China Sourcing Guide —
Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Order
New to importing from China? This guide walks you through every step — from finding your first supplier to receiving goods at your door. No jargon, no assumptions, just clear practical advice from 13 years of experience.
How China Sourcing Works (5 Steps)
Step 1: Define Your Product Requirements
Start with clear specifications: materials, dimensions, tolerances, target price, order quantities, and timeline. The more detail you provide upfront, the better quotes you'll receive.
Step 2: Find & Verify Suppliers
Don't use Alibaba blindly. Verify suppliers through China's government business registry (gsxt.gov.cn), check litigation history, and confirm they are actual manufacturers — not trading companies.
Step 3: Request Samples & Negotiate
Always get physical samples before committing to a production order. Negotiate pricing, MOQs, payment terms, and lead times. Never accept the first price offered.
Step 4: Place Your Order & Monitor Production
Issue a formal purchase order, pay the deposit (typically 30%), and monitor production milestones. Request progress photos and updates at key stages.
Step 5: Inspect, Ship & Receive
Arrange a pre-shipment quality inspection, book freight (sea or air), handle customs documentation, and receive your goods. Never skip inspection to save money.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ordering without physical samples
Photos and digital renders are not enough. Always hold the actual product in your hands before committing to a production run.
Skipping quality inspection to save money
A $300 inspection can save you $30,000 in defective inventory. Once goods leave China, your leverage disappears.
Not verifying if your "manufacturer" is actually a trading company
Trading companies add margins and remove your direct control. Verify through government databases that you're dealing with the actual factory.
Ignoring compliance and certification requirements
Products without proper CE, FCC, FDA, or SII certification can be seized at customs or recalled from the market.
Paying 100% upfront before production
Standard terms are 30% deposit, 70% before shipment. Paying everything upfront removes your leverage if something goes wrong.
Not having a clear product specification document
Vague instructions produce vague results. A detailed spec sheet with materials, dimensions, colors, and tolerances is essential.
Key Terms Glossary
- MOQ
- Minimum Order Quantity — the smallest number of units a factory will produce per order.
- FOB
- Free On Board — price includes delivery to the port in China. You arrange and pay for shipping from there.
- CIF
- Cost, Insurance, Freight — price includes delivery to your destination port, including insurance.
- DDP
- Delivered Duty Paid — price includes everything to your door, including customs duties and taxes.
- AQL
- Acceptable Quality Level — a statistical sampling standard used in quality inspections to determine pass/fail.
- NNN Agreement
- Non-Disclosure, Non-Use, Non-Circumvention — the IP protection agreement designed specifically for China.
- Trading Company
- A middleman that resells from factories. Not the manufacturer — they add margin and reduce your control.
- OEM / ODM
- Original Equipment Manufacturing (your design, their production) / Original Design Manufacturing (their design, your brand).
FAQ
It varies widely by product, but most first orders range from $2,000 to $20,000. Factor in product cost, shipping, customs duties, and quality inspection.
Verify through China's government business registry (gsxt.gov.cn), request business licenses, and ideally have an on-the-ground team visit the factory. This is exactly what our Supplier Research service does.
For a first order: 2–4 weeks for sourcing, 2–6 weeks for production (depending on product), 3–6 weeks for shipping. Total: 2–4 months from start to delivery.
Almost certainly yes. The EU requires CE marking for most products, the US has FCC/FDA requirements, and Israel requires SII approval. Our Standards & Compliance service handles this.
Yes. We can manage the entire process from supplier search through quality inspection to door-to-door delivery. Most first-time clients start with Supplier Research and Quality Inspection.
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