Guide / Box & packaging styles / Chapter 2.18
Wine and bottle boxes.
Bottles are heavy, breakable and awkward to pack. Here's how to choose the right box for gifting, for posting one or two bottles, and for shipping cases, plus how inserts keep bottles apart.
The short answer
Bottle packaging falls into three groups. Gift packaging, like paper wine bags and presentation boxes, makes a bottle look good but isn't built for posting. Wine mailing boxes are one-piece corrugated boxes shaped to hold one or two bottles securely for posting. Wine shipping cartons hold six or twelve bottles, usually with inserts that separate each bottle. Whatever you choose, the bottles must not touch each other or move inside the box.
The main options
Gift bags and presentation boxes
Paper wine bags and gift boxes are for handing over a bottle in person, at the cellar door, in-store or at events. They're quick and look generous, but they offer little protection, so don't post them on their own.
Wine mailing boxes
One-piece corrugated boxes designed to hold a single bottle or two bottles. Our wine mailing boxes are supplied flat with a self-locking design. Not every one or two bottle box is a transit mailer: styles with a gable top or a window are mainly presentation packs and should go in an outer carton for posting. Check each product's description to see whether it's designed for posting.
Wine shipping cartons
Regular slotted cartons sized for six or twelve bottles, used with dividers or inserts that keep each bottle apart. Our wine shipping cartons include six and twelve bottle styles, with inserts sold separately on some cartons.
Beer and bottle carriers
Carry packs for four or six bottles, made from paperboard, for presenting and carrying bottles rather than posting them.
Choosing bottle packaging
| Need | Best option | Ready to post? |
|---|---|---|
| Gift a bottle in person | Paper wine bag or gift box | No |
| Post one or two bottles | Wine mailing box designed for posting | Yes, packed snugly. Gable top and window styles need an outer carton |
| Ship six or twelve bottles | Wine shipping carton with inserts | Yes, with inserts |
| Sell beer or cider packs | Bottle carry pack | No, use an outer carton to post |
Packing bottles for transit
- Contain leaks: seal each bottle and consider a leak-proof bag or absorbent wrap, so one breakage doesn't damage the whole parcel.
- Keep every bottle upright or snugly held, and never touching another bottle.
- Use inserts or dividers in multi-bottle cartons, and fill any gaps so nothing can move.
- Seal cartons well, with tape across the seams and edges, as bottle cartons are heavy.
- Mark the box with which way is up if your carrier allows it.
Rules for sending alcohol and liquids vary by carrier and destination, including packing requirements, so check your carrier's current conditions before you sell online and before your test shipment.
What it means for you
The same question, answered for where your business is today.
Choose your stage at the top of the page to open the advice for you.
Start-up · under 100 units
Start with stock wine mailing boxes for one and two bottle orders, and paper wine bags for in-person sales.
Post a full bottle to yourself in your chosen box and check how it arrives.
Growing · 100 to 2,499 units
If you're shipping cases, use cartons with inserts and standardise on six or twelve bottle packs. A printed gift box or bag can lift cellar door and gift sales.
Try this: compare breakages per hundred orders before and after switching to inserts.
Enterprise · 2,500 units and more
Specify carton, insert and board for each pack size, and test stacked cartons with full bottles before changing anything.
Heavy cartons stacked high need the right board. Test before committing to a lighter option.
Common mistakes
- 1Posting in a gift bag or presentation box. These aren't built for courier networks. Use a wine mailing box or carton.
- 2Bottles touching. Glass on glass breaks easily. Inserts or dividers keep bottles apart.
- 3Ignoring the weight. A case of wine is heavy. Use strong board and tape the seams and edges well.
- 4Assuming every carrier accepts alcohol. Carrier rules differ. Check before you start selling online.
Bottle packaging questions
What's the best way to post a bottle of wine?
How do I ship six or twelve bottles?
Are inserts included with your wine cartons?
Do you sell wine gift bags?
Can wine boxes be printed with my logo?
Keep reading
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Sending wine or bottles?
Tell us how many bottles per order and how they travel. Our Melbourne team will recommend the right box and inserts, usually within 1 business day.