Most first-time buyers ask for a rigid box because it looks expensive, then find the freight quote is higher than the box. The choice is easier if you start from the product and the sales channel.
What each one is
A rigid box is built from 1 to 3 mm greyboard wrapped in printed paper. It does not fold flat, and it keeps its shape for years. A folding carton is a single sheet of 300 to 400 gsm board, printed, die-cut and glued, delivered flat and popped open on the packing line.
Cost and freight
At 5,000 pieces, a mid-size rigid box typically costs four to six times as much as a folding carton of the same footprint. Freight widens the gap: 5,000 rigid boxes can fill 12 cubic metres, while the same number of cartons ships in under one. Collapsible rigid boxes close some of that gap.
When a rigid box earns its cost
- The retail price is high enough that packaging is under 5% of it.
- The box is part of the gift and will be kept.
- The product is fragile and needs a fitted insert.
When a carton is the better call
- The product sits on a shelf and the box is thrown away after opening.
- Units ship in volume and freight is a large share of landed cost.
- You need hang tabs, windows or tamper seals.
If you are unsure, send us the product dimensions and target price. We will quote both and include the freight volume for each.