Reselling is not the same as using
A lock you sell has to survive an end user who did not read the manual. That changes which entry methods are safe to stock, and how much of the range should be one proven model rather than five interesting ones.
Buyer guide · Distributors and wholesalers
Smart Locks for Distributors and Wholesalers
You buy by the carton or the container and resell into your own market. What decides whether the second order is easy is whether the first order recorded the specification properly.
Swipe the table sideways to see the full specification →
| Buyer type | Distributors and wholesalers |
|---|---|
| Typical first order | 30 sets door locks / 1 carton (20 pcs) padlocks |
| Samples | 3-7 days |
| Trial order | 10-15 days |
| Bulk order | 20-35 days |
| Customisation | Marking, packaging and non-standard bodies at quote stage |
| What to send first | Door photo or drawing, quantity, destination market |
Who This Page Is For
Two things worth knowing before the first order, whichever product you end up buying.
Private label usually costs less than buyers expect
Marking and packaging are the lowest-cost changes we make. A new body is tooling. Most distributors start with a logo and a colour box, not a new mechanism.
Five Questions Distributors and wholesalers Ask
The five that come up most often in this buyer group, answered with the conditions attached.
Buyer questions
Can we put our own brand on the lock without tooling?
Yes. Marking on the panel or the body is laser-etched or printed and does not need a new mould. Tooling only enters the picture when the body or the panel size itself changes.
What packaging options are there?
Colour box, inner tray, manual language and master carton marking. The artwork is approved as a digital proof before printing, and the print method decides the MOQ.
Will a repeat order match the first one?
The specification is frozen in writing on the quotation and the first article is measured against the drawing. A repeat order runs against the same frozen specification, and batch numbers are recorded.
Can we mix models in one order?
Yes, inside one trial order, with each model specified line by line. Mixed models are how most distributors test a range before committing to a container.
What are the lead times?
Samples in 3-7 days, trial orders 10-15 days and bulk orders 20-35 days, counted from the later of the deposit and the approved sample or artwork.
Four Mistakes We See Most
Each of these has cost somebody a shipment. All four are avoidable at quote stage.
Leaving packaging until the end
Packaging has its own proof cycle and print run. Deciding it after production is scheduled is what pushes a shipment back.
Assuming private label means tooling
Most private-label orders are marking and packaging only. Asking for tooling you do not need raises the MOQ for no reason.
Not recording what actually shipped
If the first order's specification is not written down, the second order is a negotiation rather than a repeat.
Ordering stock before the lead time is agreed
Committing warehouse space to a date nobody confirmed is how a good margin turns into storage cost.
How We Work With You
Four stages, and what we need from you at each one.
First order records the specification
Model, finish, app version, packaging and carton marking are written onto the quotation and kept on file.
Artwork approved before printing
Colour box, manual and carton marking are approved as a digital proof, then a printed sample if you want one.
Stock released in batches
Where your warehouse cannot take the full quantity at once, we hold and release against your instruction.
Repeat orders run on the same file
The second order starts from the recorded specification rather than from a new conversation.
Six Things to Read Next
Chosen for this buyer group rather than sorted by date.
How to place a first smart lock order
What to send before asking for a price.
Read the guide →OEM packaging from artwork to carton
How a private-label print run actually runs.
Read the guide →Tuya vs TTLock
Which ecosystem your market already uses.
Read the guide →Active unlock vs request-based
The version that decides whether the app works.
Read the guide →A small first order that became bulk
Why a one-carton trial is worth it.
Read the guide →Smart lock battery life
What to tell an end user about charging.
Read the guide →