Seven steps from product idea to delivered goods. This guide describes how sourcing actually works — including the steps most first-time buyers skip, and why that skipping is expensive.
Before contacting any supplier, write down what you actually want: function, dimensions, materials, finish, target unit price, quantity, and where it will be sold. A reference photo or a competitor's product speeds everything up. Vague inquiries get vague quotes — and vague quotes are where budget surprises start.
The usual channels: B2B platforms (Alibaba, Made-in-China), trade fairs (Canton Fair and industry shows), sourcing agents, and Google searches pointing to factory websites. Each channel has a different risk profile — platform listings can be trading companies posing as factories, fair exhibitors are pre-vetted to a degree, and agents know who is actually good if they actually work in the industry.
What to check at this stage: business license and export history, factory location (a "Shenzhen supplier" with a workshop three provinces away is a different risk), whether the claimed specialty matches your product, and communication quality. A factory that answers slowly before your money arrives will answer slower after.
Collect quotes from 3–5 suppliers for the same specification. If one quote is dramatically cheaper, it usually means cheaper materials, a smaller spec, or an error. Ask what is included: packaging, freight term, tooling, sample cost. FOB and EXW prices differ meaningfully — if you don't know the difference, read our shipping terms guide before comparing anything.
Pay for samples — including from suppliers who offer them free, because paid samples come from the production line, not from a showroom cabinet. Evaluate the sample against your written spec, keep it as the "golden sample", and require in writing that mass production must match it. For clothing and fitment-critical products, approve a full size set, not just one unit.
Put these in writing before paying a deposit: product spec, golden sample reference, quantity, price and Incoterm, production timeline, payment terms (30/70 is common: deposit, balance after inspection), and what happens if inspection fails. Then pay the deposit and expect 20–45 days of production depending on the product. Ask for photos at agreed checkpoints instead of discovering problems at the end.
This is the single highest-value step in the whole process. A pre-shipment inspection (AQL sampling) checks quantity, workmanship, function, packaging and labeling against the golden sample — while the goods are still in the factory and problems are still fixable. Read our quality inspection guide for what a proper inspection covers. Pay the balance only after inspection passes.
Book freight (sea for volume, air for urgency, express for samples and small orders), prepare the commercial invoice, packing list and any certificates your market requires, and clear import customs. If this is your first import, check whether your product needs permits or standards compliance in your country — this varies enormously by product category.
Every step above — supplier shortlisting, sample management, contract terms, production follow-up, inspection, shipping — is what we do for clients. If you want to run the process yourself, use this guide freely. If you'd rather have one accountable partner on the ground in China, send us your product and we'll handle the rest.
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