Q4 lead times for natural pet toys: count back from your sale date
To have natural pet toys in stock for the last quarter, count backwards from the day the goods must be on sale: delivery to your warehouse, sea or air transit, export documents, production, and sample and design approval. Production alone runs from 8–10 days for 50–200 plain pieces to 30–45 days for a full container, counted from your deposit. Branded packing and samples add time on top.
- For Amazon sellers, importers and pet shops
- All product lines
- About 6 minutes to read
How long does production take?
These are production times for plain goods, counted from the day we receive your deposit. Shipping is not included.
| Order size | Production time, plain goods |
|---|---|
| 50–200 pcs | 8–10 days |
| 200–1,000 pcs | 10–15 days |
| 1,000–5,000 pcs | 25–27 days |
| One container (20 ft or 40 ft) | 30–45 days |
Loofah toys, 1,000–5,000 pcs: 30 days. Above 5,000 pieces but short of a container, ask us for a date; we do not average one from the table.
What adds time on top
The table above is for plain goods. Three things sit before or alongside it:
- Samples. Your first 3 are free, you pay the shipping. Allow time for them to reach you and for your checks.
- Your own label, tag or box. With branded packing, we confirm the timing after we review your design files.
- FBA and private label, as a reference. Samples take about 10–15 days after you approve the design. Orders of 5,000 pieces or more take about 25–30 days. A demanding design or packaging can take longer.
Our packing rule also shapes the calendar: we pack one sample, you confirm it, then we pack the full run. A quick reply at that point keeps the order moving. How a first branded order runs step by step is in launching a private label dog chew brand.
Fix the spec before production starts
Changing sizes, set counts or packing after goods are packed means cutting cartons open and repacking. In a tight season that costs days you may not have. Before we start, agree in writing:
- Item codes and sizes, using our codes as well as your size names.
- Bag, set and box format, and where your tag goes.
- Barcodes, one per size, created by you in Seller Central.
- Carton format; for Amazon our standard is 51 × 31 × 39 cm.
Send tags, barcodes and printed materials early. We count them as soon as they arrive. Details of the outside of an FBA carton are in FBA carton labels and box content.
Documents and payment: the steps after production
When production ends, the shipment still has paperwork to clear. For every shipment, we send draft documents (draft B/L, and the phytosanitary, fumigation and C/O certificates when your market requires them) for you to approve before the originals are issued. A quick approval keeps the shipment on schedule.
- Fumigation, when required, is done before export customs clearance.
- Payment is T/T 50/50. The balance is due when the draft B/L is ready for FOB and CIF, before transport for EXW, and for small DAP air orders once the goods are finished, before pickup.
- Freight quotes carry an expiry date. Sea freight changes all the time; ask for a fresh quote for a fourth-quarter shipment.
More on the drafts is in approving draft documents before shipping, and on choosing the route in sea or air for a small pet toy order.
A worksheet to count back from your sale date
Fill this in from the bottom up. We give you the production lines; your forwarder and Seller Central give you the rest.
| Step | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|
| Goods on sale | Your target date |
| Receiving at your warehouse or at Amazon | Your warehouse, or the current page in Seller Central |
| Transit and import clearance | Your forwarder and customs broker |
| Export documents and loading | Agreed with us when you book |
| Production | Our table above, or our confirmed date for branded goods |
| Design and sample approval | About 10–15 days for FBA samples after design approval, plus your checking time |
| Deposit paid | The day production time starts |
Large orders can take months from first enquiry to shipment. Start the conversation well before the season. A mixed order across several lines runs as one order; see mixed orders.
Questions about lead times for the last quarter
How long does production take for natural pet toys?
For plain goods, from 8–10 days for 50–200 pieces to 30–45 days for a full container, counted from the day we receive your deposit. Shipping is not included.
Does my own label add time?
Yes. With your own label, tag or box, we confirm the timing after we review your design files.
How long do FBA samples take?
As a reference, about 10–15 days after you approve the design.
When do I pay the balance?
Payment is T/T 50/50. For FOB and CIF, the balance is due when the draft B/L is ready.
How long is the sea transit?
That depends on the route and the season. Ask your forwarder for a current figure, and check the current receiving rules in Seller Central if the goods go to Amazon.
Plan your season with us
Start with samples: your first 3 are free, you pay the shipping.