If you are setting up Packaging for the first time:
1. Portfolio
- Activate your custom packaging.
- Activate or deactivate Hive Standard Material (boxes, bubble mailers, cardboard envelopes).
- Adjust box-level settings for your custom packaging (filling material, tape, stickers, silk paper).
If you do not yet have custom packaging, Hive can support you with sourcing and procurement.
We manage production and inventory directly within our fulfillment centers to ensure seamless replenishment and availability.
To explore custom packaging options, contact packaging@hive.app.
2. Product Groups
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Group items primarily by size.
SKUs that fit into the same packaging type should be in the same group.
- Separate fragile or special-handling items into dedicated groups.
- Mark flyers and inserts as negligible.
Product Groups are important because they allow you to create rules at the group level instead of per SKU, saving significant setup time and reducing rule complexity.
3. Rules & Predictions
- Review Predictions.
- Add rules for your top 5 order combinations where packaging strongly impacts cost, fit, damage risk, or brand experience.
You do not need to create rules for every combination.
If no rule exists, Hive will automatically select the best-fitting packaging based on historical data and operational logic.
💡 Tips for setting rules
Fallback strategy matters
When defining your packaging logic, consider what should happen if your preferred box is unavailable:
- If you want to prioritize brand consistency, keep your next larger custom box available in your Portfolio.
- If you want to prioritize cost and space efficiency, enable Hive Standard Material as fallback.
Fallback behavior is controlled via your Portfolio settings.
Prepare for product and packaging launches
You can create packaging rules before new products or new box sizes arrive at the fulfillment center.
This ensures your orders are packed exactly as intended from day one.