As we arrive on the brink of yet another corrugated industry-wide price increase, our goal is finding savings to help offset these market increases for our customers. Blog posts like these position them to think about all of the components of packaging costs aside from the most obvious per unit cost. We pride ourselves on being more than a box supplier, but more of a packaging resource. As a true packaging partner, we want to help guide you through the decisions that affect your packaging choices and ultimately, cost-savings.
Startup Costs (Tooling, Dies, Plates, Proofing)
We know there are some startup costs associated with custom packaging that are unavoidable. The key, as always, is transparency and honest communication. We have been around for almost 18 years, which puts us in the unique position to be able to evaluate each packaging project on a case by case basis, and assess where costs may be saved. For example, we have over 200 cutting dies we’ve accumulated over the years, meaning chances are very high we can fit you into one of our existing sizes, saving you potentially $1500-2000 in cutting die costs alone per size needed. We also know when to recommend alternative packaging, such as RSCs (which require no tooling) or even mailer envelopes. Minimizing and reducing your number of packaging skus will also lower your upfront costs, especially if you are printing.
Consider also the printing method. Sometimes flexographic printing is the most cost-effective method, but other times digital printing may be the better option. It all depends on the specifics of your project (size, order quantity, artwork etc.). We may be able to save you money on a multi-color job by eliminating thousands of dollars of print plate costs to run a digital print.
High Shipping Costs (Supplier to You/You to End User)
This is perhaps the greatest factor when you choose a packaging supplier. If you are a US-based company, when your order packaging with a low per unit cost from an overseas supplier, what they are not telling you is the potentially astronomical shipping cost you will be facing to import the boxes after production. We produce all of our products domestically, and work with a variety of plants across the continental US. One of the first questions we ask is “where are we shipping to?” This allows us to quote a project from a specific plant with shipping costs to your location in mind, to provide the best per unit cost WITH the lowest possible freight cost.
Another often overlooked pricing component is your shipping cost from you to your end user. When you buy packaging based on a per unit cost alone, you often are not factoring in the possibility that you could be oversizing your packaging. Maybe you are shipping in a box that is too large for certain products, or perhaps you should not be shipping them in a box at all. Or maybe you need a custom insert to eliminate unnecessary, costly void fill. These are the factors we consider when helping you choose the best packaging for your needs.
Product Damages/Returns
As stated above, a custom insert or other internal packaging can be useful in eliminating potential overlooked costs. If you are shipping a fragile/breakable product such as electronics or glass, a custom insert designed to hold and protect the product during shipment can save you a fortune on potential product damages/returns. This, along with customer satisfaction and retention is a great reason to consider the protection/presentation balance aspect of internal packaging. The unboxing experience still matters! Make sure you are providing your customers with one they will cherish.
We are eager to help save you bottom-line dollars. We have the experience and expertise to provide a free, no obligation cost-reduction consultation today. Please reach out below.
Please Contact Us Today
As always, if you have any questions, one of our branded packaging advisors is standing by to assist, with decades of experience behind them. Want to know more about custom packaging options? Please call us at 630-551-1700 or contact us via email at www.SalazarPackaging.com.
Related Posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/five-ways-to-reduce-the-cost-of-your-new-custom-e-commerce-box/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/how-packaging-can-help-reduce-your-3pl-fulfillment-cost/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/why-low-priced-packaging-is-expensive/
