TL;DR
Before committing, ask about MOQ and reorder pricing, lead times, in-house vs outsourced capabilities, IP/NDA, compliance and test reports, sampling cost, payment terms, QC process, shipping/duties, and whether they sell direct-to-consumer.
The answers to these questions tell you whether you have found a partner or a problem. Ask them early — before you send designs or pay a deposit.
The 12 questions
- 1. What is your MOQ per style, and what are the reorder pricing tiers?
- 2. What are your sampling and production lead times?
- 3. Which processes are in-house (CAD, casting, setting, QC) and which are outsourced?
- 4. Will you sign a mutual NDA, and do I own the designs and molds?
- 5. What compliance standards can you meet, and can you provide test reports (Prop 65, nickel, lead/cadmium)?
- 6. How much does sampling cost, and is it credited against production?
- 7. What are your payment terms for a new brand?
- 8. What does your quality-control process look like, stage by stage?
- 9. How do you handle defects, remakes and returns?
- 10. How do you ship, and how are duties and documentation handled?
- 11. Do you sell direct-to-consumer or to other brands in my category?
- 12. Can I speak to a reference or see relevant work?
What good answers look like
Specific, in writing, and without hesitation on NDA, IP ownership, and compliance. Vagueness on any of these is a signal to keep looking.