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How Many Custom Tubes Should You Order?

05/28/2026

Order too few tubes and you’re paying a premium for a rushed reorder right when demand spikes; order too many and you’ve tied up cash in inventory that ages in a warehouse. The right number depends on which kind of program you’re running.

Here’s a simple framework for sizing a tube order to your actual need.

Match the order to the program

Sort your need into one of three buckets: a first launch or limited run, a retail rollout with forecastable sell-through, or a recurring e-commerce program that ships continuously. Each is sized differently, and treating a recurring program like a one-off launch is the most common ordering mistake.

First runs: order to your launch, plus a buffer

For a first product run, base quantity on your realistic launch demand — pre-orders, first-quarter forecast, or a conservative sell-through estimate — and add roughly 10–15% for samples, replacements, and the reorders you won’t want to rush. Our 250-unit minimum makes a lean first run practical.

Retail rollouts: order to forecast and reorder cadence

For retail, order to your sell-through forecast for a defined window (say a quarter), and set a reorder trigger so you’re never caught short on a fast-moving SKU. Ordering a full window at once beats drip-ordering on price, since per-unit cost drops meaningfully with volume.

Recurring programs: order by the quarter or year

If you ship a steady volume — a subscription box, an always-on DTC product — ordering a quarter or a year of tubes at once usually wins on both price and lead-time safety. A program shipping 1,000 tubes a month should look at ordering 10,000–12,000 at a time, with a buffer, and reorder from the saved spec.

Tell us your program type when you request a quote and we’ll recommend a quantity and show how per-unit pricing improves at each tier. Learn how we work or read more guides.

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