The differences in MOQs stem from three cost structures: mold development, component procurement, and certification testing. For purely mechanical travel security locks, mold costs account for a high proportion of total costs. If the mold cost per unit is too low, the unit price becomes high, so factories set a minimum quantity that recovers mold costs. IoT smart locks add electronic modules, firmware tuning, and compliance testing, all of which are upfront investments that occur regardless of quantity and are reflected in the first order's minimum. When requesting quotes, buyers should obtain three figures—unit price, mold cost allocation, and certification cost allocation—to compare the true costs of different suppliers.

Before asking Golden Tai Industrial about the minimum viable quantity, buyers should clarify several points: the target product type (mechanical lock or IoT smart lock), estimated annual usage and first-batch scale, whether new molds are needed or existing structures can be used, and the certification requirements of the target market. Organizing this information into a brief allows the factory to provide a realistic minimum quantity recommendation during the DFM design assessment stage, rather than a vague number. If buyers can accept small trial production during the sampling phase, there is usually room to negotiate the subsequent mass-production minimum.