How Many Packaging Boxes Should You Order for the Best Price?
Remember when I first started my own design company about 30 years ago? At that time, I only had two clients and was constantly looking for new business opportunities. So I started calling my friends to see whether they had any work for me.
One day, an old classmate called me. He was working for an international accounting firm that was changing its global corporate identity. They needed to reprint their company name cards and asked whether I could handle the printing.
I thought I was only doing design work and did not provide printing services. So I honestly told him that I did not do printing.
Later, I overheard that the printing job had been given to another friend of ours who owned a printing company. He had been handling their printing for many years and was earning good money from it.
My friend later asked me why I was so stupid not to accept the job and pass it to my existing printing supplier. The accounting firm had thousands of employees. Imagine handling the name card printing for the entire company. There was good money to be made!
As a designer, I was never very good at mathematics. I thought I would only be printing 10 or 20 name cards each time. I did not see the point of getting involved. Updating names, job titles and contact details would only take up my time.
What I failed to realise was the total printing volume. When a company changes its corporate identity, thousands of employees may need new name cards. Even if each employee only orders 200 name cards, 100 employees would already mean 20,000 name cards!
I also missed the opportunity to meet the marketing people in such a large company. They might have introduced me to other business opportunities.
Looking back, I learned an important lesson. Sometimes, we should not look at a printing job based on the number of designs or names. We should look at the total printing quantity.
1. Why Does Packaging Box Printing Quantity Affect the Price?
Whether you print 1,000 or 10,000 packaging boxes, there are several processes and costs involved, especially when using offset printing.
Here are some of the main considerations:
Paper and materials: The printing company needs to calculate the required paper, ink and other materials based on the quantity. If Pantone colours are involved, special inks may also be required.
Printing plates: Offset printing requires printing plates for the different colours. CMYK printing uses four plates, while additional Pantone colours require additional plates.
Offset printing setup: The printing machine needs to be prepared and adjusted before production starts. This includes mounting the plates and checking the colours.
Lamination: Lamination can improve the appearance of a packaging box and provide protection against handling and scratches.
Die-cutting: Most packaging boxes require a cutting die to produce the correct shape and folding lines.
Print finishing: Depending on the design, additional processes such as Spot UV, hot foil stamping, embossing and debossing may be required.
Some of these processes involve setup costs, while others also depend on the quantity produced.
If you use digital printing, there is no need to produce conventional printing plates. This makes digital printing suitable for shorter runs. However, the cost per box is usually higher when printing larger quantities.
3. Is It Cheaper to Print 1,000, 3,000 or 5,000 Packaging Boxes?
If you are launching a new product, your marketing team needs to estimate how many products you can sell each month. This will help you decide how many packaging boxes to order.
Let’s look at a simple example:
You can see that the price per box becomes lower as the quantity increases. Compared with ordering 1,000 boxes, the unit price for 5,000 boxes is about 52% lower. For 10,000 boxes, it is about 62% lower.
However, the total amount you need to pay is still higher because you are ordering more boxes.
Unless you are very confident about your product sales, I would normally encourage clients to start with 1,000 boxes to test the market.
If your product sells well and the first 1,000 boxes are used within a month, you can consider increasing your next order to 3,000 boxes or more.
It is always better to plan your quantity carefully rather than order too many boxes just to get a lower unit price.
4. Digital Printing vs Offset Printing: Which Is More Economical?
Digital packaging box printing is suitable for small quantities.
For example, if you sell about 100 products every month and do not need a large number of packaging boxes, digital printing may be a better choice.
You only need to prepare the artwork and send it for printing. There is no need to produce conventional printing plates, so the preparation process is generally faster for short runs.
On the other hand, if you need 1,000 packaging boxes or more, you should consider offset printing.
Although offset printing requires printing plates and machine setup, the production cost per box can be lower when printing larger quantities.
Digital printing is ideal for short runs, while offset printing is usually more economical for larger production quantities.
The important thing is to understand your sales volume before deciding which printing method to use.
5. Does the Size of Your Packaging Box Affect the Printing Cost?
Yes. The size of your packaging box can affect the printing cost.
A bigger box generally requires more paper. The size of the box also affects how many pieces can fit on one printing sheet.
For example, if the layout allows the printing company to fit two or more boxes on one sheet, paper wastage can be reduced. This can help lower the material cost.
The size of the packaging box also matters when choosing digital printing. Digital printing machines have limitations on paper size, so a larger box may not be suitable for certain machines.
This is why it is important to finalise your box dimensions before requesting a quotation. A small adjustment to the size may sometimes help reduce paper wastage and printing costs.
6. How Do Paper Materials and Finishing Affect the Price?
If you visit the cosmetic department in a shopping mall, take a look at the packaging of beauty products. You will notice that many of them have elaborate print finishing.
Cosmetic and beauty brands pay a lot of attention to packaging because presentation is important. Customers want to feel confident about the products they use, especially when it comes to their face and skin.
You will often see custom packaging boxes with lamination, embossing, debossing, Spot UV and hot foil stamping. These finishing techniques help the packaging look more attractive and give the product a more premium appearance.
Some brands also use flute packaging instead of art card. Depending on the box design and specifications, flute can offer a good balance of cost, strength and protection.
For products that need to be transported over long distances, the packaging must also be strong enough to protect the contents.
The important thing is to choose the right combination of paper material and print finishing. You do not always need the most expensive materials to create attractive packaging.
7. Should You Order More Packaging Boxes to Save Money?
When Giant hypermarket opened in Subang Jaya in 2013, many Malaysians went there to do their shopping.
One reason people liked shopping at Giant was the competitive prices. With several hypermarkets, the company could purchase products in large quantities and distribute them to different outlets.
I remember before Chinese New Year, my mother would usually go there to buy soft drinks, shandy and beer. She wanted to make sure we had enough drinks for friends and relatives who would visit during the festive season.
Hypermarkets work on volume. Although the profit margin on individual products may be lower, selling a large quantity helps the business make money.
The same concept applies to packaging box printing. If you order more boxes, the price per box may be lower, allowing you to save on printing costs.
However, you must make sure you have enough storage space to keep the boxes in good condition. Malaysia’s hot and humid weather can affect packaging materials over time. If the colours fade or the boxes become damaged, you may not be able to use them.
Ordering more only makes sense when you can use the boxes before they become unsuitable for your products.
8. How Often Should You Reorder Your Packaging Boxes?
Before placing your next order, take some time to calculate your average monthly sales.
For example, if you sell 500 products every month, you can use that figure as a starting point to estimate how many packaging boxes you need.
You should also consider whether your sales increase during festive seasons such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas.
If you expect higher sales during these periods, you may need to plan your packaging box orders earlier.
Another important consideration is whether your company plans to change the packaging design or introduce special promotions. If a new design is coming, you may not want to print too many boxes with the old design.
The more accurately you can estimate your sales and future plans, the easier it will be to decide when and how many packaging boxes to reorder.
9. What Is the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) for Packaging Box Printing in Malaysia?
The Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) for packaging box printing in Malaysia depends on the printing method, box design, paper material and finishing requirements.
For digital packaging box printing, smaller quantities are usually possible. Some printers may accept orders from just a few pieces, depending on the type and size of the box.
For offset packaging box printing, the MOQ is commonly around 500 to 1,000 pieces per design. However, this can vary from one printing company to another.
If you only need a small quantity, digital printing may be more suitable. If you need a larger quantity, offset printing may give you a better price per box.
It is always best to discuss your requirements with your packaging box printing company before deciding.
Conclusion
Ordering more packaging boxes can help reduce the price per box, but it does not always mean you are saving money.
You need to consider your sales volume, storage space, packaging design and how often you need to reorder.
Looking back at my experience with the name card printing job, I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had thought things through instead of simply saying, “I don’t do printing.”
Perhaps I would have taken on the job, met more people and opened up more business opportunities.
So, don’t be like me. Don’t reject an opportunity too quickly without thinking about what it could lead to.
Who knows? If I had taken that job 30 years ago, perhaps the chapters of my life today would have been a little more interesting!
At Uniquelink Dot Print, we have more than 30 years of experience in packaging box printing in Malaysia. We provide both offset and digital printing, together with finishing services such as digital 3D Spot UV, hot foil stamping, embossing and debossing.
Whether you need a small quantity or a large production run, we can help you choose the right materials, printing method and quantity for your packaging.
Contact Uniquelink Dot Print to discuss your packaging box printing requirements. Let us help you get the right packaging at the right price.