Why Summer Is Key to Holiday Packaging Prep
Holiday demand starts long before December. So should your packaging.
For B2B and D2C brands alike, Q4 is the most critical—and most chaotic—shipping window of the year. Lead times stretch. Material availability tightens. Freight costs spike. And late packaging decisions almost always translate to missed revenue. The summer months are your opportunity to lock in inventory, fine-tune designs, and ensure packaging won’t be the reason you fall behind when holiday orders start flooding in.
Production and Lead Times Are Already Under Pressure
Holiday packaging needs to be ordered, produced, and delivered well before peak season begins. But many businesses underestimate just how early they need to act. Custom corrugated orders can carry lead times of 6–8 weeks by late summer, with delays compounding as demand surges across print vendors, die cutters, and fulfillment partners. Waiting until September or October often means settling for compromises in design, quality, or cost.
Early preparation lets you finalize specs while lead times are shorter and production capacity is still available. Whether you’re running custom-printed RSCs, branded folding cartons, or seasonal POP displays, June–August is the window for stress-free production.
Design Revisions Take Time—Don’t Rush Them
Holiday campaigns usually require refreshed branding, new inserts, or modified packaging configurations to accommodate limited-time products or bundles. But packaging design is a technical process. Structural testing, prototyping, dieline creation, and regulatory compliance all require coordination—and last-minute updates can introduce unnecessary risks.
Summer is the time to work through revisions carefully. It ensures you don’t rush through decisions that impact protection, retail appeal, or brand perception when it matters most.
Lock in Materials Before Seasonal Shortages Hit
Packaging material supply is cyclical. By fall, board mills and film suppliers prioritize large Q4 contracts, often pushing out smaller runs or limiting availability of specific substrates and coatings. In 2023, certain grades of white corrugated and foil-lined board were backordered for weeks by early October.
When you plan in summer, you avoid price hikes and limited availability. You also give your packaging partner time to source cost-effective materials with enough buffer to meet demand.
Peak Shipping Costs Can Be Reduced with Smart Packaging
Smart packaging design finalized early can help you avoid excess freight charges later. Optimizing box dimensions, reducing cube size, and minimizing overpackaging helps reduce parcel volume and weight—which directly translates to savings during the holiday shipping crunch.
Start those conversations in summer, and you’ll have time to test structural changes and confirm compatibility with carriers before rates spike in Q4.
Final Takeaway: Summer Planning Is a Competitive Advantage
If you want to avoid rush fees, stockouts, design errors, and missed retail windows, start your packaging preparation now. Whether you need custom printed corrugated boxes, retail-ready displays, or e-commerce inserts, the businesses that act in Q3 are the ones best positioned to capitalize in Q4.
Need help getting ahead of the holiday packaging curve?
Contact Brown Packaging to start planning your seasonal packaging strategy today.
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