Signs & Large Format Print
What a short run of printed boxes costs
| Quantity | Price for the run | Price per box | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 pcs | approx. €210 | approx. €2.05 | product testing, a shop launch, event kits |
| 500 pcs | approx. €470 | approx. €0.95 | an online shop with regular sales, the gifting season |
The table shows the key point: going from 100 to 500 pieces adds approx. €260 to the bill, so each extra box costs only approx. €0.65. That is why, for clients torn between 100 and 200 pieces, we usually suggest working out how many boxes they will really use in six months. If 300–400 will go anyway, there is no point ordering a hundred twice.
These prices apply to this specific format. A different size, board, finish (lamination, spot varnish, foiling) or printing on the inside changes the quote – we price every box from a short description. The full range is on the product and gift packaging page.
Why the difference between 100 and 500 pieces is so large
With a box you pay for two things: printed material and production set-up. Material rises in line with quantity. Set-up (checking the file, setting up the print, preparing cutting and creasing paths, a test fold) costs practically the same for 100 pieces as for 500. On a short run that fixed cost is spread over few boxes, so each one comes out expensive.
In traditional packaging production there is also a cutting die, a steel forme for die-cutting. At several thousand pieces that is no problem; at a hundred it can cost more than the boxes themselves. We cut and crease short runs on a digital plotter straight from the file, so you do not need a die. That is what makes 100 pieces possible at a reasonable price at all.
The third factor is printing. For runs in the hundreds we print digitally, without printing plates, so full colour costs no more than one colour. Gradients, photos and several artwork versions in one run add nothing extra with digital print.
Three ways to branded packaging on a short run
You do not always need to print the whole box straight away. In practice we see three routes:
1. A fully printed box. The best unboxing experience – it looks like brand packaging, not a parcel from a warehouse. It makes sense for premium products, gift sets and anything the customer picks up in a shop.
2. A plain box plus a label or logo sticker. The cheapest start, because stickers cost pennies per piece and you do not have to keep printed boxes in stock. A good option for a shop's first months while you are still testing the product. We can cut the sticker to the shape of your logo; see contour-cut stickers.
3. Shipping cartons with printed tape. In e-commerce this is often the most sensible compromise: standard cartons, with your brand visible straight away on the tape. Details and prices are in our guide to printed packing tape.
You can combine them. Plenty of companies ship the product in a printed folding carton, then pack it in a brown shipping box sealed with logo tape.
When a short run makes sense, and when it does not
We recommend a short run of printed boxes when:
- you are launching a new product and do not yet know whether the box size is final,
- you are doing a limited edition, a Christmas set or packaging for a single event,
- you have several product variants (flavours, colours) and each needs different artwork,
- the box is part of a gift for clients or staff.
We do not recommend it when the box only has to get the goods there safely. The courier will knock it about anyway, and the customer will bin it within a minute. In that case the money is better spent on printed tape and a nice thank-you card inside.
The most common mistake on a first order is the wrong size. The client gives the product dimensions instead of the internal box dimensions, and the product is either jammed in or rattles around. Always measure the product with its padding (tissue, insert) and add a few millimetres of clearance.
- 24 hexpress printing (UV inks need no drying)
- approx. 3 daysstandard lead time
- up to 14 dayslarge and custom projects with installation
Plus courier delivery. Tell us your date — we plan production around it.
How to order logo boxes – step by step
- Measure the product (length × width × height) and say whether there will be an insert or padding inside.
- Tell us what the box is for: retail shelf, shipping, a gift. That decides the board thickness.
- Decide the quantity. If you are unsure, ask for a quote at two levels, e.g. 100 and 500 pcs, and compare the unit price.
- Send the logo as a vector (PDF, AI, EPS). If you only have a JPG, our studio will prepare the artwork.
- We send you the box net with cutting and crease lines. You place the artwork on the net, or we do it for you.
- On a first order it is worth ordering one sample to fold in your hands before the full run goes ahead.
After approval, standard production takes approx. 3 working days; for unusual constructions we give the lead time in the quote. We deliver by courier across the EU and to the UK, and can also pack and dispatch boxes to multiple addresses.