The short answer
Plan backward. Start with the date stock must be sellable, subtract receiving and prep time, transit time, production time and the time you need to decide and pay. The sum is your total replenishment lead time, and your reorder point is the stock needed to cover sales during that lead time plus a safety buffer. For dash cams the long pole is usually production plus sea freight, so a reseller using sea freight reorders weeks to months before running out. The reference ranges below are typical, not promised; each program confirms its own schedule in writing.
The lead time stack
Add the pieces in order. A stock-based model typically takes about 15 working days to produce, while a custom program with firmware, packaging or housing changes typically takes about 25-45 days after sample approval. Add pre-shipment inspection, booking and cargo handover. Then add transit: sea freight to the US West Coast typically runs about 15-25 days port to port and to Europe about 30-45 days, air freight about 5-10 days. Finally add customs clearance, inland delivery and your own receiving and prep. These ranges come from the MOQ and lead time and logistics pages, and the sum often surprises first-time buyers.
| Component | Typical reference | Can you shorten it? |
|---|---|---|
| Decision and payment | Days, set by you | Yes, with a standing reorder rule |
| Production, stock-based model | About 15 working days | Limited; reorder before stock-out |
| Production, custom program | About 25-45 days after sample approval | Freeze artwork and specs early |
| Inspection and cargo handover | Days, per program | Schedule inspection in advance |
| Transit | Air about 5-10 days; sea about 15-45 days by route | Switch mode, at higher freight cost |
| Clearance, delivery, prep | Varies by country and warehouse | Prepare documents and labels in advance |
Setting the reorder point
Reorder point equals average daily sales multiplied by total lead time in days, plus safety stock. Use a recent period of real sales for the average, adjusted for known seasonality; do not use a launch week or a promotion spike as the baseline. If you have no sales history, run a small trial order first and treat the first sell-through as data, not as a forecast. The seasonality note explains how demand shifts through the year in qualitative terms.
Safety stock without overbuying
Safety stock covers two uncertainties: demand higher than expected and lead time longer than expected. For a product with a long sea route, lead time variation is often the bigger risk, so a buffer measured in weeks of sales is more useful than a fixed unit count. Keep the buffer proportionate: cash tied in a slow model is cash not working in a fast one. A simple discipline is to review safety stock by model every time you reorder, shrinking it for models whose sales have slowed.
Demand patterns worth watching
Sales data hides patterns that a monthly total misses. Check the sales velocity of each model separately, because a range average will conceal one fast seller carrying several slow ones. Watch the gap between orders and shipments during promotions, since that gap becomes backorder pressure on the next cycle. And note the accessory attach rate: how many camera buyers also take a card or hardwire kit. A rising attach rate means bundles and ready-made kits deserve stock of their own, which changes what you order, not just how much. The seasonality note adds the calendar dimension to these patterns.
How many SKUs to carry
Every extra model adds a safety stock, a label, a carton plan and a support burden. A reseller starting with dash cams is usually better off with a small, clear range than a long list: one or two core models, a dual-channel upgrade and perhaps one accessory line. Add a model only when you can describe the customer who wants it and the reason the existing models do not serve them. The product lines page shows the twelve starting points; the types note helps decide which ones fit your customers.
Cash cycle and order timing
Inventory planning is also cash planning. Between the day you pay the deposit and the day revenue arrives from sales, your money sits in production, transit, clearance and shelf time. Sea freight stretches that cycle by weeks compared with air, in exchange for lower freight per unit. Map the cycle once for your fastest and slowest model, and you will see why two resellers selling the same camera can have very different cash pressure. It also shows why ordering too early is a real cost, not a safety virtue: capital parked in slow stock cannot fund the next program or a second channel.
Splitting orders between sea and air
- Base load by sea: order enough to cover the forecast period at the lowest per-unit freight.
- Top-up by air: keep a small air allocation for stock-outs and the early weeks of a promotion.
- Review the split quarterly: if air is used every cycle, your lead time assumption is wrong. Fix the plan, not the freight bill.
MOQ and order sizing
Private-label programs typically start from about 100 pieces per model, as published by Shenzhen OEM suppliers, and firmware or app branding carries a higher figure confirmed per program. The minimum is a floor, not a recommendation. Size each order to the sell-through you can credibly expect, then check that the quantity also fits full cartons and a sensible container fill. Read the MOQ explained note for what drives the minimums.
Managing slow stock and returns
Every range develops a slow mover. Decide in advance at what point you clear it: bundle it with a hardwire kit or card, shift it to a channel with different buyers, or run it down without reordering. Track the return rate by model as well; a model that sells well but returns often is a hidden cost. The after-sales note covers warranty handling that feeds back into planning.
A monthly planning rhythm
- Update sales by model and the time since last receipt.
- Recalculate weeks of cover against total lead time.
- Flag models below the reorder point and confirm quantities.
- Check upcoming promotion dates against arrival dates.
- Confirm the production and shipping schedule with the sourcing desk in writing.
When you are ready to size a first order or a restock, give the quantity range, destination and target arrival date through the quote form, and the schedule comes back as a written plan.