Process & lead time

From brief to delivered mahjong sets: seven steps, one clear order path

Start with your requirements. Approve the quote, artwork proof and physical sample before production. Then we inspect, pack and ship the agreed sets. Follow the seven steps below to see your decisions, our work and the timing at each handoff.

Illustration of a production operator setting up acrylic mahjong blanks at an engraving station
Engraving process illustration. For engraved faces, the artwork is cut into the tile before the selected color-fill process.

Build your calendar

Making time and delivery time are separate

The quote confirms the start of each stage. Leave space for the physical sample to reach you and for your review before production begins.

01 · Brief & quote

24 hours

For a complete brief. File checks and proof revisions follow.

Prepare your brief →

02 · Sample making

15–17 days

About, after payment, specification and required artwork/proof approval.

Review a physical set →

03 · Production

50 or 100 sets
~20 days
150 or 200 sets
~25 days
300–1,000 sets
~30 days

Other quantities: confirmed per project.

Add sample transit + your review + bulk freight

These are separate from making time. Custom sheet colors and changes after approval can extend the schedule. Confirm the full plan against your required arrival date.

Your order, from start to finish

Seven steps. A clear decision at each one.

Follow the connected route. At each stage, see what you provide, what we prepare and what needs to be confirmed next.

  1. A complete brief

    Send the brief

    Start with your requirements
    You

    Tile count, body size and layers, engraving and artwork status, Pantone or hex targets, accessories, packaging, one exact quantity per design, destination and target date.

    Wetop

    Check the specification and identify missing decisions. Complete briefs receive priority and are quoted within 24 hours.

  2. Your itemized quote

    Itemized quote

    Within 24 hours of a complete brief
    You

    Read the quote line by line: tiles, accessories, standard export packaging, sample fee, freight estimate against your ZIP if you asked for DDP.

    Wetop

    Price your planned quantity, with separate lines for accessories, samples and freight. Use the published price book to compare starting budgets.

  3. An approved digital proof

    Digital proof

    After the specification and required artwork are checked
    You

    Check the tile dimensions, face inventory, artwork placement and layer colors on the digital proof. Mark changes before approving the sample.

    Wetop

    Check your custom artwork and prepare the production specification and placement proof. We do not redraw or vectorize files. For standard classic faces, confirm the selected face inventory instead of supplying custom face artwork.

    Illustration of custom floral acrylic mahjong tiles beside matching artwork for a proof review
    Artwork review illustration. The proof records the agreed dimensions, tile inventory and placement.
  4. Your physical reference set

    Paid full-set sample

    About 15–17 days to make; transit additional
    You

    Pay the sample invoice, then receive one complete custom set built to the approved proof. Check engraving, color, weight, edge and rack fit in hand.

    Wetop

    Make the set using your selected face process, layer construction and approved files. Photos and a short video go out before courier pickup. USD 500 per set, paid separately, never credited.

    Illustration of hands reviewing the face and colored layers of custom acrylic mahjong tiles
    Sample review illustration. Check the physical color, finish and any ordered accessory fit.
  5. The agreed production run

    Production

    Quantity-based; confirmed per project
    You

    Approve the physical sample and final specification, then pay the 30% production deposit.

    Wetop

    Make the tiles using the agreed layer construction and face process, then finish them against the approved sample. Confirm any specification change before proceeding.

  6. Inspected, packed sets

    100% inspection and packing

    Inside the production window
    You

    Receive the QC photo set before the cargo leaves the warehouse.

    Wetop

    100% inspection against the approved sample, a QC photo set and the agreed packing specification. Standard shrink-wrap export packaging is included; printed boxes have a separate 1,000-piece minimum. Any requested transit test must be confirmed in the quote.

    Illustration of protected acrylic mahjong tiles being packed into a plain export carton
    Packing illustration. Protection and packout follow your agreed specification.
  7. Delivered sets to inspect

    Ship and inspect on arrival

    Route and delivery estimate confirmed on the quote
    You

    Open the cartons within the 7-day landed inspection window and compare against the approved sample. Report transit damage or spec failures with photos.

    Wetop

    FOB Shenzhen by default; DDP on request, estimated per ZIP with the quote. Damage or spec failures are reviewed with photo evidence and remade case by case.

QC inspector at a light table comparing a finished engraved two-layer acrylic mahjong tile against the approved reference tile
Inspection illustration. The approved physical sample and specification guide the production checks.

Acceptance standard

The approved sample is your inspection reference

We inspect the production run against your approved physical sample and send QC photos before shipment. Keep the sample and approved specification for your arrival checks.

Inspect within 7 days of arrival. If you find damage or a specification mismatch, send photos identifying the affected sets and the difference from the approved sample. We review the evidence and arrange remakes case by case; there is no time-based warranty.

Payment follows the same two gates: a 30% deposit before production, 70% balance before shipment, by T/T. The sample invoice is separate and never credited to either.

Honest calendar

What slows a schedule down

File revisions, material availability, fit changes and freight can all affect the schedule. Identify these dependencies before committing to a launch date.

Artwork that fails the file check
For custom engraved faces, send outlined vector artwork with linked assets included. Correct raster-only engraving files and live fonts before proofing. Standard classic faces do not require your own face artwork.
Extra proof rounds
Allow time for both production review and your approval. Confirm the revision schedule before setting a sample deadline.
Color targets with no close in-stock sheet
Choose a stock code or request a made-to-order Pantone-matched sheet. The custom route adds about 15 days for the sheet plus about 10 extra days on the sample; physical approval remains required.
A sample re-cut
Changing size, layers or artwork may require a revised proof or another sample. Confirm the scope, cost and timing before proceeding. Accessory changes can also affect fit and packing.
Sea instead of air
Transit depends on the service, sailing or flight, destination, customs and final-mile delivery. Confirm a current door-to-door estimate against your address before choosing a launch date.

Shipping terms

FOB Shenzhen by default, DDP on request

Your forwarder

FOB Shenzhen

The published price basis. For sea freight, delivery is on board the nominated vessel at the named Shenzhen port. Your forwarder handles the main carriage. Air or courier shipments require a suitable agreed term instead of FOB.

Request a delivered quote

DDP to your door

Request a delivered quote with your full address and ZIP code. Freight, import charges and final-mile scope must be confirmed for the route and shipment; a website product estimate is not a delivered total.

Choose by arrival date

Air or sea

Compare current freight estimates against packed dimensions, weight and your required arrival date. A split shipment can be evaluated when you need some sets earlier. Transit, customs clearance and final delivery are separate from the factory production schedule.

Before you start · before you approve · before delivery

Lead-time and process FAQ

Starting your order

Can I request a quote before my artwork is finished?

Yes. Tell us your planned quantity, tile size, layers, face process and artwork status. We can discuss the specification and price before the custom artwork is final. Production-ready artwork is needed before making a custom-face sample; standard classic faces do not require your own face artwork.

What should I include in my first request?

Send the quantity per design, tile count and dimensions, layers and colors, face process, artwork status, accessories, packaging and destination. Include your required arrival date if you have one. Mark undecided items clearly so we can identify which decisions affect the quote.

Can you design the tile faces or give my designer an editable template?

We manufacture from your finished artwork; we do not provide design, tracing, redraw, vectorization or editable tile templates. Your designer can use the published tile dimensions to prepare the artboards. Standard classic faces are available if you do not need custom face artwork.

Can you sign an NDA before I share my designs?

We can review and sign a reasonable NDA after agreeing its terms. Send the proposed agreement before confidential files. Your artwork is used only for your project; the agreement should not claim exclusive ownership of common manufacturing methods.

Can I start with 50 sets and add branded packaging?

Custom tiles start at 50 complete sets per design. Printed boxes have a separate 1,000-piece minimum, so a 50-set tile run does not qualify for 50 printed boxes. Standard export packaging is included. Other accessories have their own minimum quantities; confirm each item in your quote.

Proofs & physical samples

How is a digital proof different from a physical sample?

The proof records dimensions, tile-face inventory, artwork placement and specified colors. The physical sample lets you check actual color, finish, weight and fit. Keep the approved sample and specification as the reference for production and arrival inspection.

When does the sample-making time start?

Allow about 15–17 days after sample payment and approval of the required specification, artwork and proof. Courier transit and your review time are separate. Custom sheet colors can add lead time; the quote confirms the schedule for your selected materials.

What does the sample fee include?

The tile sample is one complete custom set, USD 500 including courier. Requested accessory samples are separate: one set of four racks and four pushers USD 200, a mat USD 50, and a box or bag USD 200 per design. Each sample fee includes courier, is paid separately and is never credited to production.

Can I order a few sample tiles or skip sampling?

We offer one complete custom tile set, not loose-tile samples or sample packs. Approve the physical set before the production run so the color, finish and specification have an agreed reference. Accessory samples are added according to the scope you need to evaluate.

What should I check before approving my sample?

Check the tile inventory, dimensions, face artwork, layer colors, finish and handling. If accessories are included in your sample scope, check rack fit, case capacity and the agreed packing together. Record requested changes before approving production.

What happens if I want changes, or the sample differs from the approved proof?

Send the affected details and photos, and identify whether this is a design change or a mismatch against the approved specification. We review the work already completed and confirm the correction or revised sample scope, any cost and timing before proceeding. Production waits for physical sample approval.

Do custom colors or added accessories change the schedule?

They can. Made-to-order sheet colors add about 15 days for the sheet and about 10 extra days at the sample stage. Supplier-reference materials need availability and suitability checks. Accessory changes may require a fit check, another sample or a revised packing plan. Confirm the combined schedule for your actual set.

Production & delivery

When are production payments due?

Standard production terms are a 30% deposit before production and the 70% balance before shipment. The sample invoice is separate and is not credited against either payment. Follow the payment instructions on your confirmed invoice.

How long is production, and does that include delivery?

Current planning estimates are about 20 days for 50 or 100 sets, 25 days for 150 or 200 sets, and 30 days for 300–1,000 sets. Confirm other quantities and the start date on your quote. Sample making, sample transit, your review and bulk delivery are separate stages; these production estimates are not a brief-to-door promise.

Can you meet my launch date or send part of the order first?

Send the required arrival date, destination and quantity needed first. We assess remaining sample work, materials, production and freight before confirming an accelerated or split-shipment plan. A rush date is accepted only in writing; the 14-day trade-show page is a conditional planning scenario, not a standard lead time.

Is the website price the total delivered cost?

No. Published product prices use FOB Shenzhen and do not represent a delivered total. For a DDP request, send your full delivery address and ZIP code. Confirm freight, import charges and the final-mile delivery scope on the written quote. If you use your own forwarder, agree the handover location and shipping term before booking.

What happens before shipment and after delivery?

We inspect production against the approved physical sample and provide QC photos before shipment. Check the received sets within the seven-day landed inspection window. Report damage or specification differences with photos identifying the affected sets. Remakes are reviewed case by case; custom production has no time-based warranty period.

What do you need for a repeat order?

Reference your earlier order and approved sample, then confirm the new quantity and any changes to artwork, dimensions, layers, colors, accessories or packaging. We check current materials and specifications before confirming the quote, schedule and whether a new proof or sample is needed.

More answers on the mahjong FAQ, the ordering policies, and the artwork-to-production guide. Sourcing for a manufacturer search? See mahjong manufacturing at Wetop.

Start with the set you want to make

Share your specifications, artwork status, quantity and target arrival date. Complete briefs receive a quote within 24 hours.