3 Tips to Ordering Mass Production of Custom Packaging Products
By Hope Chan. Last updated: June 29, 2022
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Have you got products that need custom packaging?
If your answer is yes, then this is the article for you-3 tips to help you better order mass production of custom packaging products.
These are a few key points you should always keep in mind:
1. Know Your Product
Knowing your product DOES NOT just mean to know the basics such as size or weight. In China we have this old saying, that goes know thyself, ever-victorious, meaning to know one’s own strength and the enemy’s is the sure way to victory. The same goes for packaging.
Why? Keep reading.
Know thyself, ever-victorious.
Most likely what you are trying to sell isn’t one of a kind and there are already tons of other products similar to yours on the market. So take a look at their packaging method and see if you can learn from them. Granted, depending on the market (high, medium, or low end), the packaging will differ. However, they still have great reference value for the following reasons:
1) Cost-effective Packing Choice
Cutting costs without sacrificing the ability to best showcase and protect the products is definitely the goal of all sellers.
So the existing packaging methods you are looking at are more or less cost-effective. See what kind of materials are they using. Plastics? Corrugated boxes?
2) Size/Diagram Reference Value
To order mass production of custom packaging, you will definitely be asked to provide size or diagram info along with some other details. Some may argue that they will get that info from the suppliers since they are the expert. Well, it’s true. But is it the smartest move?
We all know the bigger the size gets, the more it’s going to cost you. And since you can’t specify the size, suppliers tend to suggest a slightly bigger size to you in case the packaging won’t fit. So if you go along with their suggestions without doing your research first, then, well let’s just say you could’ve saved more.
Just go to places that are selling your kind of products, think of yourself as a user, a customer, and see how you like their packaging. Learn from them and improve on them.
So to know your products, don’t forget to DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.
2. Know Your Budget
For small and medium size business, they usually have a low or limited budget. Then this makes it more important to compare suppliers and their services.
Establish contact with at least 5 different suppliers and get a ballpark figure of how much per unit/piece of your custom packaging product is going to cost. Then compare.
Note
Don’t forget to factor in the shipping cost. If you have a freight forwarder at the region, consult with him/her before placing an order. If not, then have the suppliers estimate the cost for you. Distance between the port of loading and the supplier’s warehouse does play a somewhat important part in the business.
For example, quote from Supplier A is a bit pricier than the one from Supplier B. However, A is much closer to a port and hence resulting in a total lower cost. Then it’s better to choose A over B.
If you’ve got a big budget and have your plate full, then you might want to commission a sourcing agent to help you out. Professional sourcing companies have access to multiple suppliers and are able to negotiate for the best price on client orders. With their help, you can save quite some time and put your energy elsewhere.
Click to learn more about hiring a product sourcing company.
https://axiasourcing.com/2019/05/07/things-to-know-before-hiring-a-product-sourcing-company/
3. Know Your Time Limit
We all know the whole importing or exporting business can take up months, even longer under the Covid-19 pandemic. So it is really important for buyers to keep track of their stock levels and be prepared for their next purchases.
Controls or lockdowns implemented in many places during the epidemic has led to poor inland transport, which is causing logistics and transportation costs to rise; air and ocean transport are also affected.
In addition to that, sea freight is expected to remain at a high level for some time to come due to high demand, container shortages, port congestion, and delays arising from uncertainty on the supply side.
In short, be fully prepared and order at least 4-6 months in advance.
Conclusion
It’s never easy trying to be do business overseas. But in GoalPackaging, we believe Tough times never lasts. Tough people do. So should you.
Keep in mind those 3 tips and hopefully you will find them helpful.
Good luck and best wishes to you and your business!
