How to Upsell PART 2: Different Types of Gift Boxes Based on Cost and Profit

Posted by Big Brand Wholesale.com on 1st Apr 2020

In Part 1 of this article we discussed Paper types. Now we are going to discuss boxes. There's TONS of types of boxes. We are going to discuss all of them so you can pick the right box for your company look and your wallet. We will also discuss Upsell prices and profit per box style.

Remember, most companies do not actually "wrap" the gift UNLESS the gift is being sent directly to the giftee. Instead the company supplies the buyer with the wrapping materials that they purchased. ALSO, the cheaper your "upsell" is, the more you will sell the upsell but the more premium the upsell is the more profit you will make per upsell. Don't forget, the upsell is NOT the item the person purchased; you already made your profit off of their purchase. All you are trying to do now is get the buyer to give you a couple extra bucks.

TRADITIONAL CLOTHING BOX (Duck Brand - 20 Boxes in Assorted Sizes for under $16): The traditional clothing box will require wrapping paper and probably a bow, so keep that in mind:

This traditional box is approximately 80 cents per piece. If we assume our wrapping paper and bow is going to add another $1.25, our total cost per upsell would be $2.05. If we sell our gift wrap "kit" for $4.99 we have made over 100% profit (closer to 150% profit!!!)!

You can also get clothing boxes that have foil printing, which eliminates the need for any wrapping paper: These are a bit more expensive; 12 pieces for $18-$20. These specific boxes are KRAFT material:

Since these boxes do not need wrapping paper, let's assume we are going to add a bow; making our cost approximately $1.80, which means that even though the box itself is more expensive than the plain white box, we are actually making larger profit because there is an additional 55 cents per order! Since you are making a lot of extra profit you could also offer a free gift tag and even after the cost of the tag you would still be making 100% profit.

There are cheaper variations of the printed box. These ones are traditional printing and they sell for 20 boxes for $15-$17. These are not KRAFT and they do not have Foil Graphics,

These boxes will still need a bow and a gift tag would be nice. The total cost per box + tag + bow is going to come in around $1! Since you are getting all of this so cheap you could offer this gift wrap option for only $3.99 and clear 200% profit.

There is also a 12 pack for $9.99

The 12 pack comes to 84-cents per box whereas the 20 pack was 80-cents per box. Not a giant financial different but keep in mind that 4-cents is 1% of $4. So just by buying the 20-pack instead of the 12-pack, you are making 1% more profit for nothing.

Boxes come in all sizes and shapes! Don't think the *only* option is the standard clothing box!

SQUARE BOXES are good for more boxy-shaped items, like Mugs, snacks, small decor, candles, etc:

The white square boxes are 10pc for $7 or you can get a substantial discount by buying 100pc for $25. Let's assume you want to maximize profit so you go with the 100pc 4x4 boxes. If you add a nice ribbon, gift tag and matching bow you're going to come in around $0.95 - $1, depending on the cost of the ribbon. Since the box is 4x4" I estimated 35-cents for the ribbon, 10 cents for the gift tag and a quarter for the box. If you can get your cost down to $0.95 you can easily sell this upgrade for only $2.99 and clear 200% profit.

FOLD-TOP GIFT BOXES These fold tops are a GREAT size! 7" x 7" x 4"! You can score this big 20-pack for only $25. Since these come with ribbons and are adorable already, no ribbon or bow is needed!. You could loop a gift tag into the ribbon if you wanted. Even if you add a gift tag your total cost is going to be about $1.35.

You could also add a piece of tissue paper if you wanted; let's say the tissue costs 10-cents. This puts you at $1.45 for a friggin gorgeous gift! Since these are so nice looking you could definitely ask $3.99 - $5.99 for the upsell. Remember, the cheaper the upsell the more often you will sell it! You could even offer these are $2.99 and you would upsell a TON.

The Mini Boxes shown below are (2"x2"x2") perfect for little tiny items! 36 Pieces for under $13. Comes with Gift Tags too! No need for additional supplies or tape! You could add a tiny piece of tissue inside if the item is super small, like earrings. So if we went with this box and a tiny piece of colored tissue, we are at only 40-cents or less! Since the price is so low you could offer it for $1 and make 100% profit or, just offer it for FREE if the customer spends X-amount or more. If your average sale price is $20, offer this Free with $25 purchase. You will make more money offering it for "free" because they're spending $5 more instead of paying the $1 upsell. OR, you can offer it both ways; Free if ya spend $25 or if you spend less, here it is for only $1.

Larger-size small-boxes; these guys are 3"x3"x3.75"

Even larger small-boxes. 4 inches + No need for additional wrapping materials. 20 Boxes for around $16:

If the merchandise you sell is playful, these bright colored boxes are a ton of fun. 24 bold colors for $12-$14! These are perfect for kids socks, a kids shirt, crayons, treats, socks or other 5.75 x 3" items. Would look adorable with a funky bow. If you score these boxes at .60 cents per piece, you can add a cool bow for $0.15 - $0.75 (depending how cool the bow is) and come in at $0.75 total to $0.95 total.

You can also get the exact same box in festive Birthday print:

Or a beautiful floral:

There are also "window boxes" that allow the giftee to see a sneak peek of the present. These are often used in Bakeries but make adorable gift packaging too. 12 pieces for under $10!

Another alternative would be to insert your logo under the clear window. This looks best with solid color window boxes or basic patterns that flow with the style and colors of your logo. Make sure you are having your logo professionally printed if you plan to do this.

An often overlooked, absolutely wonderful box for small items is the Candy Paper Box / "Pillow Box". These are great for stuff like a piece of underwear, gift cards, jewelry and more. Best of all they're VERY inexpensive but look gorgeous. Here's 100 Pillow Boxes with bonus jute for under $10!!!

As you can see, this 100-count is small size boxes; approximately 3"x2":

But there are larger versions, like this 6-inch which is 50 pieces for $13. If we decide to get these, they already come with jute rope, which looks simply fantastic. You can easily slide a nice gift tag with a custom message on the tag. Your total cost for this would be 50-cents or less!!

If you want a graphic exterior, here's a classy-looking, all occassion 5-inch, 50-pack for around $12:

Or go with the lace pattern with foil graphics; 100pc of a 4 inch box for $9.99

TIP: Make sure the boxes you are purchasing CAN FOLD FLAT. You want to avoid boxes that are round or hexagon unless you know you can ship these boxes without you paying for extra packaging materials or higher shipping rates due to the bulky box.

For example, these circle boxes are really nice, BUT none can be folded, so you have have to now accommodate shipping for a 6" diameter circle box that is 5" tall! UNLESS you are able to ship the item you are selling inside of this box then put this box in a bigger box.