If you ship your products in custom corrugated boxes, it’s important to know that you’re working with a high-quality and reputable supplier. But how do you know whether your supplier is up to your standard of quality? Asking the following types of questions is a good place to start:
Make sure to ask your custom box supplier what kind of customer service you can expect before making a deal. Will they be there to give you tracking information for an existing order? Do they offer live chat for your convenience? The answers to these questions will help you determine whether this is the right company for your needs and will also give you a realistic view of what to expect while working with them.
You will need to ask your supplier how long their lead time is in order to determine the cutoff date for your team to place a packaging order in time for your shipping deadlines, and whether that timeframe will work for the kinds of projects you tend to complete
Before you go any further, it’s important to consider your typical deadline and ask your supplier if they can meet it. Getting a price commitment in writing early on will make things smoother down the line. Companies that boast a 99% deadline meeting rate (or higher) are your best bet.
Can they give you a free and no-obligation price quote? A reputable supplier will make it easy to contact them and get a free quote for custom boxes or freight shipping, whether it’s over the phone or online.
Do they just offer plain boxes or boxes with one-color direct printing, or do they also offer boxes with two-color printing, versatile art and logo design capabilities, and a wide range of high-end printing services? Your suppliers’ capabilities should be sufficient to serve your needs now and into the future.
Always ask whether your packaging company offers a guarantee and what it entails. This will let you know how firmly they stand behind their products and services.
Does your supplier offer special features, like an online box configuration tool, that makes it easier to order your customized shipping boxes and receive them as quickly as the next day? How big is their manufacturing plant, and how large and well-equipped is their design staff? These technical questions will really help you figure out which supplier is on the cutting edge.
You definitely want to ask how long the supplier has been in business before trusting them with packaging your products. Have they been in business for 50 years, or five years? Their depth of skill, understanding, and reputation will often depend on the answer.
The custom corrugated boxes you ship your products in can serve as the face of your brand to everyone who sees the package in transit, especially those on the opening side. So, is your supplier up to your standards?
