How do I show a buyer my subscription box’s packaging design files and suppliers?

Start with the design files. Collect the final artwork, the editable source files, the dielines and the printer’s proofs for every box you have shipped, including seasonal editions. Label each by version and date. A buyer will ask whether the files are complete and who holds the originals.

Be ready to answer who made them. If a freelancer or agency designed the boxes, find out what was agreed about ownership of the artwork and whether anything was put in writing. Ask your lawyer how to show that ownership clearly and how to transfer it.

Then prepare the supplier sheet. For printers, box makers, fulfilment partners and anyone who supplies inserts, list what each provides, how orders are placed and how long they take. Note which ones you could replace easily and which ones you could not. Show samples too. A physical box in hand answers more questions than a folder of files. Share the relationship history with each supplier, any minimum order commitments and any quality problems you have worked through. Share only after a buyer has signed a confidentiality agreement, and ask your lawyer to prepare it. Be ready to explain why you chose each supplier and what you would change if you stayed.

Key takeaways

• Keep editable source files, not only finished artwork.
• Be ready to show who owns each design.
• Sort suppliers by how easily each could be replaced.
• Share samples of boxes along with the files, and show any supplier quality notes.