Sourcing guide / Published August 3, 2026

How to Buy Wholesale Dice: In-Stock vs Custom, MOQ, Pricing, and Lead Times

The two ways to buy wholesale dice

“Wholesale dice” covers two very different purchases, and most sourcing confusion comes from mixing them up. Before you ask for a price, decide which one you actually need:

• In-stock wholesale. Ready-made dice a supplier already keeps in stock. You buy existing colors and styles in bulk, at a low minimum, and they ship in days. Nothing is customized.
• Custom / OEM wholesale. Dice manufactured to your specification — your material, color, numbering, finish, logo, and packaging. It needs sampling and a production run, so minimums and lead times are higher.

A game store stocking its shelves and a publisher launching a branded line have different answers. Here is how they compare.

In-stock wholesale: fast and low-commitment

In-stock wholesale exists to solve one problem: getting sellable dice on your shelf or into your reward kits quickly, without a project. Because the goods already exist, the minimum can be as low as 50 sets and orders ship in 3-7 days. You are choosing from what the supplier already produces — common materials are gemstone, resin, metal, and acrylic, in stocked colorways.

It fits you if you are a retailer or distributor stocking a range, a store filling gaps between custom runs, or a creator who needs fulfilment dice fast. The trade-off is that you take the colors and styles that are in stock — if you need your own artwork or branding, that is a custom order. Most suppliers, including us, do not publish stock prices online; you send an inquiry and get the current price list, usually within a day.

Custom / OEM wholesale: your own line

Custom (also called OEM/ODM) wholesale is how brands, publishers, and campaigns get dice that are unmistakably theirs. You specify the material, color or visual effect, numbering style, finish, logo engraving, and packaging, and the factory produces a run to match an approved sample. Minimums are higher — typically around 100 sets per design — because every run needs its own setup, color matching, and sampling. Start with how to design a custom dice set and the OEM/ODM sourcing guide, or go straight to the custom configurator to outline a brief.

Wholesale dice MOQ and pricing

Two numbers drive every wholesale dice quote: minimum order quantity and volume tier. MOQ is the smallest run a supplier will make or sell — lower for in-stock, higher for custom because of setup cost. Above the minimum, the per-set price steps down as quantity rises: sampling, moulds, and setup are spread across more units, so 1,000 sets cost less per set than 100.

Material is the other big lever. Acrylic is the most cost-efficient; resin and metal sit higher; natural gemstone is the premium tier because each die is cut and polished individually. For the full breakdown, see how much custom dice cost and how MOQ works. When you request a quote, give quantity and material up front — it is the fastest way to a real price.

Lead times: plan backwards from your date

Late dice miss launches, so plan backwards from the date you need stock in hand. In-stock orders are quick; custom lead time is driven by the material and the sampling step, not by artwork.

• In-stock: ships in 3-7 days.
• Custom acrylic: ~18-28 days after sample approval.
• Custom metal: ~25-40 days after sample approval.
• Custom resin: ~28-45 days depending on the effect.
• Custom gemstone: ~30-45 days depending on the stone batch.

Add a sample round of roughly 7-21 days before production, plus international freight after the factory finishes. Lock the sample early — it is the step most likely to slip. The full sequence is in the manufacturing process guide.

Shipping terms and documentation

Wholesale dice from China usually ship EXW or FOB (for example FOB Shenzhen). EXW means you arrange freight from the factory door and handle export; FOB means the supplier delivers to the port and you take over from there. Neither is “better” — it is about who controls the freight. Confirm the Incoterm, the port, and who prepares export documents in writing, and ask whether the supplier has EU/US documentation experience if that is your market. Getting this wrong on the invoice instead of upfront is a common, avoidable cost.

How to place a wholesale dice order

1. Pick your path. In-stock for fast, ready-made bulk; custom for your own branded line.
2. Send a short inquiry. Material, quantity, and whether you need stock or custom is enough to get a price list or quote back — you do not need every detail to start.
3. Approve a sample. For custom, always confirm color, numbering, finish, and construction in hand before any bulk payment. For in-stock, request a photo or sample of the exact colorway.
4. Confirm terms in writing. Price, MOQ, lead time, packaging, and Incoterm (EXW/FOB) before production or shipment.
5. Produce with staged QC and a final check before the goods are packed and shipped.

Reducing risk on a bulk order

The buyers who get burned skip the boring steps. The buyers who do not follow a few rules: get a physical sample before paying for bulk, put material, price, and terms in writing before production, insist on staged QC rather than a single check at the end, and confirm shipping terms upfront. For the specific traps, read 7 mistakes to avoid when sourcing from a China factory. A supplier that gives you a real answer without a minimum order is a good sign.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum order quantity for wholesale dice?

In-stock wholesale can start around 50 sets; custom/OEM usually starts around 100 sets per design because each run needs its own setup and sampling. Higher volume lowers the per-set price on both.

How fast can wholesale dice ship?

In-stock ships in 3-7 days. Custom needs a sample (~7-21 days) plus production — roughly 18-28 days acrylic, 25-40 metal, 28-45 resin, 30-45 gemstone — then freight.

Do wholesale dice suppliers publish prices?

Usually not, because price depends on material, quantity, finish, and packaging. Send an inquiry with what you need and you will get a current price list or quote, typically within 24 hours on business days.

Can I resell wholesale dice in my game store?

Yes — in-stock wholesale is built for retailers and distributors at a low minimum. For your own branded line, custom/OEM lets you private-label sets with your logo and packaging.

What shipping terms do wholesale dice orders use?

Commonly EXW or FOB (e.g. FOB Shenzhen). Confirm the Incoterm, port, and who handles export documents in writing before you commit.