Custom Boxes vs. Stock Boxes: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Packaging is about appearance, protection, efficiency, and overall costs. Most companies will have weighed the pros and cons of using stock boxes or custom boxes for their packaging. Stock boxes are pre-manufactured in standard designs and sizes while on the other hand custom boxes are made-to-order according to a brand’s unique product and brand needs.

Each type has its advantages and disadvantages based upon the product, the shipping method, product quantity, and the desired branding. By identifying how custom packaging and standard packaging differ from each other businesses will be able to identify which type best meets their current needs.

What Are Custom Boxes?

Custom packaging is developed based upon the unique characteristics and needs of an individual business or brand. A company or brand has the ability to customize most of the packaging, as long as they have a product that fits in a box. Examples of things that can be customized include:

• Dimension & shape
• Top-Grade Materials
• Professional Printing
• Custom Add-Ons
• Premium Finishes

Companies can pick-and-choose various aspects of their Packaging to create packaging that meets their exact needs.

What Are Stock boxes?

Stock boxes are existing packaging in the standard dimensions, shapes and materials. These are the most commonly used types of packaging. When a business purchases packaging they usually purchase pre-designed stock boxes. Examples of stock boxes include:

• Corrugated Shipping Boxes
• Corrugated Mailers
• Folding Cartons
• Mailers

Stock boxes are ideal for companies who have products that come in standard Dimensions and for those that want to test a new product before purchasing custom Packaging.

Custom Boxes vs. Stock Boxes: Key Differences

Knowing the difference is important for the brands and businesses. Take a look at some of the following difference at a glance:

Stock boxes have their own set of limitations and constraints, but so does custom boxes. Custom boxes give a business much more control over the final appearance of their packaging. Stock boxes, however, provide a fast way to get into packaging as they are readily available.

Benefits Of Using Custom Packaging Boxes

There are several benefits of using these boxes to meet their unique and specific needs. Some of the benefits are:

Brand Identity

The packaging can show off your logos, graphics, patterns, and other branding elements to create a direct connection between customers and the brand.

Product Fit

You can design packaging around the actual product, size, weight, and much more to withstand external damage and minimize empty space.

Protection

A company can design custom structures and inserts around a product’s fragility or uniqueness. In addition, dividers and fitted inserts can protect products during shipping and handling.

Presentation

High quality stocks, custom printing, and majestic finishes allow companies to present their product in a manner that is hard to avoid.

Marketing

The box provides an opportunity to offer marketing messages about the product without having to produce additional stuff.

Benefits Of Stock Packaging Boxes

These boxes come up with a lot of advantages while fulfilling the needs their standard needs. Below are some of the advantages:

Lower Upfront Cost

Stock boxes are often less expensive than custom boxes due to their standardized nature.

Quick Availability

They are typically quicker to obtain than completely custom packaging.

Simple Ordering

With these boxes a business simply selects a pre-existing dimension, material, and style of box.

Standard Product Fit

Standardized products typically fit within standardized sizes of boxes.

Which Option Is More Cost-Effective?

Neither of these options are always less expensive or cheap. Packaging cost is a function of several variables including how many items you are ordering, product size, shape, dimensions, and shipping requirements.

A stock box may be cheaper than an over-sized custom box for small orders of a standard product, but it may require additional void fillers and more storage space due to its larger size. However, an over-sized box could also add additional void filler as well as increased storage space.

A custom box could have higher upfront investments than a stock packaging. However, these boxes would allow for optimal product fit, cohesive branding, and complete efficiency at appropriate volumes. Consider all the costs associated with your packaging that include shipping, storage, inserts, protective materials, and printing.

How To Choose the Right Packaging?

Before making the decision of which will be best for you it is important to answer these key questions before looking at your packaging options.

Branding: Would you like to have your logo and artwork placed directly onto the box?

Budget: Is there a set dollar amount that you are able to spend on packaging options?

Product Dimensions: Are your products in dimensions larger than those that would fit into a standard sized box?

Order Volume: Am I ordering small quantities of boxes or larger orders?

Product Protection: Do I require some form of protection (inserts, dividers etc.) for my products when they are shipped?

Shipping: Is my product shipping via parcels (e.g., UPS, FedEx)?

Customer Experience: How important is it to me to provide an attractive branded experience for customers receiving my product?

Sustainability: By using the smallest sized possible packaging will it help reduce unnecessary materials?

Conclusion

Packaging Eagle offers custom packaging solutions that help businesses create branded packaging tailored to their needs, purpose-built boxes for their products. Stock boxes are standard sizes and provide quick availability for your orders. They also make it easy to place an order because they are already in inventory.

Custom printed boxes allow you to design packaging that fits your product. The design of the packaging will be designed around the product and vice versa. There is no single correct answer when it comes to whether a business should use stock or custom boxes.

Each type has its own advantages depending upon several factors such as what type of products you sell and how much money you have available for packaging. It also depends on orders you process daily, weekly, or monthly, if you ship via mail, UPS, or FedEx, and finally your customer’s experience with your packaging.