Table of Contents
1.The confusion of just being a box
Today, I want to talk with everyone about why the sampling fee of over a thousand yuan is expensive. Is there a way to avoid this expensive sampling fee? When it comes to making packaging boxes, where is your first thought? Taobao? 1688? Pinduoduo or Baoxiahe?
I think most people would still choose to search on Taobao. When searching for keywords like "packaging box" or "airplane box," the platform will recommend many pre-prepared boxes with a wide range of options and prices that meet expectations, some even including free design! This all seems reasonable and suitable.
But is this really the case? Putting aside all the dazzling products and prices on the surface, let's delve into the products themselves and rationally assess whether these packaging boxes can meet our needs.
After chatting with every customer service representative, you'll find that almost every shop only offers the pre-set 1, 2, 3 types of boxes that can be traded at the platform prices they set. The size, design, and box shape are completely fixed, like soulless standard products, with no room for modification. These types of packaging boxes are usually mass-stored in warehouses, hence they are very cheap.
Can these packaging boxes that have already been set with size and design by others be used? My answer is yes; if you don't have any specific requirements for the packaging box and just need one with a similar size to hold things, then these platform packaging boxes can be completely suitable
2.Why do packaging?
Returning to our original intention of making packaging boxes, there are only two points: One, to embody my brand value; two, to perfectly accommodate packaging for my products; Clearly, the above packaging boxes do not meet my expectations. Therefore, custom packaging is needed, customizing box size and design.
Go and communicate with customer service again, undoubtedly, every vendor can be customized (maybe just waiting for your customization), the customization fee ranges from a few hundred to over a thousand, with no upper limit, and it takes approximately 1-2 weeks to ship.
Upon seeing this, you might say, "Didn't he mention free design for me? Can't the customization fee save the cost of a custom design?" Well, this is subjective. Free things often only cover changing a logo layer for you, but you still need to pay a high price for this size (behind it lies a separate die board set). They call it tooling and machine setup fees.
The problem is, when you make 10,000 of them, seldom will the seller say you need to pay a mold opening fee, as it has been already allocated among these ten thousand boxes, so there is no need to mention it again. But if you are making only one or dozens, then this fee is necessary for you to pay.
If you can't see the first box, you definitely wouldn't dare to print 10,000. So, regardless of the nominal name of this expensive mold fee, for you, it's the cost of the first box. This is truly the so-called 'Sky-high Price Box'!
The situation described above seems to have become the default rule in the packaging printing industry.
3.Is the actual situation really like this?
Not necessarily, actually making the first box doesn't require tooling or setting up the machine. Packaging small boxes involves an automated cutting system (which most factories don't choose to purchase). Regardless of how complex your box shape is, as long as there is a cutting die, it can be cut in 5 minutes. Adding printing and box gluing, it can be completed in basically one day.
Why are consumers always required to pay for the tooling fee in the default industry rules? What is the cost of this 1000 yuan? Trust cost! In other words, in order for you to print 10,000 boxes at this printing factory, this 1000 yuan tooling fee is equivalent to a non-refundable deposit!
Regarding the issue of the sampling cost of an ordinary box, through long-term operation, Baoxiahe found that the production cost is at most around 10 yuan, and with labor it will not exceed 100 yuan. However, if you do not follow up with bulk orders, almost no factories are willing to make the extra profit of 90 yuan for you because the cost of communication is too high.
4.Who should we ask to make a sample?
The answer is not to find factories, but to find sample factories specialized in sampling. As mentioned earlier, due to cost considerations, most factories will not choose to purchase laser cutting machines; similarly, even if there are factories capable of making samples, they are unwilling to incur significant communication costs, ultimately making only a small profit from you. Often, in addition to communication costs, the cost of sampling will still be at least around 200 yuan.
You may find that the cost of the first sample box is ultimately driven up not only by the regular production costs but also by the intangible costs of communication and trust. By eliminating unnecessary redundant costs, the editor of baoxioahe has managed to make sampling packaging boxes more affordable.
The online packaging design for baoxioahe does not require any extra communication. You can simply design and enter the necessary packaging parameters on the editing page and directly print. No need to contact the factory, no need to negotiate prices, no need to be "held hostage" by high startup costs, and you can come and go freely. The basic production cost for sampling is the cost price of materials, processes plus a certain website service fee, with a total price ranging from 50 to 100.
After comparing conscience, you now know where the unjust money spent on packaging flowers before went.
【Comparison of Sample Making and Bulk Price for Baoxioahe Editor】
Add one more sentence: if you continue to place an order for 10,000 units in Baoxioahe afterwards, this sampling fee can also be used as a credit towards the bulk order.
Note: The title image is the result of 10-second rendering on the Baoxiahe platform, which is quite realistic. If you are only looking at the product design effect, you can really skip the sample. If you value the packaging size effect more, it is recommended to make a sample for sure.
