Most packaging suppliers price a first run as though you were a national brand, then quote tooling on top. The practical question for a small run is different: what does 100 boxes actually get you, and what will the unit price look like at that quantity. Straight answers below.
What 100 units is genuinely good for
- Testing a size before you commit. Nothing reveals a badly sized mailer faster than packing 100 real orders in it.
- A launch batch, a pre order run, or the first month of a subscription while demand is still a guess.
- Seeding and press sends, where the box is seen by a hundred people who matter rather than ten thousand who do not.
- Trying two artworks or two structures against each other before scaling the winner.
Being straight about price at low volume
Print economics do not disappear at 100 units. Setting up a press, cutting a sheet and running a finish cost roughly the same whether the run is 100 or 10,000, so those costs are spread over fewer boxes and the per unit number is higher at the minimum. The about $0.48 per unit figure you see quoted is a bulk volume starting point, not a price at 100. What we can commit to is that the die and the plates are included, so you are not paying a tooling charge on top of a small run, and that your written quote carries the actual number before you spend anything.
Mailer styles that work at small quantities
| Style | Why it suits a small run |
|---|---|
| Roll end tuck top | No tape, no glue, folds up by hand, strong front tuck |
| Roll end front tuck with dust flaps | Extra protection at the ends for heavier contents |
| Mailer with a tear strip | Easier opening, useful when returns are part of the model |
| Printed inside face | Turns the unboxing into the marketing, no extra structure needed |
For footprints and interior sizing, our mailer box dimensions reference covers the common sizes, and the general product page is custom mailer boxes.
Spend the small budget where it shows
On a 100 unit run, one or two spot colors printed on kraft usually looks better than a thin attempt at full coverage, because the ink density is higher and the brown liner does the rest. Printing the inside face of the mailer is the single highest impact choice at low volume, since it is the surface the customer sees at the moment they open the box. Foil, spot gloss and lamination each add a pass and are better deferred until you are running more units.
Ordering and how fast it arrives
Minimum order is 100 boxes. Turnaround is stated per product across three lanes: rush pairs expedited production with air freight for a premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job, standard moves by air from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 days for delivery, and cost saver moves by sea for the lowest cost and the longest wait. Free US shipping, the die, the plates, design support and a digital proof before printing are included in every order, whatever the quantity.
Send your product dimensions and packed weight to our quote form, ask for the price at 100 and at your realistic reorder quantity, and you will be able to see the curve before you decide.
