Stock Packaging vs Custom Packaging: What’s the Difference and Which Is Better?

When you have products ready and waiting for suitable packaging before being shipped to customers, you might start considering whether to choose stock packaging or custom packaging. This decision will affect your customers’ first impression of your product, so this is a crucial moment.

This was a difficult decision to make, but most respondents were more excited about products with beautiful gift packaging. Many online shoppers also indicated that they would be more likely to purchase from a retailer again if the retailer used high-quality packaging.

Understanding the differences between stock packaging and custom packaging, as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages, will help you make confident decisions and leave a positive impression of your product in your customers’ minds.

Before choosing between stock or custom packaging, you also need to consider the following points:

What is stock packaging?

Stock packaging refers to pre-made, generic packaging with limited customization options in terms of size, color, shape, or surface finish. Stock packaging can be produced in large quantities at a relatively low cost, but its standardized sizes, colors, and styles prevent it from reflecting a brand’s unique message and image.

Stock packaging refers to packaging that is readily available and can be used immediately. It is typically the default option at shipping warehouses. Stock packaging is provided as-is, with virtually no customization options. Because stock packaging is not designed to meet your specific needs, its appearance and functionality are basic and generic.

If you urgently need to get your products to consumers and don’t care about the impression the packaging will leave on customers, then you can choose to use stock packaging.

Stock packaging offers fast production speeds, ample supply, and a variety of sizes and styles, but these sizes and styles are generic and not specifically tailored to your product.  However, it is also very cost-effective, so if you are looking for an economical solution, stock packaging might be the ideal choice.

What is custom packaging?

Custom packaging refers to packaging that is tailored to the specific needs of a business for different products and sales methods, rather than using standard or pre-made packaging that might be generally suitable. The custom packaging process includes, but is not limited to, adjusting the size, shape, color, material, layers, and other specifications of the packaging.

Custom packaging essentially refers to all non-standard and non-generic packaging. If your product has a unique size and shape, you will definitely need custom packaging that perfectly fits the product’s form to ensure it is securely placed in the box and protected from damage.  Therefore, only custom packaging can meet your needs.

If you simply need a box of a specific size, while this may sound like a very simple request, there aren’t many readily available packaging options that actually offer the exact dimensions you need.  Custom packaging, however, not only offers a wide variety of sizes and styles, but also allows for customization of almost every aspect, from the design to various printing effects and finishes. This is an excellent way to make your brand and products stand out.

Even if you don’t need the various special processes offered by custom packaging, such as hot stamping, embossing, debossing, spot UV coating, and texturing, you can still choose custom packaging with appropriate dimensions and inner lining, which remains a good option. Therefore, custom packaging is not only a way to enhance product appeal and strengthen brand influence; its most important function remains ensuring that the product receives the best possible protection.

Stock Packaging vs. Custom Packaging: When To Use Each One

Considering the advantages and disadvantages of both stock and custom packaging boxes, it can be difficult to determine which type of packaging to choose and when. To make your decision easier, we’ve compiled a list to help you quickly decide.

Choose stock packaging when:

• This is useful when you want to test different marketing strategies but don’t want to invest too much time and money in custom printing before you’re fully prepared.
• When you’re a startup with a limited budget and looking for an affordable way to conduct market testing and promotional activities.
• When you are facing production shortages and urgently need to get your existing products to market as quickly as possible.
• When you have a batch of samples ready to be distributed individually or given away for free.

Therefore, the advantages of stock packaging are that it is fast, inexpensive, easy to obtain, and almost always available.

Choose custom packaging when:

• When your product is targeting the high-end market and you want to create exquisite packaging.
• This is when you want to leverage the design and shape of custom packaging to enhance your product image and attract consumers.
• When you want users to share their unboxing experience and usage impressions on social media.
• This is ideal when you want packaging that fully reflects your product and brand message and you have a sufficient budget.
• This is when you need a large volume of printed packaging and want every aspect of the packaging production process to be customized to your specific needs.

Custom packaging is full of design possibilities and personalization options. You can flexibly utilize printing technologies to create impressive packaging for your brand. Every aspect of the packaging, even the materials themselves, can be customized, including printing, surface treatment, hot stamping, debossing, embossing, raised printing, and spot UV coating. The combination and application of these techniques will make your product stand out from the crowd.