Stock Boxes vs Custom Boxes: When Should You Switch?

Stock cardboard boxes are convenient and cost-effective – but there comes a point when a box made to fit your product can make much more sense.

For many businesses, stock-sized cardboard boxes are the obvious place to start.

They're readily available, there are plenty of sizes to choose from and, if you can find one that closely matches your product, they can be a perfectly good packaging solution.

But what happens when the box doesn't quite fit?

Perhaps you're filling empty space with rolls of bubble wrap or void fill. Maybe you're paying to send a parcel that's much larger than the product inside. Or perhaps you're spending time cutting boxes down just to make them usable.

At that point, it could be time to ask:

Would a custom-sized cardboard box actually make more sense?

Stock boxes vs custom boxes: what's the difference?

A stock box is manufactured in a predetermined size and purchased off the shelf.

You choose the closest available dimensions to the product you need to pack.

A custom-sized box is different.

Rather than making your product fit the box, the box is manufactured to the dimensions you need.

At ASC Direct, our online Box Builder allows you to enter your required internal dimensions, select your box style and board grade, and get an instant price online.

And because you can order from as few as 25 boxes, custom packaging isn't limited to businesses ordering thousands at a time.

So, when is it worth making the switch?

1. You're using a box that's much bigger than your product

This is probably the clearest sign that it's time to consider custom boxes.

Imagine your product measures:

300mm × 200mm × 100mm

but the nearest stock box you can find is:

400mm × 300mm × 200mm

It might do the job – but you're transporting a considerable amount of empty space with every order.

That extra space then needs to be dealt with.

You may need additional void fill to stop the product moving around, more packaging material to protect it and potentially a larger parcel to transport.

A custom-sized box allows you to start with dimensions that more closely match the product.

Less empty space. Less unnecessary packaging. A better fit.

2. You're using lots of void fill

Open one of your packed boxes and look inside.

How much of it is actually product?

If you're regularly filling large gaps with paper, air pillows, bubble wrap or other protective packaging, your box may simply be too big.

Protective packaging still has an important role to play, particularly when sending fragile or delicate products.

But there's a difference between protecting a product and filling unnecessary empty space.

Start with a box that's closer to the size of your product and you may be able to significantly reduce the amount of void fill required.

For products that still need additional protection, paper-based options such as HexcelWrap® can then be used where they're actually needed.

3. You're cutting your stock boxes down

Does your packing team have to modify boxes before they can use them?

Cutting down the sides, folding them to create a lower box or using excessive amounts of tape might solve the immediate problem, but it also adds another job to your packing process.

Multiply an extra minute or two by hundreds of orders and it soon becomes significant.

A box manufactured at the depth you actually require arrives ready to pack.

Put the product in. Add any necessary protection. Seal the box. Dispatch it.

Sometimes it's worth looking beyond the price of the box itself and considering how much time it takes to pack it.

4. Your shipping box is affecting presentation

First impressions matter.

For an ecommerce customer, the packaging arriving at their door may be their first physical interaction with your business.

Opening an oversized box to find a small product surrounded by unnecessary packing material doesn't necessarily create the impression you want.

A well-fitting box can feel much more considered.

It can also give you the opportunity to take the next step with custom printed packaging, adding your logo, branding or message to the box.

Packaging then becomes more than something used to transport the product.

It becomes part of the customer experience.

5. Your product is an unusual size

Some products simply don't fit standard boxes very well.

Long, narrow, shallow, unusually shaped or oversized products can be particularly difficult to package using stock sizes.

You might find a box with the correct length, for example, but discover that it's far too wide or deep.

This is where made-to-measure packaging really comes into its own.

Instead of compromising because of the sizes available, you can specify the dimensions you actually need.

That can be particularly useful for products such as:

• Picture frames and artwork
• Furniture components
• Automotive parts
• Sports equipment
• Gifts and homeware
• Electronics
• Long or narrow products
• Specialist manufactured components

If your first thought is "we'll never find a box to fit that", a custom-sized box could be the answer.

6. You're sending the same products regularly

Custom boxes become particularly interesting when you're repeatedly packing the same product or combination of products.

If you've already worked out exactly how much space and protection an item requires, why compromise with the nearest stock size every time you order packaging?

A box manufactured to your required dimensions can help create a more consistent packing process.

Your team knows which box to use.

They know how the product fits.

They know how much protective packaging is required.

And the finished parcel is consistent from one order to the next.

7. You're trying to reduce unnecessary packaging

Sustainable packaging isn't simply about replacing one material with another.

One of the most effective questions a business can ask is:

"Do we need to use this much packaging in the first place?"

An oversized cardboard box may be recyclable, but you're still using more cardboard than necessary and potentially adding extra void fill simply because the product doesn't fit properly.

Right-sized packaging tackles the problem at the beginning.

Choose a box that's appropriate for the product, use protective packaging where it's genuinely required and avoid unnecessary materials wherever possible.

At ASC Direct, all cardboard boxes we manufacture are made using FSC® Mix 70% certified material, containing a minimum of 70% recycled content.

Combine responsible materials with a box made to the size you actually need and you have a much more considered approach to packaging.

8. You're assuming custom boxes mean huge quantities

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about custom packaging.

Traditionally, businesses might associate bespoke cardboard boxes with tooling costs, large production runs and minimum quantities in the hundreds or thousands.

That isn't necessarily the case.

With the ASC Direct Box Builder, you can order custom-sized cardboard boxes from just 25 boxes.

That makes made-to-measure packaging accessible to small businesses, ecommerce sellers, start-ups and businesses that simply don't need thousands of boxes at a time.

You don't need to redesign your entire packaging operation either.

You can start with one product.

If there's one item you regularly struggle to package using a stock box, try a custom-sized alternative and see whether it improves your packing process.

Are custom boxes more expensive than stock boxes?

This is where it's important to consider more than the unit price of the box.

A stock box may initially appear cheaper.

But what's the total cost of packing and sending your product?

Consider:

• The cost of the box
• The amount of void fill required
• Protective packaging
• Packing time
• Tape and other materials
• Storage space
• The finished parcel size

A custom box won't automatically be the cheapest solution in every situation.

If a standard stock box already fits your product well, there may be little reason to change.

But if you're buying an oversized box and then spending money and time making it suitable, comparing the price of the boxes alone doesn't tell the whole story.

When should you stick with stock boxes?

Custom isn't automatically better.

If a stock box fits your product well, provides the protection you need and can be packed efficiently, keep using it.

Stock boxes can be an excellent option when:

• A readily available size closely matches your product
• You frequently send products of different dimensions
• You need packaging immediately
• The additional empty space is minimal
• Your existing packing process is efficient

The objective isn't to make every box custom-sized.

It's to use the right box for the job.

So, when should you make the switch?

There isn't a specific order quantity or point at which every business should move from stock to custom boxes.

Instead, look for the warning signs.

You're probably ready to consider custom boxes if:

• Your current boxes are noticeably oversized
• You're using excessive void fill
• You're cutting or modifying boxes before packing
• You're using lots of tape to make boxes fit
• Your products are unusual dimensions
• You're repeatedly sending the same products
• You want to reduce unnecessary packaging
• You want a more professional presentation

If several of those sound familiar, it's worth comparing your current packaging with a made-to-measure alternative.

Don't make your product fit the box. Make the box fit your product.

Sometimes an off-the-shelf box is exactly what you need.

Sometimes you're simply making do with the closest size you can find.

At ASC Direct, we manufacture cardboard boxes to the dimensions you require – and you don't need to order thousands to take advantage of custom packaging.

Enter your required internal dimensions into our online Box Builder, choose your box style and board grade, select your quantity and get an instant price.

With quantities starting from just 25 boxes, finding out whether made-to-measure packaging works for your business is easy.

BUILD YOUR CUSTOM-SIZED BOX →

James Palfrey-Smith is the General Manager at ASC Direct with extensive experience in both operations and sales. James is passionate about solving packaging problems, delivering fast customer support, and building lasting relationships. Outside of work, he enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and skiing. A fan of real ale and business podcasts, he continuously seeks personal and professional growth. 

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