How long a tackle order actually takes
Direct answer
A repeat order and a first order with new tooling are different programmes, and the difference is measured in months rather than days.
Key facts
- The two numbers that decide whether a delivery date is realistic are the tooling status and the time of year.
- Because a mould has to be cut, and a sample has to pass, before a single saleable unit can be made.
- The revision cycle is where first orders most often lose a fortnight.
- The price basis decides who pays for what between the factory gate and your warehouse, and it changes both the number and the risk.
- Payment terms are the other half of the commercial picture, and the pattern in Chinese export manufacturing is stable enough to plan around.
The two numbers that decide whether a delivery date is realistic are the tooling status and the time of year. Everything else in a tackle programme is scheduling detail. A repeat order on existing tooling moves through the factory in weeks; a first order that needs a mould is a different programme with a different critical path, and the difference is roughly two to three months.
The timeline, step by step
| Step | Repeat order, existing tooling | First order, new tooling |
|---|---|---|
| Specification agreed in writing, with the price basis | 3–5 days | 1–2 weeks |
| Quotation, comparable and in writing | 2–4 days | 3–7 days |
| Tooling or mould making | Not needed | 4–8 weeks |
| Sample made and approved against a physical standard | 1–2 weeks | 2–4 weeks, including at least one revision |
| Production run | 3–4 weeks | 4–6 weeks |
| Pre-shipment inspection | 2–3 days | 2–3 days |
| Sea transit to Europe or the US east coast | 30–40 days | 30–40 days |
| Order to goods landed | 7–9 weeks | 10–14 weeks |
Why a first order takes longer, in one sentence
Because a mould has to be cut, and a sample has to pass, before a single saleable unit can be made. On a repeat order both of those already exist, so production can start within days of confirmation. On a first order they are the first two steps, and neither can be compressed by paying more — a mould has a machining time and a sample has a revision cycle.
The revision cycle is where first orders most often lose a fortnight. A sample that comes back needing a colourway adjustment, a hook position change or a weight correction has to be re-made before approval, and the factory will not start a production run against an unapproved sample. Budget one revision in the plan, and treat a first-pass approval as a bonus rather than the expectation.
What the commercial terms change
The price basis decides who pays for what between the factory gate and your warehouse, and it changes both the number and the risk.
| Basis | Factory handles | You handle | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW — ex works | Making the goods | Inland freight, export clearance, sea freight, insurance, import duty | You already have a forwarder you trust and want the whole chain under your control |
| FOB — free on board | Making the goods, inland freight, export clearance, loading | Sea freight, insurance, import duty | Default for a first order. The comparison is like-for-like and the factory carries the export paperwork |
| CIF / DDP | Everything up to the named destination (DDP includes duty) | Nothing until the goods land | You want one landed number and are willing to pay for the factory's freight margin to get it |
Payment terms are the other half of the commercial picture, and the pattern in Chinese export manufacturing is stable enough to plan around. A first order normally runs on a deposit with the balance against the bill of lading — commonly 30% to start and 70% on shipment. A repeat order can move to better terms once there is a payment history, and the balance release is where inspection leverage sits: hold the balance until the inspection report clears, and a failed run has a consequence the factory can feel.
The terms that govern an order are the ones written on the quotation and the proforma invoice, not the ones agreed in conversation. Where a factory will not put the price basis, the deposit percentage or the inspection right in writing, that is information about how the order will go.
What are the commercial terms?
These are the terms that decide whether a programme is safe to run. The defaults below are standard in Chinese export manufacturing; the terms that govern your order are the ones written in the quotation and the proforma invoice.
| Term | Common default | What you must confirm in writing |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | Deposit on order, balance before shipment or against a B/L copy | The trigger for the balance, who bears bank charges, and what happens to the deposit if the order is cancelled before production starts |
| Sampling | Buyer pays sample and courier cost | Whether the sample fee is credited against the first order |
| Tooling | Buyer pays for new moulds and print plates | Ownership — yours or the factory's — and whether it transfers or is bought out if you move the programme |
| Inspection | Third-party pre-shipment inspection commissioned by the buyer | The sampling standard (AQL level) and who commissions the inspection |
| Defects | Rework, credit or replacement | The remedy, and the deadline after delivery for raising a claim |
| Currency | USD, occasionally EUR | Who bears exchange movement between order and balance payment |
| Validity | Quotes are typically valid 15–30 days | What triggers a re-quote, usually material cost movement |
The tooling question is the one buyers most often skip and most often regret: whoever holds the mould decides how easy it is for you to leave.
How long does it take end to end?
| Stage | Existing tooling | New tooling |
|---|---|---|
| Specification to quotation | 2–5 business days | 2–5 business days |
| Sample | 7–15 days | 3–6 weeks (mould making and first shot) |
| Production | Per the factory's lead time | Per lead time, plus first-article approval |
| Inspection and documents | 2–5 business days | 2–5 business days |
| Sea transit (Europe / US east coast) | Roughly 30–40 days | Roughly 30–40 days |
| Order to goods landed | About 7–9 weeks | About 10–14 weeks |
Tackle demand peaks in spring in the northern hemisphere, so capacity is booked early. A programme intended for a spring season normally has to be confirmed towards the end of the previous year — ask the factory for its peak-season cut-off before you commit to a delivery window.
Where this sits in the process
This page is one topic out of the verification standard. The overview is How sourcing works, and the other topics on this page are listed there.
Sources
- Commercial defaults described here reflect standard Chinese export manufacturing practice; the terms that govern an order are those in the quotation and proforma invoice
- Inspection and verification method follows our published four-gate standard (see /verification/)