Custom Display Mailer Boxes

Sizing for Transit and for the Shelf

A display mailer has to meet two sets of measurements. In transit, the closed box must fit inside your courier's size bands and, ideally, a standard outer carton if you send several units together. On the shelf, the open display must fit the depth of a typical retail shelf, which is often 300 mm or less, and leave enough height for the header to be seen.

We usually start with the product. Lay out how many units you want per display and in how many rows, then add the wall thickness and a little clearance. From there, the header height follows: tall enough to carry a logo and a short line, but not so tall that it catches on the shelf above.

If you are unsure, send us a sample product and the number of units per case, and we will suggest a layout and show it on the proof.

Printing Both Sides of the Board

The outside of a display mailer is mostly seen by couriers and the shop's stockroom, so many brands keep it simple: a logo, the product name, a barcode and perhaps a handling note. The inside is where the investment goes, because it becomes the display shoppers actually see.

Full colour printing on the inner liner lets you add product imagery, a headline and a short benefit line on the header. Keep text large and short; a display is read from a couple of metres away. A gloss or matt lamination on the inner print helps it resist scuffing during packing and handling.

If budget matters, one-colour print on the outside and full colour on the inside is a sensible split. You can also print on kraft-coloured corrugated for a natural look, though bright colours look more muted on brown board.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most frequent problem we see is a display that looks great flat on a screen but sits awkwardly once opened. A header that is too tall can topple forward when the front row is emptied, and a tray that is too shallow lets products slide out when the box is nudged. Ask for a plain white sample if your layout is unusual; it costs little and answers those questions before the full run.

Another trap is forgetting the shop assistant. If the opening method needs explaining, it will be done wrongly in half your stockists. Keep it obvious: a printed arrow on the tear strip or a short line such as "open here" on the lid is enough.

Finally, think about restocking. If the shop will refill the display from loose stock, make the insert slots generous enough to drop products back in quickly, not so tight that they need wiggling into place. The free proof shown closed and then opened is the easiest way to catch a header that leans.

Who Uses Display Mailer Boxes

These boxes suit any brand that sells small, repeatable products through shops: confectionery makers supplying farm shops and delis, skincare brands sending stock to salons, gadget accessory sellers supplying phone shops, and gift brands supplying garden centres and museum shops. They also work well for subscription businesses that want the unboxing moment to double as a mini display on the customer's shelf.

Wholesalers who handle many small brands like display mailers too, because each case arrives ready to merchandise. That makes your line easier to stock than a competitor's loose products, which can count when a buyer is choosing between suppliers. Brands with a bigger launch budget pair the mailer with a pop-up display box for the counter in the same print.

Decide How the Shop Assistant Will Open It, Then Size It

A display mailer is two boxes in one and the second one is built by a shop assistant who has never seen it before, so start with the opening. Choose a tear strip if the lid should come away completely, a fold-back lid if the header is printed on its inside, or a punch-out front if customers take units from the box. That choice fixes which panel carries the display artwork. Then lay out the units in rows, measure the footprint, add the wall thickness, and check the closed box against the courier band. Send a photograph of a typical stockist's counter if you have one. Displays that only ever sit on a counter and never travel are the lighter counter display boxes in folding board.

Prepare the outer and the inner display artwork as separate files. Email the product size, units per display, opening style, board and quantity; a custom quote comes back within one working day and a free design proof shows the box closed and open. Displays are made in 4 to 7 working days once approved and delivered flat, free and tracked, on the UK mainland in 2 to 3 days. Crushed or misprinted displays reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded.