The wooden puzzle OEM process: seven steps from brief to container

A custom puzzle order is a sequence of decisions, and most of the delays we see come from a decision arriving later than it needed to. The process below is the one we run, with the information we need from you at each step.

None of it is complicated. It is mostly a matter of knowing which input unlocks which step, so that artwork, samples and approvals do not queue behind each other.

The seven steps at a glance

Step	What happens	What you supply	Typical duration
1. Brief	We scope type, size, age band and quantity	Product brief, target price, market	1 to 3 days
2. Quotation	Price, MOQ, compliance scope, carton data	Destination market, age grading	2 to 5 days
3. Sampling	A physical sample is made and sent	Artwork or reference, logo, box spec	3 to 7 working days
4. Approval and order	Sample signed off, PO and deposit placed	Signed sample, PO, deposit	As agreed
5. Pre-production	Materials, die or file, print proof	Final artwork, barcode, importer text	1 to 2 weeks
6. Production	Cutting, finishing, assembly, in-line checks	Nothing, unless a change is raised	15 to 35 days
7. Inspection and shipping	Final check, documents, container booking	Forwarder, consignee, shipping instructions	3 to 7 days

The durations are typical rather than fixed, and steps 5 and 6 overlap in practice: print proofs can be settled while board is being prepared.

Steps 1 and 2: brief and quotation

The brief does not need to be a document. A reference image, an age band, a target retail price and a quantity is enough to start, and it is more useful than a long specification with gaps in it.

What helps most at this stage: the finished size or the box size you need, the piece count if it is fixed, whether the puzzle is for a defined age band, and the market it will be sold in. The market matters early because it sets the compliance route, and the compliance route can change the materials.

Our quotation comes back with the FOB price, the MOQ for that specification, the compliance documents that apply, and carton data. If the target price does not meet the brief, we say so at this point and propose what to change: piece count, board, box or decoration. Adjusting the box usually moves the price more than adjusting the puzzle.

Step 3: sampling

Sampling is where a brief becomes an object. We make the sample to the agreed specification and send it, and this is the point to be critical: a sample is much cheaper to change than a production run.

Expect 3 to 7 working days. What you should look at: cut quality and fit, the feel of the edges, colour against your reference, the box structure, and whether the pieces sit properly in the tray or insert. Photographs hide a great deal; ask for the sample in hand.

If the sample needs changes, be specific. "The red is too orange" is workable; "the colour feels wrong" is not. Send a reference swatch or a Pantone number where you can.

Steps 4 and 5: approval and pre-production

Approval is a signature on a physical sample, not an email saying it looks fine. The signed sample becomes the standard for the run, and both sides refer to it if a question arises later.

Once the order is placed, pre-production covers materials, tooling and print. This is where the final artwork, barcode, importer details and warning text must be locked. Anything that arrives after print plates are made becomes a cost and a delay.

We send proofs for the box and any printed insert. Approve them on a screen and on paper if the colour matters, because backlit screens flatter print.

When an order slips, it is rarely the factory. Three causes, in order of frequency. Artwork arrives late or changes after proof approval. The sample is approved verbally and the specification drifts. The barcode or importer text is supplied at the last minute, after the box is printed.

All three are fixable with a single habit: treat the brief, the approved sample and the approved artwork as three signed documents, and do not let production start until all three exist.

Steps 6 and 7: production, inspection and shipping

Production runs about 15 to 35 days after sample approval, depending on the process and the quantity. Cutting, sanding, sealing, printing, assembly and packing follow the approved sample.

In-process checks are continuous. A final inspection happens before packing is closed, using a sampling plan agreed with you, and covers fit, finish, completeness, labelling and carton marks.

If you are using a third-party inspection company, book it before production starts so that the date is reserved. Inspection during packing is more useful than inspection after the carton is sealed, because a problem found at packing can still be fixed.

Shipping documents — invoice, packing list, and the compliance documents that travel with the goods — are issued against the final carton count. We ship FOB Ningbo or Shanghai, or EXW and CIF on request, and the forwarder can be yours or ours.

Sourcing this product from us

We run this process from one factory in Yunhe County, Zhejiang, for all eight categories. Minimum order is from 10 pieces per SKU, typically 16; custom colour or box starts at 100 to 300 pieces. Samples take 3 to 7 working days and production 15 to 35 days after approval.

EN71, ASTM F963 and CPSIA reports are supplied per model with the quotation, with CE marking where applicable, so compliance is settled before step 3 rather than after step 6.

Send us a brief — a reference, an age band, a quantity and a target price is enough — and we will come back with a quotation and a sampling plan. Write to bf@ycyy.cn or message WhatsApp on +86 159 8884 2458.