From First Inquiry to First Container: The Full Timeline

The distance between "I sent an inquiry" and "my container cleared the port" feels unknowable the first time — and that uncertainty, more than price or paperwork, is what keeps new buyers hesitating. So here is the whole road, laid out step by step: what happens at each stage, what we do, what you do, and how long each part realistically takes. No stage on this list is a mystery once you have seen it written down.

One honest note up front: total time varies with product choice, destination registration, and shipping distance. A typical first order from inquiry to vessel loading can take around 30 working days when an existing own-brand configuration is used and decisions and compliance steps move promptly. Private-label production is a different clock: 45–60 working days after digital proof approval, before transit.

The road map at a glance

Now the detail, stage by stage.

Stage 1: Your inquiry — and what a good first reply looks like

You send an inquiry through our contact page with whatever you know so far: your market, the product type you have in mind, a rough volume, and whether you are exploring stock product or your own brand. You do not need a complete specification to start — pointing us at your market is enough for a useful first conversation.

Within one business day you get a reply from a real salesperson, not an autoresponder. A good first reply should already contain substance: clarifying questions about your market and channel, an indication of which product lines fit, and a clear proposed next step. If any supplier's first reply is a price with no questions, be a little suspicious — nobody can price accurately without knowing your spec.

Stage 2: Confirming the specification

This is a short, structured exchange where the product takes shape: pad type and sizes, absorbency levels, topsheet preference, packaging configuration, and target price band. For private label, we also scope your brand requirements; for stock product, we match you to existing catalog lines, which shortens everything.

On you: answer the spec questions, share your target retail price point if you have one, and flag any destination requirements you already know. On us: turn the conversation into a written specification sheet you can approve — that sheet becomes the reference for everything that follows.

Stage 3: Samples in your hands

We send the samples free of charge. The start point and dispatch window for the 1–3 working-day period should be confirmed with sales for the order; courier freight is on your account, which also lets you pick the service level you need. Courier transit is separate from the dispatch window and varies by destination. You can also start this stage directly from our free samples page before any of the above.

On you: compare packaging and workmanship with the agreed specification, and request professional reports for absorbency, rewet and adhesion. Our sample evaluation guide explains the review, and one habit matters more than any other: keep a sealed reference sample. It becomes your comparison standard when bulk goods arrive.

Stage 4: Quotation, negotiation, and contract

With the requirements clear, we usually issue a formal line-itemized quotation within 3–5 working days: unit price by Incoterm, MOQ, lead time, payment structure, itemized tooling fees, validity period, and agreed inspection terms. You compare and negotiate, and the final purchase agreement carries the approved specification.

On you: read the quote line by line — our guide on how to read a sanitary pad quotation shows exactly where to slow down — and confirm your market's registration path is underway if it needs to precede import (Nigeria's NAFDAC, for example).

Stage 5: Deposit and artwork approval

Our confirmed T/T structures are 30% deposit / 70% balance or 50% / 50%, with the balance paid before shipment. Letters of credit can be discussed for suitable orders. The full options are covered in our payment terms guide. For private-label orders, the digital proof must be approved before the 45–60-working-day production clock begins.

Stage 6: Supply (stock within one week; private label 45–60 working days)

Stock product is scheduled for vessel loading within one week of payment; the loading window should be confirmed with sales for the order. A dedicated private-label run takes 45–60 working days after digital proof approval, with the same published lead-time range in peak season. During production we confirm materials against the approved specification and run in-line quality checks.

On you: book your pre-shipment inspection now (Stage 7), and if your market requires a pre-export Certificate of Conformity, get the inspection agency engaged early — conformity scheduling is a classic hidden delay.

Stage 7: Factory audit or pre-shipment inspection

If pre-shipment inspection is included in the agreed order terms, a third-party inspector — SGS, Intertek, or your own agent — checks the finished goods against the sealed reference sample and contract specification: quantities, materials, packaging, markings, and workmanship. The inspection schedule and its relationship to balance payment must be written into the contract rather than assumed.

On you: if inspection is part of the contract, commission it on the agreed schedule and review the report at the agreed payment milestone.

Stage 8: Balance, shipping, and documents

The balance is paid before shipment under the agreed 30/70 or 50/50 T/T structure. Goods are then loaded, and the available document pack moves to you or your clearing agent; its contents depend on the product and destination. Sea transit time depends on the route, so ask your forwarder for current schedules.

Container planning starts with the actual SKU, pads per pack, packs per carton, carton dimensions, palletization and mixed-load plan. A historical approximate count is not a shipment guarantee. Use our container planning guide to structure the calculation and confirm the final load with logistics.

Stage 9: Arrival, clearance, and what happens after

Your clearing agent lodges the entry, duties are paid, and destination-side steps happen where required. Then the part that defines the relationship: the second order. Reorder timing depends on the product, material availability, unchanged specifications, and the confirmed production schedule, so request a fresh lead-time confirmation rather than assuming the first-order timeline automatically repeats.

First-order worries, answered honestly

"Can I start small to test the market?" Yes — this is what stock product is for. Stock own-brand sanitary pads start at 30,000 packs per size/SKU, while an OEM/ODM private-label run starts at 400,000 pieces per SKU. Sparklecare and FlowX adult-incontinence brands start at 10,000 packs per style. Different brands, surface materials, and packaging are counted separately; the figures do not authorize mixing products to reach a lower threshold.

"What if I need to change the specification?" Send the proposed change in writing as early as possible. We must confirm feasibility, any additional cost and the revised schedule before proceeding. Do not assume that a change is free or leaves the original delivery date intact.

"What if the goods do not match the sample?" The sealed sample and written specification establish the comparison standard. If you want third-party inspection or a particular remedy for nonconforming goods, put the inspection timing, payment milestone, and remedy into the contract before placing the order; do not assume terms that were never agreed.

"How do I make the whole thing faster?" First, ask whether suitable stock is available and confirm its dispatch schedule. Second, provide complete specifications, payment and artwork decisions promptly to reduce avoidable approval waiting. Earlier approval does not shorten the whole schedule by the same amount: materials, production allocation and shipping remain dependencies, so reconfirm the loading date. Third, identify destination compliance requirements at the start and complete any required pre-import approvals on the applicable schedule.

"Who is my contact through all of this?" Confirm the responsible commercial contact and escalation route at the start of the order, including who handles specifications, samples, production updates, and documents.

Start the clock

Every container that lands began as a first message. Send yours through our contact page — you will hear back within one business day. If you are planning territory-level distribution rather than a one-off import, apply for the National Agency Program; product evaluation can be included in that first conversation.

Entering a specific market? Start with the local picture: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, West Africa, and East Africa.