10 Criteria for Choosing Products to Import from China

When choosing products to import from China, price isn't enough. You need to figure out if that product actually makes sense for your business, if it can sell with a good margin, and how risky it is when you hit the first supplier communication, samples, and production phase.

That's why we've pulled out 10 criteria we use in practice when evaluating import ideas with clients. The goal is to narrow down your choices early, avoid bad options, and stick with products that have a real chance of becoming profitable long-term.

Why product selection criteria are key to success?

This guide explains how to pick a product with long-term profit potential when importing from China.

What most guides don't tell you is that the biggest problems don't happen with "on-paper" product selection, but in supplier communication and the real factory situation. In practice, the difference between a good and bad choice often becomes clear only when you hit the samples or first production phase.

Below are 10 key criteria we developed through working with our clients who import from China. Companies that successfully scaled their business consistently applied most of these criteria. You can find additional guides and educational materials in our guides on buying from China.

1: Build a brand around the product

People connect with brands. They don't connect with generic products competing only on price. Building a brand in your business installs longevity and resistance to competition.

A brand doesn't have to be expensive right away — it can start with a good logo, consistent aesthetic, and authentic voice. But the goal should always be that customers remember your product, not just its price.

2: Avoid popular and trendy products

Fashion and hyper-popular products have a short lifecycle, making brand building harder. The novelty fades, and you're left with stock and no loyal customers.

Plus, trendy products are inherently new to the market — quality issues usually aren't fully solved yet. A classic example is hoverboards, which were huge in the late 2010s, then pulled due to dangerous batteries, destroying many importers who invested in that product.

Focus on product categories with stable, long-term demand.

3: Have at least one unique selling point (POD)

You need a point of difference (POD — Point of Difference) so your imported product sells better. But that difference doesn't have to be huge or expensive.

It can be simple like:

• A logo that separates your brand from similar ones
• A unique color scheme
• Better marketing photos
• Thoughtfully designed unboxing experience

Focus on one or two PODs to start. As your business grows, you can plan and apply additional improvements that will separate your product more from the competition.

4: Don't sell products you don't like

You don't have to be passionate about a product to be successful. But if, for example, you don't like yoga, you probably won't be able to sell yoga equipment effectively — because you won't understand the customer, won't know what matters, and won't have motivation to build that brand.

Look for categories where you have at least a neutral or positive relationship — ideally, an area where you're yourself a buyer or user.

5: Be realistic about profit margins

The average net profit margin for e-commerce businesses importing from China is around 20–30%. Don't listen to "experts" claiming you should have a 10x margin compared to factory price — that kind of advice can make you dismiss great sales ideas because they don't look "profitable enough" on paper.

A realistic 25% margin on a well-chosen and branded product means sustainable and scalable business.

6: Research CPC and monthly search volume

Focus less on current profit margins and more on the cost per click (CPC) for marketing keywords related to your product.

In an ideal scenario, the product you pick will have:

• Relatively low CPC on Google compared to alternative ideas
• High monthly search volume — meaning there's real demand

High-value, high-conversion keywords cost more in advertising. If CPC for your product is €3–5 per click and the selling price is €20, the math doesn't work — even with good conversions.

7: Watch storage and shipping costs

Consider storage and shipping costs when evaluating products. Bulky and heavy products (furniture, equipment, construction materials) carry significantly higher costs per unit.

However, we don't agree with the common advice that you shouldn't import any product bigger than a shoe box. It all depends on your capacity. If you have warehouse space and capital, bulky products can be your competitive advantage — exactly because other importers avoid them.

8: Avoid products selling under $15

In early business stages, avoid cheap products retailing under $15. There are two key reasons:

1. It's easier to miss margin and net profit predictions for cheap products — every unexpected cost can wipe out the entire profit.
2. PPC advertising costs (pay per click) make a disproportionately large percentage of total costs for cheap products, making digital advertising hard to profit from.

9: Pay attention to product safety

Avoid importing unsafe products. Product recalls and liability for damage can permanently destroy your business.

Before picking a product, check:

• Are there certification requirements for your market (CE, RoHS, FCC, GS, etc.)?
• Has the product category been subject to recalls in the past?
• What are the legal obligations for importers regarding product liability in your country?

10: Don't let perfect stand in the way of good

Many businesses make the mistake of trying to do too much at once in early stages — and end up not getting anywhere. You need a vision for future design improvements, customizations, and new features, but you don't have to do all of that with your first order.

Recommendation: start with one or two products and make them really good. Build your lines as business grows. Focus in early stages isn't luxury — it's strategy.

How to apply these 10 criteria in practice

When criteria are clear, the next step is applying them to specific product ideas. Make a shortlist of potential products, check them through these 10 points, and eliminate ones with too much risk or too little profit space.

When 1–3 serious candidates remain, it's time to enter the next phase – finding suppliers, checking factories, and working on samples. That's exactly what the next guide in the series covers.

---