Buyer guide
Buying self-storage locks for the first time
Most first orders go wrong before the quotation — in the specification. This guide covers what buyers ask us most, the six mistakes we see repeatedly, and a checklist you can print.
The eight things buyers ask us most
In order of how often they come up in real enquiries, not in order of how easy they are to answer.
- 1. Lock type and door fit
- A one-millimetre difference in a mounting hole is a door that will not close. This is the most common first question we get.
- 2. MOQ and trial orders
- Whether you can start smaller than 500 pcs, and how a trial order is structured.
- 3. Customization and branding
- Logo, serial numbers, packaging and private label — and what each one changes in cost and lead time.
- 4. Key system planning
- Keyed alike, keyed different or a manager key — and the fact that this cannot be changed after production.
- 5. Shipping and customs
- Who arranges freight, clearance and duties, and what happens if you do not have a forwarder.
- 6. Batch consistency
- Whether a second order will match the first, and how that is recorded and verified.
- 7. Response speed
- How quickly a question gets answered, and who answers it.
- 8. Certification and documents
- Which certificates exist, what they cover, and what they do not.
Six things that go wrong — and how to avoid them
These are the mistakes we see most often. None of them are expensive to avoid at the specification stage.
Choosing the lock from a product photo
The door decides the lock, not the catalogue. A padlock does not fit a cylinder cut-out, and a latch does not fit a hasp.
Not recording the specification
Without a written record, the second order quietly becomes a different system — and three years later nobody can say which key opens which unit.
Leaving keying until production
Keying is fixed when cylinders are assembled. Deciding it late means new cylinders, not new keys.
Comparing unit prices across different configurations
SS201 against SS304 is not a price difference, it is a different product. Add the trade term and the packaging and the two quotations are not comparable.
Assuming the sample is the batch
Ask which line the sample came from. A sample built by hand is not evidence about a production run.
Sourcing each family separately
Locks, cylinders, latches and overlock hardware from four suppliers is four lead times, four quality standards and four invoices.
A purchasing checklist you can print
Six items. If you have four of them, send those — we will ask about the rest before quoting.
| Item | What we need | Not sure? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Door type | Unit door with a hasp, a cylinder cut-out, or a roll-up door | Upload a photo of the door |
| 2 · Cylinder size | Measured across the cylinder face — 19 mm or 17 mm | A photo with a ruler across the face |
| 3 · Unit count | Units taking a lock, plus your spare ratio | An approximate figure is enough to start |
| 4 · Key plan | Keyed alike, keyed different, or a manager key | Tell us who needs access — we will propose one |
| 5 · Environment | Indoor corridor, exposed, or coastal | Tell us the location and we will advise on grade |
| 6 · Destination | Country, city and postcode | Needed for a DDP quote |
Do not have all six? Send what you have. We will ask about the rest — before quoting, not after.
Where to start, by buyer type
Find the line that describes most of your volume.
Multi-site operators
Standardise locks and key systems across locations, with a re-order path.
For facility operators →
Single-facility owners
Small quantity orders and samples from 500 pcs. Tell us your unit count and we will size the first order.
Order terms →
Distributors and wholesalers
Volume pricing, private label and a regular supply rhythm.
Customization options →
Door and hardware manufacturers
OEM latches, cylinders and hasps built to your drawing.
How custom orders are built →
Maintenance contractors
Replacement cylinders and latches matched to doors already installed.
Replacement supply →
Buyer questions
Where do I start if I have never bought storage locks before?
Start with the door, not the lock. Send a photo of a typical unit door and tell us roughly how many units take a lock. That is enough for us to tell you which family applies, what the cylinder size is likely to be, and what the first order would look like. You do not need a specification to open the conversation.
What information do I need before requesting a quote?
Six things make a quotation accurate the first time: door type, cylinder size, unit count, key plan, environment and destination. Most buyers have four of the six. Send what you have — we will ask about the rest before quoting, not after.
Which buyer type am I?
If you run facilities, you are an operator. If you resell, you are a distributor. If you build doors and fit our hardware to them, you are an OEM customer. Most buyers are a mix — a distributor who also runs one site, for example. Use whichever line describes most of your volume; it only changes which page we send you to.
Do I need a key plan before I order?
You need it before production starts, not before you enquire. Keying is set when the cylinders are assembled and cannot be changed afterwards, so it is worth deciding early — but we can quote without it and plan the keying in parallel. Tell us the unit count and who needs access, and we will propose a plan.
Send us your checklist
Even a partial one. We will come back with a fit confirmation, a configuration and a price — typically within 4 business hours.
Still comparing suppliers? See what we do differently, and how supplier types compare.