On October 21st, we received an inquiry from an US client who needed a 50cm diameter double-sided revolving sign, with each side displaying a different logo (one side showing a BBQ logo, the other a hot dog logo).
He requested mockups first, specifying white, red, and yellow backgrounds for his 2 logos, meaning we needed to create six mockups.
After completing mock-ups, we sent them to the client for confirmation, he asked for my opinion on which background looked best for the logos. We provided suggestions based on the different characteristics of the logos for each background.
Quotation and price confirmation
Since the United States currently imposes very high import tariffs on Chinese products (we confirmed with our forwarder that the import tax rate for this revolving light box is 85.3%), we offered the customer two prices: One for international express shipping without import duty included, and One for air freight to the airport with door-to-door delivery and import duty included.
At first, the customer did not understand the difference between these two shipping methods.
After our repeated explanations, he realized that the second option — which includes import duty —was actually over USD 200 cheaper than choosing the first option and paying the import duty locally.
The customer immediately chose the second option, even though it might take about 5–7 days longer for he to receive the goods.
In the end, the customer asked if we could offer a price discount. In fact, our quotations are always the most competitive prices, but considering it was the customer’s first order with us, we gave an additional USD 15 discount. After the price was confirmed, we send hime with the proforma invoice (PI).
Payment
After confirming the price, the customer asked about our payment methods. We suggested a wire transfer to our company bank account, but he said that was not possible as he only had a charge card.
Then we asked if he could pay via PayPal, and he agreed. Although PayPal charged a 5% transaction fee, we still accepted it, which meant our profit was slightly reduced.
Order confirmation and production
The customer finally confirmed to use white as the background color of the logo graphic.
Since the logo images he provided were all below 150 KB in resolution, we recreated his logo for UV high definition printing.
Before production, we also confirmed his local power plug type and voltage.
As PayPal payments are received in minutes, we immediately forwarded the customer’s order details to our production department once the payment was received.
Our production time was very short — it took only 4 days to complete.
We send photos and videos for customer’s check before shipment, they are as below.
Shipment
We then informed the freight forwarder to pick up the goods from our factory.
Since U.S. import tariffs are very high, we arranged a shipping method where the first leg was air freight to the airport, and the second leg was door-to-door delivery by FedEx, including import duty.
This method takes about 2–3 working days longer than standard international express, but it saved the customer over USD 200 in import duties.
The customer was very satisfied with this shipping option. The entire delivery process took only 9 working days, and he received the goods quickly.
Upon receipt, he was very happy and praised our sales team, saying: “I am so excited, you girls are the best.”
Customer's questions and our answers
During the communication process of this order, the customer asked below questions, and we responded to each in detail:
Q: Are you going to send me a mock-up today?
A: Sure, we will send you the mock-up within 12 hours.
Q: How do I send you my artwork?
A: Kindly send your artwork to our email address: [email protected].
Q: Could you give me a total of everything delivered to my door with no hidden price?
A: Sure, we will quote a price that includes both the light box cost and door-to-door shipping.
Q: How many days is this going to take from start to finish and be delivered?
A: By air to airport and then door-to-door delivery takes about 14–18 business days, by DHL/UPS/FedEx/TNT, about 10–12 business days.
Q: Is this revolving sign made for outdoors?
A: Yes, it is made for outdoor use and is waterproof.
Q: How long does it last?
5–10 years.
Summary
For this revolving sign order, the customer’s logo was not clear enough, so we recreated it for free to ensure high-definition printing quality.
Since the customer was unable to make a wire transfer, we immediately suggested PayPal as an alternative payment method, and we covered all PayPal handling fees ourselves.
Meanwhile, because U.S. import tariffs on Chinese products are extremely high, we carefully selected the most cost-effective shipping method — one that saved the customer the most on import duties while still offering fast delivery.
Custom your revolving sign from China TOPlightbox
TOPlightbox pays attention to every customization detail of your revolving sign.
We provide the best service to ensure you receive a top quality rotating LED light sign at the lowest cost and in the fastest possible way.
Contact us through email: [email protected], WhatsApp/Phone: +86 18033025232, talk us with your order details or any questions — we’re always here to help!
