Whether you have entered a Dollar General in the recent past, there is a high chance that you have come across the viral phenomenon that is sweeping the social media: The Diamond Embossed glassware collection. This retro-style, textured, spice jar style is flying off the shelves at only one dollar apiece; small bowls also have the same style.
And the million-dollar question of packaging suppliers and product vendors is: How do you cash in on the Diamond Emboss trend when delivering to Dollar General without being hit up with an expensive chargeback?
The “Diamond Embossed” appearance is a registered design look to the home goods of Dollar General, but the demand of the consumer on the packaging with a texture and luxurious feel is unquestionable. This manual fills the divide between that cool style and the harsh logistical needs of one of the toughest retailers in America.
Aesthetic vs. Diamond. The Dollar General Reality
The trend of the “Diamond Embossed” is successful as it provides a perceived value. A glass jar with a smooth surface is generic, and a diamond-textured jar is apothecary-heirloom. Custom Embossed Boxes can be treated in the same way.
But there is a snare. Dollar General has a high velocity distribution network. Their vendor manuals recommend that packaging should be designed to survive conveyor systems, stacking and mixed-load shipping.
The Expert Opinion: You are (and ought to be) embossing your product to differentiate it, but the box integrity must be considered first. Dollar General specifically mentions that the packaging should be able to fit onto a 48″ x 40″ pallet and have no overhang and must be sturdy enough to pass ISTA Series 3 tests.
Dollar General Packaging Requirements
You need to design to comply before you design the diamond texture on your custom box. Dollar General is known to be extremely strict and a breach of these rules would lead to instant chargebacks.
The No-Overhang Rule (Palletization)
Your embossed boxes should be designed to fit on the standard GMA pallet (48″L x 40″W). In case your box design has an overhang, then the load is unstable. Pro Tip: Squares will not be tolerated; you have to make sure that your box dimensions are cube out effectively on their pallet to save money.
- Carton Strength & Construction
Dollar General is supplied with an extensive assortment of products. When you use embossed cardboard (a textured surface) you need to make sure that it does not compromise the structural integrity.
- Maximum Dimensions: 42″ (L) x 24″ (W) x 30″ (H).
- Minimum Dimensions: 9″ (L) x 6″ (W) x 2″ (H).
- Labeling and Markings (Don’t Hide the Data)
A beautiful embossed pattern cannot hide the data on logistics that is necessary.
SKU Rule: Although the SKU number is not necessarily needed on the outside of the secondary packaging, the item description should be available. In case of soft lines or cosmetics, breakdowns of color and size are obligatory.
Human Readable: The markings should be readable using the over wrap. In case the embossing is too deep, and distorts the ink or label, it is non-compliant.
EDI and Operational Compliance (The Invisible Box)
It is of no use having a beautiful box but having the wrong data attached to it. Dollar General needs EDI 856 (Advance Ship Notice) to be received prior to the arrival of the truck at the Distribution Center.
In the case of Custom Embossed Boxes
ASN Accuracy: The number on your Advance Ship Notice should be equal to the number on the actual carton. So, when you have 100 embossed boxes on a pallet, EDI transmission should indicate 100.
GS1-128 Labels: Each carton requires a label that is in compliance. On-embossed surface cannot be hand-written; a high-adhesion, scan able GS1-128 label has to be placed on two opposite sides.
Evading High-End Finishes Chargeback
Premium materials or particular printing processes are usually used in custom embossing. In this way you may retain your “Diamond” appearance without incurring a loss of your margins to fines:
Shrink Wrap is Obligatory: Pallets are all to be shrink-wrapped, and the wrap should be stuck to the pallet. When your embossed boxes are slippery (with a gloss or soft-touch finish), you might have to use anti-slip spray or corner boards to keep the wrap in place.
No Gluing: Dollar General highly disapproves of gluing cartons. No boxes of yours should be embossed and then forced to stack by the strength of their own structure.
The Fragile Exception: In case your custom box is really a high-end and easily damaged, then you should write in red ink on all sides that it is Fragile. This is necessary to avoid being damaged and should be the most conspicuous graphic on the box.
Sustainability and Values of Dollar General
Dollar General is determined to waste less. Although the trend of the Diamond Emboss will be retro and high Quality, your packaging plan should connect with the waste reduction objectives of DG.
Secondary Packaging (Freight): Recyclable box. Their supplier requirements may require them to use more lamination or mixed materials that cannot be recycled.
Final Checklist for “Diamond Embossed” Box Shipments
Check this list before you send your specially embossed box to a Dollar General Distribution Center
- Pallet Fit: Does it fit 48×40 GMA pallet with zero overhang?
- Stack Height: Does the stack have a height less than 68 inches?
- Weight: Does weight less than 2,500 lbs?
- Markings: Does the Item Description appear or was the embossing used to conceal it?
- EDI: Is the ASN received prior to arrival?
- Label: Is the GS1-128 scan able and on both sides?
A combination of the touchable feel of the aesthetics of Diamond Embossed and the inflexible logistics of Dollar General will produce a package that will make the final customer happy on Instagram and the Distribution Center manager on the loading dock.
Final Words
It is not simple to develop bespoke embossed packaging that enchants the charm of the so-called Diamond Emboss trend and makes it through the harsh reality of Dollar General supply chain. But it is worth it.
It is important to keep in mind that the consumer who purchases that $1 diamond-textured jar off the shelf does not have a view of the pallet, the shrink wrap or the EDI transmission. They just look at the box. And when that box is special, when the embossing is right and the feel of it says quality even before they open it–then you have half the battle.
The other half? That is won within the distribution center. Ultimate to the guidelines presented in this guide, i.e. the correct size of the pallet, proper labeling, integrity of the shrink wrap, and accuracy in the ASN transmissions, you will never see the feared chargeback email. You maintain your margins healthy. And you win the confidence of one of the biggest retail stores in America.