Private label is five decisions, not one
Marking, packaging, manual language, coding and change control. Each one has its own approval step, and skipping one is how a batch arrives with the wrong label.
Buyer guide · OEM and private-label brands
OEM and Private-Label Smart Locks
When the product carries your brand, the conversation is not about price. It is about marking, coding, packaging and who controls a change after the first run.
Swipe the table sideways to see the full specification →
| Buyer type | OEM and private-label brands |
|---|---|
| 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.
An unapproved change damages your brand, not ours
If a colour, a marking position or a manual page changes without your written approval, the goods still carry your name. That is why every change is confirmed in writing.
Five Questions OEM and private-label brands Ask
The five that come up most often in this buyer group, answered with the conditions attached.
Buyer questions
What does private label actually cover?
Marking on the lock, colour box, manual language, master carton marking and barcode. A different body or mechanism is tooling and is quoted separately.
Does marking need a new mould?
No. Panel or body marking is applied to the existing part. Tooling is only needed when the shape changes.
Who owns the artwork and the codes?
Your artwork and your codes stay yours. We keep the approved files on record so a repeat order prints the same thing.
How are changes controlled?
Every change is confirmed in writing against the approved proof or sample. Nothing is altered on the line without that approval.
What does sampling cost?
Sample cost is stated before you commit and is refundable against the first bulk order. Tooling, where it applies, is a separate line on the quotation.
Four Mistakes We See Most
Each of these has cost somebody a shipment. All four are avoidable at quote stage.
Tooling costs hidden inside a unit price
Tooling, unit price, MOQ and lead time belong on separate lines. A single blended figure is how a cheap unit price becomes an expensive project.
A colour described only by name
Send a physical reference or a Pantone number. 'Dark grey' means different things on different days.
Artwork that is too low resolution to print
A logo pulled from a website will not print cleanly on a carton. Vector, or a high-resolution file, saves a reprint.
No approved sample kept
Keep the approved sample and the signed proof. They are what a batch is compared against when a question comes up.
How We Work With You
Four stages, and what we need from you at each one.
Start with the lowest-cost change that works
Marking and packaging carry the brand at the lowest cost and the shortest lead time.
Proof, then sample, then production
Nothing is printed before the proof is approved, and nothing is produced before the sample is approved.
Treat codes as data, not decoration
Barcodes, model codes and carton marks are checked against a list rather than a picture.
Keep the file for the repeat
The approved proof and the frozen specification are what make the second order identical.
Six Things to Read Next
Chosen for this buyer group rather than sorted by date.
OEM packaging from artwork to carton
The full print cycle explained.
Read the guide →How to place a first smart lock order
What a first private-label order needs.
Read the guide →Active unlock vs request-based
A version mistake your customer will notice.
Read the guide →Mortise body and door thickness
When the body has to change too.
Read the guide →Smart lock battery life
What the manual needs to say.
Read the guide →A small first order that became bulk
Why a small branded run is worth starting.
Read the guide →