Friends who are engaged in cross-border pet products may have heard of these two terms: OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and ODM (original design manufacturer). But many sellers who are just starting out will ask us: “At this stage, how should I choose?” In fact, we have summed up experience after running factories for a long time – OEM and ODM are not a question of who is “higher” and who is “lower”, but it depends on your current resources, strategy, and rhythm. If you choose the right model, you will have high efficiency, low cost, and low risk; if you choose the wrong one, it will not only delay the listing but also miss the peak season.
For sellers who have just entered the pet category, the most important thing is not to come up with an “exclusive model” immediately, but to put the product on the shelves, run it, and test the market feedback as soon as possible. Therefore, we recommend that you give priority to the OEM model in the initial stage; that is, based on our existing mature product line, you can put your own brand on it, change the packaging and logo, and put it on the shelves. This method is quick to take effect, has low development costs, focuses on marketing and channel building, and is more suitable for the “light asset + fast verification” approach.
When you already have a batch of stable SKUs, a certain order basis, and a preliminary understanding of market users, you can gradually transition to the ODM stage. For example, we often receive such customer demands: the existing model is good, but they want to add a non-slip structure; or the opening of the pet bag wants to be redesigned for easier opening and better photography; these are typical ODMs – customization based on our basic structure. We also have industrial design resources here, which can quickly help you produce renderings and proofing, which are both different and do not take too long to develop.
For sellers who have shipped thousands of orders a year and have already formed a brand effect, we will encourage in-depth cooperation, such as joint development of the entire process from appearance ID to structure. You come up with the concept, and we will implement the production. We have experience to take over every step in the middle. This deep ODM is even closer to the ODM+OBM (brand co-growth) model. On the one hand, it allows you to build a brand moat, and on the other hand, it can avoid low-price follow-up sales and protect profit margins through design patents, exclusive mold opening, and other means.
As a factory, we will not simply divide customers into “you can only do OEM” or “you must do ODM”. What we hope to do is “adapt” – we understand the demands of every seller at different stages. If you are a start-up, we will use ready-made products to help you increase the volume; if you are mature, we will provide design capabilities to accompany you to be exclusive. We are not just making products, but we want to be the “chassis” of your business, and we will fill in any gaps.
In the final analysis, there is no absolute difference between OEM and ODM. The key is whether it is the most suitable method for you at the current stage. Especially in the pet category, which is a fast-changing industry where user experience is important, whether you can flexibly adjust and quickly implement with the factory is the core of whether you can do long-term. If you are also thinking about “what to do next”, you might as well talk to us to see if we can provide a solution that suits you.
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