CAT TREES / PACKING & FREIGHT
Flat-pack cat tree cartons and container loading.
Flat-pack cat tree cartons and container loading: confirm packed L×W×H and gross weight, then build the loading sheet with your forwarder.
THE SHORT ANSWER
For a flat-pack cat tree, confirm packed outer L×W×H and gross weight with the factory for the bulk configuration before any freight quote. Do not estimate cube from assembled or open dimensions, and do not reuse sample-pack figures for bulk. Request units per carton, contents and part protection for the exact model; packing mode is confirmed per project.
VISUAL REVIEW / BEFORE A SAMPLE ORDER
From parts to a packed carton.
Choose a detail to see what belongs in your buying brief.
REVIEW POINT 01
Code every part in the carton.
List the base, supports, platforms and hideaway as separate coded parts. The same codes should appear in the contents list and the instruction sheet.
Assembled size and packed size are different records
Keep the assembled dimensions for your product listing and the packed carton dimensions for freight and storage. Ask for both against the same model and version. Using assembled dimensions to estimate freight, or a carton figure from a different configuration, makes shipment comparisons unreliable.
Ask what is inside each carton
Request a carton contents list: each coded part, the hardware bag, the instruction sheet and any tools included. If a model needs more than one carton, ask which parts go in each carton and how the cartons are linked to the same unit. A complete-set check against this list is the simplest way to reduce missing-part complaints.
Protection for posts, platforms and coverings
Ask how posts, platform edges, upholstered surfaces and rope or scratching surfaces are separated and protected inside the carton. Agree the protection method on the sample pack, not just in writing, and record it with the approved revision.
Carton marking and model identification
Similar models and colourways are easy to confuse in a warehouse. Ask for carton marks that identify the model, configuration, finish and quantity, and plan any barcode labels your channel needs. Keep the marking requirement in the same order record as the packing specification.
Build a loading sheet before you book space
Sum cartons by model and finish, then estimate total weight and cubic metres with your forwarder. Leave planning margin for mixed cartons and for how the load will stow. Container type and maximum payload are logistics decisions; this site does not publish a fixed loading chart for every model. When several models share a container, carton marks should match the packing list line by line so receiving can reconcile inventory.
Freight quote inputs
A forwarder needs packed carton dimensions, gross weight, units per carton, the number of cartons per model and the destination. Add the trade terms you want quoted. Shipment tests or packaging assessments, if your channel requires them, are discussed separately for the project.
Decision framework: confirm packed L×W×H and gross weight
Treat packed outer length, width, height and gross weight from the factory as the only freight decision inputs. Ask which revision and which pack mode (flat-pack or assembled) those figures belong to, and freeze them in the same record as the quotation. Common mistakes: quoting cubic metres from open or assembled dimensions; mixing sample-pack cartons with bulk-pack cartons; omitting gross weight so the forwarder cannot check payload; and updating packing without refreshing the freight estimate. PRETTY has its own factory and a trading company for export coordination, so ask that the quotation, the packing list and the sample packing trial all refer to the same revision.
| Record | Per model | Review question |
|---|---|---|
| Packed dimensions | Carton length, width and height | Is this the configuration being quoted? |
| Weight & count | Gross weight and units per carton | Are cartons per model stated? |
| Contents | Coded parts, hardware bag and instruction sheet | Can a missing part be identified without guessing? |
| Protection | Separation of posts, platforms and coverings | Was the method reviewed on a sample pack? |
| Marking | Model, configuration, finish and quantity on the carton | Can the warehouse tell similar models apart? |
| Loading sheet | Cartons by model and finish, total weight and cube | Has the forwarder checked the booking against these figures? |
Common gaps in a buying brief.
Using assembled or open dimensions for freight
Confirm packed L×W×H and gross weight with the factory.
Mixing sample-pack figures with bulk
Freeze bulk carton data before the forwarder quote.
No carton contents list
Agree a complete-set list and check it on the sample.
YOUR NEXT CONVERSATION
Bring these details to the discussion.
Choose the points you want to review. Your selection will be added to the editable specification notes in your enquiry.
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