Travel Oral Care

First-time importers of oral care products often lose weeks not because factories are slow, but because the process is opaque. Here is the exact journey from first inquiry to containers on the water — with honest timelines.

Step 1: The RFQ (Day 0–3)

A professional RFQ includes: product types and quantities, target price, branding requirements (logo, colors, Pantone codes if known), packaging preference, destination market, and compliance needs (CE/FDA). The more precise your RFQ, the faster and more accurate the quote. Expect a detailed quotation within 24–48 hours.

Step 2: Sampling (Day 3–15)

• Stock-mold samples: shipped in 3–5 days, often free — you pay courier only
• Custom pre-production samples: 7–10 days after artwork approval, including your logo and packaging mockup

Approve samples in writing. This "golden sample" becomes the quality benchmark for the whole order.

Step 3: Order Confirmation and Deposit (Day 15–20)

Standard terms: 30% deposit with order, 70% balance against copy of bill of lading. Confirm in the PI (proforma invoice): specifications, packaging, carton marks, lead time, shipping terms and payment method.

Step 4: Production (Day 20–55)

Typical lead time is 25–35 days after deposit and artwork confirmation. During production, ask for photo/video updates at molding, tufting and packing stages. A confident factory shares these without being chased.

Step 5: Inspection and Balance Payment

Final random inspection to AQL standards, optionally by a third party (SGS, TÜV, QIMA — $300–400 well spent on first orders). After the report passes, you pay the balance.

Step 6: Shipping (Day 55–85)

Choosing the Incoterm

• EXW: you handle everything from factory door — maximum control, maximum work
• FOB (most common): factory delivers to the Chinese port and handles export clearance; you book the shipper
• CIF: factory also arranges freight to your port — simpler, slightly costlier

Sea freight adds 20–40 days depending on destination; air freight 5–7 days for urgent top-ups.

Timeline Summary

First order door-to-door: ~85–100 days. Repeat orders: 35–55 days, because sampling and artwork are done. Plan your first launch backwards from your target shelf date, and add two buffer weeks for the unexpected.

The suppliers who make this process transparent — with named contacts, WhatsApp access and staged updates — are the ones worth keeping for the next ten years.

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