Start with the channel and the customer
Decide who the camera is for before you look at specifications. A marketplace seller competes on price and star ratings, so stable firmware and a clear manual matter more than a long feature list. An accessory shop wants two or three price points that are easy to explain at the counter. A fleet or a car rental firm wants the same model in every vehicle, simple installation and footage that is easy to retrieve. A promo agency needs a well-made gift box and a short lead time.
Write down the target retail price, the expected quantity per year and the countries of sale. That narrows the choice of base models from hundreds to a handful.
How private label works with dash cams
We work with dash cam manufacturers that offer their platforms for private label. In practice you choose an existing hardware platform and customise it. Typical levels are:
- Logo and packaging: your logo on the housing, your box and your manual. The quickest route.
- Firmware branding: your start-up screen, file names and menu language set.
- App branding: your name and icon on the companion app, where the manufacturer supports it.
- Custom specification: a different lens, sensor, colour or housing detail. Longer, with higher minimums.
Minimums for private label are around 300 pieces per model, depending on the level. Details are on our private label page.
Channels: single, dual or multi
| Type | Typical buyer | Points to check |
|---|---|---|
| Single front | Entry price, marketplaces, gifts | Sensor, night footage, mount |
| Dual front and rear | Shops, mid price | Rear cable length, rear resolution |
| Front and cabin | Taxi, ride-hailing, rental | Infrared night view of the cabin |
| 3–4 channel | Fleets, vans | Total bitrate, storage, wiring |
| Mirror dash cam | Shops, installers | Screen glare, rear camera fit |
| 4G fleet recorder | Fleets | Platform, SIM, GPS, data hosting |
The specifications that matter
- Image sensor and chipset. Ask for the exact sensor and processor. They decide night performance and heat behaviour more than the headline resolution.
- Resolution per channel. “4K” on the box often means front only. Write the resolution and frame rate for each camera into the specification.
- Field of view and lens. Wide angles show more but distort more. Ask for sample footage at day and night.
- Power backup. A supercapacitor handles heat better than a small lithium battery. If there is a battery, battery rules and dangerous-goods shipping apply.
- Storage. Supported card size, card type and loop recording. Bundled memory cards add cost and returns if they are of poor quality.
- Wi-Fi, GPS and 4G. Useful features, but each adds radio requirements and app support.
- Parking mode. Needs a hardwire kit or a suitable power source. Be clear in the manual what is included.
Firmware and app: the hidden part of the product
Most negative reviews of dash cams are about firmware and apps, not hardware: files that corrupt, apps that do not connect, menus in poor translation. Before you order, ask:
- who maintains the firmware and how updates are delivered;
- which app the camera uses, and whether it is listed in the app stores of your countries;
- which menu languages are available;
- where app data is stored and what the privacy policy says;
- whether file names and time stamps can show your brand.
Test the app on several phones during the sample stage, not only the one in the office.
How to test samples
Drive with each sample for at least a week. Mount it where your customers will, behind the rear-view mirror, and check that it does not block the view. Then check:
- number plates readable at night and in rain, at the distance your customers care about;
- footage after the car has stood in the sun for several hours;
- a full loop cycle on the card, with no missing or corrupted files;
- the date, time and speed stamp, and whether GPS data can be switched off;
- the time from power-on to recording;
- how the rear camera cable routes in a hatchback and in an estate car.
Keep the approved sample and its footage as the reference for production and pre-shipment inspection.
Documents and compliance
A dash cam needs CE marking under the EMC and RoHS directives, plus the Radio Equipment Directive if it has Wi-Fi, GPS or 4G. WEEE and, where there is a battery, battery registration apply in each country of sale. Under the GPSR the product or box carries the model, batch, manufacturer and EU operator details, with instructions in local languages.
If you sell under your own brand, you take on manufacturer obligations, including the declaration of conformity in your name. We request the manufacturer’s declaration and test reports and check that they match the model.
Do not claim on the box or in listings that recording is legal everywhere. Rules on recording public roads and on sharing footage differ by country and follow data protection law. A short neutral note that users must follow local rules is the safer wording.
Packaging and contents
- Box size and print quality that fit your channel: retail hanging, shelf or plain shipper for marketplaces.
- Contents list: camera, mount, power cable, USB charger, rear camera and cable, trim tool, adhesive pads.
- Quick start guide in the languages of sale, with the full manual online.
- EAN barcode on the box and carton.
- GPSR and WEEE markings, plus battery symbols if relevant.
Timeline
Plan on artwork approval, a pre-production sample and then production of about 25–45 days, followed by 25–45 days of transport. In total that is roughly 8–12 weeks from order to our warehouse. For Christmas sales, order by August–September. For spring, order private label by mid-December because of the factory holidays in late January–February.
A practical start
Pick two or three base models from our dash cam catalogue, order samples, drive with them for a week in day and night conditions and test the app. Then brief your logo, box and firmware. Send us your target price and quantity and we come back with base models and the private-label terms.
