# Best (Cheapest) place to buy egg cartons



## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

Where's the cheapest place to buy egg cartons? I was going to order from Meyer because in their catalog, they were $25 for 100. When I got on their web page to order, they were $45 for 100. Nope. I hope that was just a misprint and not a price increase. I prefer the cardboard/paper mache ones, but I'll take whatever's cheapest. I looked on Amazon and was not really impressed with the prices and was hoping someone here had a good source.

Oh yeah, don't need any printing on them or anything fancy.


----------



## Agriculture (Jun 8, 2015)

I don't know about price, since it's not a high dollar item I don't bother looking around just to save a few cents, but eggcartons.com has one of the best selections of sizes and materials that I've seen. It's been a few years, but their customer service for me has been very good too.


----------



## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

The best price I found at Tractor Supply - they occasionally have them on sale. I don't know what your market (and state laws) look like but I can sell legally in a reused carton if the customers provide their own. Since I sell to just a small group (and mostly friends), I buy the cartons and then they bring them back to reuse. I don't see a reason to charge extra 50 cents/dozen if we can easily reuse an item. If I were selling at a Farmers Market, I would buy new and factor the carton into the price.


----------



## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

I've been selling 4-5 dozen a week (2 days per week) since around March 1st with a self-serve cooler down at the end of the driveway. I live on a gravel country road and have about 20 families who regularly drive past my place. 

I'm not even sure who exactly my customers are or how many, but I have probably bought 3-4 dozen new cartons at about 45 cents each from the local feed and fleet over the summer. That number includes the ones I started out with - all new and same design. I have half-a-dozen fliers I keep stocked in the cooler for my customers with the general instructions for the self-serve set-up, and ask that if they like, they can return my cartons that they have used.

It has worked out well, as I get at least 2-3 cartons a week back - just left in the cooler when they buy eggs, and I toss any that are stained, or are getting worn out. Truth be told, I was MORE worried that I'd be on the receiving end of TOO MANY used and unusable cartons, so I am happy with the way it worked out. 

It hasn't been worth the effort to nickel and dime the egg carton replacement price - I just pick up a dozen more if the pile is getting low when I go on a feed run.

Just a view "from the trenches"! 

**Added: Be careful of the "cheapest" cartons. They may be small, and may not close down fully on the large eggs we home growers get from out mature hens. Just a thought.


----------



## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

Our Tractor Supply has them for $.49 and they look nice. Time I pay shipping and everything, that's probably the easiest way to buy them. I can check at the local feed store, too, they probably have them, I hadn't thought about that. I have had some eggs that were pushing the limits of my foam cartons size-wise.  My concern about using re-cycled cartons is the printing on them.... Grade A, size, etc. I don't want anyone thinking they're getting something they're not even if you tell them. Thank y'all.


----------



## Guest (Sep 25, 2016)

Alder said:


> I've been selling 4-5 dozen a week (2 days per week) since around March 1st with a self-serve cooler down at the end of the driveway. I live on a gravel country road and have about 20 families who regularly drive past my place.
> 
> I'm not even sure who exactly my customers are or how many, but I have probably bought 3-4 dozen new cartons at about 45 cents each from the local feed and fleet over the summer. That number includes the ones I started out with - all new and same design. I have half-a-dozen fliers I keep stocked in the cooler for my customers with the general instructions for the self-serve set-up, and ask that if they like, they can return my cartons that they have used.
> 
> ...


Where in the world do you live? If I tried that, eggs, cooler, and everything would be gone.


----------



## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

ladycat said:


> Where in the world do you live? If I tried that, eggs, cooler, and everything would be gone.


Northern Minnesota - small rural township. I put the cooler out before 9:00 am and bring it in 5:00-6:00 pm. Never had a lick of trouble... a few times ended up with TOO MUCH money at the end of the day! The road is almost completely local traffic, and this township is pretty quiet and out of the way.

Yes, Mayberry still does exist...


----------



## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

Alder said:


> Northern Minnesota - small rural township. I put the cooler out before 9:00 am and bring it in 5:00-6:00 pm. Never had a lick of trouble... a few times ended up with TOO MUCH money at the end of the day! The road is almost completely local traffic, and this township is pretty quiet and out of the way.
> 
> Yes, Mayberry still does exist...


We have a local organic farm that sells on honor system meat and dairy. You just come in the store, take whatever you need out of the cooler or freezer and leave the money in a basket and take change. They said they never had trouble and they have quite a large amount of money sitting around unattended (organic pasture raised beef is not cheap). Most customers like to leave a note in a notebook. I think it is wonderful that there are still places like that.


----------

