Sourcing guide

OEM And ODM Lighting: What To Send A Factory So The Quotation Is Real

Most custom lighting quotations are wrong because the brief was incomplete. Six pieces of information turn a vague enquiry into a price you can rely on.

A custom lighting enquiry that says can you make this, with a photograph attached, will get an answer that is either useless or wrong. Not because the factory is being difficult, but because the four things that drive the cost are none of them visible in a photograph.

The six things that make a quotation real

What to send, and why it changes the price
Information	Why it matters
The dimension that must be right	Drop, diameter or overall height. Scaling a form changes material cost and sometimes the structure entirely.
The finish, as a physical sample	Gold, brass, champagne and copper mean different things to different factories. A word is not a specification.
The lamp base	E27, E26, E14, E12, G9, G4 or integrated LED. It changes the internal hardware, not just the socket.
Destination voltage	Most of this catalogue runs 90 to 260V or 85 to 265V, but a custom build should be confirmed rather than assumed.
Quantity	It decides whether new tooling can be amortised or whether an existing mould has to be adapted.
Branding requirement	Product marking, carton printing or both. Private label is available and is easier to plan early.

Modification versus new development

There is a large practical difference between the two and it is worth knowing which you are asking for. A modification changes size, finish or lamp base on an existing model, usually needs no new tooling, and is quoted against the base product. A new development starts from your drawing, may need new moulds, and carries a real tooling cost that only volume justifies. We run our own moulding workshop and hardware workshop, which is what makes the first case cheap; it does not make the second case free.

A realistic programme

Enquiry with the six items above, and a drawing if you have one
Engineering feedback, including anything in the design that will not build safely at that size
Quotation against the modification or the development
Sample, 7 to 10 days on a modified existing model and longer on a genuinely new form
Your approval, in writing, against the physical sample
Production, 45 to 60 days for a new order, with a photo inspection report before shipment
The model goes on file under its own item number, and repeats run 30 to 45 days

What a good factory should tell you

That a drawing will not build safely at the size you asked for. That the finish on your swatch is achievable in plating but not in spray. That a matched set of natural stone will vary. That new tooling is not worth it at your quantity. A supplier who agrees to everything at the enquiry stage is deferring the disagreement to the stage where it costs you money.

We will not copy a protected design. We will use a reference as a starting point for an original drawing, and if you bring the drawing, the design is yours.

FAQ

Questions On This Guide

Do you charge for samples?

Yes. Ask whether the sample cost can be credited against a production order and we will tell you what is possible on that model.

Is there a minimum order for custom work?

It depends entirely on whether new tooling is required. A finish or size change on an existing model can often be done at low volume.

Can you private label?

Yes, on the product and on the carton. OEM and ODM customisation to your requirements is standard here.

How do I know you are the factory and not a trader?

We run our own moulding workshop, hardware workshop and producing workshop in Zhongshan, Guangdong. Ask a technical question at the enquiry stage and judge the answer.