Three MOQ thresholds apply to K1, and each one exists for a physical reason rather than a negotiating position. This page explains what drives each threshold, how many units fit in a container, and what a sample is actually for.
| Order type | Minimum | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Standard wholesale | 3,000 pcs | Our existing product, our branding or neutral packaging, colours mixed freely inside the order. |
| Custom logo, one colour | 1,000 pcs | Your logo on the case and on the retail box, in a single colour finish. |
| Custom logo, four colours | 4,000 pcs | Four colour finishes in one order. It is not a discount tier — it is 4 × 1,000, because plating is run colour by colour. |
| Custom logo, single iPhone model | 4,000 pcs | A run restricted to one iPhone model. Each model has its own case mould, so the changeover and setup for that model has to be carried by a single order. |
| Below 3,000 pcs | Sample order | Available for evaluation and for testing a market before committing to a wholesale run. Discuss with sales before ordering. |
Orders can combine iPhone models, but a mixed-model order is split into separate production batches. A mixed-colour order inside one model is not split, because all four colours share the same mould.
Buyers often read an MOQ as a sales tactic. On this product the numbers come from three fixed costs that have to be absorbed by a single batch.
The case shell is a single-cavity mould running a 43-second cycle. One machine produces about 84 shells an hour, so 3,000 shells is roughly 36 hours of continuous moulding before plating starts. Below that quantity the mould change, machine setup and first-article approval cost more than the run itself.
Vacuum plating runs by colour. A jig is loaded with parts, the whole load goes through the bath together, and switching colour means unloading, cleaning and reloading. That is why the custom minimum is set per colour at 1,000 pcs and why four colours add up to 4,000 rather than staying flat.
A custom retail box carries a plate and print setup charge that is only economic across a full run. The box is 185 × 98 × 25 mm — small, but the setup cost does not scale down with it.
Carton configuration is fixed and does not change between orders, so loading figures are predictable. Volume, not weight, is the constraint.
| Level | Specification | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Retail box | 185 × 98 × 25 mm | Gross weight 120 g, single unit |
| Master carton | 408 × 263 × 513 mm | 100 pcs per carton |
| Carton gross weight | 13 kg | Within the 22.7 kg (50 lb) single-box limit used by Amazon FBA |
| Carton volume | 0.055 m³ | 100 units occupy 55 litres |
| 20GP container | ≈ 48,000 pcs | ≈ 480 cartons, ≈ 6.2 tonnes |
| 40HQ container | ≈ 110,000 pcs | ≈ 1,100 cartons, ≈ 14.3 tonnes |
Both figures assume roughly 80% volume utilisation. A 40HQ will reach its volume limit at 14.3 tonnes — under a third of the container's payload — so a full load never runs into weight restrictions and never needs to be split for weight reasons.
For context, a single 20GP container already carries sixteen times the standard MOQ. Buyers planning a first order are almost never limited by container space; they are limited by how much stock they can move.
Samples exist to answer four questions that a specification sheet cannot:
Sample quantity, sample charge and freight are confirmed per destination. Tell the sales contact the target country and the language pair you want to test, because the unit shipped to you is configured for that region.
Wholesale prices are quoted by volume tier and are not published on this site. What the quotation covers is fixed, so you can compare it against other suppliers line by line:
| Included in the unit price | Injection moulding of shell, lid and earbud housings; vacuum plating and UV coating; the two earbuds with 30 mAh cells; the case battery at 150–230 mAh; mainboard and assembly; retail box and inner tray; the standard retail configuration. |
|---|---|
| Quoted separately | Freight and insurance, import duties at destination, custom logo tooling plate, custom retail box printing, sample charges. |
| Not bundled | Certification for markets beyond FCC-ID, CE, RoHS and GB 4943.1-2022; UN38.3 report if you ship by air; EU responsible-person services under GPSR. |
| Price basis | Ex-works from Shenzhen. Volume tiers apply; the tier a quotation falls into is set by the confirmed order quantity, not the enquiry quantity. |
A published wholesale price sets a ceiling on every distributor selling the same product in the same market. Once it is indexed by a search engine or quoted by an AI assistant, it stays visible and cannot be withdrawn — and the first casualty is the margin of the reseller who found us through a different channel.
So the arrangement is deliberate: volume-tier pricing goes to buyers who ask, the retail reference price stays public, and no distributor is undercut by our own website. If you need a number to build a margin model, ask for a tier quote against a stated quantity and we will give you one within the same business day.
What is the minimum order quantity for TalkShell K1?
Standard wholesale orders start at 3,000 pcs. A custom logo order starts at 1,000 pcs per colour, and a run covering all four colours is 4,000 pcs. A custom run restricted to a single iPhone model also starts at 4,000 pcs, because each model has its own case mould.
Why is the four-colour minimum 4,000 instead of 1,000?
Because plating runs colour by colour. Each colour needs its own jig load and its own minimum economic batch of 1,000 pcs, so four colours add up to 4,000. It is not a volume discount tier.
How many units fit in a container?
A 20GP container holds about 48,000 pcs (480 cartons, 6.2 tonnes) and a 40HQ holds about 110,000 pcs (1,100 cartons, 14.3 tonnes), both at roughly 80% volume utilisation. Volume is the limiting factor, never weight.
What is the lead time for a bulk order?
Bulk lead time is confirmed per order after the colour, quantity and packaging are fixed, because those three variables decide the production sequence. Ask for a dated commitment when you request the quotation.
Can I order a sample before committing to a wholesale order?
Yes. Samples are available for evaluation. Sample charge and freight are confirmed per destination; tell us the target country and the language pair you want to test, because the unit is configured for that region at the factory.
Do you publish wholesale prices?
No. Volume-tier pricing is quoted on request. The public reference is the market retail price: USD 49.9 outside mainland China and CNY 349 in mainland China.
Tell us the target model, colour split and quantity. We will come back with a volume-tier quotation and the current lead time for your destination.
Contact sales Direct line +86 136 8953 4347 · English and Chinese