Custom Packaging Lead Times: Explained
Our most frequently asked question? “What is your current lead time?”
“Our current lead times are 4-6 weeks from when your final art proofs are approved and payment has been received according to your credit terms.”
-Every Employee at Givr
Here’s The Timeline:
Your invoice is paid and your final proofs are approved.
Print specific approvals are completed.
Your order enters our production queue.
We send you a buffered delivery date based on our estimated ship date.
The board for the order and any necessary print plates and/or cutting dies are ordered.
Your boxes are printed, cut, and glued as needed.
Your order ships!
Here are some common things that impact lead-time:
How your boxes are being printed dictates which queue your order is placed in. The lead times for digital print tend to be a bit shorter than for flexo or offset.
New items can require pre-press, a physical sample order, or proof approval, which can add up to a few weeks to your lead time.
New or adjusted items may require proof or sample approval before entering our queue.
Any discussed lead time serves as our very best estimate, rather than a guarantee. While we can promise consistent communication about the progress of your order, we can not promise an exact delivery given the many variables there are for each unique order. Our goal is to manage and exceed your expectations, and keep you up to date as your lead time evolves.
Keep reading for the full breakdown!
What exactly happens in those 4-6 weeks? When exactly during the process does it start? Let’s first break down each stage of production:
The Design Stage - this stage is not included in your lead time
1. The Design Stage
Getting a Prototype
Your box begins with a dieline. This is the physical structure of your packaging that’s developed by our structural engineers in the design lab. We can’t incorporate this part into your lead time because there are too many variables, but here’s generally what happens in the prototype stage:
We receive your design direction and product dimensions or samples
Our design lab creates a prototype and dieline (2-4 business days)
We send you the prototype to approve (2-5 days for shipping)
Your team fit tests, ship tests, and approves or makes iterations (as much time as you need!)
Getting a Quote
Once your structure is approved, we use the dieline to quote the quantities you requested. Building your quote usually takes 3-5 business days. We can also:
Do a preliminary, ball park quote based on your potential or existing structure.
Quote different print options so you can see the variance in cost.
Prepping Your Art
Now that your structure is approved and quoted, it’s time to apply your art to the dieline. You can find out more about preparing your art for print here. Here’s the typical art timeline:
We receive your final art.
Our team pre-presses your art (2-3 business days).
We send you the final, pre-pressed proofs for approval.
Your team approves or requests iterations.
Your team can take all the time needed to get your art just right and submit approval for your final proofs, but remember that our quotes are only valid for 30 days and your lead time doesn’t start until your final, pre-pressed proofs are approved.
2. The Production Stage
Approving Proofs
This is where your 4-6 week lead-time begins. To start the clock, your final, pre-pressed proof needs to be approved by your team AND your invoice needs to be paid per your terms. We require all first time customers to pay in advance.
Depending on the print type, some additional approvals can make your lead time closer to the 6 week mark. Here’s a breakdown of the needed approvals for each type of print we offer:
-
Ink Drawdown Approval (1-2 wks)
The Ink Kitchen matches your desired Pantone or 4CP color, and prints it onto the same board your boxes will be made of. These are mailed to you so you can see it in real life. To approve, simply sign the drawdowns and send us a photo.
-
Epson Proof Approval (1-2 wks)
Epson Proofs are an exact replica of your box printed on a sheet of paper. The proof will call out in text any finish options you selected. These must be snail mailed to you. You’ll send us a photo of the proof with your signature to approve.
If your artwork contains a spot color, we will also mail ink drawdowns for approval with your Epson Proof.
-
Optional Physical Proof* (1-3 wks)
We can print a physical sample of your box for approval, but this takes a little more time because it has to enter our production queue. You can save time by skipping this step and approving a digital proof instead!
*Although printed digital proofs are optional, we strongly recommend this option to help manage print expectations and color variability.
These approval steps are only needed the first time you run a print version. On your next order, if there are no changes to the print, you can skip to the front of the line!
Scheduling Production
Phew! You can relax now, and we’ll take care of the rest. But in case your wondering, here are the other steps that sum up your lead-time:
Once necessary approvals are complete, we work your boxes into our production schedule. This can take a day or two but once we know, we’ll send you a confirmed delivery date!
Meanwhile, the sheets for your boxes are ordered.*
Showtime! Your boxes become a reality.
Your finished boxes are palletized or packed out for shipment
*Nationwide, the paper and packaging industry is facing paper shortages, 100% mill capacities, and historically high demand. We work with every major supplier in the country giving us the advantage of agility in the market. We are lucky to have a depth of supply, however receiving the board supply for your order is often the longest part of the production process.
3. The Transit Stage
Let’s hit the road! Once your order is ready and packed out, we’ll arrange the shipment from our plant to your receiving location. Here’s what you can expect during this stage of the process:
We’ll send you an email alert that your boxes are being prepped to ship.
If your receiving location requires a delivery appointment, our freight specialist will reach out to set that up.
Once your order ships, we’ll email you a pack slip with piece counts, pallet counts and a PRO # which can be used to track your shipment on the carriers website.
We’ll also track your order along its journey, and alert you of any delays.*
Your order is delivered!
*Driver shortages, overwhelmed delivery terminals and inclement weather are a few reasons why your shipment could be delayed in transit. While many of these factors are outside of our control, we will track your order and do our best to keep you informed.
