How long a supplier needs to produce and ship your order.
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ProdLinc Editorial
ProdLinc Team
Published Jan 12, 2026
1 min read
Quick answer
Lead time is how long it takes a supplier to produce your order, from confirmed order to ready-to-ship. It is separate from shipping time, and suppliers sometimes quote only one of the two.
Always ask for production lead time and shipping time as two separate numbers, and build in extra buffer around major holidays in the supplier's country, which can extend both without much notice.
What Is a Supplier Lead Time? | ProdLinc Resources
