Choosing a product design company in Dongguan comes down to five checks: (1) do they have cases in your exact product category; (2) can they actually do the structure design, meaning do they have mold factory resources; (3) is the quotation itemized; (4) will they stay with you through tooling and prototyping; (5) is there a fixed point of contact. Reference price ranges: appearance design 5,000-12,000 RMB, appearance plus structure 15,000-40,000 RMB, and full-scope 30,000-80,000 RMB. A typical single-category appearance plus structure project runs 25-45 days.

1. Do they have cases in your category?

Ask for ten cases and check that at least two or three are in your category or a close neighbor. If you make small appliances and their portfolio is toys and hardware, the communication cost will be high.

The question to ask: "For this category, what was the most recent project you shipped, and when did it launch?" Cases launched within the last year mean they are still taking orders in that category. Cases older than three years have limited reference value.

Watch whether they can explain the actual design difficulty. On a recent blood pressure monitor, the housing had to fit two batteries plus a display module, and the internal space was extremely tight, so the structure went through three rounds before it was signed off. A team that can describe that kind of detail usually took part in real mass production rather than just rendering concepts.

2. Structure design and mold capability

The conclusion is blunt: a company that only does appearance design means you still need a second supplier for structure, which roughly doubles both cost and timeline.

Structure-inclusive quotations generally sit in the 15,000-40,000 RMB range. A quote far below that usually means the structure work is outsourced, or simply not done.

Ask: "Who delivers the structure design, and who follows the mold after the drawings are released?" Look for established mold and prototyping partners, and whether they will walk with you through T1 to T3 trial shots.

3. Price ranges and transparency

A market reference: appearance design 5,000-12,000 RMB; with structure 15,000-40,000 RMB; full scope 30,000-80,000 RMB. Where you land depends on product complexity, revision rounds, and deliverables.

Ask: "What deliverable files are included, and how are revisions counted?" An itemized quotation should state the deliverables list (renderings, three-view drawings, structure drawings, BOM), the revision limit, and the payment milestones, usually three: kickoff, concept sign-off, and delivery.

Transparent pricing has another tell: they want to discuss requirements before quoting. A number handed over without any questions about the product usually precedes a price increase later.

4. Mass production follow-through and communication

Design delivery is not the end of the project. Tooling, prototyping, and trial production surface new problems: parting lines to adjust, insufficient draft angles, assembly interference.

Ask: "If problems appear during tooling, will you revise, and how is that billed?" Check whether the contract states tooling-stage technical support and whether it is included or billed separately.

Two questions cover communication: who is the fixed contact, and how often is progress synced? At Hertz each project gets one designer responsible end to end, with at least one progress sync per week during the concept phase.

5. A low-cost way to test the partnership

Spend a few hundred to a couple thousand RMB on a small upfront concept or research task first. Running through the process once tells you more than ten rounds of talks.

FAQ

What does a Dongguan product design company charge? Appearance design 5,000-12,000 RMB, with structure 15,000-40,000 RMB, full scope 30,000-80,000 RMB.

How long does appearance plus structure take? Typically 25-45 days, with structure design accounting for more than half of that.

What is the advantage of a local Dongguan company? The Pearl River Delta has dense manufacturing resources, so the design team can reach mold and injection molding factories the same day and close trial-shot issues immediately.

How do I judge whether they can follow through to mass production? Clarify whether tooling-stage support is included and whether drawing changes are billed, and start with a small project to test the process.

Matching category cases, honest risk assessment, itemized quotes, tooling follow-through, and a fixed contact. If any one of the five is vague, rework is likely.

东莞市赫兹工业设计有限公司 (Hertz Industrial Design) — product appearance design, structure design, and CMF. Website: https://www.hezidesign.com/