The 7-Point Packaging Order Checklist That Would Have Saved Us $3,200

This checklist is for anyone about to place a custom packaging order—plastic bags, pouches, labels, printed cartons, whatever. If you're past the 'thinking about it' stage, this is for you.

Who This Checklist Is For

I'm a packaging specialist at Bemis packaging. I've spent eight years handling custom packaging orders. I've personally made (and documented) 23 significant mistakes, totaling roughly $47,000 in wasted budget. That's not a brag—it's why I maintain the checklist our team uses before every production run. This article is basically that checklist, with the stories that made each point necessary.

In my first year (2017), I made the classic mistake of processing an order for 'plastic bags' without asking for a real spec. The order was wrong, and we had to re-run it. Back then, $890 felt like a lot. Now I know it was cheap tuition.

Step 1: Replace 'Packaging Plastic Bag' with a Real Specification

Saying 'packaging plastic bag' when you order is like telling a carpenter 'build me a thing that holds stuff.' It's a starting point, not a spec. You need more detail:

• Material type (LDPE, HDPE, PP, nylon, etc.)
• Thickness in mil or micron
• Dimensions: length, width, gusset, and tolerance
• Print style (flexo, digital, rotogravure) and colors, preferably Pantone numbers
• Seal type: heat seal, zipper, adhesive, etc.
• Quantity and packaging of the bags themselves

If you're not sure, ask for the supplier's spec sheet. At Bemis packaging, we have spec sheets for all of this, and we'd rather answer questions before you order than after something goes wrong.

On color, don't trust your screen. Per Pantone Color Matching System guidelines, the industry standard color tolerance is Delta E < 2 for brand-critical colors. Delta E between 2 and 4 is noticeable to trained observers; above 4 is visible to most people. Give your supplier the PMS number. A screenshot from your phone is not a color standard.

Step 2: Check the Files Before You Send Them

I once received an email attachment named 'APA manual pdf free download.pdf' from a client who was trying to send me their logo. It was not their logo. It was a PDF of the APA manual—or at least a PDF with that name. The actual logo arrived four emails later. The order was delayed by a day because that file went into a preflight process and got kicked out.

Before you upload anything, check these things:

• Is the file a vector PDF, AI, or EPS, or a high-res PNG? If it's a screenshot, it's not a print file.
• Is the art 300 DPI at final size? Commercial print standard is 300 DPI. That means a 3000 x 2000 pixel image prints at a maximum of 10 x 6.67 inches. If you blow it up beyond that, you're asking for blur.
• Are fonts outlined or embedded? Missing fonts are a top reason proofs get rejected.
• If the design goes to the edge, is there bleed? Ask the supplier for their bleed spec before you design, not after.

This feels like admin busywork. Then you see a print reject because someone used a JPEG exported from a presentation slide, and you'll understand why the file check exists.

Step 3: Verify the Spec After Any Supplier Change

When a packaging company goes through an acquisition, don't assume nothing changes. As of June 2019, the Amcor Bemis acquisition was complete, and some Bemis packaging product codes and specifications shifted in the consolidation. I learned this the hard way: I processed a legacy reorder without double-checking the new spec sheet. The product name was identical. The material spec had changed, and the customer's sealing line was set for the old formulation. 12,000 pouches didn't seal. $3,200 went to the recycling bin.

The fix is not to avoid companies that get acquired. The fix is to ask for a fresh spec sheet and requalify the product after a merger, acquisition, or plant move. Don't rely on 'it's basically the same.'

Step 4: Address It Like a Very Confused Courier

It sounds basic, but the search phrase 'how to address an apartment on envelope' is not just for students. It matters for packaging orders too, especially when you ship samples or prototypes to a customer. An incomplete address can turn a $60 sample shipment into a $240 overnight redo.

We once shipped a sample to 'Building 12, Unit 3' with no apartment number. The courier made two failed delivery attempts. The sample came back. The customer was not super happy. The replacement shipment cost more, not less.

Rule: put the apartment or unit number on the delivery line with the street address. '123 Main St, Apt 4' works. '123 Main St' does not. As of July 2024, USPS rates are in effect; a returned package also costs a week. If you're sending a sample, send it to the actual desk or mailroom, not just the building.

Step 5: Get a Committed Lead Time, Not a 'Probably'

If you ask me, this is the step that saves the most money—while looking like it costs money. Here's the reality: people think rush orders cost more because they require extra work. Actually, they cost more because they're unpredictable and disrupt planned workflows. The premium is for certainty, not just speed.

In March 2024, we paid $400 extra for rush freight. It stung. But the alternative was missing our customer's $15,000 event. I think that's a fair trade. We still hesitated before approving it, because 'save money' is a reflex.

'Probably by Friday' is not a promised date. It's a hope. Ask for a date in writing, and ask what happens if the date is missed.

Don't hold me to this, but the damage from one late packaging order is usually 4-6 times the rush fee. That's been true in my experience, and I've been burned enough times to trust it.

Step 6: Verify Dimensions with the Actual Items

We were using the same words but meaning different things. The customer said 'standard size.' We heard 'whatever the file says.' We discovered this when the order was delivered and nothing fit the customer's existing materials. Same words, different meaning. Classic communication failure.

Make a dimension sheet. For each component, write down length, width, depth, weight, and tolerance. If it's a printed carton, include the board weight. Example: 100 lb cover is approximately 270 gsm. A standard business card is 3.5 x 2 inches. A quarter-inch difference might not seem like much, but in a packaging line, a quarter-inch can jam a labeler or a carton former and stop production for an hour.

You don't need a six-sigma program to fix this. You need a ruler and a box that someone has to fill out before placing an order.

Step 7: Make the Checklist Non-Negotiable

After the third rejection in Q1 2024, I created our pre-check list. Since then, we've caught 47 potential errors before placing an order into production. That's not because I'm clever. It's because the list forces someone to demonstrate that the spec is real, the file is right, the address is complete, and the lead time is committed.

My rule: no checklist, no order. It sounds bureaucratic. It saves money.

If you're a one-person purchasing department, you can do a light version: before you click send, look at the spec sheet, the artwork, the delivery address, and the promised date. One minute of checking can save you from a $640 mistake. I know because I've made them.

What Still Gets Me

Honestly, the checklist doesn't catch everything. Here are the mistakes that still sneak through:

• Approving a proof from my phone. A logo on a 5-inch screen looks fine. On a printed 12-inch carton, the color is wrong. I've done it. It cost a reprint. The fix: look at a hard proof or a Pantone coated swatch before you approve.
• Going with the 'budget vendor' to save money. Look, I saved $80 on a slower shipping option once. Then the standard delivery missed a deadline, and we paid $400 for a rush reorder. The budget choice looked smart until the client's line stopped. Net loss: $640 plus a client relationship ding.
• Accepting 'as soon as possible' as a delivery date. The client said ASAP. We heard 'whenever convenient.' Result: delivery two weeks later than they expected. Now I ask for exact dates on every PO, and I write them on the order confirmation.

If you take one thing from this, take the idea that a packaging order is not the place for 'probably.' Probably is a cost you discover later. I'd rather pay for certainty upfront, even if it hurts.