MOQ and Lead Time: What to Ask Before Sourcing Tape from China
Ask about the drivers, not only the numbers
MOQ and lead time are the two figures that decide whether an order is practical. Both are consequences of how a factory is set up rather than fixed rules, so the useful conversation is about what drives them in your specific case.
What drives minimum order quantity
- Setup time per width — every width change is a new setup on the slitting line, which is why an unusual width carries a minimum.
- Coating run length — the coating step runs in batches, and a narrow order can be absorbed into a scheduled run or require its own.
- Material availability — standard backings are stocked; an unusual backing has its own minimum from the material supplier.
What drives lead time
- Whether the construction is a stock item or made to order.
- Whether artwork or a die are needed first.
- Whether the packing and carton marking are standard or custom.
- Which shipping method you have chosen.
Seven points to confirm in writing
1. Finished width, length per roll and tolerance. 2. Construction: backing, adhesive system and thickness. 3. Minimum order quantity for the exact width you asked for. 4. Sample arrangement, and what the sample is drawn from. 5. Packing: rolls per carton, core size and carton marking. 6. Payment terms and the currency of the quotation. 7. The Incoterm the price is quoted against, since the same price means different landed cost under different terms.
Why we do not publish a lead-time promise
We would rather answer the question than quote a number that only holds for a standard item. Send the specification and the quantity and our export team will confirm price, MOQ and lead time for that specific order.
