Hitting delivery dates is a team sport: your purchase order, the factory’s capacity plan, QC gates, and your freight booking all have to line up. Use this practical B2B playbook with any Chinese supplier—especially effective for mom & baby products where safety, labels, and packaging add extra steps.
1) Lock the Specs Early (and in Writing)
Create one “source of truth” PDF pack your factory signs off on before deposit:
- Golden sample with photos and dimensions (tag it “Approved PP Sample”).
- BOM + materials (grade, fabric GSM, mesh spec, coatings, Pantone color codes).
- Tolerances and load/functional requirements.
- Compliance plan (EN71 / CPSIA / CE where applicable) + who books tests, when.
- Packaging (artwork dielines, barcodes, warnings/age grading, carton spec).
- Instructions (multilingual, with a QR to setup video).
- Label map (every sticker’s position).
Rule: No production until the PP sample and artwork are signed & stamped by both sides.
2) Put the Date in the PO—Then Protect It
Your PO/contract should include:
- Incoterm (FOB, EXW, CIF, DDP) + named port.
- Firm ship date (ETD) and ex-factory date (EXW/FOB readiness).
- Milestones & payments (e.g., 30% deposit on PP sign-off; 70% after PSI pass).
- On-time clause (choose one):
- Carrot: on-time bonus (e.g., +0.5%).
- Stick: liquidated damages (e.g., −1%/week delay, cap 5%) unless force majeure.
- Quality gate: shipment released only after PSI pass to AQL (Major 2.5 / Minor 4.0 / Critical 0).
Holiday awareness: book capacity before China’s peak closures (Lunar New Year, Labor Day, Golden Week). Add +7–10 days buffer around these weeks.
3) Build a Realistic Lead-Time Plan
Typical first order (reference):
- Materials booking: 5–10 days
- PP sample (if changes): 5–7 days
- Mass production: 7–15 days
- QC (DUPRO + PSI): 1–3 days
- Export docs & booking: 3–7 days (ocean space can extend in peak season)
Share your forecast (even rough) so the factory can pre-book fabric/components.
4) Use Milestone QC to Prevent Late Surprises
Schedule three gates:
- IQC / Pre-production – materials match BOM; packaging proofs approved.
- DUPRO (During Production) at 20–30% – catch defects early; confirm labeling and sewing/welding quality.
- PSI (Pre-Shipment) at 100% finished, ≥80–100% packed – test against spec & safety; carton drop test if required.
Set AQL in the PO (e.g., Critical 0 / Major 2.5 / Minor 4.0). Failing PSI triggers re-work + re-inspection at supplier’s cost and may affect the due date clause.
5) Make Progress Visible (Weekly Rhythm)
Create a shared tracker and insist on a Friday update:
- PO # / SKU / Qty
- Status by phase (Materials / Cutting / Assembly / Packing)
- % completion & photos/video
- Next milestone + owner
- Issues/risks & decisions needed
Template subject: PO12345 – Week 32 – 65% Assembly, PSI booked 08/22 – No risks
WeChat groups are normal; still summarize decisions in email to keep an auditable trail.
6) Align Freight Early
- FOB: factory books local trucking & export; you/forwarder book vessel/air.
- EXW: you handle from factory gate—book pickup earlier.
- Peak season space: pre-book 2–3 weeks before ETD.
- Confirm carton size, pallets, VGM, SI cut-off, and labeling (FBA if applicable).
- If schedule slips, consider split shipment (partial air for launch + ocean for balance).
7) Tie Payments to Readiness, Not Promises
- Deposit only after PP sample & artwork sign-off.
- Balance after PSI pass and receipt of correct documents (CI/PL/packing list/test certs).
- For repeat orders, consider a retention (5–10%) released after on-time delivery & doc accuracy.
8) Risk Controls that Save Weeks
- Dual-source critical SKUs or components (zippers, mesh, buckles).
- Keep generic packaging for first run; custom print on reorder.
- Maintain safety stock at your 3PL for evergreen SKUs.
- Approve color/fabric swatches on Day 1 to avoid fabric mill delays.
- For mom & baby: pre-book lab tests (chemical/mechanical) right after PP approval.
9) Red Flags (Act Fast)
- Repeated “waiting materials” beyond 7–10 days without PO to sub-suppliers.
- Factory avoids DUPRO or restricts sampling.
- Frequent engineer changes; no single point of contact.
- Sudden price increase post-deposit (weak contract).
- Photos show mixed labels/incorrect warnings.
Escalate to the GM/owner with a clear log of misses and your contract clauses.
10) Example Clauses You Can Reuse
On-time definition:
“On-time delivery means goods are PSI-passed, packed, and available FOB Xiamen on or before 2025-09-15.”
Delay handling:
“For delays not caused by buyer or force majeure, supplier agrees to a reduction of 1% per full week of delay, capped at 5%. Parties may agree on split shipments to protect the launch date.”
Quality gate:
“Shipment is released only upon PSI pass to AQL Critical 0 / Major 2.5 / Minor 4.0. Re-inspection due to failure is at supplier’s cost.”
11) One-Page Checklist (Copy/Paste)
- Golden sample + spec pack signed & stamped
- Compliance plan (EN71/CPSIA/CE) scheduled with lab
- PO with firm ETD/EXW + on-time clause + payment milestones
- Capacity booking acknowledges China holiday windows
- Weekly tracker live; first update booked
- DUPRO at 20–30% & PSI date confirmed
- Carton/pallet spec + labels approved; SI/VGM cut-offs known
- Forwarder space pre-booked (peak season: 2–3 weeks ahead)
- Balance tied to PSI pass + complete documents
- Contingency: split shipment/air option agreed
Final Word: On-time delivery isn’t luck—it’s clarity + cadence + consequences. Lock specs early, schedule QC gates, keep a weekly drumbeat, and align incentives in the PO. Do that, and your Chinese manufacturer will hit dates far more reliably—even through peak seasons and holiday crunches.