Social Media Marketing for Advertising & marketing
-
Manufacturing Consulting Print Design
- Less than $10,000
- Jan. 2024 - Feb. 2025
- Quality
- 0.5
- Schedule
- 0.5
- Cost
- 0.5
- Willing to Refer
- 0.5
"Every aspect of the experience was marked by delay, deflection, and poor customer service."
- Advertising & marketing
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- 1-10 Employees
- Online Review
- Verified
A marketing agency hired Instant Custom Boxes to deliver a custom packaging solution based on the client's designs. The team was responsible for manufacturing and shipping boxes to the client, ensuring QC.
Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) delivered defective packaging that didn't meet the approved specifications. The company acknowledged the issue and agreed to issue a partial refund of 65%. However, despite multiple written commitments to complete the payment, the client received only half of that refund.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the owner of a marketing agency.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Instant Custom Boxes (ICB)?
I was seeking a reliable vendor to produce custom-printed packaging that matched our approved design specifications. The goal was to enhance our brand presentation and ensure consistent, high-quality packaging for our product launch. We needed a partner who could deliver accurately and on time.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of work with Instant Custom Boxes (ICB)?
We contracted Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) to deliver a complete custom packaging solution for our business. The agreed-upon scope included the following key deliverables:
- Custom Box Design Execution: ICB was responsible for translating our approved artwork and design files into production-ready packaging, ensuring proper layout, sizing, and brand alignment. Despite submitting a fully approved design, ICB introduced a critical typographic error—adding an “E” where there should have been a space in the product name. This mistake significantly altered the branding and rendered the boxes unusable for customer distribution.
- Manufacturing of Custom Boxes: The core deliverable was the production of a specific quantity of printed boxes that matched our specifications in terms of size, material, finish, and print quality.
- Quality Control: We expected commercial-quality output, with consistency across all units and no structural or visual defects. This expectation was not met due to the design flaw and lack of final review accountability.
- Shipping and Delivery: ICB was responsible for packaging and shipping the completed boxes within an agreed timeline to support our business launch.
Due to the production error, we could not use the boxes and were forced to delay our product launch. Although ICB acknowledged the mistake and agreed in writing to a partial refund, we have spent more than a year trying to recover the promised amount. To date, only half has been refunded.
Most concerning, ICB has refused to issue the remaining refund unless we first remove the truthful reviews we published about our experience. They are now withholding funds already acknowledged as owed—contingent upon the removal of those public reviews. This has caused ongoing financial and operational strain and continues to impact our business to this day.
What is the team composition?
We worked with 3–4 teammates from Instant Custom Boxes (ICB).
How did you come to work with Instant Custom Boxes (ICB)?
We found Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) online and initially chose them based on the positive testimonials featured on their website and their competitive pricing. However, in hindsight, we strongly encourage prospective customers to conduct a broader review of public feedback. The reviews on ICB’s website do not reflect the experiences found on platforms like Google, Yelp, Trustpilot, and others—including ours. Based on our experience, we cannot recommend this company and advise others to do their due diligence before engaging their services.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent approximately $2,466.45 on this project.
What is the status of this project?
We started working together in January 2024, when we placed the original order and submitted the final artwork and specifications. The project effectively ended in February 2024 when Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) acknowledged the product was defective and agreed in writing to issue a partial refund. However, despite multiple follow-ups and partial payments, the matter remains unresolved as of June 2025 due to Instant Custom Boxes (ICB)’s failure to complete the agreed-upon refund. While the production work ended over a year ago, the dispute regarding refund fulfillment is still ongoing.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Unfortunately, none of the objectives were met. The boxes delivered were defective, did not match the approved designs, and significantly disrupted our ability to use them as intended.
There were no measurable outcomes of success in our project with Instant Custom Boxes (ICB). Despite paying $2,466.45 for custom packaging services in January 2024, the products delivered were defective and did not meet the approved design specifications. This was acknowledged by Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) in writing.
Over the course of a year, we received no usable deliverables and only partial refund payments totaling $763.42—despite a written commitment to refund $1,526.85. All payments required persistent follow-up, and multiple promised deadlines were missed.
After posting factual reviews describing our experience, Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) refused to pay the remaining refund balance unless we deleted the reviews—despite admitting they still owed us money. This conduct is not only unethical but appears to violate consumer protection laws and platform review policies.
To date, this project has resulted in a financial loss, wasted time, and ongoing efforts to recover what we are owed. We cannot recommend doing business with this company.
How did Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) perform from a project management standpoint?
Instant Custom Boxes (ICB)’s project management was extremely poor. They failed to deliver the agreed-upon products in usable condition and did not meet promised deadlines for either production or refund payments. Communication was inconsistent and unreliable—emails and messages were often ignored, and responses, when they came, were vague or contradictory.
Despite multiple assurances, timelines were repeatedly missed. Refunds required constant follow-up over more than a year, and commitments made in writing were not honored. Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) demonstrated little regard for accountability, transparency, or customer satisfaction throughout the process.
They committed to issuing a refund within 18 business days in February 2024, then promised monthly payments—but consistently failed to follow through. Timelines were unreliable and promises were not kept. Despite agreeing to a partial refund, the company delayed payments for over a year. The time, effort, and stress involved far outweighed any value from this transaction.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Unfortunately, nothing about working with Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) was impressive or positive.
If anything stood out, it was how consistently they failed to follow through on commitments. From missed deadlines to vague communication and the unethical demand to remove public reviews before issuing a refund they already admitted was owed—every aspect of the experience was marked by delay, deflection, and poor customer service.
While Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) claimed to offer custom packaging services with a quick turnaround, our experience showed serious issues with reliability, accountability, and follow-through. I cannot recommend them based on our project.
Despite acknowledging the issue, they failed to deliver a timely or complete refund. The quality of both the product and their follow-through was highly disappointing. A refund was promised but withheld for over a year. This level of service and accountability is unacceptable for any business. They promised a refund but delayed for over a year. Now they’re withholding the balance unless I delete my honest review. Unprofessional, unethical, and not to be trusted.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Yes—there are several things Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) could and should have done differently:
1. Delivered the correct product: The core issue began with the delivery of defective packaging that did not meet the approved design. This was the first failure.
2. Honored their refund commitment promptly: They acknowledged the mistake and agreed to a partial refund of $1,526.85, yet failed to deliver it within the promised 12–18 business days—or even within a year.
3. Communicated transparently: Their team consistently avoided accountability—ignoring emails, delaying responses, and missing every single payment deadline they set.
4. Refrained from unethical tactics: Conditioning a refund on the removal of honest public reviews is not only unethical but potentially illegal under federal and state consumer protection laws.
5. Handled billing responsibly: Charging my credit card without authorization in April 2024 shows a reckless disregard for proper financial practices.
In short, Instant Custom Boxes (ICB) could have taken responsibility for their mistake, processed the refund they acknowledged as owed, and conducted business professionally—none of which happened.
RATINGS
-
Quality
0.5Service & Deliverables
"The packaging we received from Instant Custom Boxes was defective and did not match the approved design."
-
Schedule
0.5On time / deadlines
"Instant Custom Boxes repeatedly missed their own refund deadlines."
-
Cost
0.5Value / within estimates
"The product received did not meet approved specifications, and the value was significantly diminished."
-
Willing to Refer
0.5NPS
"I would not refer Instant Custom Boxes to others. The experience involved poor communication, missed deadlines, and unresolved issues.
