Terms, lead times and freight
Our minimums, lead times, payment terms and freight costs, on one page. Trade terms are explained the first time they come up, so it reads the same whether you've imported for years or never done it.
Getting the first one right
Sampling takes time because it's where problems get found and fixed.
- Samples made
2 minimum
You get yours to review. We keep one locked at the factory as the reference for the production run.
- Sample price
2× bulk price
The extra over bulk price is credited back against your invoice when you place the bulk order.
- Sample lead time
Up to 2 weeks
You hear about any design, finish or manufacturing change as it comes up, not afterwards.
- Before production
Approved physical sample
Required on every order, including rush. It is the one step that stops an expensive mistake reaching the container.
The sample you approve is the specification. Everything downstream is measured against the copy we keep, which is why we make two.
Lead times
Counted in calendar days from the approved sample and cleared deposit, not from the first email. Ocean transit is on top of this.
- Standard lead time
50–60 days
Negotiable against your timing and how complex the product is.
- Rush order
Under 40 days
Adds 5% to cover expedited labour and jumping the line.
- Sample sign-off
Still required
A rush order shortens production, not approval.
We won't skip sample approval to hit a date. It adds a few days at the start and catches most problems before production.
Quotes, payment and minimums
When you pay, how much, and what each payment covers.
- Quote validity
30 days
Raw material costs move. Past 30 days we requote rather than hold a price we can no longer honour.
- Payment terms
30 / 70
30% deposit to start production, 70% on shipment from the factory.
- Below-MOQ orders
+10–15%
First orders under the minimum are possible. The surcharge covers setup and machine calibration and depends on the item.
- MOQ by category
Real, and set by production efficiency rather than by policy.
If your first order is under the minimum, say so rather than padding the quantity. A surcharge on a small run costs less than stock you can't sell.
Incoterms we quote
Incoterms decide who pays for what and, more importantly, where the risk passes from us to you.
FOB Nhava Sheva
StandardFree On Board, out of Mumbai. Our price covers manufacture, packing, inland trucking to the port, export clearance and loading onto the vessel your forwarder has booked. From the moment it's on the ship, the goods and the risk are yours. This is what we quote unless you ask for something else.
EXW factory
AvailableEx Works. You collect from the factory and handle everything after that, including Indian export clearance. The cheapest headline number and the most work for you. Rarely the right choice unless you already have people on the ground here.
DDU your warehouse
AvailableDelivered Duty Unpaid. We manage the shipment all the way to your warehouse and you settle duty and import taxes on arrival. The least work of any option, and the one most first-time importers should be asking about.
Anything between those two is quotable. Tell us how much of the shipping you want to handle yourself and we'll price it that way.
Getting it to you
Both methods land in the same window. FCL usually arrives sooner. LCL is handled more times on the way.
| Method | Transit from warehouse | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full container load (FCL) | 45–60 days | Usually nearer 45. No consolidation stop at either end. |
| Less than container load (LCL) | 45–60 days | Usually nearer 60. Consolidation and deconsolidation add time at both ends. |
Door-to-door, managed by us
We can arrange and run the whole shipment to your door for a flat management fee. It covers the work of managing the shipment for you.
- FCL
- $200
- LCL
- $100
- Air freight
- $50
For samples and small parcels we ship on our own DHL and UPS accounts, which usually beats retail rates. Ask us to run the comparison against your own before you book.
Container capacity
CBM is how goods are priced to ship. Plan against the working figure rather than the nominal one, because cartons don't tessellate and dense goods hit the weight limit long before they fill the space.
| Container | Nominal | Plan for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 33 CBM | 28 CBM | Rarely the right box for furniture. Weight limits bite before volume does on stone. |
| 40ft standard | 67 CBM | 58 CBM | The default for a mixed order. |
| 40ft high cube | 76 CBM | 66 CBM | An extra foot of height. Worth it for tall or bulky pieces that do not stack. |
Flat-packing can cut the size of container you need. If your product can ship knocked down, ask us to quote both ways and compare the landed cost rather than the unit price.
Who owns the design
Who owns a design depends on who created it.
Designs you bring
YoursYour original products and concepts stay yours. We protect them, we don't shop them around, and we'll sign an NDA or whatever else your legal team wants before you send anything. Ask at the start rather than once the drawings are already with us.
Designs we originate
OursWhere the design and engineering come from our team rather than yours, we keep the rights and may offer that product to other buyers. If you want something we developed to be exclusive to you, raise it at quoting time and we'll talk about what that costs.
Here's how ownership works on our orders.
Check it before it sails
You're welcome to inspect before anything ships. Problems are much harder to fix once the container has left.
Third-party inspection
WelcomeBring your own QC agency, or ask and we'll suggest reputable independent ones.
Live virtual walkthrough
On requestIf flying an inspector out isn't proportionate to the order, we'll walk the goods on a live video call before they're packed. You see the actual units.
Either way, ask before the container is booked. After it's sealed, changes are difficult.
Duty and documents
What to expect, not legal advice. Your broker gives the ruling; we give them what they need to make it.
Your duty depends on the HTS code your product classifies under and the rates in force on the day it lands. Small design details can move a product between headings. We will tell you the heading we believe applies and why, and you should treat that as a starting point for your broker rather than a ruling, because the liability is yours.
Documents we provide as standard
- ·Commercial invoice
- ·Packing list, carton by carton with weights and dimensions
- ·Bill of lading
- ·Certificate of origin
- ·Fumigation and phytosanitary certificates where the packing requires them
If your broker or your retailer needs something beyond this list, tell us before the container is booked. Adding a document afterwards is slow and occasionally impossible.
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