How to get a packaging quote that a supplier can actually price
A supplier can price a box in one pass when the request gives eight things: the box style, inside dimensions in inches, the board, the print in colors and sides, any finishes, whether an insert is needed, one or two quantities, and where it ships. Send a photo of the product beside a ruler if unsure.
Why quote requests bounce
The requests that come back fast are the ones where we can build the dieline in our heads. The ones that bounce say custom box, medium, nice quality, 500 units. That is four unanswered questions, and each one moves the number by a wide margin. Board alone can double a quote. Print sides and finishes stack on top of that. So the reply is a list of questions, a day passes, and the quote you wanted on Monday arrives Thursday. None of this needs technical knowledge. It needs the product, a ruler, and a decision or two. What follows is the list we work from, in the order we read it:
- Box style
- Inside dimensions in inches
- Board
- Print: colors, sides, kraft or white
- Finishes, or none
- Insert, yes or no
- One or two quantities
- Where it ships, and by when
Our quote form asks for exactly these, in this order.
Six of the eight details, and what to write if you are unsure
| Detail | What we need | If you are unsure, write |
|---|---|---|
| Box style | Mailer, tuck end carton, two-piece rigid, magnetic, pouch | What it is for: ships on its own, sits on a shelf, is a gift |
| Size | Inside length, width, height in inches | Product size plus a quarter inch each way, or a photo beside a ruler |
| Board | E-flute, 18pt or 24pt SBS, 1200 gsm grayboard | How heavy the product is and whether the box is kept |
| Colors, outside only or inside too, kraft or white base | Send the artwork or a brand reference | |
| Finishes | Matte, gloss, soft-touch, foil, deboss, spot UV, none | None is a valid answer and prices fastest |
| Quantity | One or two quantities, for example 250 and 500 | The number you can store and sell in three months |
Inserts, shipping and timing belong in the request
The seventh detail is whether the product needs an insert, which is easiest to answer by shaking the packed box: if it rattles, yes. The eighth is where the boxes go. We ship to the United States and Canada, and the destination zip or postal code changes freight, which sits on the quote as its own line. Whether the boxes go to you, a fulfillment house, or a co-packer matters, because a fulfillment house often has receiving rules about pallet height and carton labeling that change how we pack.
Say when you need them. For sizing the box in the first place, see how to measure a product. Lead times are counted from proof approval: most products run 10 to 14 business days, labels and stickers 5 to 7, and displays and advent calendars up to 18, and each product page states its own. The quote and dieline usually come back within one business day of a complete brief, and the digital proof within one business day of your artwork. If a date is fixed, a launch or a trade show, tell us in the request so we can say straight away whether it works, rather than after the quote.
An illustrative request that prices in one pass
Illustrative request, not a client order.
Kraft mailer box for an 8 ounce candle jar. The jar is 3.25 inches across and 3.5 inches tall with the lid on, so the inside size is 4 by 4 by 4.25 inches. E-flute, one color black logo on the outside, full color pattern inside, no other finishes, die-cut cradle to hold the jar, 250 and 500 units, ships to one US address with the zip code given, needed for a launch on a fixed date. Two photos attached, one of the jar beside a tape measure.
A request like that can be priced at both quantities in one pass, with freight as a separate line, and the quote and dieline usually come back within one business day. The only open question is whether the cradle should be E-flute or paperboard, and for a glass jar the answer is E-flute; it is the build of our candle shipper box. The kraft mailer runs 10 to 12 business days after proof approval, so with the artwork ready, first email to boxes on the bench is about three to four weeks including transit.
Things that make a quote less accurate, not more
Asking for five quantities. We can price them, but the number that matters is the one you will order, and a wide spread just shows where the tooling gets spread. Two quantities is right. Asking for every finish so you can pick later; each finish is a separate line and the combinations multiply. Pick the two you are considering. Sending a competitor's box as the whole brief; a photo helps with the look, but we still need the size and the board. And leaving out the product. A jar, a bottle and a folded shirt at the same box size are three different quotes because of the insert.
What comes back and how to read it
A quote from us lists the box by its dimensions and board, the print and finishes as separate lines, the insert as its own line, and freight to your zip as its own line, at each quantity you asked for. Tooling, where there is any, is shown once and does not repeat on reorders. If the quote has a line you did not ask for, it is because the box needed it, and the note beside it says why. Ask about anything unclear before you approve; the proof is the last chance to change a size without a new dieline.
Questions people ask
Do I need artwork before I ask for a quote?
No. We can price a box on the number of colors and the sides printed. Artwork is needed for the proof, not the quote. If you do not have a designer, send a logo file and a brand color and we set up the dieline with the logo placed for you to review.
How do I measure my product for the box?
Measure the product at its widest points in inches, including any lid or cap, and add about a quarter inch to each dimension for a mailer or an eighth of an inch for a fitted rigid box. Or photograph it beside a ruler or a coin and we will size it. All our box sizes are inside dimensions.
Can I get a sample before I order?
Yes. The Swatch Book of board, wrap and finish samples is free. A physical prototype of your exact size is available on request, with timing confirmed in the quote, and a printed sample is possible on request too. Checking the fit with the real product before print is the cheapest step in the whole job. Order the Swatch Book here.