Corrugated boxes may seem simple on the surface, but if you’re buying boxes or using them in your packaging operation, don’t jump to conclusions. These three misconceptions about corrugated boxes can lead to trouble — spending too much, using the wrong type of box, and giving your products inadequate protection.
1. The bigger the box, the more it costs.
Not necessarily true. The amount of board used to make a box is obviously a significant cost factor, but it’s only one factor. A larger box might wind up costing less if, for instance, it is a stock size box instead of custom made, or if it has a design more efficient to manufacture on a particular piece of equipment.
2. All corrugated boxes are the same.
Definitely not true! While corrugated shipping boxes are often viewed as a commodity, there are significant differences in quality from one box to another. Factors affecting quality include the amount of recycled content in the linerboard, the strength of the box joint (a small flap on the interior of the box that’s glued or stapled to one of the panels), the squareness of the box, and even the age of the box — for instance, if boxes have been sitting in a warehouse for months on end, especially in extreme weather conditions, their strength may be seriously compromised.
3. Custom boxes are too expensive.
We have thousands of customers buying custom corrugated boxes, and many of them started their journey thinking custom boxes would be too expensive.
If you are working with a company like ours, you may find custom boxes are not only budget-friendly but also provide a nice return-on-investment by reducing/eliminating product damage, conveying a branding and/or sales message, and reducing shipping costs. Let’s elaborate on this a bit, because it’s very important.
- Reduce material cost. If you’ve found custom boxes to be too expensive in the past, it could be that you were considering an inefficient design or working with a manufacturer that couldn’t efficiently produce that particular item. We make sure you zero-in on the right design and the manufacturing process.
- Reduce damage. A big advantage of custom boxes is giving your product a perfect fit, so it’s not shifting around in transit or vulnerable to the slightest shock. Product damage can ruin your company’s reputation, jeopardize customers, create time-consuming and expensive returns and replacements, and reduce profitability. Running a successful business is hard enough without asking for trouble by using the wrong shipping box.
- Branding and sales messaging. First of all, a high-quality custom box, perhaps white or with an eye-popping label, sends a powerful statement about your commitment to quality. Second, a simple (and highly affordable) printed message on the box exterior can alert customers to other products, an upcoming sale — or anything else you want them to know.
- Reduce shipping costs. As you are no doubt aware, parcel shipping is affected by package girth, and truck shipping by cubic feet in the trailer. Small changes to box dimensions can produce big reductions in shipping expense — we can help you analyze that today.
Let’s Talk!
We help our customers find the right corrugated boxes for their operation — it’s our passion. If you are starting a new packaging design or want a professional review of your current boxes, we need to talk!
Please call us at 630-551-1700 or contact us through the website to start the conversation.
Related Posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/how-to-ship-a-less-expensive-greener-box-to-your-customers/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/what-is-semi-custom-e-commerce-packaging/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/top-10-packaging-design-mistakes/