Our workflow follows five main steps: sampling, quotation, design, production, and shipment. Samples are provided without a sample fee, and customers only pay the courier shipping cost. A design fee equal to 10 percent of the estimated order value is required to initiate professional design work, including renderings and production level CAD drawings. If the project proceeds to mass production, this design fee is fully deducted from the deposit, making the design effectively free.
The total deposit for production is 50 percent of the order value, with the initial design fee counted as part of this amount. The remaining balance is paid after production is completed and before shipment. Each payment stage corresponds to real work completed and real costs incurred.
This structure ensures transparency, protects both parties, and supports efficient cooperation by aligning design, production, and payment responsibilities throughout the project lifecycle.
In custom cabinetry and furniture manufacturing, pricing is only one part of the cooperation. An equally important part is the order process itself. A clear and reasonable payment structure helps both the customer and the factory reduce risk, improve efficiency, and build long term trust.
Many customers ask similar questions.
Why do you say the design is free, but still charge a design fee?
Why is a deposit necessary before production?
How do sample orders, deposits, and final payments connect to the formal order?
This article explains our complete workflow and the logic behind each step, so you can clearly understand how value is created and how responsibilities are shared.
Overview of Our Standard Order Workflow
Our standard order process follows five clear stages:
Sampling
Quotation
Design
Production
Shipment
Each stage corresponds to real work already completed or real costs already incurred. Payments are not arbitrary. They are directly linked to progress in the project.
Sampling Stage: Verifying Quality with Minimal Risk
Samples are used to confirm material quality, craftsmanship, finishes, and construction details before mass production. Their purpose is validation, not profit.
For this reason, we do not charge a sample fee.
However, physical samples still require international logistics. Customers are only responsible for paying the courier shipping cost. This policy keeps the sampling stage low risk while remaining fair and transparent.
Quotation Stage: From Requirements to Real Numbers
After basic requirements are confirmed, we provide a professional quotation based on drawings, layouts, materials, hardware, and production complexity.
Our quotations are not rough estimates. They are calculated results based on real manufacturing logic, material costs, and factory execution. This step ensures that pricing is realistic and aligned with production from the very beginning.
Once the quotation is approved, the project moves into the design stage.
Design Fee: Why We Charge It and Why It Is Ultimately Free
This is the stage where most confusion happens.
We require a design fee equal to 10 percent of the estimated order value. This fee represents professional design labor, engineering thinking, and production feasibility work.
Within two working days after receiving the design fee, we provide:
Detailed renderings
Professional CAD drawings suitable for production
These are not concept visuals. They are production level drawings that consider structure, materials, hardware, installation logic, and factory execution.
At the same time, we clearly explain one key point:
If the customer proceeds with mass production, the 10 percent design fee is fully converted into part of the deposit.
In other words, once the order moves forward, the design becomes free.
This is why we say we offer free design, and why we still charge a design fee at the beginning. The fee is not an extra cost. It is a commitment mechanism that ensures serious design input on both sides.
Why This Design Policy Protects Both Sides
For the customer, this policy guarantees:
Dedicated and customized design work
Faster response time
Drawings that are truly manufacturable
For us, it ensures:
Design resources are invested in real projects
Stable workflow planning
Consistent design quality
Without this structure, design often becomes rushed, superficial, or repeatedly revised without clear direction. The design fee creates alignment and efficiency.
Deposit Stage: Turning Design into Production
Once the design is confirmed and the customer decides to proceed, the order enters the production stage.
In custom manufacturing, a 50 percent deposit is standard practice. Production immediately triggers:
Material purchasing
Hardware ordering
Labor scheduling
Factory capacity allocation
These costs cannot be reversed once production begins.
Since the customer has already paid 10 percent as a design fee, we only require an additional 40 percent payment at this stage. The total deposit remains 50 percent of the order value, but the customer does not pay anything extra for design.
Production then continues until completion.
Why the Deposit Is Important for Cooperation
The deposit is not just a payment. It is a mutual commitment.
For the factory, it ensures:
Stable cash flow
On time material sourcing
Production priority and quality control
For the customer, it ensures:
Confirmed production slots
Clear delivery scheduling
Full accountability from the factory
A reasonable deposit protects both sides and prevents uncertainty during production.
Final Payment and Shipment: Completing the Order
After all products are manufactured according to the confirmed drawings and specifications, we notify the customer for final payment.
At this stage:
Production is complete
Quality checks are finished
Goods are ready for shipment
We then collect the remaining 50 percent balance. Once the balance is received, we arrange shipment and deliver the goods to the customer.
This structure ensures fairness. The customer does not pay the full amount before production is finished, and the factory does not ship goods without receiving full payment.
A Transparent System Built for Long Term Cooperation
In summary:
Samples are free, customers only pay shipping
Design requires a 10 percent fee, but becomes free when production proceeds
The total deposit is 50 percent, including the design fee
The balance is paid after production and before shipment
Each payment corresponds to real work completed and real value delivered.
This system allows us to maintain high design quality, stable production, and reliable delivery while helping customers reduce risk and make confident decisions. When the process is clear, cooperation becomes smoother, trust grows naturally, and both sides can focus on building successful projects together.
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