Packaging design quotation template
Packaging design quotation template: shelf research, three concepts, artwork per pack size on the printer's dieline, mock-ups and print-ready files.
Templates by industry
- Shelf and competitor research
- Design concepts, three directions
- Artwork on the printer's dieline, per pack size
- Physical mock-up for approval
- Print-ready files and colour proof check
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Confirm scope and quantities
Example: start with "Shelf and competitor research", confirm the required quantity and client inputs, then agree completion criteria for each item.
Review and approve the quotation
Confirm acceptance evidence for "Print-ready files and colour proof check", all line quantities, exclusions and quote validity with the customer, and retain the approved version.
Deliver and prepare billing
Hand over approved versions and a file manifest, confirming usage scope and completed revisions. When the agreed milestone is complete, prepare an invoice using actual quantities and approved changes.
Packaging has to work in two places the designer never controls: on a crowded shelf and on a printing press. A packaging quotation therefore runs longer than a logo quote. It starts with a look at the shelf and the competitors, moves through a few concept directions, then turns the chosen one into artwork on the printer's dieline for every pack size, checked on a physical mock-up. This template prices each step, so a fourth pack size or a second mock-up has a clear price.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Shelf and competitor research, Design concepts, three directions, Artwork on the printer's dieline, per pack size, Physical mock-up for approval, Print-ready files and colour proof check: specify the planned quantity and delivery scope for each item.
- Shelf and competitor research
- Say which shops or online listings will be reviewed and what the client receives, such as a short photo report.
- Design concepts, three directions
- State how many directions are shown and how many rounds of changes the chosen one gets; further rounds are extra.
- Artwork on the printer's dieline, per pack size
- Ask the printer for the dieline before artwork starts; the client supplies the legal text and barcodes, and you place them.
- Physical mock-up for approval
- Say how many mock-ups are made, on what material, and who pays for shipping them to the client.
- Print-ready files and colour proof check
- Say whether you check the printer's proof against the files and who signs it off before the print run.
- Quantity and output format
- Record pages, images, word counts or running time, final file formats and whether editable source files are included.
- Review and usage scope
- Specify the draft approver, revision rounds, intended media and duration, and who supplies third-party assets.
- Scope to agree
- Price artwork per pack size because each dieline is new work, say who supplies the dieline and the legal text, and include a proof check before the print run.
Before sending
- Does “Shelf and competitor research” say what is included and what quantity the price assumes?
- Would the customer read “Design concepts, three directions” the way you do, including what it leaves out?
- Can you still honour the price of “Artwork on the printer's dieline, per pack size” on the last day the quotation is valid?
Show 5 more
- Does “Physical mock-up for approval” say what is included and what quantity the price assumes?
- Would the customer read “Print-ready files and colour proof check” the way you do, including what it leaves out?
- Agree when a change of direction after draft approval becomes additional work.
- Check separately whether editable sources and final delivery files are included.
- Check quote validity, the customer approval method and payment milestones.
Worked example: a tea brand in three sizes
The figures are an example, with an example tax rate of 8%. A designer quotes shelf research, three concept directions, artwork for three box sizes on the printer's dielines, two physical mock-ups and print-ready files with a proof check.
| Item | Quantity × unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Shelf and competitor research | 1 × $900.00 | $900.00 |
| Design concepts, three directions | 1 × $2,400.00 | $2,400.00 |
| Artwork on the printer's dieline, per pack size | 3 × $650.00 | $1,950.00 |
| Physical mock-up for approval | 2 × $180.00 | $360.00 |
| Print-ready files and colour proof check | 1 × $450.00 | $450.00 |
| Subtotal | $6,060.00 | |
| Sales tax (8%) | $484.80 | |
| Total | $6,544.80 | |
The five lines come to $6,060.00; tax at 8% is $484.80; the quotation total is $6,544.80. Printing is ordered by the client directly and is not part of this total.
Common mistakes on a packaging design quotation
- Pricing all pack sizes as one job, so every new size has to be argued over.
- Starting artwork before the printer has supplied the dieline.
- Taking responsibility for legal and ingredient text the client should supply.
- Leaving out mock-ups, so problems first appear on the finished print run.
- Mixing the print bill into the design fee.
What the document must show
These details make a quotation easier to approve and to file.
- Your business name, address and registration or tax number
- The customer's name and address
- Issue date and a document number you do not reuse
- Each line item with quantity, unit price and amount
- Tax shown separately from the net amount, and the total payable
- Payment terms: due date, bank details or accepted payment methods
The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending.
Official rate reference: US government: state and local taxes
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible if the ingredients list on the pack is wrong?
The client supplies and approves the legal and ingredient text; you place it as supplied. Say so in the notes, and ask for written sign-off of the text before files go to print.
The client added a fourth pack size after approval. What do I quote?
Artwork on the new dieline at the per-size price, plus a mock-up if one is wanted. Because each size has its own line, the addition is simple to price.
Should printing be on my quotation?
Usually the client orders printing directly from the printer. If you manage the print run, quote it on separate lines with quantity, material and finish, apart from your design fee.
Can I quote a range of flavours sharing one design?
Yes. Quote the master design once and each flavour as an adaptation line, since a colour and text change on the same dieline is less work than a new size.
How is tax calculated on this template?
The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending. The editor keeps the net amount, the tax and the total apart, and recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a unit price or the country setting.
Can I email it to the customer?
Yes, from your own mail app. With a free account, the editor’s download menu offers Email this document, which opens your mail app with a message about the document already written. QuoteBill sends nothing itself, so save the PDF and attach it before you send.
Read next
Reading for the Packaging design quotation template: How to write a quotation: format, example and checklist and Quote to invoice: how to convert a quote, step by step. The VAT and GST calculator adds tax to your quoted prices.