For many brands, label purchasing happens one SKU at a time.

A new product launches.
A reorder comes up.
A quote is requested.

Each label is reviewed, priced, and ordered independently. On the surface, this feels logical, each SKU has its own size, artwork, and demand. But over time, this SKU-by-SKU approach quietly drives up costs and creates unnecessary complexity.

Here’s why.

The Hidden Cost of Treating Every SKU as a Standalone Project

When labels are evaluated individually, opportunities for optimization get missed. Most label programs have more in common across SKUs than teams realize, but those commonalities only surface when you step back and look at the full picture, which is why we developed our OPTIM program.

Three areas that are almost always overlooked.

1. Common Die Sizes That Could Be Shared

Many brands assume each label needs its own custom die. In reality, slight differences in artwork size often don’t require a different die at all.

What happens with a SKU-by-SKU mindset:

  • Multiple dies purchased unnecessarily
  • More sizes to track
  • Longer setup times on the production side

When reviewed as a group, SKUs can often be:

  • Sized to fit an existing die
  • Standardized across families of products
  • Production can be streamlined to reduce set up time

Shared dies across several SKUs can eliminate tooling costs and simplify production.

2. Same Colors, Printed Separately

Another common inefficiency: running the same colors over and over on separate jobs.

Brands frequently have:

  • The same brand colors
  • Minor artwork variations

But when each SKU is quoted and ordered independently, those similarities don’t get leveraged. That leads to:

  • Repeated setup time
  • Shorter runs with higher per-unit costs
  • Missed opportunities for consolidated press time

Looking at labels collectively allows printers to:

  • Align SKUs using the same ink set ups
  • Reduce changeovers
  • Optimize press efficiency

The result is lower total cost, even if individual SKU quantities don’t change.

3. Volumes That Look Small But Aren’t

Individually, many SKUs appear low-volume. Combined, they often represent significant annual demand.

SKU-by-SKU purchasing hides:

  • Total annual volume by size or material
  • Opportunities to hit better price breaks
  • Smarter release strategies

When volumes are aggregated:

  • Pricing can be structured around total usage
  • Labels can be staged or released over time
  • Inventory risk can be reduced without sacrificing cost

Optimized volumes aren’t about ordering more, they’re about ordering smarter.

Why This Matters More as Brands Grow

As SKU counts increase, inefficiencies multiply:

  • More tooling
  • More setups
  • More inventory decisions

What felt manageable at 5 SKUs becomes expensive at 25.

Brands that scale smoothly tend to shift from SKU-level decisions to program-level thinking, where tooling, colors, volumes, and lead times are designed to work together.

The Takeaway

Looking at labels SKU by SKU doesn’t just increase cost, it limits visibility.

A program-level review often uncovers:

  • Shared die opportunities
  • Consolidated press runs
  • Better volume pricing
  • Lower inventory risk

And most importantly, it usually doesn’t require changing suppliers or disrupting production, just stepping back and connecting the dots. Read more about the reasons we developed our OPTIM Program