Ask ten importers when they place their tree orders and you will get ten different answers - because the answer depends on the market, the freight route and the shelf date. Here is the calendar as it looks from the factory floor.
Artificial trees are manufactured against one fixed deadline: the retail floor in November. Working backwards, production happens June-September, purchase orders are confirmed January-May, and samples circulate even earlier. A buyer who starts in June is choosing from leftover slots; a buyer who starts in February picks colours, tip counts and packaging.
| Market | PO window | Why |
|---|---|---|
| US big-box & chains | Feb - Apr | Long internal approval cycles; expects planogram-ready packaging and UL light sets |
| EU garden centres & chains | Mar - May | Season previews in spring; EN71 docs requested with the quote |
| UK independents | Apr - Jun | Smaller volumes, faster decisions, mixed pallets common |
| Russia & CIS | Aug - Sep | Rail freight from China cuts transit to ~2-3 weeks; New Year (Jan 1) outranks Christmas |
| Latin America | May - Jul | Ocean freight longer; seasonal sales start mid-November |
| Middle East (hotels/malls) | Jul - Sep | Project-based; flame-retardant documentation decides the tender |
| Philippines / SE Asia | Jun - Aug | Season starts in September ("-ber months"); restock cycles through December |
Factories allocate capacity in confirmation order. Early buyers choose: the new-item colours, the high-density builds (which need longer moulding time), their carton print slots, and the sailing dates before peak surcharges. Late buyers get the remaining slots - often the wrong colours, at higher freight.
A sample ordered in March arrives in April, is tested against your shelf, and still leaves time to adjust tip count or LED colour before the PO. The same sample ordered in July becomes a formality. Our sample policy: fee + courier, credited to the first order.
① January: shortlist series and request the price list → ② February-April: samples + PO confirmation → ③ May-July: artwork and packaging files locked → ④ August-October: production, inspection, shipment → ⑤ November: your shelves.
The 2026 new-item program is open for sampling, and 2027 slots follow the same clock - one year forward. Ask for the current price list: sales@everpeaktrees.com, or browse the catalog and the container math guide.