"What is your MOQ?" is usually the first question — but it is the wrong first question. The right one is: do you need a new mold at all?
| Stock mold | Custom mold | |
|---|---|---|
| MOQ | 10,000 pcs | 10,000–30,000 pcs |
| Tooling fee | $0 | $800–$3,000 |
| Sampling | 3–7 days | 10–15 days |
| Lead time | 12–15 days | 20–30 days |
Below 10,000 units, machine changeover and QC spread make per-unit cost unstable. At 10,000+ the line runs efficiently and pricing is predictable.
