Most packaging label buyers focus on unit price, but that number barely scratches the surface. Choosing the lowest price — say, from an overseas supplier — can introduce hidden costs through longer lead times, quality risks, and lack of support when problems arise. The real cost of a label includes everything it takes to design, specify, source, store, apply, and manage it across your entire operation.
Above the surface
Label Cost
This is the price on the invoice. It’s the most obvious expense, but it’s far from the full cost of labelling your product.
Below the surface
Each hidden layer adds to your total applied cost. More importantly, each one impacts your time, budget, or brand reputation.
Tooling
Plates. Dies. Setup. The foundational work that makes printing possible.
Transaction Cost
Every PO and invoice adds soft costs through admin time and systems support.
Inspection Rejection
Poor print quality can slip through until inspection. Fixing it eats into time and resources, or worse, extended production downtime.
Production Downtime
When a line goes down over a label issue, every minute is costly.
End-Use Failure
When labels fail in the field, the cost is more than financial. It can mean compliance issues, customer complaints, or recalls.
On-Demand Printing
Short runs on in-house printers can look like savings. Until you add up ribbons, toner, labor, and waste.
Application Cost
Manual or automated, label application time affects speed to shelf.
Obsolescence and Excess Inventory
Design change. New SKU. Excess stock becomes wasted.
Transportation
Freight costs and delayed deliveries create ripple effects on lead time and shelf readiness.
Our motto: Better Service. Bottom Line means we work with you from start to shelf to solve more than just surface-level label needs. We bring 125+ years of vast experience to deliver Better Service by going above and beyond every time, and an overall better Bottom Line with faster throughput, fewer errors and unmatched response times. For example, one new client’s production rates soared from 200 to 250 products/min when they converted to Phenix Label, contributing more to the bottom line than a few cents off a label. We reduce your total applied cost with smart inventory, precision printing, and service that’s truly hands-on.
We understand that when our clients have an issue, time is money. We go above and beyond to provide fast, responsive troubleshooting and issue resolution, resulting in unmatched quality, service, and relationships that last. Because when you treat labels like a line item, you miss the bigger picture. When you treat them like a high-performance process, you gain shelf impact, speed, and peace of mind.
Let’s talk about your label iceberg.
We work with you from start to shelf with unmatched response times and reduce your total applied cost.