Cooperation · Buyer FAQ
Buyer FAQ: ordering self-storage locks
Fourteen questions that decide most self-storage lock orders. Every answer states its conditions rather than a blanket promise.
Ordering and MOQ
What is your MOQ?
Standard MOQ starts from 500 pcs for the mechanical self-storage lock families. The Bluetooth smart padlock starts from 50 pcs. Some models, or orders with heavy customization (a new mold, a special key system, printed blister cards), may require a higher quantity. We confirm the exact MOQ together with your quotation.
Sample and trial orders are available before a production run.
What is your sample policy?
Samples are available for a fee plus freight, and the sample fee is refundable against a bulk order (freight excluded). Custom-branded samples may need artwork confirmation first.
If a sample is what stands between you and a decision, tell us — we would rather send one than leave you guessing.
What are your lead times?
Sample lead time starts from 5 days.
Batch production averages around 30 days after order and artwork confirmation. Actual lead time depends on the model, quantity and season. Peak periods such as Chinese New Year should be planned in advance — we will flag these when you order.
How do we pay?
We accept T/T, L/C and credit card.
For a first order we typically work with a deposit and the balance against documents or on shipment. Alibaba Trade Assurance online orders are supported for qualifying transactions.
Do you keep stock — can you ship quickly?
Selected high-runner items may be available from regular production stock. Please confirm current availability for the model you need; we do not list all items as in stock.
If timing is critical, tell us your deadline and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
Is the MOQ different for smart padlocks?
Yes. The Bluetooth smart padlock starts from 50 pcs rather than 500. Samples are ready from 5 days and a batch runs around 10 days after the specification and artwork are confirmed. The higher minimum applies to the mechanical families.
Customization and branding
Can you print our logo and add serial numbers?
Yes. We support:
- Laser logo on the lock body and on the keys
- Unit-level serial numbers — 4, 6 or 8 digits, sequential or in your own format
- Custom blister cards, paper cards and printed boxes
Artwork and data files are confirmed before production. If we find an error in your file — a duplicate serial number, for example — we tell you before we start.
Can you do OEM / ODM and develop new molds?
Yes. We support OEM and ODM, including new-mold development, structural changes and CAD drawing review.
Tooling cost and lead time are quoted separately and confirmed before development starts, so there are no surprises added to your unit price later.
Do you support keyed-alike and master-key systems?
Yes. We produce keyed-alike, keyed-different and master-key systems, including manager keys that can overlock multiple units or an entire site.
To quote accurately, tell us:
- How many units in total
- Whether each tenant key must be unique to its unit
- How many manager keys you need, and how many units each should open
Fit, materials and compatibility
Will your locks fit my doors?
We supply 70 mm disc padlocks, 19 mm and 17 mm cylinder locks, roll-up door latches, hasps and overlock hardware.
Send us your door type, cylinder size, mounting-hole dimensions or a photo. If you are not sure, we send a physical sample so you can check the fit before ordering.
What materials do you use — SS201 or SS304?
We offer SS201 and SS304 stainless steel, zinc alloy and solid brass, depending on the model.
SS201 gives a strong cost-to-performance ratio for indoor units and covered corridors. SS304 is the better choice for exposed outdoor or coastal locations. Tell us where the units are and we will recommend accordingly.
Can you supply roll-up door latches and hasps?
Yes. We supply roll-up door latches, slide-bolt latches, self-storage door hasps, overlock plates and related door hardware.
Send us the door type, the mounting dimensions, or a photo of the existing part, and we will match it.
Does a smart padlock need WiFi or a gateway?
Not for local unlocking — it opens over Bluetooth with no network at all. Unlocking when nobody is standing at the unit needs a separate gateway. The lock also carries a fingerprint reader and a mechanical key that works when the battery is flat, so a site is never dependent on the app alone.
Compliance, shipping and quality
Are your products certified?
Our factory is an SGS-verified supplier holding ISO 9001:2015, CE, UKCA, RoHS, REACH and CPR documentation, with ISO 9227 salt-spray testing on file.
These are not equivalent to US ANSI/BHMA, UL or local building-code approvals. Compliance documentation relevant to your project is available on request — please tell us the standard your project requires.
Can you handle shipping, customs and duties?
We quote EXW, FOB, CIF or DDP.
On DDP we include freight, customs clearance and duties where available, so the price you receive is the price you pay. If you use your own forwarder, we coordinate with them. If you don't have one, we can help arrange shipping and provide the customs documentation, including the HS code.
What happens if there is a quality problem?
Every order goes through documented inspection and we send pre-shipment photos and video for your approval before the goods leave.
If something is wrong, we handle it against the agreed specification and the inspection record, with a documented corrective action — not with an argument.
Is the CE certificate on a Bluetooth lock the same as FCC?
No. Our Bluetooth padlock carries a CE-RED certificate under the EU radio equipment directive 2014/53/EU, with safety, EMC and 2.4 GHz radio test reports on file. A US installation is assessed against FCC Part 15, which is a separate approval — tell us if your project requires it and we will confirm what documentation exists.
Can you support additional certifications or testing for our project?
Tell us the standard your specification names and we will confirm what exists for the model you are ordering. Where a project needs ANSI/BHMA performance evidence, a UL listing or a national scheme such as INMETRO, we will say plainly that we do not hold it — CE, UKCA, RoHS, REACH and CPR are not substitutes. What we can do is supply the drawings, material data and samples your testing house needs, run the tests our own laboratory covers, and issue the declarations that apply to the order.
Which documents travel with the order?
The commercial invoice, the packing list and the HS code, plus the declarations that apply to the models ordered — CE, UKCA, RoHS, REACH and CPR where they apply, and CE-RED with the battery transport documents for the Bluetooth lock. Test records are issued per model, so send the model list with the order rather than after it ships. On DDP terms the clearance documents are handled on our side.
Can you ship locks, cylinders and latches together in one order?
Yes. The families can be combined in one order and one shipment — usually cheaper and simpler than sourcing each family separately. The MOQ applies per model rather than per order, so a mixed order still needs each model to clear 500 pcs or be quoted as a lower-volume line. HS codes differ by family and appear on the invoice.
After-sales and replacement supply
The questions that arrive after the first installation, not before it.
Can you supply replacement cylinders and keys for units already installed?
Yes, and it is the most common after-sales request. Quote the order reference and the unit number and we produce to the keying recorded against your specification. Keyed-alike and master-key sets can be extended without rekeying the rest of the site. Where a tenant has lost a key, tell us the unit and we will confirm the replacement that matches the installed cylinder.
Can you match a lock we already buy from another supplier?
Send a sample or a drawing. We measure it, send a dimensional drawing back for your approval, and build to the drawing you approved — not to the sample as received. One limit is worth stating early: if the existing product uses a proprietary keyway, we cannot copy it. In that case the usual route is a new key system for the units you are replacing, and we will tell you that before you commit.
Do you deliver to more than one site on one order?
Yes. For multi-site projects the order is scheduled per site so the first location opens while the rest is in production. We can ship to a single address for onward distribution, or split the shipment across destinations; DDP is quoted per destination rather than averaged across the project.
Still have a question we have not answered?
Send it to mike@bbdhome.com — most questions get a reply within 4 business hours.