Frequently Asked Questions About Importing from China

You want to import from China, but aren't sure how to start? You want a competitive price, but also the confidence that goods arrive in the agreed quality and on time? In serious trade with China, trust and good preparation matter more than the lowest price at first glance.

The first step is to send us an inquiry and tell us which products you want and how we can help. Based on that, we'll suggest the next steps and scope of collaboration.

We can help you with:

• finding products and suppliers,
• estimating total costs (production, shipping, customs),
• organizing and sending samples,
• product customization (packaging, logo, specifications),
• advice on import and export,
• supplier verification,
• preparing export documentation.

If you’re importing for the first time, we recommend reading our China sourcing guide first.

China has many unknowns. Even when you think you can trust a supplier, there are still cultural differences, different business styles, and the risk of misunderstandings. A professional agent helps you minimize those risks.

1. We're in China – we know the local culture, communication style, and business habits. This reduces misunderstandings and "oversights" in agreements.
2. A professional agent knows how to control quality and minimize business risks. Our job is to help you, not to compete with factories.
3. Many factories don't trade directly with end customers – they represent themselves through agents or trading companies.
4. Even when factories have their own export departments, in practice working through an experienced export agent is often more efficient and faster than direct communication with the factory.
5. Instead of contacting factories one by one for weeks, an agent can search the market on your behalf and bring you a narrowed selection of relevant offers.

Alibaba is a large B2B platform, but from ads you often can't see if you're working directly with a factory, a trading company, or a middleman, or how reliable that partner is. That's why the platform alone isn't enough when it comes to serious importing.

Our job is to help you pick verified suppliers from that sea of offers who can actually deliver quality within the agreed timeframe. Also, there are many Chinese factories that aren't on Alibaba at all – especially outside the English version of the site.

• Alibaba has English and Chinese versions. According to Alibaba data from 2013 (Alibaba_overview_jan2013.pdf), the Chinese version has significantly more registered users and suppliers than the English one. Many suppliers are only on the Chinese version and don't communicate in English.
• To export goods, Chinese companies must have an export license or work with companies that have one. Many smaller factories don't have a license and rely on trading companies and agents. We contact direct producers whenever possible and ensure export goes through a reliable license holder.
• Over the years, we've received many letters from people who independently sent money to suppliers from China via the internet and ended up with no money or goods. In those situations, it's often too late to fix the mistake.

If you want to work independently with suppliers from Alibaba, we recommend you also read the Suppliers from China section.

Most companies that do product sourcing work very simply: they open Alibaba, send a few inquiries, and forward you 2–3 offers. Our approach is different – our goal is to make trade with China safer, more secure, and more efficient.

We've been doing this since 2010 and for years have worked directly in the Chinese market. On our site you can see our activities, factory visits, trade fair visits, and practical field work, which shows we don't just work "from paper," but from real experience. You can learn more about us on the About Us page, and our activities in China on the Our Projects page.

The more we know about the desired product, the faster and more precisely we'll find the right factory. Basic information includes: dimensions, material, special requirements, characteristics, color, expected quantities, and target price.

In the ideal case, a 3D file of the product, drawings, or images, together with material specifications and estimated quantities, significantly speed up and simplify the manufacturer search.

No. Our services aren't tied to one industry or niche. The process for finding the right manufacturer applies to almost any type of product.

We have experience in a wide range of areas: fashion, home items, construction materials and machinery, infrastructure materials, ceramics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, industrial components, consumer electronics, furniture, children's clothing, glass items, packaging, plastics, and much more. Throughout China, we can find practically any product – if it truly exists.

We don't know how others work – we don't do that. We don't take commissions from factories; our client is you, and we work exclusively for you. Think of us as an extension of your company in China.

We base our manufacturer recommendations on offers, quality, reliability, and alignment with your requirements, not on commissions. That's a model that works long-term and ensures our interests and yours are aligned.

We base recommendations on a combination of several factors: how well the factory matches your specific requirements (product, minimum quantity, price, quality, certificates), but also on practical impressions from communication.

We look at availability, competence, export experience, factory size, references from other customers when they want to share them, estimated production time, equipment condition, and overall impression during collaboration.

If you want to better understand how we choose good products for importing, check out Product selection as well.

Yes. We work on your behalf to negotiate price, payment terms, deadlines, contract signing, quantity check, and quality. However, price is most affected by quantity, product specifications, and choice of delivery terms (Incoterms).

Yes. We support clients regardless of order size. For many products, factories have their own MOQ (minimum order quantity), so our MOQ is usually based on theirs.

In general, the rule is: the larger quantity you order, the lower the per-unit price you can get. For very small quantities, expect higher prices and a limited supplier selection.

If you're interested in importing smaller quantities, check out the article How to import small quantities from China.

Yes. Most clients want us to organize delivery. Users of our services can get better shipping terms and help choosing the optimal transport method.

Based on product type, volume, and weight, we recommend whether sea shipping (FCL/LCL), rail, or air freight is more cost-effective.

You can read more about this on the Shipping from China page.

We offer sea shipping for full (FCL) and consolidated containers (LCL), as well as air freight – which is a good choice for valuable, but smaller-volume shipments.

For sea shipping, it's important to understand three basic Incoterms concepts:

• EXW (Ex Works) – price of goods at the factory.
• FOB (Free on Board) – price of goods on the ship at the loading port.
• CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) – price of goods delivered to the destination port.

More on delivery terms and shipping in the Shipping from China section.

Ordering larger quantities of goods is practically for legal entities (companies, entrepreneurs). As an individual, you can usually order a small number of the same item or a single machine, device, or equipment that can be considered personal use.

In any form or quantity, shipping branded products, their copies, and replicas is prohibited. Such goods are strictly punishable, and we don't deal with that.

If you already have a defined need, for example 10,000 pens with your company logo, send us an inquiry with as many details as possible and request an offer. If you've found goods on Alibaba or another Chinese site, you can send us the link and ask us to check if we can find the same or similar product at a better price or with better terms.

If you have an idea of what you want to buy but can't find the product or a suitable price, you can also contact us. Prices you see on Alibaba are often not final – real prices are obtained only after a specific inquiry and negotiation with the supplier.