Guide / Ordering & production / Chapter 6.3
Samples and prototypes.
A sample is the most affordable packaging lesson you'll ever get. Here's how stock and custom samples work, what they cost, and how to test one properly before you order in quantity.
The short answer
Order a standard sample to check a size and board with your real product: standard samples are plain (brown or white), cost $2–$10 plus postage and dispatch in 1–3 business days, with colour swatches on request. Custom printed samples are available on request for some products, usually $50–$200, reimbursed when you place your order: ask our team. Custom printed cosmetic carton samples are $100, reimbursable within 3 months. Test any sample with your actual product and the way it will travel.
Stock samples vs custom samples
Standard samples
A standard sample is one plain unit of a box, bag or mailer we already make. To keep costs down, samples come in brown or white (made-to-order products in brown only), and we can send colour swatches so you can see other colours and finishes. It's the quickest way to check whether a size fits your product and whether the board is strong enough. Many products have a sample option on the product page, and our samples page explains how to order.
Custom printed samples
For some products, we can make a custom printed sample before the full run, so you can check the print, construction and how the box opens. These are arranged on request, not available for every product, and usually cost $50–$200, reimbursed when you go ahead with your order. Ask our team which products are eligible and the conditions that apply.
Digital proofs
For printed packaging, we also email a digital proof of your artwork, typically within 1 business day of receiving your artwork. A proof checks the artwork layout and specification, not the physical colour. A sample checks the size, board and feel. Most first custom orders benefit from both.
What samples cost
Postage is extra on standard samples. Ask our team about eligibility and conditions for printed samples.
| Sample | Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard samples (plain brown or white) | $2–$10 plus postage |
| Colour swatches | On request |
| Custom printed samples (some products, on request) | Usually $50–$200, reimbursed when you place your order |
| Custom printed cosmetic carton sample | $100, reimbursable within 3 months |
How to test a sample properly
- Pack the real product. Use the product exactly as it will ship, with any wrapping, inserts and filler.
- Close it and shake it. If the product moves, the box is too big or needs filler.
- Send it to yourself. Post it through the carrier you'll actually use, ideally to an address interstate.
- Check the unboxing. Open it as your customer would. Does it look and feel the way you want?
- Weigh and measure it. Check the packed weight and outside size against your postage options.
- Show someone else. A second opinion often spots something you've stopped noticing.
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
Order plain samples in two or three sizes and test them with your products before buying in quantity. At a few dollars each, it's the safest first step.
Send one sample to yourself through your usual courier and see how it arrives.
Growing · 100 to 2,499 units
Before your first custom run, check the size with a plain sample, and ask whether a custom printed sample is available for your product. It's far cheaper than a run of boxes that doesn't fit.
Try this: test the sample with your heaviest and most fragile product, not just the easiest one.
Enterprise · 2,500 units and more
Use samples to sign off a packaging specification before a large run, and keep an approved sample as the reference for future orders.
Get everyone who needs to approve the packaging to see the sample before the run starts.
Common mistakes
- 1Skipping the sample to save time. A sample takes days. Reprinting a run that doesn't fit takes much longer and costs more.
- 2Testing with an empty box. Always test with the real product, packed exactly as it will ship.
- 3Only checking the look. Check the fit, strength and postage size too, not just how it looks.
- 4Not posting it. A box can look perfect on the desk and arrive crushed. Send at least one through the post.
Sample questions
How much do samples cost?
Is the custom sample cost refunded?
What's the difference between a proof and a sample?
How do I order a standard sample?
Do I need a sample before a custom order?
Keep reading
Order samples
Want to try before you buy?
Order plain samples online, or tell us about your custom packaging and we'll let you know if a custom printed sample is available.