Two cartons were designed for the same charger. One loaded a full pallet layer and used a single plate; the other loaded one layer less and needed three plates, because the language set arrived after the layout was drawn. The unit price was identical.
This guide is part of our Charger Packaging & Sustainability. Read the full topic guide for the decisions that come before and after this step.
Charger packaging design: the five decisions
The structure, the print setup, the language set, the carton data and the proof.
Each decision changes a cost or a schedule: the structure sets the die, the print setup sets a fixed charge, the language set multiplies it, the carton data moves the freight, and the proof is what prevents a reprint.
The five are taken before the artwork is drawn, because three of them constrain the layout and two of them are priced per version.
Decision 1: the structure
Hanging, standing, tray, sleeve or closed box.
The structure follows the shelf or the channel: a hanging tab for a peg, a shelf-ready tray for a supermarket, a closed box for a marketplace shipment. Each is a die, and the die decides the panels the artwork is drawn onto, which is why the structure precedes the design.
Decision 2: the print setup
A fixed charge per artwork version.
The print method determines the plates or dies, and each is charged once per version. A one-colour carton with a sticker costs less to open than a four-colour litho pack, and the difference is a fixed charge rather than a unit cost.
Decision 3: the language set
Which languages, on which panel.
A single-language pack is one version; a six-language pack is still one version if the content is planned, and six versions if the same product ships in separate packs per market. The second approach multiplies the print charge, which is why the language decision belongs with the market list.
Decision 4: the carton data
Dimensions, weight, units per carton and pallet pattern.
Those four figures decide the units per container and therefore the freight per unit. A carton that is slightly too large can cost a pallet layer, and the loss is invisible until the first shipment is priced.
Decision 5: the proof
An assembled proof, not a flat file.
The insert, the accessory, the language versions and the print interact in three dimensions. Approving a flat artwork leaves the fit, the legibility and the pallet pattern unverified, and the correction is a reprint.
| Decision | What it sets | Cost type | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | The die and the panels | Tooling | The channel |
| Print setup | Plates or dies per version | Fixed per version | The brand and the printer |
| Language set | One version or several | Multiplied setup | The brand |
| Carton data | Units per container | Freight per unit | The design |
| Proof | The verification before print | Avoided reprint | Both |
What to specify before the design starts
Four items, and each is a sentence.
The structure and the shelf requirement; the print method and the number of versions; the language set with its markets; and the target units per carton with the weight limit. With those four, the design work begins from constraints rather than from preferences.
Where packaging design goes wrong
Three patterns, and the third is the most expensive.
Artwork drawn before the structure; a language set added after the layout; and a proof approved as a flat file. Each ends in a reprint, and each is prevented by the same four sentences.
Materials and the recycling question
Three practical notes, before the sustainability claims.
Mixed materials complicate recycling, coatings affect the paper stream, and a window adds a separate material that has to be separated. A design that plans for a single material and a small number of components is easier to describe accurately than one that claims a property the pack cannot demonstrate.
Where the cost lines sit
A packaging decision carries a die, a print setup per version, a material cost and a freight effect. Only the first two are obvious in a quotation; the material shows in the unit price and the freight shows in the landed cost, which is why the carton data belongs in the specification rather than in the drawing.
What the buyer should bring to the design brief
The brief is what the design is measured against, and it carries four items: the market list with the languages, the channel the pack is sold through, the carton data with its pallet pattern, and the protection the product needs in transit.
The market list decides the zones on the pack, the channel decides whether the pack needs retail information or a plain shipping version, and the carton data decides the freight.
The protection requirement decides the insert, which in turn constrains the structure and the panel layout. A brief that omits it usually produces a proof that has to be repeated once the drop test is run.
A brief carrying those four lets the first proof be the last one, because the constraints are known before the artwork is drawn.
FAQ
Should the artwork or the structure be approved first?
The structure, because the die decides the panels the artwork is drawn on. Approving the artwork first usually means redrawing it once the structure is confirmed. The die decides the panels the artwork is drawn on, so approving the artwork first usually means redrawing it once the structure is confirmed. Confirm the die and the panel layout before the artwork is drawn.
Does a second language always mean a second print version?
Not if the pack carries several languages in one layout. It means a second version when the same product ships in separate packs for separate markets. It means a second version when the same product ships in separate packs for separate markets, rather than when one pack carries several languages. Ask which markets the pack serves, because that decides the version count.
What carton data does the buyer need?
Dimensions, gross weight, units per carton and the pallet pattern. Those four decide the freight per unit and the handling in the warehouse. Those four decide the freight per unit and the handling in the warehouse, and they are what the quotation is built on. They also decide the pallet pattern, which is the number the booking is built from.
Can the packaging be changed after launch?
It can, and it is a new artwork version with its own setup and proof. A planned layout with fixed zones makes the change an edit rather than a redesign. A planned layout with fixed zones makes the change an edit rather than a redesign, though it is still a new version with its own proof. Keep the earlier version on file, because a market may still reference it.
Next step
Send the channel, the shelf requirement, the languages and the target units per carton to Wecent Group through the contact page. The reply proposes the structure, the print method, the language layout and the carton data for the freight calculation. Related reading: OEM and ODM charger manufacturing, charger manufacturing services and charger quality control. External references: EU CE marking rules, EU RoHS Directive, IEC standards, UL standards and certification, TUV testing services and ICC Incoterms rules.