Nuts & Bolts – Shipping Marks

[Read our full Nuts & Bolts series] 

After your games are manufactured, and assembled, they are packed into cartons. The outside of each carton needs a shipping mark that facilitates your games moving through customs, fulfillment, and distribution.

You’ll send your shipping mark (in black and white) to your manufacturer, and they will print them on the outside of each carton.

Here are some examples:

You’ll design your own shipping mark. Let’s look at what is generally required and best practices.

Mandatory Markings

• Product Name

• Consignee

• Manufacturer

• Made in Mark (a best practice is to have both a designed in, and made in mark)

• SKU (see our article on creating SKUs & UPC codes)

• UPC Number (see our article on creating SKUs & UPC codes)

• Quantity per Carton

• Carton Weight (a best practice is to have both imperial & metric)

• Carton Dimensions (a best practice is to have both imperial & metric)

Additional Best Practice Markings

• Company Logo

• Game Logo

• Product Description (“Base Board Game Set”, “Board Game Expansion Set”, etc)

• Carton Number & Number of Cartons (your manufacturer can add this upon request)

• Handling Markings (i.e. fragile, or this side up marks)

For reference, here is our Nut Hunt shipping mark.

What are some questions you have about manufacturing, freight, and fulfillment?