for posted orders or a folding boxboard carton for a shelf. Lamination is included on every order, so tell us whether you prefer matt, gloss or soft-touch; foil blocking, embossing and spot UV are quoted as separate processes.
Artwork status and your delivery date
Artwork is laid onto a flat dieline drawn for your exact dimensions, so it can come after the quote. Tell us honestly where it stands: ready to supply, a logo and brand colours only, or not started. The packaging artwork guide and what is a dieline explain what your designer will need.
Your required delivery date is the date the boxes must arrive with you, not your launch date. Tell us your required delivery date and our team will confirm whether the timing is achievable. What takes time is explained in words on the quotation: proofing, sourcing the board, printing, finishing and, for rigid boxes, hand assembly. Delivery is included on every order. Your quotation confirms the delivery address and timing.
What happens after you send it
Every order follows the same path: enquiry and specification, then dieline and artwork, then proof approval, then production, then delivery. The more complete your brief, the fewer questions sit between enquiry and specification. Ask about sample options when you request your quotation.
When quotes arrive from more than one supplier, check they describe the same board, print and finish before comparing them. Comparing packaging quotes sets out what to line up.
Common mistakes
- Sending external dimensions without saying so. The box is then built too big by the board thickness on every side.
- Measuring the product bare. Caps, pumps, tissue and inserts all need space.
- Giving one quantity only. You cannot see where the price steps are.
- Choosing a finish before the board. Some finishes suit some boards far better than others.
- Giving the launch date as the delivery date. Leave room to pack, photograph and dispatch after the boxes arrive.
- Leaving out weight. A heavy product may need a stronger flute or an insert.