When to Order Pottery?

Table of Contents 

Production Times of Vietnamese Pottery

Busy Seasons for Garden Centers

Special Case: Florida's Early Peak Season

Shipping Times

Final Notes

When dealing with international production and shipping, a concern many garden center businesses have is when to order pots? Timing orders to align with their busiest months in the year with proper scheduling helps optimize inventory management and ensures products are ready when demand peaks.

Production Times of Vietnamese Pottery

Vietnamese pottery typically takes around 3 months to produce. However, during the months of May through October, the rainy season in Vietnam can extend production times by about two weeks. This delay is mainly due to the longer drying times for greenware caused by high humidity and frequent rain.

Busy Seasons for Garden Centers

For most garden centers in the U.S., the peak season falls in the spring months. To ensure your pottery is ready for display by March or April, it's best to place orders of wholesale garden pots between September and November. This schedule accounts for both production and shipping timelines.

We also strongly recommend having shipments arrive one month before your peak season. This gives your team time to unpack, merchandise, and prepare for early customers. Orders arriving during the peak season may miss valuable sales time due to delays in setup and display.

Special Case: Florida's Early Peak Season

There are many exceptions to this rule, a key one being Florida, where garden centers often see a sales spike in December and January. This shift is driven by "snowbirds"—seasonal residents who migrate south for the winter.

To serve this market effectively, we suggest placing orders in June, allowing pottery to arrive by November and be ready for early winter sales.

Shipping Times

Another factor to take into account when dealing with importing pottery from Vietnam is shipping times. Typically, shipments from Vietnam travel eastward, either arriving directly on the West Coast or traveling through the Panama Canal to reach other regions.

Final Notes

When planning your inventory strategy, always factor in both production and transit times, especially if you're preparing for seasonal surges. By ordering Vietnamese pottery early, you’ll ensure your products arrive in time to maximize display opportunities and sales. Most businesses should place orders by taking into account:

• 3 months for factory production
• 1 month to arrange and prep inventory
• Additional time for shipping, which varies per region
• Additional time that may incur when ordering during rainy season (typically two weeks)

For example, a business in Texas may want to order by October in order for their pottery to arrive by February, and be on display for sale by March, whereas a business in California could order later to account for the shorter shipping time. By properly timing orders with your busiest month, you can ensure your inventory arrives on time, and is ready for sale by pick seasons! 

To learn more about how your business can bulk buy pots, our team at TT Pottery is standing by ready to assist with any needs or inquiries.

To start your journey towards importing pottery from Vietnam, or any other inquiries, reach out to john@ttpottery.com today!