Sourcing Basics
How to Find Manufacturers in China: A Step-by-Step Sourcing Process
A practical process for turning a product requirement into a qualified China manufacturer shortlist, sample plan, and controlled first order.
China Sourcing Guides
Practical guidance for finding suppliers, controlling quality, planning production, and importing from China.
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Start with the buyer decision you need to make.
Sourcing Basics8 guides
Requirements, RFQs, samples, quotations, MOQs, and purchase planning.
Supplier Verification4 guidesBusiness records, capability checks, audits, and commercial due diligence.
Quality Control2 guidesSpecifications, inspections, defect limits, and corrective actions.
Manufacturing6 guidesProduction planning, tooling, capacity, lead times, and change control.
Logistics & Incoterms5 guidesFreight responsibilities, shipping documents, risk transfer, and landed cost.
Compliance1 guideA research workflow for standards, testing, labeling, and importer duties.
Product Sourcing Guides2 guidesCategory-specific questions, specifications, risks, and inspection points.
All guides
Newest and editor-selected foundational guides first.
Supplier Verification
How to Verify a Chinese Supplier Before Paying a Deposit
A buyer-focused supplier verification workflow covering legal identity, bank details, factory capability, quality systems, and payment controls.
Quality Control
Pre-Shipment Inspection in China: What Buyers Should Check
How to design a practical pre-shipment inspection plan for quantity, workmanship, function, packaging, labeling, and shipment release.
Logistics & Incoterms · Sourcing Basics
China Import Documents Checklist: Invoice, Packing List, and Shipping Records
A practical China import documents checklist for overseas buyers, covering invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, origin evidence, customs data, and handoffs.
Supplier Verification
How to Read a China Factory Audit Report Before Choosing a Supplier
A buyer-focused method for reading a China factory audit report, checking scope, identity, capacity, quality evidence, subcontracting, and unresolved risk.
Product Sourcing Guides · Manufacturing
How to Source Injection-Molded Products from China
A practical guide to sourcing injection-molded products from China, covering resin, part design, tooling, samples, tolerances, quality control, and MOQ.
Logistics & Incoterms
Air Freight vs Sea Freight from China: Cost, Speed, and Buyer Risk
Compare air and sea freight from China by chargeable weight, shipment size, transit assumptions, inventory cost, customs, damage risk, and urgency.
Quality Control
AQL Inspection in China: Sample Sizes, Defect Limits, and Buyer Decisions
A plain-English guide to AQL inspection in China, including lot size, inspection level, defect classes, acceptance numbers, and common mistakes.
Manufacturing
How Long Does Manufacturing in China Take? A Production Timeline Guide
Build a realistic China manufacturing lead time from specification freeze through materials, production, inspection, packing, and shipment booking.
Manufacturing
Packaging Specification Checklist for Chinese Manufacturers
A practical China packaging specification covering retail packs, master cartons, labels, shipping marks, protection, tests, and approval control.
Sourcing Basics
China Purchase Order Checklist: Specifications, Quality, and Delivery Terms
What overseas buyers should include in a purchase order to a Chinese supplier, from controlled specifications and quality criteria to payment and delivery.
Supplier Verification · Sourcing Basics
China Supplier Payment Terms: Deposits, Balances, and Risk Controls
How to structure payment terms with a Chinese supplier, verify the beneficiary, connect each milestone to evidence, and reduce deposit risk.
Sourcing Basics
How to Compare Quotes from Chinese Suppliers Without Missing Costs
A line-by-line method for comparing Chinese supplier quotations by specification, MOQ, tooling, packaging, Incoterms, quality, and total cost.
Logistics & Incoterms
How to Compare Freight Forwarder Quotes for Shipping from China
A buyer-focused method for comparing China freight quotes by scope, route, charge basis, exclusions, timing, and shipment responsibility.
Sourcing Basics
How to Order Product Samples from China Before a Bulk Order
A practical workflow for requesting, comparing, testing, and approving product samples from Chinese suppliers before mass production.
Manufacturing · Sourcing Basics
Private Label Manufacturing in China: From Product Brief to First Order
A practical private-label manufacturing process for China, covering product scope, supplier selection, samples, packaging, compliance, MOQ, and launch control.
Manufacturing
Small-Batch Manufacturing in China: A Low-MOQ Buyer’s Guide
How buyers can assess low-MOQ manufacturing in China by separating material, process, packaging, and SKU minimums and controlling a small first run.
Supplier Verification
Factory Audit Checklist for Overseas Buyers
What to examine during a China factory audit, how to request evidence, and how to turn findings into a sourcing decision.
Manufacturing
MOQ Negotiation: How Minimum Order Quantity Affects Unit Cost
Understand why factories set MOQs, which costs change with quantity, and how to negotiate a smaller first order without hiding risk.
Logistics & Incoterms
FOB vs EXW vs CIF for China Imports: Buyer Responsibilities Explained
A plain-English comparison of EXW, FOB, and CIF under Incoterms 2020, including delivery, risk, freight, insurance, and buyer questions.
Compliance
China Product Compliance: A Buyer’s Research Checklist
A research workflow for overseas buyers to identify destination-market rules, collect supplier evidence, verify testing, and control product changes.
Sourcing Basics · Logistics & Incoterms
How to Calculate Landed Cost from China
A repeatable landed-cost model for product price, freight, duty, tax, brokerage, financing, defects, and cost per usable unit.
Product Sourcing Guides
How to Source Stainless Steel Drinkware from China
A category-specific sourcing guide to materials, vacuum construction, lids, decoration, testing, inspection, packaging, and supplier questions.