F A Q

Anytime you have a project that falls into our scope of expertise, we’re here to help. In the design and development stage, or ready to purchase, or need help with logistics, we’ll let you know if we can help.

We have over 50 years of combined experience in dealing with product design, development and sourcing as well as importing, shipping, inventory and distribution. We have been to Asia many dozens of times and have approved sources and connections there that meet our standards. We can source virtually anything you need, but you can see our principal areas of expertise on our “Gallery” page. It never hurts to ask, so no matter what you need, give us a call and we can let you know what we can do for you.

We need to know the general description of what you require. If you don’t have final details just yet, that’s fine. We love to brainstorm and help with ideas, designs, examples, samples and new concepts. Once we get dialed in, we need to know as much about the use and application and expectations as we can. Details such as size, quantity, application, materials, durability, safety, automation, quality requirements and other specifications can be focused as we go. Anything you can show or describe will be helpful. But don’t feel you must have it all figured out first. Call us and we’ll help you with ALL aspects.

Time: Most of our projects are made in Asia, so a few things usually come into play. First is lead-time: a typical new custom order may take from 10-14 weeks to develop, sample, manufacture, ship and deliver. The more front-end development and sampling there is, the longer of course. Reruns can be much quicker, like 8-10 weeks. And rush jobs including air shipments can be as low as 4-6 weeks.

Quantity: Most clients think an order from Asia needs to be in large quantities, but that is not always true. Depending on the complexity and materials involved we do many jobs as low as 250 or 500 pcs. We do larger jobs in quantities up to millions as well.

We are very serious about making sure quality expectations are achieved on every project we do. And not all projects are equal. Some projects call for large quantities, or speed or average quality, while others call for top-shelf or FCC or FDA approved quality above all else. The first thing we do is outline the requirements and expectations. Our motto is “no surprises”. Then we itemize the details and specifications for the materials, function, application and decoration for each project, right down to the way they are packed and shipped and labeled. We typically provide PPS (pre-production samples) for signed approval before we begin manufacturing. Additionally, we have qualified 3^rd party Quality Control agents in Asia that can do on-site pre-inspections (for raw materials, etc) and DPI (during production inspections) to insure we are matching the approved samples, and PSI (pre-shipment inspections) to randomly inspect the finished goods prior to shipment. We refer to universal standards of quality such as AQL levels (Acceptable Quality Levels) based on the level of quality needed and the quantity of the order. More details can be provided as needed.

We only work with sources we know and in most cases we have been in the factory and know the owners and many of the staff. We can always do a social audit and supply key safety and HR information as needed.

Our standard terms call for 30% deposit with orders, and the balance due within a week of when the order will ship from Asia. Other arrangements can be made depending on the size and scope of the project. By having these terms, we are able to keep our costs very low and you have the benefit of our experience without any other overhead costs.

The good news for clients of Maiden Supply is that we take care of all that for you. Our typical quotes and terms are DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), meaning you do not have to be concerned with any of this. We are bonded and insured and we take care of ocean and land shipping and duties, and clearance through customs. We can do this no matter where the products ship. We have some International clients who drop-ship to multiple countries and appreciate us taking care of the various duty rates and logistical issues.

Some clients have offices in Asia or perhaps are already doing some importing. We can help there too. We’re happy to help with prices as FOB China, or consolidating containers, or shipping locally in Asia, or doing some combination. Just let us know what you need.

Let’s use a custom package project as an example. Say you have a need for a custom box to hold some items for sales demos, and it needs to be customized to your graphics and size and components. We start by dialing in the details. We can provide drawings or altered images to show the format and concept. It usually takes about 2 weeks for us to help design and get samples for approval. Once approved the factory gets materials and graphics going. After sign-off it takes from 30 to 45 days for manufacturing of average quantities. Then about a week for the shipment to get loaded on a ship for transit to the US. The shipment offloads in the US and is transferred to rail or truck for interim and final delivery. We typically deliver to our clients or drop-ship to their clients. But we have years and years of experience with distribution, delivery and inventory services. If you have multiple distribution centers or need hold-and-release shipments, let us know and we can help.

In a word, yes. We are not always the lowest cost, but most of the time. As you would expect, there is more to an import order than just low cost of product. Our experienced eye for detail, quality, smooth delivery and clear communication is worth a lot to our clients. As we like to say, “importing is not for amateurs”. It can appear to be simple and easy, but it is not. We’re here to take all that worry and concern away.

This comes up often. Maybe you or your customer need something in the next 4-6 weeks and can’t wait for a typical 10-12 weeks from Asia. We can always take a look and see about sourcing from the US for initial partials, or air shipping partials from Asia with the balance by ocean. Usually the savings from Asia make these feasible options to consider. Don’t let rush projects scare you off. It never hurts to see what we can do.

This is always an option but we cannot stress enough what a high risk that is for someone who has not been to Asia or done this for many years. There are thousands of sources online and it takes years of experience to sort out real ones from fake ones, or ones that work from a garage or have child labor, etc. There are hundreds of sad stories of people being frustrated, or even ripped-off due to not having the experience they need to do this. Sadly, we have clients who tried and failed and came back to us later for help. We hope you are not one of the victims. Let us help and take away the unnecessary risks.

Not really. Just know that we love what we do and we’re ready to help. We love a good challenge and we have the experience to make your project go well. We’re also very serious about all this and very honest, too. So, if we don’t know something, we’ll let you know that and/or we’ll find out and get back to you. Like we said, “no surprises”. We look forward to hearing from you.