Industry Trends

Fillmore Container FAQ: What I Wish I'd Known Before My First Order

I've been handling packaging orders for small-batch food and cosmetic producers for about seven years now. In that time, I've personally made (and documented) at least a dozen significant mistakes, totaling roughly $4,200 in wasted budget and a whole lot of stress. I now maintain a checklist for our team to prevent others from repeating my errors.

Here are the questions I get asked most often—and the ones I wish I'd asked sooner.

1. Is the price I see online the final price?

This is the first thing I check now. Mostly, yes, but you need to watch for shipping. Fillmore Container's product pages show the unit price, and they're pretty transparent about bulk discount tiers. Where things can shift is with shipping costs, especially for heavy glass orders. I've learned to add items to my cart and get a shipping estimate before I finalize my budget. A $200 order of bottles can easily have a $50+ freight charge, which changes the unit cost math significantly.

My mistake: I once budgeted based on unit price alone for a large essential oil bottle order. The freight quote was a surprise that ate into my margin. Now, "get shipping estimate" is step two on my checklist.

2. Do I need to buy lids separately?

Almost always, yes. This is a classic rookie error (and one I made in my first year, 2018). Containers and closures (lids, caps, pumps) are typically sold separately. Fillmore's site usually suggests compatible lids, but it's on you to add both to your cart. Don't assume a "jar" listing includes the lid.

The conventional wisdom is to just match the thread size (e.g., 38-400). My experience with 500+ piece orders suggests otherwise. Always check the product details for the recommended closure. A lid with the right thread might still have a poor seal or an awkward fit. That mistake on a 1,000-piece order cost us about $450 in wasted lids and a week's delay.

3. What's the real lead time?

This depends heavily on whether items are in stock. For in-stock items, processing is usually quick (1-2 business days), but then you're at the mercy of freight transit. For out-of-stock or custom items, lead times can stretch to weeks.

My rule: I don't trust the generic "ships in 3-5 days" on the site during peak seasons. I call or email to confirm stock status for my specific SKUs before placing a time-sensitive order. In September 2022, I didn't do this, and a "usually in-stock" amber glass bottle was backordered, pushing out a product launch. The numbers said the timeline was safe. My gut said to verify. I ignored my gut. Lesson learned.

4. Are there minimum order quantities (MOQs)?

For individual items, often yes, but they're usually low—like a case pack of 12 or 25. This is pretty standard. The bigger thing to watch is minimums for custom printing. If you're looking at private label containers (with your logo printed on them), that's where MOQs can jump into the hundreds or thousands.

Fillmore is fairly clear about this, but it's a question worth asking directly if you're exploring custom options. I once sourced custom-printed tubes elsewhere with a 5,000-unit MOQ that wasn't obvious until the quote stage. That was a dead-end that wasted a week of my time.

5. How do I know a container is right for my product?

This is the most important question, and it goes beyond just looks. You need to consider:

• Compatibility: Is the material (glass, plastic) suitable for your product's pH, oil content, or viscosity? For food, is it food-safe? Fillmore usually notes this, but it's your responsibility to verify for your specific application.
• Function: Does the opening work for your product? A thick lotion won't pour well from a narrow-neck bottle.
• Fill Line: I made the error of not checking the internal fill volume once. The bottle looked right but held 2oz less than my product required, making my labels inaccurate. We had to scrap 200 pre-printed labels.

Always, always order samples first. It's a small cost that prevents huge mistakes.

6. What about returns if I mess up?

To be fair, this is where any bulk supplier gets strict. Returns for simple buyer's remorse are usually not possible, especially for custom or printed items. Returns for genuine errors (like they shipped the wrong item) are handled, but you need to report it fast.

My policy now is to double and triple-check the cart before submitting. I get why the return policy is tight—they can't resell opened case packs of glass jars. But it means the burden of accuracy is entirely on you. That $3,200 cork-top bottle order I mentioned? That was non-returnable. We made it work, but it wasn't ideal.

7. Is Fillmore the cheapest option?

I'm not 100% sure they're always the cheapest, and I'd be skeptical of any supplier who makes that claim. What I've found is that their pricing is competitive and transparent, especially with their frequent discount codes. For standard, in-stock items, they're often in the ballpark.

The real question isn't "who's cheapest?" It's "who provides the best total value for my needs?" That includes price, reliability, customer service when things go wrong, and ease of ordering. For straightforward orders of common containers, Fillmore's platform is pretty efficient. For highly complex custom work, you might be talking to a different type of supplier altogether.

Roughly speaking, I'd say don't expect to save 50% here, but you likely won't get ripped off either. It's a pretty reliable middle ground. Prices as of early 2025; verify current rates.

8. What's one thing most people don't ask but should?

"What's your policy if an item is damaged in transit?" Glass breaks. It happens. You need to know the process before you sign for the delivery. Most reputable suppliers, including Fillmore, have a claim process, but there's usually a short window (like 24-48 hours) to report it. Take pictures of the packaging and the damage immediately.

I learned this the hard way when a pallet arrived with a cracked corner. I was busy and didn't inspect it until two days later. By then, it was much harder to file a claim. Now, "inspect and photograph upon delivery" is the final step on my checklist. We've caught 7 damaged shipments in the past 18 months using this rule.