Subscription rigid box
1200 gsm, magnetic200 minimum · 10 to 14 business daysA subscription rigid box is a wrapped 1200 gsm board box with a magnetic lid, sized to fit inside a standard mailer and kept by the subscriber after the first month. We produce them from 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof, with full print inside the lid. Common sizes are 9 by 7 by 3 inches and 11 by 8 by 3.5.
When to choose it, and when not to
Choose a rigid subscription box when the subscription is premium and the first box has to justify a year of payments. A magnetic rigid box arrives inside a plain mailer, so the carrier never touches it, and the subscriber keeps it on a shelf for the next month's refills. It suits beauty, wellness, coffee, tea, wine club and stationery subscriptions where the box is kept and the monthly contents arrive in a lighter pack after.
Choose a subscription box in E-flute instead when every month ships in a fresh box, because a printed corrugated mailer does that for far less board and no outer. Choose a collapsible rigid box when you need the rigid look but cannot store assembled boxes, since it ships flat and folds up at the bench.
Specifications
| Board | 1200 gsm grayboard, 1000 gsm on boxes under 8 inches |
|---|---|
| Offset CMYK on the wrap, inside lid printed, foil or deboss on the lid | |
| Finish | Matte art paper, soft-touch, linen, kraft |
| Closure | Concealed magnet in the lid flap, opens flat |
| Inserts | Die-cut paperboard tray, tissue, crinkle, or a monthly printed card |
| Outer | Sized to a matching kraft or white mailer with 0.5 inch clearance on each side |
| Minimum | 200 units |
| Lead time | 10 to 14 business days after proof |
| Ships | Assembled, or flat as a collapsible version, in cartons of 20 to 50 |
| Sizes we run | 8 x 6 x 3 in 9 x 7 x 3 in 11 x 8 x 3.5 in 12 x 9 x 4 in any size from 6 x 4 x 2 to 14 x 11 x 5 in |
Materials that suit it
Questions people ask
Do I need a mailer as well as the rigid box?
Yes, if the box goes through a carrier. A rigid box on its own gets corner damage and label residue, and a scuffed premium box is worse than a plain one. We size the rigid box to sit inside a kraft or white mailer with a half inch of clearance each side, and we can supply both from 200 units in the same shipment.
Which sizes fit carrier rate bands?
A 9 by 7 by 3 inch rigid box inside a 10 by 8 by 4 mailer stays under most first-tier parcel bands, and an 11 by 8 by 3.5 inside a 12 by 9 by 4.5 sits in the next. Rate bands change, so tell us your carrier and we check the combined size before the dieline is final. The guide on sizing for carrier rates covers the current bands.
How do I handle month two onward?
We usually suggest sending the rigid box once and shipping refills in a printed mailer or a pouch that fits inside it. The rigid box stays on the subscriber's shelf and the refill pack is designed to slot into the same tray. We design the tray so a month's products drop in from the refill pack, and we can print the refill mailer to match.
Can the inside of the lid change each month?
The printed lid lining is fixed for the run, so print the evergreen message there and put the monthly content on a card. A 5 by 7 inch card in a slot in the tray, or two slits in the lid lining, takes a new card each month from 200 units. Cards are printed on 350 gsm and ship with the boxes or on their own.
Is there a flat-packed version?
Yes. The collapsible rigid box uses the same wrap and the same magnet but ships flat and folds up in about ten seconds at your bench. Fifty flat boxes fit in one carton the size of a microwave; fifty assembled ones fill a pallet layer. Choose collapsible when storage is the problem and assembled when the inside corners will be studied.
How is the subscription rigid box different from the subscription box?
The rigid box is the one subscribers keep. It is wrapped 1200 gsm board with a magnet in the lid, it arrives assembled, and it needs an outer mailer to travel. The subscription box is an E-flute corrugated mailer printed inside and out that ships flat and goes through the carrier alone, which keeps cost and storage down month after month. Both start at 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof. A common split is the rigid box for month one or a premium tier, and the mailer for every box after that.
Similar styles
Read next
Ready to price your subscription rigid box?
Send the size and quantity for a quote and a dieline, usually within one business day. Your digital proof follows, usually within one business day of your artwork. Design help and the Swatch Book of materials are free.