A common pricing email
Buyer email
Subject: bear price for 1000 pcs
your website doesn't show prices. just tell me how much for 1000 pcs of a 25cm bear and we can move from there. I have multiple suppliers and I'm comparing.
PlushToys.Fun reply
Subject: Re: bear price for 1000 pcs
Hear you on the comparison work. The reason a single number for "25 cm bear, 1,000 pcs" is hard to send is that the same description can correspond to a noticeably different unit price depending on choices not yet decided. A bare-bodied bear in a polybag prices very differently from one with embroidered logo, sewn-in bilingual care label, retail-ready window box, and CPSIA testing — and either spec might be what you mean by "25 cm bear". If we send the cheap version, it will look low next to a competitor's loaded number. If we send the loaded version, it will look high next to a competitor's bare version. Easier path: send the 8 inputs below and the reply will be itemised — body, decoration, packaging, freight, sample, payment plan — so the comparison with other suppliers can be apples-to-apples.
Pricing rules that hold across most projects
Knowing the rules below will save a few rounds of comparison work — they apply whether you are quoting with us or another factory.
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25 cm and 30 cm price almost the same
Fabric and filling are a small fraction of the unit cost; pattern, sewing, decoration, and packaging are the larger chunks. A 30 cm body uses slightly more fabric and filling, but on a typical run the difference is small enough that 25 cm and 30 cm usually quote at the same unit price for comparison purposes. The price moves seriously only when the body is significantly larger (45+ cm), much heavier, or made from a very different material — at that point we are no longer talking about the same product.
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Decoration moves the unit price more than size does
Embroidered logo, screen-printed label, accessory (a hat, a hoodie, a scarf): each adds a small amount per piece, and the additions stack. Two or three decorations together can shift the unit price by a much larger margin than going from a 25 cm to a 30 cm body. If decoration is not yet decided, the price genuinely cannot be quoted yet — that is not a dodge.
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Packaging level is a hidden swing factor
A simple polybag with a hangtag costs very little. A printed retail-ready window box, a sewn-in care label, and a custom carton mark together cost a noticeable amount per unit. Buyers who skip packaging from their first inquiry often get a sticker shock when they finally describe the retail-ready spec.
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Compliance testing is a fixed line, not a per-piece line
CPSIA, EN71, ASTM F963 — these are charged by the testing lab as a one-off cost on the project, not per piece. A 1,000-pcs order absorbs the test cost differently than a 5,000-pcs one, which is why ordering bigger sometimes feels disproportionately cheaper per unit. We pass through the testing lab cost; we do not mark it up.
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Shipping is its own quote, not part of the unit price
Sea freight to the US runs around 18 days; air freight is days but multiple times the cost. The right shipping mode depends on volume, deadline, and where the goods need to land. Shipping is quoted separately so it can be compared against your own freight forwarder.
The 8 inputs that get a real quote back
Send these eight and the reply is an itemised quote, with the assumptions written next to each line. The first six are usually quick. The last two only matter if you are aiming for a specific market.
1.Reference image or sketch
A photo, a screenshot, a hand sketch, or a link. One angle is enough to start.
2.Approximate size in cm
"About 25 cm" or "between 25 and 30" — a range is fine.
3.Quantity per design
1,000 pcs is our standard MOQ for fully custom; mention if you are aiming higher.
4.Decoration list
Embroidered logo? Printed care label? Accessory like a hoodie or hat? "None" is also a valid answer.
5.Filling preference
Standard polyester is the default; if you want premium (memory foam, weighted, anti-bacterial) say so.
6.Packaging level
"Polybag is fine" / "polybag plus hangtag" / "retail-ready window box" / "not decided yet — quote both extremes".
7.Destination market
"US retail", "EU promo", "Japan licensing", "domestic gift". Drives compliance and label requirements.
8.Target ship date and where the goods should land
"By 30 March, to our 3PL warehouse in NJ" is more useful than "Q1". Decides whether sea, air, or a hybrid is appropriate.
If only six of the eight are ready, send those — the reply will include the quote plus any assumptions for the missing two, clearly labelled, so they can be corrected.
A note on payment terms
Buyers often ask the deposit and balance ratio in the same email as the unit price question. The honest answer is the same: it depends on order size, the materials we have to pre-order specifically for your job, and whether we have worked with you before. Smaller first orders typically carry a higher upfront ratio because we are buying materials specifically for that job. Larger orders, repeat orders, or orders using stock materials usually have more flexibility. The arrangement for your specific order is included in the quote — there is no boilerplate ratio that fits every project.
What the quote looks like when it comes back
The reply usually arrives within one or two working days of the inputs landing. There is no "starting from" — every line is the actual price for the spec sent.
- Itemised unit price.Body, decoration, packaging — separate lines so you can see what is moving the number.
- Sample fee.$120 for the first version, with a note on how it credits back into bulk for your specific order.
- Lead time.A real day count from sample approval to ready-to-ship, including any decoration or testing days.
- Shipping options.Sea, air, or our end-to-end DDP service — with realistic transit times for each.
- Payment plan.Deposit ratio and balance trigger sized for your specific order.
- Assumptions, in plain text.Any assumption made for missing inputs is listed so it can be corrected before proceeding.
Send the 8 inputs
Email is the fastest path — paste the eight into the body, attach any artwork or reference photo. The reply usually lands within one or two working days.
- Email the eight inputs with any artwork attached.
- WhatsApp suits short follow-ups once the email thread is open.
- The quote form is for cases where a structured RFQ on file is needed from day one.
