Why the Shell Is the Fast-Moving Part of the Bench
A locksmith’s fastest repeat item is rarely a programmer or a decoder. It is the shell — the plastic housing that sits on an existing remote board when the original casing is cracked, scuffed or lost. It costs little, it moves constantly, and a bench that runs out of the right reference cannot serve the customer standing in front of it.
For a distributor, that makes shells a high-turnover, low-attach-rate line where the deciding factor is not unit price. It is whether the reference is on the shelf when the van comes back.
What Locksmiths Check That Buyers in Other Categories Do Not
| What to check | Why it decides returns | When |
|---|---|---|
| Button feel and travel | The single most common complaint. A stiff or loose pad generates returns faster than any other defect in this category. | Test before packing |
| Housing fit | Clip tension and seam alignment against the original, because the shell sits on an existing board. | Visual + fit check |
| Button pad adhesion | Glued, moulded-in, or a separate insert. Moulded-in pads fail far less often. | Specify, do not discover |
| Material | Silicone for keyfob fobs and aftermarket boards; ABS for hard-shell OEM bodies. | Match to vehicle family |
Material and Construction
| Material | Best suited to | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Hard-shell OEM bodies | Durable, matches original feel, cheaper |
| Silicone / TPU | Keyfob fobs, aftermarket boards | Softer grip, better impact drop resistance |
| PC/ABS blend | Premium shells | Higher heat resistance, more expensive |
Ordering Pattern That Works
The typical locksmith order is mixed: a spread of vehicle families across several references, in modest quantities each. MOQ 100 pcs per SKU is set low enough that a new distributor can hold depth across a small range rather than depth in one reference. Mixed-SKU cartons are normal for us, and we produce a carton-level packing list that breaks out quantities by SKU so your receiving team puts the right parts on the right shelf.
The most common complaint we hear is not quality — it is fit. Clip tension and button-pad feel decide whether a shell stays on the bench or goes back in the box.
Request a Quotation — Car Key Fob Shells
Send the vehicle families or frequency bands you cover most, and we will reply with the exact references, EXW price, MOQ and lead time. MOQ 100 pcs per SKU.
Send Inquiry on WhatsAppEmail: Joanna@rfmando.com · MOQ 100 pcs per SKU · 1 free sample per SKU ($30 DHL, buyer pays) · Lead time 7-15 days · T/T 30/70 · EXW Xiamen
Scope of Supply
We supply housings, key fob shells and blanks only. We do not supply transponder chips or immobiliser programming devices, and we do not provide immobiliser key coding services. Those categories are regulated differently in each market and responsibility for lawful use in your jurisdiction rests with the buyer.
Catalogue references for the specification above: 50-piece car key fob shell carton and TPU flip key case shell. All are MOQ 100 pcs per SKU, 7-15 day lead time, one free sample per SKU, and are supplied on our own PCBA and housing tooling.
Where to Order
- Locksmith Tools — duplicators, shells and blanks
- RF Remote Controls — multi-band cloners and keyfob remotes
- Garage Door Remotes — rolling-code and fixed-code units
Terms
MOQ 100 pcs per SKU. One free sample per SKU ($30 DHL, buyer pays). Lead time 7-15 days. Payment T/T 30/70. Prices EXW Xiamen. 100% functional test on every unit; a third-party QC report at AQL 5% is available on request.