As you start the process of retailing CBD and Delta 8 products, there are many elements to put in place to offer those products to your customers successfully. One of those elements is to find a wholesale packaging supplier for repackaging your products. This is an essential element to your business, and finding the right packaging supplier is a lot like finding the right partner in a relationship. A good partner will make your life easier, while a difficult partner can become a nightmare.
As you begin your search for a wholesale packaging supplier, you will want to ask potential suppliers these five important questions to help you determine if they are a good fit for your company.
What Is Your Company’s Experience Level?
Find out if the company has been around for a long time. Experienced packaging suppliers know the ropes and can help guide you along and give you the confidence that they will likely continue in business through the foreseeable future. Ask to see a portfolio of their work. A confident supplier will be more than happy to show you an extensive portfolio of items that they’ve produced. Pay attention to the quality and detail in the packaging. You may even pick up an idea or two you can use for your own brand.
A huge bonus is if the packaging supplier has experience in the CBD and Delta 8 industry. If you find one, pay close attention to their packaging on these products and ask questions about their experience with CBD and Delta 8 retailers. You want a supplier who is enthusiastic about working with your type of retailer as opposed to one who may hold a dim view or has had bad experiences with CBD and Delta 8 retailers. The supplier’s attitude toward an industry says a lot about how well they have worked with it in the past.
What Are Your Capabilities?
As you are going through the supplier’s portfolio, ask about their capabilities regarding the packaging. For example, how large or how small are they able to make a package? What shapes can they produce? Then, think of your ideas regarding your own packaging and make sure the supplier can deliver on what you want concerning size and shape. Color and detail is also an area you want to explore. If you have a specific color pattern in mind, they will likely be able to handle it, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Having a mockup of what you would like your packaging to look like is a great idea here. Show the representative your ideas to see if they would be able to accommodate you, but be open to suggestions if some things need to be modified to make the printing more efficient.
Also, ask about packaging features they may offer. Questions such as:
- What sort of finishes are available. For example, do they offer matte, gloss, metalized, or soft-touch finishes?
- What thicknesses of plastic do they offer, and do they have puncture-resistant available?
- Do they have stand-up, lay-down, or both types of pouches?
- Do they offer hang holes, and if so, what type?
- Can you get a window added to a package or get transparent packaging?
Again, having a mockup or a good idea of what you want your packaging to look like goes a long way here to make sure the supplier can accommodate you.
What Are the Details of the Ordering Process?
They say the devil is in the details, which is definitely true when finding a packaging supplier. Ask first about the supplier’s ordering requirements.
- What is your minimum order?
- Is there a maximum order?
- What is their average turnaround time?
- Is there a difference in turnaround time depending on the size of the order?
- How are orders placed, and how do I follow up on that order?
- How am I invoiced?
The time between when you place the order and receive the order (aka, turnaround time) is probably the most important detail in the ordering process. The last thing you want is to run out of product because you are waiting on the packaging. Unfortunately, overseas suppliers can have a significantly longer turnaround time than those in the U.S., and they are more susceptible to delays for unforeseen circumstances.
How Is the Packaging Printed?
There has been a lot of concern over toxins from printing ink bleeding into food packaging in recent years. Unfortunately, except for glass and metal containers, most packaging is susceptible to small amounts of toxins making their way into the product. As a retailer of holistic wellness products, this is especially concerning. In addition, cannabinoid products have an extended shelf life and remain effective for up to one year for CBD and two years for Delta 8 THC. That extended shelf life gives any toxins plenty of time to work their way into the product.
Find out if your packaging supplier uses food packaging compliant ink. This UV printing ink is formulated so that the potential migration into the product is below accepted limits.
If the packaging supplier uses film, find out if it is a food-grade film that blocks oxygen, other gases, and light. Do they have premium-grade films like PE, PET, Metallized PET, or Bopp? A knowledgeable supplier will understand these concerns and offer a ready solution.
Do they use digital or traditional printing methods? This question is not as much concerned about the integrity of the product as it is the efficiency by which it is printed. For example, Digital printing is faster and produces more highly defined graphics when compared to traditional printing.
How Does Your Customer Service Work?
Remember, you are in a relationship with your wholesale packaging supplier. Having a direct person of contact who can help you with your order or work out a SNAFU is essential. Look for a supplier interested in developing a partnership with you and who will help you through the entire process to get you started on the right foot and be there for any future needs.
We’re Here to Help!
If you have any further questions we may be able to answer about packaging or wholesale hemp products in general, feel free to reach out to us using our wholesale contact form. And if you would like to join our many retail outlets, you can apply to be a Hemp Doctor retailer here.
