Short answer: Changing what you buy (sizes, grades, gauges) usually saves more than negotiating price. Start with box sizes, board grade and stretch film.
Boxes
- Right-size your most-shipped boxes. Less air means less board, less void fill and lower dimensional weight. Try our shipping savings calculator.
- Check board grade. Are you using double wall or high burst grades where a single wall ECT grade would work? See the box strength chart.
- Consolidate sizes. Fewer SKUs mean bigger runs and better pricing.
- Consider mailers for soft goods. They can be cheaper than boxes and lighter to ship.
- Review printing. Fewer colors or printing on kraft can cut custom box costs. See what custom boxes cost.
Film, tape and fill
- Measure stretch film cost per pallet and test thinner or pre-stretched film. See the stretch film gauge guide.
- Check stretch wrapper settings. Low pre-stretch settings waste film.
- Match tape to conditions. Tape failures in heat and humidity cost far more than the tape.
- Reduce void fill by fixing box fit first.
Buying and operations
- Consolidate vendors. Packaging, film, tape and janitorial supplies from one source means fewer invoices and less freight.
- Stop rush orders. Set reorder points or scheduled deliveries for high-use items.
- Buy annual volume with scheduled releases to get volume pricing without storing everything.
- Track damage. Damaged shipments are a packaging cost hiding in your returns.
- Store packaging properly. Keep boxes dry and off the floor, especially in Florida.
- Get a second opinion on specs and pricing at least once a year.
Want us to work through this list for you? Our free packaging audit does exactly that for Tampa Bay businesses.