Order planning · quantities and dates
MOQ, Lead Times and the Production Calendar
MOQ and lead time are the two numbers that decide whether an order is worth placing, and in this category both are set per model rather than by a site-wide rule. The catalogue spans a 1 pcs minimum on the smallest houses to 1,000 pcs on the largest, and production runs 25-45 days after sign-off. This page gives the distribution behind those figures, the sampling step that comes before them, and a calendar for working backwards from a shelf date or a container booking.
MOQ ranges from 1 pcs to 1,000 pcs per model; 52 of the 130 published models quote at 10 pcs or fewer, 17 at 11-100 pcs, 44 at 101-500 pcs and 17 above 500 pcs. Production takes 25-45 days after sample sign-off and deposit, with sampling at 7-15 days for a stocked model.
At a glance
| MOQ range | 1-1,000 pcs per model, confirmed per model and per finish |
|---|---|
| Low-minimum models | 52 models at 10 pcs or fewer; 17 at 11-100 pcs |
| High-minimum models | 44 models at 101-500 pcs; 17 above 500 pcs |
| Sampling | 7-15 days for a stocked model; longer for a new colour, printed carton or a change to structure |
| Production | 25-45 days after sign-off and deposit, confirmed per model |
| Sea freight | typically four to six weeks from Ningbo or Shanghai to a UK or EU port |
| Calendar risk | Chinese New Year closes the workshops for two to three weeks; 2027 falls on 6 February |
How it runs
- Fix the shelf or delivery date first, then subtract sea freight of four to six weeks, production of 25-45 days and sampling of 7-15 days.
- Check the result against the production calendar: a date that lands inside the Chinese New Year closure is a date after it, not during it.
- Confirm the MOQ for each model in the shortlist, because the quantity per model and not the order total is what the minimum applies to.
- Place the sample order and test the model, the finish and the carton before committing the production quantity.
- Sign off, pay the deposit and confirm the production slot in writing with the completion date and the inspection date.
- Book the container or the LCL slot against the completion date, not against the order date.
How MOQ is set in this catalogue
- Per model and per finish. A stocked finish quotes at the model minimum; a new colour, a printed carton or a changed structure moves the minimum up because the line has to be set up.
- The smallest models carry the lowest minimums: 52 models quote at 10 pcs or fewer, which is what makes a first order or a test order possible in this category.
- The large houses sit at the other end: 17 models quote above 500 pcs, mostly the 80 cm and above band where the carton and the handling dominate the cost.
- A mixed container does not lower the model minimum, but it lets a buyer meet several minimums in one booking, which is how a range is built from a small start.
Where the lead time goes
- Sampling, 7-15 days: the sample is made or pulled from stock and shipped; a new colour adds a paint batch and a printed carton adds a printing proof.
- Production, 25-45 days: cutting, machining, painting, printing, assembly of sub-assemblies, packing. The band depends on the storeys, the number of painted parts and the carton printing.
- Inspection and loading, 3-5 days: pre-shipment inspection, carton and label check, loading plan and container loading.
- Sea freight, four to six weeks to a UK or EU port: this is the variable a supplier cannot compress, and it is the reason the order date is not the delivery date.
The production calendar
- Chinese New Year is the fixed point in the year. In 2027 it falls on 6 February, and the workshops close for roughly two to three weeks around it, with a slower restart as staff return.
- A gift-quarter order needs to leave production by September: that means sign-off in June or early July, sampling in May or June and a shortlist decision in April or May.
- A spring order needs to leave production by February or March, which runs into the New Year closure; the practical answer is to produce before the holiday or accept a March shipment.
- The quiet window for development is May to July, when the workshops have capacity; a new structure developed in October is a next-season project, not a this-season one.
What moves a date, and what does not
- Moves it: a new colour, a printed carton, a change to structure after sign-off, a national holiday, a port congestion event, and a late artwork proof.
- Does not move it: a large quantity on a stocked model with the panels already in stock, or a reorder of the same finish inside the same batch window.
- Ask for the completion date and the inspection date in writing at order placement. A date given at quotation stage is a planning date; the date given at order is the production slot.
- If a date cannot be met, we say so before the deposit rather than after. A late order accepted is worse for both sides than a late order refused.
FAQ
What is the MOQ on a wooden dollhouse?
It ranges from 1 pcs to 1,000 pcs per model across the 130 published models, and it is confirmed per model and per finish rather than set site-wide. The distribution is 52 models at 10 pcs or fewer, 17 at 11-100 pcs, 44 at 101-500 pcs and 17 above 500 pcs. A stocked finish quotes at the model minimum; a new colour, a private-label carton or a structural change moves it up. Mixed containers let one order meet several model minimums, which is the usual way a first order is built.
How long does production take?
25-45 days after sample sign-off and deposit for most models, confirmed per model. The band is wide because it covers a 25 cm tabletop cottage and a 133 cm three-storey house with a working lift in the same catalogue. Add inspection and loading of 3-5 days, then four to six weeks of sea freight to a UK or EU port. Sampling comes before that at 7-15 days for a stocked model, so a new model from shortlist to shelf is typically three to four months.
Can a reorder be faster?
Often, yes, if it is the same model in the same finish inside the same batch window, because the panels and the paint batch may still be in the workshop. A reorder in a different finish or with a different carton is a new production run with a new lead time. The reorder route also depends on whether the finish is stocked, made to order or being discontinued, which we confirm before quoting. Ask for the batch reference on the first order and quote it on the reorder; it is the fastest way to get the same colour twice.
How does Chinese New Year affect a dollhouse order?
It is the largest single risk in the production calendar. The 2027 holiday falls on 6 February and the workshops close for roughly two to three weeks, with a slow restart afterwards as staff return. Orders placed in January run into the closure rather than through it, and a spring order can slip to March if it is not produced before the holiday. The practical rule is to sign off before the end of December for anything that has to ship in the first quarter, and to treat the May to July window as the reliable one for development work.
Work the dates backwards
Send the shelf or delivery date and the model list; we return the production slot, the MOQ per model and the shipping window.