Oct 26, 2026Buying Guides
MOQ, Lead Time & Payment Terms: A First-Time Importer's Cheat Sheet
The three numbers that decide your first order: minimum order quantity, sample and production lead time, and payment terms - how they work and how to plan a season around them.
Most first orders go wrong on one of three numbers, and none of them is the unit price. They are the minimum order quantity, the lead time, and the payment terms. Here is how each one actually behaves.
MOQ: One Number, Two Causes
A minimum exists because the line has to be set up for your product and your artwork. For color cosmetics and related gift items, the working figure is 5,000 pcs or 10,000 pcs, depending on the item and the component. A simple printed item usually sits at the lower figure; a shaped case, a multi-colour component or a complex decoration can push the quantity up.
Two lines are quoted differently: body lotion and body shimmer oil start at 2,000 bottles, and hand cream at 5,000 bottles.
Two ways make the number workable. Fewer SKUs, deeper quantities: one well-chosen item at full quantity beats three items half-funded. Or start with a trial order - most suppliers welcome one, so you can test your counter before committing to a season.
Lead Time: Two Dates, Not One
Lead time is not a single number. Samples take around 14 days. Production ships 45-55 days after payment. Freight and customs clearance sit on top of that, and they vary by route and season.
Work backwards from the shelf date. Christmas stock belongs on a ship by early summer, Valentine's stock leaves in the fourth quarter of the previous year, and back-to-school runs from a Q1 order. If a window looks tight, a smaller first quantity on a simpler component is a better answer than a shipment that lands after the peak.
Payment: What the Terms Are Actually Buying
Standard terms for export cosmetics are T/T, L/C or PayPal. Each one buys something different. A deposit by T/T is fast and simple, and it covers the materials start. An L/C adds a bank layer that protects both sides on larger orders, at the cost of paperwork and fees. PayPal is useful for samples and small trial orders where speed matters more than cost.
Whichever route you choose, agree two things in writing: what milestone each payment is tied to, and what happens if the delivery date slips. A clear clause here is worth more than a discount.
Packing and Ports: The Small Print That Costs Money
Confirm the packing standard before you order: inner boxes inside the outer carton, so products arrive undamaged. Confirm the port too - goods ship from Shanghai or Ningbo, and the choice affects your freight quote and your transit time.
The Cheat Sheet
Write these on one line before you sign: MOQ per SKU, sample date, ship date, payment milestones, port and packing standard. If a quotation answers all six, you can compare suppliers properly. If it answers three, the missing ones will surface later, usually as a delay.
Send us your product, your quantity and your shelf date, and we will confirm all six numbers for your exact item - including a trial order if you want to test the market first.
