When you buy shoes from a manufacturer in China, you have two basic options: buy ready stock that is already made and sitting in a warehouse, or place a custom production order made to your specifications. Both have a place in a healthy footwear business. The right choice depends on your timeline, budget and how much you want to build your own brand.
What are stock shoes?
Stock shoes are finished pairs held in a supplier's warehouse. You choose from what is available, often mixing styles and sizes in one order, and the goods can be packed and dispatched within days of payment. At XC Footwear we hold over 200,000 pairs of ready stock across sneakers, kids' shoes, sandals and more.
Advantages
- Speed: ship in days instead of weeks, ideal for urgent replenishment
- Flexible quantities: mix styles and sizes to build a full assortment
- No development work: no samples, no approvals, no tooling
- Lower risk: test new categories without committing to a production run
Limitations
- Styles, colors and size availability are limited to what is on hand
- Products are unbranded or neutral, so competitors may sell similar pairs
- Popular sizes can sell out; always ask for the current stock list
What is custom (OEM/ODM) production?
Custom production means the factory makes shoes for you: either your own design (OEM) or an existing factory design adapted with your colors, materials and logo (ODM). At our factory, custom orders start at 300 pairs per style with bulk production taking about 35 days after sample approval.
Advantages
- Your brand: logo on the shoe, insole and box builds long-term value
- Differentiation: products competitors cannot simply buy
- Control: choose materials, colors, size range and packaging
- Better margins over time: branded products usually sell at higher prices
Limitations
- Longer timeline: sampling plus production plus shipping
- Minimum order per style
- More decisions and approvals on your side
Side-by-side comparison
| Ready stock | Custom OEM / ODM | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum order | Flexible, mix styles and sizes | 300 pairs per style |
| Lead time | Days | Sampling + about 35 days production |
| Branding | Neutral / unbranded | Your logo, box, tags and labels |
| Design choice | What is in the warehouse | Your design or an adapted factory design |
| Best for | Fast restocking, market tests, filling a container | Building a brand, higher margins, exclusive products |
Which should you choose?
Choose ready stock if...
- you need goods on shelves in the next few weeks
- you are testing a new category, such as aqua shoes or sandals, before the season
- you sell to price-driven wholesale or market-stall channels where brand matters less
Choose custom production if...
- you are building your own label for retail or e-commerce
- you already know which styles and sizes sell
- you want products that stand out from other importers
The smartest approach: use both
Many of our buyers combine the two. They start with ready stock to learn what their customers want, then move the proven styles into custom production with their own branding, while continuing to top up with stock for fast-moving basics. This keeps cash flowing, limits risk, and builds the brand step by step.
Tip: a mixed container is often the most efficient option: fill part of it with your custom styles and the rest with ready-stock best sellers, and ship everything together.
Talk to us about your plan
Tell us your market, target price and timeline, and we will suggest the right mix of stock and custom styles. Request a quote or browse our product catalog.
Planning an order?
Ready stock ships within days. Custom OEM starts at 300 pairs per style, with about 35 days of production. Tell us what you need and we reply within 2 hours in China business hours.
