MOQ, FOB, lead time: the three numbers that make or break a chair order

Three pieces of jargon come up in every chair enquiry, and misunderstanding them is how first orders go sideways. Let's demystify each — with honest ranges, not sales fluff.

MOQ — minimum order quantity

The smallest number a factory will produce in one go. It exists because setting up a run — pulling materials, scheduling the line, configuring the upholstery — costs the same whether you make 20 chairs or 2,000. Spread that setup over too few units and nobody makes money.

What's realistic, honestly:

• Catalogue model, standard colour: the lowest MOQ. Many factories will do a small trial here so you can test the market.
• Your colour / your branding (ODM): a bit higher, because the line is configured for you.
• Full custom / new mould (OEM): higher still, because tooling has to be paid back.

Our advice: don't fixate on the lowest possible MOQ. Ask for a trial quantity to test demand, then a price break at the volume you'll reorder. A good factory will structure that with you. (We do — tell us the model and we'll give you a realistic starting quantity.)

FOB — what's actually in the price

FOB ("Free On Board") means the price covers the chairs made, packed, and loaded onto the ship at the export port — for us, usually Ningbo or Shanghai. After that, the sea freight, insurance and import duties are yours.

Why FOB is the useful number: it's the cleanest like-for-like way to compare suppliers, because it ends at the same point for everyone. What FOB does not include: ocean freight, destination charges, customs/duty, and last-mile delivery. Budget those separately so the landed cost doesn't surprise you.

Compare quotes FOB-to-FOB. An "EXW" (factory-gate) price looks cheaper but hides the cost of getting the goods to the ship.

Lead time — how long it really takes

Lead time is from deposit paid to goods ready to ship (not to your door — add the sea transit on top). Honest, typical ranges for chairs:

• In-stock / catalogue models: often the fastest, sometimes a couple of weeks.
• ODM (your colour/branding on an existing model): commonly around 30–45 days for a normal quantity.
• OEM with new tooling: longer — add the mould and sampling time up front.

Then add ocean transit: roughly 2–5 weeks depending on destination. So "I need them on my shelf in 30 days" usually isn't a single-order reality — plan backwards from your sell date.

A few things that quietly blow up lead times: peak season (everyone ships before holidays), unconfirmed samples, and last-minute spec changes. The fix is the same for all three — confirm early.

Put the three together

A realistic brief sounds like: *"500 units of model X in my colour, FOB Ningbo, when can it be ready?"* That gives a factory everything it needs to answer in one go. A vague *"how much and how fast?"* gets a vague answer.

Tell us the model (or use case), the quantity and your target market, and we'll come back with a clear MOQ, an itemised FOB price, and an honest lead time — including the sea transit so you can plan to your sell date. Email mail@ajrt.net or message us through the site.