What a Lighting Quotation From a Chinese Factory Should Contain

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Which line items belong in a lighting quotation?

Price per piece is the least useful number on its own. The items below are what turn a price into a decision, and most of them are cheap to state at quotation stage and expensive to discover later.

Model and specification	Model code, dimensions, material, finish, and the light source used. Without the model code, no test report can be matched to the price.
Electrical data	Wattage, voltage, CCT, lumen output, CRI and dimming protocol. Where a figure varies by model it should be stated per model, not as a category average.
Certification scope	Which certificates apply, which models they cover, and which documents are supplied with the shipment.
MOQ	Per model, not per container, if the buyer intends to mix.
Price at quantity breaks	Unit price at each quantity tier, since decorative lighting pricing is volume-sensitive.
Sample and tooling cost	Whether sampling is charged, and whether it is credited against the mass-production order.
Packaging basis	Carton dimensions, pieces per carton and CBM. This is the input to every freight calculation and it is the item most often missing.
Container quantity	20GP and 40HQ loading for the specific model mix, not a generic figure.
Incoterm and named place	FOB, EXW, DDP or DAP, with the port or destination named.
Lead time	Separately for standard and custom models, and qualified by quantity.
Payment terms	Deposit percentage, balance timing, and the instrument accepted.
Warranty	Duration, what is covered, and how a fault is resolved — repair or parts.
Validity	How long the price holds, which matters when material costs are moving.

How should payment terms be structured on a first order?

Our standard structure is 30% deposit with the order and 70% balance before shipment. That is deliberately simple: it separates the commitment to start production from the commitment to release the goods, and it gives both sides a clear checkpoint in the middle of the order.

The deposit covers materials and the production slot, so the lead time starts from the day it arrives.
The balance is settled against pre-shipment inspection evidence, before the container leaves.
Sample costs and whether they are credited against the mass order are agreed at quotation stage, not deducted afterwards.

What lead times are normal?

Standard models	7–25 days depending on quantity.
Custom models	15–30 days depending on quantity and requirements.

Both figures are quoted against the specific order rather than as a general promise, because quantity is the variable that moves them most. A buyer planning a retail window should ask for the lead time at the quantity actually being ordered.

Which items are most often missing from a quotation?

In practice the same four gaps recur, and each one shifts cost onto the buyer after the price has been agreed.

Packaging and CBM — the freight cannot be calculated without it, so a cheap unit price can still produce an expensive landed cost.
Container quantity for the actual model mix — a generic 40HQ figure is not a loading plan.
The certification scope — a factory-level certificate does not tell the buyer which model is covered.
The spare-parts allowance and how warranty claims are handled once the goods have landed.

How should two quotations be compared?

Convert both to the same basis before comparing anything. Same Incoterm, same packaging assumption, same quantity tier, same certification scope. Then compare landed cost rather than unit price.

Normalise the Incoterm — FOB against EXW is not a price comparison.
Normalise the quantity tier, since both quotations are volume-sensitive.
Add freight using each supplier's own CBM, not an assumed figure.
Check that the certificate on offer covers the model being priced.
Check the warranty terms and who pays for parts after delivery.

For the supply-model side of the same decision, see OEM versus ODM lighting manufacturing. For the production checkpoint that follows a quotation, see sample approval and pre-production checks.

What a lighting quotation from a Chinese factory should contain — Frequently Asked Questions

Can you quote FOB and DDP on the same order?

Yes. FOB, EXW, DDP and DAP are all available, with the named port or destination stated on the quotation so the two can be compared on the same basis.

Is the sample cost refundable?

Whether sampling is charged, and whether the charge is credited against the mass-production order, is agreed at quotation stage and stated in writing.

Why is packaging data needed before I can compare prices?

Because decorative lighting is bulky relative to its value. Carton dimensions, pieces per carton and CBM drive the freight, and freight is often the difference between two unit prices that look close.

Do you publish MOQ per model?

Minimum order quantity is set per model rather than per container, and the exact figure for each model is stated on the quotation so a mixed first order can be planned.

How long is a quotation valid?

Validity is stated on the quotation. It matters because material and driver costs move, and an open-ended price is not a commitment.