The selling unit, the barcode, and the master carton are locked while the cardboard cat product is still a sample, not after the bulk is cut.
What to decide on the sample
- Whether the scratcher ships flat, nested, or built.
- Where the barcode sits so a warehouse scan does not need to open the carton.
- How the master carton keeps the board dry.
- Which carton marks your team needs.
Flat or nested packing lowers volume when the shape allows it. A lounge and a house do not always fold the same way, so the saving is per SKU. Ask for that plan with the sample. The factory steps are on export packing.
Tell the factory whether the piece is picked in a store, shipped as a single FBA unit, or both. A retail carton and a mailer are different structures. Changing that choice after the cartons are printed means a reprint. Marks, barcodes, and retail inserts are prepared in Shenzhen and confirmed before bulk.
Board and moisture
Corrugated board hates a damp container. Wrap and a reinforced master carton are the usual answer. The flute itself is chosen on the materials page: BC for a lounge or a house, B for a pad, E when the face is mostly print. Corn starch glue bonds the board. FSC board is available when the program asks for Chain of Custody.
IQC, IPQC, and FQC run before the cartons close. A third-party inspection is welcome on site. Trade terms from Shenzhen can be EXW, FOB, or DDP. Official samples are usually ready in 5–7 days after the structure and artwork are agreed, which is the window for locking the pack as well as the print.
What to send with the packing brief
Send the destination, the channel, and a photo or a drawing of the unit you want the warehouse to scan. Say whether the scratcher is a pad, a lounge, a house, a post, or a seasonal set. A Christmas 2-in-1 that becomes an L, a tunnel, or a step does not pack like a flat pad. Ask for the packed size on the sample, not after the seasonal window has opened.
Do not treat flat-pack as a promise on every SKU. The saving depends on the shape and the freight mode. A reinforced master carton and a wrap are the usual answer for moisture. Labels are confirmed with your team before bulk. If a mark changes after the cartons are printed, the cartons are reprinted. That is slower than locking the mark on the sample.
Questions
Should the selling unit be a retail box or a mailer?
It depends on the channel. Tell us whether the piece is picked in a store, shipped as a single FBA unit, or both. We pack to that.
When are carton marks locked?
Before bulk. Changing marks after the cartons are printed means a reprint.
Factory editor
Edits sourcing notes for pet brands and Amazon sellers, from the Petaful floor in Shenzhen.
