<strong>MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)</strong> — The smallest number of sets a factory will produce in one run. For a brand, it decides whether a custom line is affordable — OEM runs usually start around 1,000–5,000 sets, while ready-design stock can start at a few boxes. For you as a shopper, it's why big-brand sets are cheap and why small brands charge more.
<strong>AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit)</strong> — An international sampling standard (ISO 2859-1 / ANSI Z1.4) that sets how many defective sets a factory can ship before the buyer rejects a batch. "Inspected" doesn't mean checked one by one — a 10,000-set order gets roughly a 200-set sample. For a consumer, it's why even "quality checked" press-ons can arrive flawed, and why a seller's return policy matters more than their claims.
<strong>OEM vs ODM</strong> — Two ways a brand gets made. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): you supply the design and the factory builds to your spec. ODM (Original Design Manufacturer): you pick from the factory's existing designs and put your name on them. Most new brands start with ODM because it's faster and cheaper — most small-brand sets share the same molds, just under different logos.
<strong>DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)</strong> — An Incoterm (shipping contract) where the factory handles freight, customs clearance, and import duties and delivers to the buyer's door. For an import buyer, it makes the price predictable. For you as a shopper, it's the difference between "price at checkout" and "price plus a surprise customs fee at delivery" — legit sellers who quote DDP already have the landed cost baked in.
<strong>White Label</strong> — Pre-made sets from a factory sold under a retailer's own brand and logo, reusing the factory's existing molds rather than custom tooling. It's the dominant entry model for press-on brands today: you pick from the catalog and add your packaging. It's how most small brands get to market in weeks.
<strong>Dropshipping</strong> — A retail model where a seller lists press-on nails online but the factory ships each order directly to the customer, often in no-label packaging. The seller holds no inventory. It lowers the barrier to starting a store — but it also means the seller never touches your order before it ships.
<strong>What this means when you're buying press-ons</strong> — You'll never see an MOQ or an AQL on a product page, but they tell you a lot about a seller. Every press-on brand is built on these same terms, so none are red flags by themselves. The red flag is a mismatch between story and logistics: a shop that claims hand-made, one-of-a-kind sets but ships from a no-label dropshipping warehouse; a brand that can't name who makes its nails; a checkout that quotes one price and adds a customs fee later. The practical rule: legit sellers can name their factory or white-label source and show real photos of the exact product. When the terms don't match the story, buy elsewhere.