Fillmore Container FAQ: Common Questions About Packaging Orders (From Someone Who's Made the Mistakes)

I've been handling packaging and container orders for our small-batch food business for about seven years now. In that time, I've personally made (and documented) at least a dozen significant mistakes, totaling roughly $3,500 in wasted budget and production delays. The most frustrating part? Most were preventable with a few simple checks.

Now I maintain our team's pre-order checklist to stop others from repeating my errors. Here are the questions I get asked most often—and the answers I wish I'd had from the start.

1. "Are Fillmore Container's jars and bottles food-safe?"

This is the most critical question, and the answer requires a bit of nuance. Fillmore Container sells a wide variety of glass and plastic containers. Many are manufactured to be food-safe, but—and this is crucial—it's your responsibility to verify the specific item's suitability for your product.

Here's where I made an assumption that cost us: I once ordered what was labeled as "food-grade" plastic jars for a new line of salad dressings. I assumed that covered everything. Didn't verify further. Turned out, while the plastic was food-safe, the specific resin wasn't ideal for oily products long-term, and we started seeing slight warping after a few months. The lesson? Don't just look for "food-safe" or "food-grade." Check the material specifics (like PET, HDPE, or glass type) against your product's pH, oil content, and storage conditions. When in doubt, contact their sales team with your exact use case.

2. "How do I know which lid or closure fits my container?"

This seems obvious, but it's the source of probably 30% of the errors our checklist now catches. The product page will list compatible lids, but you have to click through to the lid's page and double-check its own listed dimensions and thread type.

My costly mistake: I ordered 500 glass bottles and 500 "standard 28-400" lids. They arrived, and about 20% of the lids were slightly too loose. It looked fine on my screen—the numbers matched! The result was a sealing failure during our leak test. We had to re-order a different batch of lids, which cost about $450 and pushed our launch back a week. The vendor wasn't wrong; there was a subtle variation in the glass threading between bottle lots that the "standard" lid couldn't accommodate. Now, our policy is to order a small sample of the exact container and lid combo and physically test it before any large batch order.

3. "What's the real deal with discount codes and bulk pricing?"

Fillmore, like many online packaging suppliers, frequently offers discount codes—you'll see "FILLMORE10" or similar. These are legit and can make a real difference on larger orders. The key is understanding the structure. The discounts usually apply to the product cost but often exclude shipping, which can be significant for heavy glass.

I learned this the hard way on a $2,200 order for Boston Round bottles. I was thrilled with the 15% off product price, but didn't fully calculate the shipping to our West Coast facility. The final bill was still high, and the "savings" felt less impressive. To be fair, their bulk pricing tiers (price breaks at certain quantities) are often where you'll see the bigger savings, especially on commodity items like mason jars. My advice? Use the discount code, but always run a cart total with shipping to your location before considering the deal done.

4. "How accurate are the stock levels and lead times shown online?"

This is a classic "your mileage may vary" situation. For high-volume, standard items (like clear 8 oz jars), the stock levels are usually pretty accurate, and lead times are stable. For more specialty items, colors, or custom prints, those times can be estimates.

We were bitten by this in September 2022. We ordered a run of custom-printed amber glass bottles for a holiday product. The site said "usually ships in 10-14 business days." I planned for 14. It took 22. The mistake affected that entire $3,200 order, causing a frantic scramble with our fulfillment center. The delay wasn't malicious—there was a supply chain hiccup with the amber glass blanks—but it taught me to always add a 25-50% buffer to the stated lead time for any time-sensitive project, and to confirm stock via phone or email if the launch date is inflexible.

5. "Is it worth paying for a sample before a big order?"

Short answer: Almost always, yes. The sample fee (usually just a few dollars plus shipping) is some of the cheapest insurance you can buy. This isn't just about checking fit and finish; it's about brand perception.

Let me rephrase that: the container your customer holds is a direct extension of your brand. I once cheaped out and skipped sampling on a "premium" line of lotions, going with a stock bottle that looked great online. The actual item felt lighter and cheaper than expected. The $50 I "saved" on samples translated to a product that looked mid-tier, not premium, and we got feedback about it. When I switched to a slightly more substantial, sampled jar for the next batch, our customer feedback scores on perceived quality improved noticeably. The container isn't just packaging; it's part of the product experience.

6. "What about shipping costs and damage?"

Shipping is the wild card, especially with fragile glass. Fillmore packs items well—I've received dozens of orders with minimal breakage. But "minimal" isn't "never." Their policy typically covers replacing broken items, but you need to report damage immediately (often within 48 hours of delivery) and provide photos.

Our checklist includes: "Film the unboxing of any glass order over $500." It sounds extreme, but it saved us on a pallet of 1,000 glass bottles where about 30 were cracked. Having clear video evidence made the replacement process with their customer service smooth and non-confrontational. Without it, you're relying on their goodwill. Also, factor in that shipping costs have risen across the board. A shipment that cost $200 two years ago might be $275 now. Don't hold me to those exact numbers, but the trend is upward.

7. "Can I get custom printing or labels from them?"

Yes, Fillmore offers custom printing services on certain containers. This is a big area where clear communication is everything. You're moving from buying a stock item to a custom manufacturing project.

The pitfall here is the proof versus the final product. I said "match this Pantone color." They sent a digital proof that looked right on my calibrated monitor. The final printed batch, however, was slightly off under our warehouse lighting. We were using the same words but meaning different things about color matching. Discovered this when the marketing team rejected the first production run. The fix? Now we always request a physical printed sample on the actual container material before approving the full run, even if it adds a week and a small fee. It turns "looks okay on screen" into "we know exactly what we'll get."

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

"What's the country of origin for this container, and are there duty implications if I'm re-selling?" This one blindsided me early on.

I ordered several thousand beautifully priced glass bottles. They arrived, and the packaging indicated they were manufactured overseas. No problem, until our accountant asked for the country-of-origin documentation for our own product labels. I didn't have it. The vendor provided it eventually, but it caused a paperwork delay. For some businesses, especially in certain regulated industries or for products making "Made in USA" claims, the origin of your primary packaging component matters. It's not a question for every order, but if you're scaling or in a regulated space, ask early. It's easier than scrambling later.

After the third such oversight in Q1 of last year, that question went straight onto our master checklist. We've caught 47 potential errors using that list in the past 18 months—errors that would have meant real money and time lost. Hopefully, these answers help you avoid adding to my tally of expensive lessons.