Before you approve: a packaging order checklist to avoid late, short and damaged orders
Read reviews of packaging suppliers and the same problems come up: orders months late, only part of the boxes delivered, cartons crushed in transit, and refunds refused because “you approved the proof”. Most of these can be prevented before you pay. Use this checklist.
Before you ask for a quote
- Measure your product properly — length × width × height, at the widest points, including caps and pumps.
- Decide what the box must do — sit on a shelf, survive a courier, or be kept as a gift? (See rigid vs folding carton vs mailer.)
- Know your quantity, and ask for two or three quantity tiers.
- Know your deadline — your launch date minus shipping time minus a safety margin.
When you compare quotes
- Are the inside dimensions written on the quote?
- Are material and thickness specified, not just “premium board”?
- Are dies, plates, inserts and samples included or extra?
- Is the price EXW, FOB or DDP? Only DDP includes delivery and import duties.
- Is the lead time broken into stages — mockup, sample, production, shipping?
Before you approve the proof
A proof is your last chance to catch mistakes cheaply. Check:
- Spelling, website, barcode, legal text, recycling marks
- Dieline orientation — is the logo on the front panel, the right way up when the box is opened?
- Colors — given as Pantone references, not just screen colors (see why boxes don’t match the sample)
- Finish positions — exactly where the foil, emboss or spot UV goes
- A physical sample, on the real paper with the real finish, and with your product inside it
Before you pay the balance
- Photos and video of the bulk next to your approved sample
- The quantity packed — count of cartons and boxes per carton
- Packing — are boxes shipped flat, in strong export cartons, with corner protection for rigid boxes?
- Shipping documents and tracking
Before you sign: put it in writing
The most painful refund disputes happen when nothing was agreed in writing. Make sure your supplier confirms:
- What counts as a defect — wrong color compared with the approved sample, wrong size, damage, missing quantity.
- What happens then — remake, refund or credit, and how fast.
- The delivery date, and how you will be updated if anything changes.
How we handle it at Silk Packaging
- Lead times stated stage by stage: 3D mockup ~7 days, sample 7–14 days, production ~15 days.
- Your approved sample is the standard; if the bulk doesn’t match, we remake it.
- Photos and video of your actual boxes before shipping.
- DDP delivery available to the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia.
- One contact — Jin — from quote to delivery.
Ready? Send Jin your product size and get options and a price within 24 hours.
FAQ
What should a packaging quote include?
Box style, size (inside dimensions), material and thickness, printing, finishes, inserts, quantity, unit price, set-up costs, sample cost, lead time and delivery terms (EXW, FOB or DDP).
How long does a custom packaging order take with Silk Packaging?
A 3D mockup takes about 7 days, a physical sample 7–14 days, and production about 15 days after you approve the sample — plus shipping.
What if the bulk order doesn’t match the sample?
We remake it. Your approved sample is the standard, and you get photos and video of your actual boxes before anything ships.
Ready to price your box? All we need is your product size.