Auto Lock Bottom vs. Lock Bottom Box: Which Pre-Glued Base Fits Your Product

Two of our packaging options share "lock bottom" in the name, which makes it easy to assume they're interchangeable. They're not quite — the difference comes down to how the base goes together, and that difference matters more than it sounds like once you're packing fifty boxes instead of five.

Auto Lock Bottom: speed over steps

Our Auto Lock Bottom Box ships flat with a pre-glued base. Open it up and the bottom locks into place on its own — no tape, no folding sequence to remember. For businesses packing a high volume of orders, or anyone who'd rather spend time on the product than the packaging, that speed adds up fast.

Lock Bottom: built in three steps

The Lock Bottom Box (sometimes called a 1-2-3 Lock Bottom) uses interlocking bottom flaps you fold into place by hand. It takes a few extra seconds per box compared to the auto-lock version, but it's a reliable, sturdy base that's well suited to heavier items like creams, candles, and sprays where you want confidence the bottom won't give.

So which one fits your product

If you're packing at volume and assembly time is the bottleneck, the Auto Lock Bottom Box's pre-glued base is the easier sell. If you're packing lower volumes, or your product skews heavier and you want that extra flap-on-flap security, the standard Lock Bottom Box does the job just as well. Both support size, shape, material, and tuck-style customization, so the deciding factor really is assembly, not durability.

Still weighing your options against our tuck-end styles too? Our box style comparison guide covers how all of them stack up. Or browse the full lineup in our packaging collection.