Order Packaging Now to Avoid Delays
No one knows what impact inflation will have on the upcoming holiday season, but one thing we can be sure of is that a large percentage of the shopping will once again be DTC (direct to consumer) e-commerce.
Black Friday, the annual day after Thanksgiving shopping spree, and the increasingly popular Cyber Monday are less than 12 weeks away. With all the factors working against last-minute packaging orders, for example, material shortages and continued supply chain issues, now is the time to evaluate what you will need and when you will need it.
Is it too late to order packaging?
It is one of those questions you hate to hear because, in most cases, by the time it is asked, it is indeed too late. This call usually comes in late October or even early November, and quite often, it is obvious the caller has not even started the process. In those situations, yes, it is too late, and the one thing we never encourage is for the customer to rush through an order. The only people we know who have ever regretted buying our products are people who insisted on taking shortcuts and not accepting our experienced advice.
What are your lead times?
How long it takes us to manufacture a product really depends on the type, the graphics required, and the quantity. We can deliver an initial order on MOST of our custom printed products within three weeks. However, several variables affect how long it takes to do the job correctly.
Here is a short list of things you should know before you start counting the days to receiving your new packaging.
- What type of packaging do you need? Mailer envelopes, shipping RSC boxes, die-cut boxes, retail display packaging, etc.
- What are the necessary dimensions of your packaging? It is almost impossible to provide even a “ballpark” price if we don’t know the size.
- What does the artwork look like? The type of printing process and the number of ink colors definitely affect the lead time.
- How many of these containers do you need? As production time and machine time diminishes, knowing who has the capacity is critical.
- Does your application require internal protective packaging? If so, that structural design time can create a delay as well.
These may seem like basic or simple questions, but for the first-time buyer, they may not be as obvious as they appear to you. Armed with these crucial pieces of information, we can likely provide tools such as templates, die lines, or even mockups to help make your design efforts more productive.
As we always remind people who call us, this may be your first packaging project, but it is not our first. It is good to have someone with experience on your side, capable of helping you avoid a costly mistake or an even more expensive delay.
Contact us at Salazar Packaging or call us at 630-551-1700. We have the team you need, waiting to help make this upcoming busy season as productive and profitable as possible.
Related posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/packaging-triage-and-how-we-fix-what-hurts/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/three-quick-ways-to-reduce-your-dtc-shipping-box-cost/
