01

Define the product format, size and required function

The first question is simple: what exactly are we going to produce?

For an Air Care project, the manufacturer first needs to understand the product format and approximate fill size or weight. Typical formats include gel beads, solid air fresheners, room or fragrance sprays, reed diffusers, and hanging or wall-mounted formats.

Required function also affects the quotation. A fragrance-only product may have a different formula cost from one expected to provide odour control, longer-lasting fragrance or additional functional benefits. More functions may require more functional ingredients, while more complex or premium fragrance oils can also increase formula cost.

WHEN CAN QUOTATION START?

If there is no approximate fill size, weight or product reference at all, it is difficult to produce a meaningful quotation.

Once the basic specification and general product style are clear, the factory can usually begin with an initial quotation and confirm the remaining details later.

02

Packaging can affect much more than the bottle itself

Besides functionality, the appearance and presentation of the product can be an important part of its commercial value.

Air Care is a highly market-driven category. Product formats can range from LED colour-changing gel beads and fragrance sprays with keychain accessories to products with decorative floral elements and wall-mounted or hanging deodorizing formats.

These design choices can change the number and type of components required, which directly affects the quotation. They can also affect transport packaging. Extra accessories, unusual structures or areas that are more vulnerable to pressure during transportation may require different internal protection, packing methods, carton dimensions or outer shipping cartons.

Different suppliers have different MOQ requirements, production capacity, prices and response speed. Building a reliable supplier network that balances pricing, service and responsiveness is therefore part of manufacturing capability.

EXISTING VS NEW PACKAGING

If the buyer chooses an existing packaging solution already used by the factory, quotation is usually much faster because the costs of the container, components, labels and cartons are already known.

For new packaging, the factory may need to confirm dimensions, materials and structure with packaging suppliers and request new quotations.

03

A fragrance reference can help define the direction, but it is not required

If the buyer already knows what kind of fragrance they want, providing a physical reference product can be one of the most effective ways to begin development.

REAL PROJECT

For one U.S. retail project supplying a Walmart programme, the buyer had specific expectations for the fragrance profile.

In one case, the final choice had a particularly strong and vivid lemon character.

Their buying team selected products they wanted to use as references and sent the samples to us. Based on those references and the buyer’s own requirements, our team analysed the fragrance direction and prepared several fragrance samples. The samples were sent to the customer, while corresponding retained samples were also kept for internal testing and comparison. The customer then evaluated the samples, provided feedback and gradually narrowed the direction until they selected the fragrance they preferred.

This is how fragrance development often works in practice:

Reference product → Fragrance analysis → Multiple fragrance samples → Buyer feedback → Final direction

However, a reference fragrance is not required. The buyer does not need to define every fragrance detail before the project can begin. Formulation teams that have worked with different markets over time usually build practical experience around regional fragrance preferences and can propose suitable starting directions for sampling. If the buyer is developing a product from the beginning and does not yet know exactly what fragrance direction to choose, the manufacturer can also start from the target market and product positioning.

04

Quantity affects unit price, but MOQ is not always one fixed number

Buyers can simply provide the quantity they realistically expect to purchase.

If production is feasible, a smaller order may simply result in a somewhat higher unit price because some production and purchasing costs are spread across fewer units. A lower quantity does not automatically mean the project cannot be produced.

MOQ becomes more complicated because a finished product is not produced through one single manufacturing step. Bottles, closures, labels, cartons and decorative parts may come from different specialist suppliers, and each supplier may have its own minimum production quantity.

WHEN IS MOQ EASIER TO CONFIRM?

If the product uses an established packaging system, the MOQ and cost structure are usually much clearer.

If the project involves multiple new components, special packaging or a customized structure, the full product first needs to be broken down before a practical quantity and price can be confirmed.

05

The target market affects more than where the product will be sold

The target market can influence fragrance direction and packaging, but it can also affect transportation conditions and product testing.

Products shipped to different regions may experience different temperatures and temperature changes during ocean transportation and storage. Depending on the product, this may affect the stability and testing considerations during development.

Larger customers may also request documentation relatively early in the project. For applicable Air Care projects, JIAH can provide documents such as SDS/MSDS, IFRA documentation and allergen information when required.

WHY CONFIRM THE TARGET MARKET EARLY?

Confirming the target market earlier helps the manufacturer prepare the formula, packaging, testing and documentation process more efficiently.

Some larger companies may request these documents during their internal review process before the product reaches full production.

06

Why some projects can be quoted immediately while others cannot

The biggest difference is how much of the product has already been defined.

ESTABLISHED PROJECT

We previously worked with a major European supermarket customer who already knew the required fill size and product function, was willing to evaluate one of our existing commonly used formulas, and had defined the preferred carton and container-loading requirements. Because the basic conditions were already clear, the project could move directly into quotation.

FULLY CUSTOM PROJECT

An Australian customer approached us to develop a wall-mounted fragrance product using a customized metal structure. The formula and internal components were not the only variables; the container and structural design also had to be customized. Before the metal structure, dimensions, suppliers, packaging method and overall production feasibility could be confirmed, it was not possible to provide a reliable final quotation.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE

Both types of projects are completely valid. They simply sit at different stages of product development.

One can begin from an established product structure and move directly into costing. The other first needs product definition and supply-chain confirmation before accurate pricing becomes possible.

What to Prepare for a Useful First Air Care Quote

Buyers do not need a complete technical specification before starting a discussion.

For an initial quotation, the most useful information is:

• Product format

• Fill size or weight

• Required function

• Packaging reference, product photo or physical sample

• Approximate quantity

• Target market

• Fragrance reference or general fragrance direction, if available

If some of these points are still undecided, that is not a problem. The buyer can provide an existing product, a reference image or a benchmark sample, or ask the factory to suggest a similar existing solution as a starting point.

A useful quotation is not simply about producing a number as quickly as possible. It begins with understanding what is actually going to be manufactured. Once the product format, basic specification, required function and general packaging direction are clear, the manufacturer can begin breaking down the formula, packaging, supplier requirements and production conditions into a quotation that has real practical value.