If you’re in the business of selling goods online, you’ve no doubt considered packaging products.
In this Packlane review, we’ll look at what Packlane offers, features, pricing, and more, to help you decide if it’s the right option for your business.
Packlane is a popular custom packaging provider that works with more than 10,000 brands, including ones you already know and love, such as Google, Red Bull, The New York Times, and Shopify. They also work with lesser known brands like Father Time Bread.
Many online sellers and smaller businesses rely on plain boxes and poly mailers to ship products. But for ecommerce business owners who understand the importance of a quality unboxing experience, upgrading to custom packaging is crucial to keeping the brand at the forefront of their customer’s mind.
Having the right packaging partner for your custom boxes can make all the difference.
Packlane Overview
Packlane is a San Francisco based company, founded in 2015. They make it easy for you to create packaging that matches your branding. The online box designer makes it easy to order custom printed boxes to suited to your business’s specific needs.
If you don’t want to print a custom design on your shipping boxes, you can still take advantage of their full customization options.
Packlane Plus
Packlane Plus offers the same thing as Packlane Packaging, but it’s designed for larger volume businesses. It requires a minimum order of 2,000 units. Packlane Plus also offers additional types of branded packaging, including:
- Tissue paper
- Rigid paper mailers, designed to ship lightweight items
- Custom bags for trade shows, in-store purchases, etc.
- Custom pouches for display, ecommerce, or retail
Certain bulk orders qualify for packaging adds-ons, such as:
- Custom tape
- Inserts
- Void filler
- Dividers
If you require other options, Packlane will source other types of packaging for you. If necessary, they’ll work with structural engineers to build something that’s unique to what your business needs.
If your business is a high-volume producer that can handle the minimum order requirements to participate in the Packlane Plus, you’ll be assigned a dedicated account manager. You’ll enjoy customized pricing that includes volume discounts. Packlane Plus members can also take advantage of additional printing methods including lithographic and flexographic printing.
PackPerks
PackPerks is the rewards and referrals program. When you sign up with Packlane, you’ll automatically have a PackPerks account. You’ll earn boxcoins for a variety of actions, including:
- Signing up for your free Packlane account
- Placing orders
- Sharing or following Packlane on social media
- Referring new users to Packlane
You can redeem boxcoins for discounts on your next order. For example, it costs 500 boxcoins to receive $10 off your next order, or 50,000 boxcoins to receive 30% off your next order, with several other tiers in between.
Who Packlane is For
Packlane is for ecommerce business owners that know the importance of a branded packaging and unboxing experience, and wish to brand their own.
While it can work well for any ecommerce business, those that are just starting out may find it to be cost prohibitive. It’s not that the boxes are expensive so much that it may be difficult for businesses with a small budget.
Businesses that don’t have historical sales data may find it hard to know what quantity to order, which could leave them with excess packaging, or cause them to run out with orders left to fill.
Packlane isn’t limited to ecommerce businesses, either. Any business that wants to have quality branded packaging for retail store displays, trade shows, etc. can take advantage of what Packlane offers.
Packlane’s Packaging Types
Packlane offers multiple box types, so no matter what you’re packing and shipping to customers, they’ve got you covered.
Mailer Boxes
Packlane recommends using a mailer box for ecommerce packaging, subscription boxes, and gift boxes. These are available in multiple stock sizes:
- 4″ x 4″ x 2″
- 6″ x 6″ x 2″
- 7″ x 6″ x 1″
- 8″ x 5″ x 3″
- 9″ x 6″ x 4″
- 9″ x 8″ x 2″
- 10″ x 8″ x 4″
- 10″ x 9″ x 1.5″
- 12″ x 9″ x 2″
- 13″ x 10″ x 5″
- 14″ x 10″ x 4″
If those sizes don’t meet your needs, you can create a custom size.
You can choose from three materials:
- White: This is a classic matte white cardboard printed with a satin finish.
- Dreamcoat: This is a premium bright white cardboard. You can choose between a semi gloss print finish and a HDPrint gloss. The HDPrint finish produces finer details, and appears shiny only in the printed areas. HD Gloss print finishes can only be applied to orders of 15 or more units.
- Kraft: This is the most affordable option, since it’s a natural matte brown cardboard. However, colors printed on these boxes will muted because of the brown base.
Minimum order quantity (MOQ): 1
Product Boxes
Packlane recommends product boxes for retail store shelves, since it’s lightweight. It’s a great option for chocolate, beauty products, and supplements. If you have multiple products to ship, you may want to include them in their own product boxes before adding them to a mailer box.
Stock sizes include:
- 2.25″ x 2.25″ x 6″
- 3″ x 3″ x 3.5″
- 3.5 x 2.25″ x 5.5″
- 4″ x 4″ x 4″
Product boxes are made out of 16pt SBS paperboard. At this time, the only option is classic white.
MOQ: 25
Shipping Boxes
Packlane shipping boxes are designed to ship heavy items that may be too big for a mailer box. They’re made out of kraft corrugated cardboard. Shipping boxes come in the following stock sizes:
- 6″ x 6″ x 6″
- 8″ x 8″ x 8″
- 12″ x 12″ x 6″
- 12″ x 12″ x 12″
You can choose between white or kraft material. The white is classic matte white with a satin finish. The kraft is a natural matte brown with a satin finish.
MOQ: 1
Econoflex Shipping Box
The Econoflex shipping box is the ideal choice for eco-friendly businesses that want to be sure their packaging is sustainable. The box material is 100% recycled (and recyclable), and it’s biodegradable, too.
Econflex boxes come in the following stock sizes:
- 6″ x 6″ x 6″
- 8″ x 8″ x 8″
- 10″ x 10″ x 8″
- 11.25″ x 8.75″ x 4″
- 11.25″ x 8.75″ x 6″
- 12″ x 12″ x 6″
- 12″ x 12″ x 12″
The only material choice here is the Kraft matte brown, 100% recycled cardboard with a satin finish.
MOQ: 1
Samples
Want to get an idea of what things will look like before placing your order? You can order a sample kit that contains:
Swatch carts of the available corrugated cardboard materials and standard and HDPrint gloss finishes. The swatches feature colors and designs for reference. You’ll receive 1 shipper box (it’s what your sample kit arrives in) as well as 1 mailer – a classic white box that contains the swatches – and 1 product box inside the mailer. You’ll receive it within 3 to 7 days of submitting your request.
Packlane’s Features
Packlane features an online 3D design tool that works to guide users through the entire design and customization process.
Start by choosing your packaging type.
You’ll see some basic pricing information.
Click the Design Your…button.
Next, you’ll be given the option to name your design, to keep track of it as you build multiple box sizes. You can also skip this step.
You’ll land on page where you’ll be able to choose from the stock sizes, or create a custom sized product. Then, choose your quantity. As you make choices, you can see the pricing information change accordingly.
After you choose your size, you’ll choose your choice of material, as described above.
Then, you’ll start designing. You’ll choose colors for the interior, exterior, sides, etc. You’ll have the option to add text and images. As you design, you can move through options to dictate where you want what to go, including:
- Front
- Left
- Back
- Right
- Top
- Bottom
- Interior Left
- Interior Right
If you’d rather, you can download the dieline (template) for the box, so you can send it to a designer, or apply an existing design to it. If you don’t have your own designer and need help designing your custom packaging, you can get matched with a design expert from 99designs with prices starting at $349.
When you click the “Download dieline” button, you’ll be taken to a landing page where you enter your email address, select your box style, and enter the dimensions. You’ll receive the appropriate dieline via email.
You can upload the artwork dieline to Packline when it’s ready. Once the design is good to go, you’ll choose your quantity (minimums vary depending on the product), then place your order.
At the checkout page, you’ll receive a shipping estimate and make payment.
Packlane Pricing
Packlane’s pricing depends on a variety of factors, including:
- The type of box
- The size of the box (custom sizes cost more)
- The ink and customization
- Quantity
While it’s true there’s no minimum order quantity for the mailer box and several other box styles, ordering just a single box isn’t practical.
For instance, a single 4″ x 4″ x 2″ mailer box costs $72.02, with the caveat that pricing may vary depending on ink coverage. Ordering 10 boxes, brings the unit prices down significantly to $8.17 per box, so you’ll pay just a bit more and get 10x the product. Ordering 2,000 boxes brings the cost down to $0.77 each. Low minimums are great, but you’ll get the best deal with higher quantities.
Packlane Pros and Cons
Pros
- Customizable materials and box dimensions
- Double-sided printing
- Glossy and matte options
- Can use white ink
- Digital preview
- Rush options
- Options for high-volume producers that need more than 2,000 units
- Domestic and international shipping options
- All products are recyclable and in some instances, made from recycled material
- Can partner you with a 99designs designer to handle box design
- Shiplane product provides USPS shipping discounts if you handle your own fulfillment.
Cons
- Shipping outside the United States can be expensive.
- Cannot use metallic ink or foils in designs
- Unable to print on the side of the folding carton box.
Packlane Customer Service
The customer support team is available via live chat and a contact form. There’s an extensive FAQ library, a blog with lots of inspiration, and case studies from current clients to help you. There’s nothing on the website to indicate response times.
FAQs
Is Packlane Right for Your Business?
If you’re looking for an easy online service to create custom packaging for your ecommerce store, then Packlane’s features may be exactly what you’re looking for. They offer competitive prices and fast turnarounds for small businesses.
Leave Your Review about Packlane
Do you currently use Packlane for your custom packaging needs? Have you used Packlane’s service before? Share your thoughts with our community below.
