My Container Ordering Checklist (After $2,400 in Mistakes)

I'm a procurement coordinator handling packaging orders for small-batch food producers for 6 years now. I've personally made (and documented) 8 significant mistakes, totaling roughly $2,400 in wasted budget. Now I maintain our team's checklist to prevent others from repeating my errors.

This checklist is for you if you're ordering glass jars, bottles, or containers for food, beverage, or cosmetic production—especially if you're placing your first few orders or scaling up from small quantities. It's basically what I wish someone had handed me in 2019.

Total steps: 7. Takes about 15 minutes to run through properly. Skip steps at your own risk. I learned that the hard way.

Step 1: Confirm the Exact Container Specifications

Before you even look at pricing, nail down these details:

• Capacity (in oz or ml—and know which one you need)
• Dimensions (height, diameter, neck finish)
• Material (glass type, color, thickness)
• Shape (round, square, hex—affects labeling)

Here's the thing: "8 oz jar" means different things to different suppliers. I once ordered 200 "8 oz" jars that were actually 8 oz brim full—meaning practical fill capacity was closer to 7 oz. My client's labels said 8 oz. That was a fun conversation.

Check: Ask for the actual fill line capacity, not just the brim capacity. Get it in writing.

Step 2: Verify Closure Compatibility

This is the step most people skip. Don't.

Neck finish matters. A lot. The numbers (like 58-400 or 70G) tell you the diameter and thread type. Get this wrong and your lids won't seal properly—or won't fit at all.

In September 2022, I ordered 500 hex jars and 500 gold lids separately because the lids were cheaper from another source. Smart, right? The jars were 63mm continuous thread. The lids were 63mm lug. Looked identical in photos. Totally incompatible. $340 in useless lids.

Check: Match the exact neck finish code, not just the diameter. When in doubt, order containers and closures from the same supplier—companies like Fillmore Container sell matched sets for a reason.

Step 3: Calculate Quantities (Including Breakage Buffer)

Your math:

• Units needed for production run
• + 3-5% for breakage/defects (glass breaks, it happens)
• + samples for testing
• + extras for photography/marketing

I used to order exact quantities. Exactly 1,000 jars for 1,000 units. Then 23 arrived cracked, 8 had chips on the rim, and we needed 15 for the product photoshoot. Guess who got to explain the production delay?

Real talk: the 5% buffer costs way less than a rush reorder.

Check: Add your buffer before finalizing the order, not as an afterthought.

Step 4: Review Minimum Order Quantities and Price Breaks

Three things to look at:

• MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)—can you even order the amount you need?
• Price breaks—sometimes ordering 10% more drops the per-unit cost by 15%
• Case pack quantities—you might have to order in multiples of 12 or 24

I went back and forth between ordering 400 vs 500 bottles for two days. 400 was $0.89 each. 500 was $0.71 each. The 500 quantity actually cost less total and gave me a buffer. Obvious in hindsight. Wasn't obvious when I was staring at the order form at 11 PM.

This is where discount codes actually matter—Fillmore Container and similar suppliers run them regularly. That extra 10-15% off can push you into a better price tier.

Check: Calculate total cost at your needed quantity AND the next price break up. Sometimes more is cheaper.

Step 5: Confirm Lead Time and Shipping Method

Ask specifically:

• Production/processing time
• Shipping transit time
• Carrier (glass needs proper handling)
• Delivery confirmation requirements

Saved $80 by skipping expedited shipping once. Standard delivery missed our production deadline by 2 days. Rush reorder cost $410. Net loss: $330 plus a very stressed week.

I have mixed feelings about rush shipping premiums. On one hand, they feel excessive. On the other, I've seen the chaos at our end when containers arrive late—maybe they're justified.

Check: Work backward from your production date. Add 3 days buffer minimum. Seriously.

Step 6: Inspect the Sample (Yes, Actually Inspect It)

If you're ordering significant quantities or a new container type, get a sample first. Then actually check:

• Does your product fit? (Measure, don't assume)
• Does your label fit? (Print a test label, apply it)
• Does the closure seal properly? (Fill with water, turn upside down, wait)
• Does it look right with your product inside?

I knew I should test the label dimensions on the actual jar before ordering 2,000 units. Thought "what are the odds the curve would be that different?" Well, the odds caught up with me. Labels wrinkled on every single jar. $890 in reprinted labels plus the embarrassment of showing my boss.

Check: Samples cost $5-20. Mistakes cost hundreds. Do the math.

Step 7: Document Everything Before Submitting

Before you hit "Place Order":

• Screenshot the product page (specs can change)
• Save the quote or cart summary
• Note the rep's name if you spoke to someone
• Confirm ship-to address (I've shipped to our old warehouse twice)
• Double-check payment method

Part of me wants to trust that suppliers keep perfect records. Another part knows that disputed orders are a nightmare without documentation. I compromise by spending 2 minutes screenshotting everything.

Check: If you can't prove what you ordered, you can't dispute what you received.

Common Errors This Checklist Has Caught

We've caught 47 potential errors using this checklist in the past 18 months. The big ones:

• Wrong neck finish (11 times—this is epidemic)
• Quantity just under a price break (8 times)
• No breakage buffer (14 times)
• Ship date after production date (6 times)
• Mismatched capacity assumptions (8 times)

The $50 difference between careful ordering and careless ordering translates to way more than $50 in avoided disasters. When I switched from "quick orders" to running this checklist every time, our order error rate dropped from about 12% to under 2%.

A Note on Sustainability and Recycling

Quick tangent since it comes up a lot: glass containers are genuinely recyclable. Unlike some plastic packaging, glass can be recycled indefinitely without losing quality. If your customers ask "can you recycle this?"—yes, they can, curbside in most areas.

That said, recycling infrastructure varies by location. Check your local guidelines. Some areas don't accept certain colors of glass.

Final Note

This checklist isn't complicated. It's just thorough. The errors I made weren't from doing difficult things wrong—they were from skipping obvious steps because I was rushing or overconfident.

Print this out. Tape it to your monitor. Run through it every single time. The 15 minutes it takes is nothing compared to the cost of a bad order.

That's it. Done.