Bulk pricing on custom packaging is mostly a question of how the fixed costs get spread. Setup, tooling and press make-ready happen once whether you buy 100 boxes or 100,000. iBox Factory includes the die and the plates, so the piece of that equation buyers usually pay for is already covered, and the per-unit number falls as the run gets longer. Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote.
Where the per-unit cost actually moves
Four variables do most of the work, and they are worth knowing before you ask for a number.
- Quantity. The minimum is 100 boxes. Every step up spreads make-ready across more units, and the curve is steepest in the early jumps.
- Board and size. Material is the largest single input on a bulk run. A quarter inch shaved off each dimension can change how many blanks fit on a sheet.
- Colour and coverage. A full-bleed dark print uses more ink and more press time than a two colour job on kraft.
- Freight lane. Sea is the cheapest way to land a large order and the slowest. Air is faster and costs more per unit.
Choosing the lane for a large order
| Lane | How it moves | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Rush | Expedited production plus air freight, premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job | A fixed launch or event date you cannot move |
| Standard | Air freight | Normal replenishment where the date has some slack |
| Cost saver | Sea freight | Planned bulk buys where the lowest landed cost is the goal |
Production starts from about 7 business days, plus 2 to 5 for delivery. Specialty imported items can run up to about 12 weeks, so if your bulk order includes a rigid or heavily finished item, build that into the calendar rather than discovering it at the end.
Buying bulk without over-buying
The common mistake is ordering a year of stock in a size you have not validated. Two practical guards:
- Prove the spec first. Run a shorter order at the 100 box minimum, ship real product in it, then scale the same dieline. Because tooling is included, proving the spec does not cost you a die you throw away.
- Cut the number of sizes, not the quantity. Three box sizes each ordered deep will almost always land cheaper than nine sizes ordered shallow, and it simplifies the packing bench.
What is included at every volume
Die and plates, design support on your dieline, free US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints. The proof matters more on a bulk run than a small one, because a typo you approve is a typo you own several thousand times.
Two plants, one quote
iBox Factory produces in West Chicago in the United States and in Guangzhou in China. Which plant runs your job depends on the construction, the finish and the date, and it is stated on the quote rather than left to chance. There is no sample kit to buy. Samples are arranged through the quote conversation.
Get a bulk number
Send the size, the board, the print and the quantity you are considering to /quote/, and include the date you need stock on the shelf so the lane can be matched to it. If you are comparing wholesale options first, see wholesale custom boxes. If the goal is a lower landed cost rather than a bigger order, read how to reduce packaging costs.
