Retail Packaging
All about Retail Packaging
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New to Retail Packaging? You’re in the Right Place.
First off, most custom retail boxes are really custom folding carton boxes. You may not know them by name, but you’ve definitely seen them-those printed product boxes you find on store shelves, display racks and products received through Amazon. They’re the go-to choice for retail packaging - simple, versatile, and cost-effective. And you don’t need to be a product packaging expert to nail down your costs. You just need a few key details to get accurate pricing.
Steps to Getting Your Packaging Costs Right
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📦 Choosing the right retail box style
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Shelf-ready packaging? Counter displays? Hanging boxes? Secondary packaging?
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There are a lot of folding carton box styles to choose from—we’ll help you narrow it down.
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📏 How to measure your custom product
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A quick guide to get your dimensions right - every time.
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🩱 Picking the right paper thickness
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Enough structure to feel solid, without overkill.
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Box Styles Built for Retail
Folding carton boxes were invented in the late 1800s and designed specifically for retail product packaging. And almost 150 years later they’re still considered the gold standard for packaging products thanks to their crisp prints, efficient design, and shelf-ready structure.
Retail packaging isn’t a one-size-fits-all - here’s a look at what’s out there
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The go-to format for retail product packaging – clean, compact, and endlessly adaptable
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Highly versatile – easy to add hang tabs, locking tabs, and die-cut windows
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Plenty of panel space for branding, instructions, or ingredient information
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Cost-effective and works well across a wide range of retail products
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Designed with a glued bottom for added strength and support
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Bottom snaps into place automatically when the box is squared up
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Holds more weight than a standard tuck-style box
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Assembles quickly and makes product fulfillment more efficient
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Low-cost solution for retail product packaging
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Printed sleeves transform plain frozen food and meal trays into retail-ready products
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Easy to change for seasonal offers or product updates—just swap out the sleeve
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Available in heavy-duty 18pt and 24pt paper stocks for a more durable, premium feel
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Retail box with a built-in header and die-cut hang hole
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Ideal for pegboard hooks, clip strips, and tight retail spaces
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Hang it in more places. Get more eyes. Make more sales.
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Great for positioning near checkout—perfect for impulse buys
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Low-cost way to place your product directly in front of customers
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Pop-up header panel draws attention and reinforces your brand
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Printed cardboard counter displays are ideal for impulse purchases
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Flexible placement—near the register, on shelves, or anywhere shoppers pause
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Colorful, low-cost packaging for hanging products sealed in plastic bags
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No sagging – Cards are printed on the same heavy-duty paperboard as our retail boxes
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Includes die-cut hang holes: round, sombrero, or triangular styles
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Simple, affordable, and easy to customize
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Whether it’s made to hang, stack, or grab attention at the register, we’ll help you find the best fit.
A Packaging Breakthrough By Accident
In 1879, a printer named Robert Gair was producing seed packets when a sharp steel rule part of a primitive paper die-cut machine used to crease and cut paperboard (the heavier paper used for packaging) shifted out of place and sliced through the sheets instead. That simple mistake led to a big idea: you could cut and crease paperboard in one step and fold it into shape later. The result? The folding carton box a flat, printable, and highly customizable box made for retail shelves. Nearly 150 years later, die-cut packaging remains the standard for custom retail boxes.
How to Measure for Custom Retail Boxes
Retail packaging is all about presentation—you’re trying to persuade skeptical consumers. A product that conveys quality is the first step to making a sale, and it starts with packaging that fits.
A packaged product that looks and feels rock-solid sends the right message.
A product that rattles around inside? Not so much. And getting accurate costs starts with getting the measurements right.
Custom retail product boxes are sized from the inside, and they follow a specific order:
Length × Width × Depth (Depth is always the last dimension listed.)
Not sure which side is which? We’ve got you covered
Have a product that doesn’t fit a standard shape?
Picking the Right Paper Thickness
Retail boxes don’t just need to look good they need to perform. That means holding up to everyday handling while still looking crisp on the shelf, just like they did when they left your facility. That’s why we use SBS paperboard, not cardstock. Paperboard is specifically designed for product packaging and is the standard for quality folding cartons sturdy enough to protect your product and smooth enough to print sharp, high-end graphics. We typically work with two calipers (paper thicknesses): 18pt and 24pt Need a visual? - 18pt is about the thickness of a dime good size for smaller sized boxes - 24pt is closer to credit card thickness it has a more substantial feel to it and is better suited for larger boxes The right thickness depends on the size of your product box, how it’s displayed, and how you want it to feel in your customer’s hand.
See Where 18pt and 24pt Fall on the Paper Thickness Scale
Not sure what you need? Packaging for retail is not difficult, and we’re here to help.
A Splash of Color is All It Takes
Custom box printing brings product boxes to life with vibrant colors, crisp images, and coatings designed to attract and impress. No other packaging medium offers as many ways to elevate your designs. With options like soft-touch finishes, foils, embossing, and more, printed box packaging opens up endless creative possibilities.
It’s often these specialty finishes - the subtle sheen of a foil, the texture of embossing, the smooth touch of a soft-touch coating - that signal quality and premium value to shoppers. A skilled packaging designer combines these effects to create custom retail boxes that not only catch the eye, but also connect on an emotional level. Ultimately, it’s your customers’ expectations that drive buying decisions - and consumers are conditioned to associate specific packaging cues with quality and premium brands.
Offset Printing… or Digital?
Most custom retail boxes are produced using either offset or digital printing. Each printing technology has its own strengths, depending on your design needs, order size, and budget.Offset Printing (best for print runs over 1,000): - Sharp, vibrant graphics that help your retail packaging stand out - Supports specialty finishes like foils, embossing, and soft-touch for a premium feel - Lower cost per box on larger orders great for national brands and big launches
Digital Printing (best for print runs under 1,000): - Fast turnarounds ideal for quick launches and market testing - Great for producing packaging for multiple, related skus where colors change, etc. - Can add many of the specialty finishes available in offset printing
It’s the Details That Count
When you’re drowning in a sea of me-too products, standing out isn’t just helpful it’s a big advantage. And you don’t need to spend a lot to make your packaging stand out.
In many cases, a simple spot UV, soft-touch coating, or light embossing is all it takes to catch someone’s eye - and suggest a more premium product.
These subtle upgrades go a long way:
- Spot gloss UV sharpens your graphics, adds contrast, and gives them serious pop
- Soft-touch coatings create a smooth, premium texture that practically invites handling
- Metallic foils add shine and depth that can’t be achieved with ink alone
- Embossing adds raised texture and visual depth for a more refined, high-end feel
Layering finishes - like matte with spot gloss adds dimension and texture, making your packaging feel more premium and inviting.
You don’t need a huge upgrade - just the right touch in the right place.
Impact of Branded Retail Packaging
In retail, your box is more than just product packaging – it tells a story. It defines who you are and gives you an opportunity to define your product the way you want consumers to see it. And it has to do it quickly.Because you’re not there, it’s left to your printed box packaging to make the sale to the consumer. Your product packaging needs to attract, convince, and ultimately convert shoppers. Successful retail packaging does this in several ways:
- Attraction: There’s a lot of competition on the retail shelf. You need to stand out, and packaging that catches the eye draws customers in.
- Messaging:The right retail box communicates directly to your audience, showing what your product does and why it matters to them. Well-targeted messaging increases relevance and appeal.
- Subliminal Signals: A consumer’s first interaction with your brand is through your packaging. Custom printed boxes with layered finishes and textures imply quality, luxury, or exclusivity often without saying a word.
- Branding:Your brand is how consumers perceive you. Are you perceived as a luxury, premium brand, or as a value, commodity brand? Your packaging helps define who you are. Consumers seek out familiar, quality brands and are willing to pay more to get them.
And, if you doubt the influence of packaging, consider purchasing a high-end cell phone or a diamond necklace sealed in a plastic bag and hanging from a retail hook. Same high-end product just packaged differently. It feels wrong - and that’s the power packaging has over perception.
Custom Retail Boxes: Your Edge in E-Commerce
Every box you put on the retail shelf shapes how consumers see your brand. That perception doesn’t stop at the store it’s what gives you the edge online, turning brand familiarity into a competitive advantage when customers shop for products they know and trust.
Amazon FBA-Ready Packaging: Branding That Sells Online
Selling on Amazon? We know the ins and outs of FBA-compliant packaging. Our custom retail boxes are designed to meet Amazon’s strict requirements including barcode placement, durable construction, and retail-ready design so your products are always ready for fast, problem-free fulfillment.Need advice on Amazon packaging prep or branding that works online? Contact our team or check out our Amazon FBA packaging tips.
Secondary Product Packaging
Sometimes you need a bit more! That’s where secondary packaging comes in. While it may seem like overkill at first adding packaging to an already packaged product it’s more common (and more necessary) than you think.
Essential for Frozen Foods & Ready Meals
For many retail products - especially frozen foods and ready-made meals—secondary packaging isn’t just an extra, it’s a must.Our custom sleeves and boxes fit the plastic trays, bowls, and containers found in automated food packaging lines -the same frozen food packages you see in supermarket freezer aisles, where shoppers see your brand and product details.
Multi-Packs and Bundling to Move Product
Custom printed sleeves and boxes make it easy to create multi-packs, launch promotions, and clear inventory.Bundling is a proven way to boost sales and catch the attention of value-minded shoppers.
Bottom Line
Secondary packaging is what transforms plain trays, containers, and bundled products into retail-ready packaging that shoppers recognize, trust, and grab off the shelf.
Not sure what you need?
Packaging for retail is not difficult, and we’re here to help.