Custom Product Display Boxes

Planning Custom Product Display Boxes Around Your Range

Decide how many units of each product the display should hold. For counter displays, six to twenty-four units is common; too many makes it heavy and hard to place, too few means it empties quickly and looks sparse. If you sell several variants, plan rows or sections for each so customers see the choice at a glance.

Measure the products as they are sold, including any outer pack, and arrange them on a table to get the footprint. Allow space for dividers if variants need separating. Then decide how high the header should rise above the products; a header that is too tall can block the shopkeeper's view across the counter, and many shops prefer something modest.

Check the space your stockists actually have. A display designed for a deep shelf may not fit on a cluttered counter. If you are unsure, ask a few friendly stockists what space they could give you.

Price the display into your trade terms. Some brands include it free with a first order of a set number of units; others charge a small amount or supply it only with larger orders. Deciding this before you print helps you choose how many displays to order. Our guide to how custom pricing works explains the cost of a display against the units it sells.

Strength, Board and Print

Display boxes need to carry weight without sagging, survive transit and then stand for weeks being handled by customers. E-flute corrugated board is the usual choice: strong, light and able to take high-quality print. Heavier products, such as jars or bottles, may need B-flute or a double-thickness base.

The header card is your billboard. Keep it simple: logo, product name and one key message, perhaps a price point if the shop agrees. The inside of the tray and the front lip are also visible once products are taken, so print them too. Bright, consistent branding helps a small display hold its own next to larger brands.

A matt or gloss lamination keeps the display looking fresh after weeks of handling and makes it easy to wipe clean.

Colour consistency with your product packaging matters here. If the display header is a slightly different shade from the boxes it holds, the whole unit looks less polished, so send us your existing packaging or colour references and we will match them on the proof.

Getting the Display Onto the Counter

The easier a display is to set up, the more likely a busy shop owner will put it out straight away. Pre-glued trays that pop up, headers that slot in without glue, and tear-away lids with clear printed instructions all help. If assembly needs explaining, a simple printed diagram on the inside flap is better than a separate leaflet that will be lost.

Think about restocking too. If the shop will refill from loose stock, design the display so it can be topped up easily. If you intend the whole display to sell through and be replaced, make sure reordering is simple, perhaps with your contact details or reorder code printed on the back.

Some brands send a photo guide to new stockists showing the display set up as intended, along with a suggested spot near the till. It is a small effort that often gets the display placed where it sells best. A header that pops up as the box opens is shown on the pop-up display boxes with header cards page.

Brands That Use Display Boxes

Snack and confectionery brands, cosmetics and lip care, candles and wax melts, greeting cards and stationery, phone accessories, pet treats and health products all rely on counter displays. They are especially effective for products priced for impulse buying near the till.

Brands working with wholesalers or attending trade shows also use display boxes to show buyers exactly how the product will look in store.

Larger brands use them for promotions and new product launches, placing a temporary display beside the main shelf to draw attention to something new. Our guide to measuring products for packaging covers rows of units in a tray.

Agree Who Pays for the Display Before You Print

The number of displays to order depends on a conversation with your stockists, not on your product count. Some shops expect a free display with the first order of a set number of units; others pay a small amount or only take one with a larger order. Settle that first, because it decides if you need twenty displays or two hundred. Then measure one product with its cap, decide how many units sit in each display, and check the footprint against the counter space your main stockist can give you.

Send the product sizes, the units per display, the format and the quantity, and a custom quote comes by email within one working day, with prices from £0.25 depending on size, board and print. The free design proof shows the full dieline with header, tray and outer case artwork. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and displays ship flat, free and tracked, to UK mainland addresses in 2 to 3 working days; any that arrive misprinted or damaged are reprinted or refunded if reported within 10 days. Trays that sit on a shelf rather than a counter are covered under PDQ display trays for shelf placement.