China Sourcing Agent for Electronics & IoT, Without Surprises
We're an engineer-led China sourcing agent for electronics and IoT hardware. Most sourcing agents can't read your schematic, evaluate your BOM, or tell a verified factory from a trader — we audit the factory on-site, run three-stage quality inspection (pre-production, in-line, pre-shipment), and communicate your technical requirements accurately. We work with B2B wholesale buyers on consumer electronics, IoT modules, PCB assembly, wearables, smart home, and automotive electronics — providing transparent supply chain management and direct manufacturer access from supplier verification to door-to-door logistics.
Operated by Sky Flux · china-sourcing-agents.com
WHAT WE DO
End-to-End China Electronics Sourcing Services
China Electronics Sourcing & Supplier Matching Service
Importing electronics from China starts with finding the right factory. We search 1688, Alibaba, and our factory network to find and verify Chinese…
Sourcing & matching details →China Factory Audit & Verification — On-Site Inspection
On-site factory verification: real manufacturer, not trader. We check licenses, equipment, quality systems, and worker capacity before you wire a deposit.
Factory audit process →China Quality Inspection — Pre-Production & Pre-Shipment QC
Pre-production, during-production, and pre-shipment QC in China. Three checkpoints that catch defects before they ship.
Quality inspection stages →China Private Label & OEM — Electronics Manufacturing
Private label electronics manufacturing in China. We manage molds, packaging, regulatory marking, and sample approvals — OEM & ODM.
Private label & OEM →China Freight Forwarder & Logistics Coordination
Choosing a China freight forwarder for electronics: door-to-door sea, air, and rail coordination, export docs, and customs clearance to the US and EU.
Door-to-door logistics →China Sourcing & Factory Tours
Engineer-led China sourcing tours: guided factory visits, Huaqiangbei market trips, and Canton Fair sourcing support with someone who reads the schematic.
Explore service →Electronics Product Development & Design in China
Engineer-led electronics product development and product design in China: schematic/DFM review, OEM/ODM tooling, and pilot runs from concept to production.
Product development →Supplier Management Services in China
Ongoing China supplier management for electronics buyers: factory verification, production follow-up, and risk control across reorders. Finding a new…
Supplier management →China Sourcing Consultant — Engineer-Led Advisory
An engineer-led China sourcing consultant for hardware: feasibility, manufacturing strategy, and supplier risk — before you commit tooling.
Engineer-led advisory →WHO WE HELP
Engineers, founders, and buyers we work with
Common starting points — if your project involves electronics or IoT hardware in China, we can probably help.
Overseas hardware startups
Crowdfunding and pre-seed teams who need to get from prototype to a first 5,000-unit production run without getting scammed by a fake factory. We find and verify your supplier, review your BOM before you commit, run a first-article inspection on the pilot lot, and check FCC/CE compliance before the container ships.
Amazon / Shopify sellers
You want private molds to escape the commodity treadmill, but you can't fly to China to audit the factory yourself. We evaluate tooling feasibility, confirm mold ownership in the contract, check Amazon compliance (FCC, UL), and manage ongoing QC for your wholesale orders so your product reviews don't turn into returns.
EU / Japan distributors
You want to deal factory-direct and skip the Hong Kong margin stack. We give importers and wholesale distributors a single technical point of contact, weekly status reports, and certification management for CE, PSE, and UKCA — with every factory quote itemized and no hidden margin added.
Industrial IoT integrators
You need small-batch custom hardware that understands IEC 61850, wide-temperature operation, IP67, and EMC — not just price-per-unit. We source industrial gateways, field sensors, and Modbus/OPC-UA devices, then verify the pilot units against your environmental and protocol specs before mass production.
Engineering consultancies & R&D teams
You need reliable prototypes and pre-production runs for client projects, but you don't have a Shenzhen office to chase suppliers. We provide DFM feedback before tooling, source small-batch PCBA and mechanical samples, and deliver transparent supplier data you can drop straight into a client report.
WHY CHINA SOURCING AGENTS
Your Reliable Electronics Supply Chain Partner in China
Engineering depth
Hardware engineers, not commerce middlemen. We read your schematic, evaluate your BOM, check component specifications against FCC/CE/RoHS requirements, and spot a bad PCB stack-up or DFM problem before tooling is cut. A problem caught at design review costs 10x less than rework after mass production.
Boutique attention
We cap our roster at 15–20 active B2B wholesale clients. Your electronics sourcing project gets a real engineer, not a ticket number. You have direct access to whoever is managing your order, with weekly status reports and inspection photos from the factory floor.
Transparent ops
Direct factory contact. No hidden margins on factory quotes — our commission (5–8%) is stated separately, every time. Weekly status reports with inspection photos, audit findings, and price comparison tables. You see exactly what the factory charges and what we charge.
FOUNDER & ENGINEERING CREDENTIALS
Run by a hardware engineer who audits factories in person
Martin Wang, founder of Sky Flux and China Sourcing Agents, reviews your schematic and BOM before quoting — not after.
Martin Wang
Founder, hardware + full-stack engineer
Before starting China Sourcing Agents, Martin spent 7 years building port management systems, IoT sensor networks, and embedded devices for clients across Asia. He started this agency because he repeatedly saw procurement teams burned by agents who could not read a schematic, evaluate a BOM, or tell a real factory from a trader.
Reads schematics and BOMs
Flags DFM problems, component mismatches, and certification gaps before tooling is cut.
Audits factories on-site
Visits production floors in Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Yiwu to verify equipment, processes, and real manufacturing capability.
Checks certification risk
Validates FCC, CE, RoHS, UN 38.3, and IEC requirements against your BOM and target market.
Speaks technical English
Translates factory feedback accurately — not approximately — so engineering decisions are based on real data.
DOCUMENTED RESULTS
Real projects, verified outcomes
Numbers from actual case studies. No invented testimonials, no fake client names.
From generic to 4.6★ on Amazon
Launched on day 88. NDIR CO2 sensor, Matter certification verified, 200 reviews at 4.6 stars.
Read the case study → EU industrial IoT gateway $80k+/year savedRemoved the Hong Kong middleman
Identified the real Shenzhen factory via PCB silk-screen. ~28% distributor markup eliminated, -40°C BOM verified.
Read the case study → EU startup Bluetooth speaker 5,000 unitsDelivered with 0.4% defect rate
Factory audit and three-stage inspection caught a USB-C PD substitution before production.
Read the case study → JP distributor LoRa gateway 22% cost cutFound the real factory behind the middleman
Cross-referenced PCB silk-screen and FCC ID to source direct from Shenzhen. JATE/TELEC certified.
Read the case study →CLIENT FEEDBACK
What buyers say about working with us
Anonymized feedback from real sourcing projects. Every quote is tied to a documented case study.
“We went from a generic sensor we couldn't defend to a private-label Matter unit that now holds the buy box. The engineering review before sourcing is what made the difference.”
“They found the real Shenzhen factory behind our Hong Kong distributor and proved the markup we'd been paying for three years.”
“Our first campaign had a 2.1% defect rate. This run shipped at 0.4% because someone actually checked the BOM before production started.”
THE PROCESS
From inquiry to delivery
Every engagement follows the same rigorous process — so you know exactly what happens next, and when.
See full process →Inquiry & Scoping
~24hSubmit your RFQ describing your product, quantity estimate, and target timeline. We reply within 24 hours with clarifying questions and a recommended approach for your electronics sourcing project.
Sourcing & Audit
1–2 weeksWe find 3–5 candidate factories from our verified supplier network, audit the shortlist on-site, and send you a comparison report with photos, ratings, and honest trade-offs.
Sample & Order
2–4 weeksYou evaluate samples against your technical spec. We negotiate terms, payment structure, and production schedule — then manage the factory through tooling and pilot run.
Inspect & Ship
ongoingThree-stage QC: pre-production (materials verification), in-line at 20% (catching drift early), pre-shipment at 80–100% (full AQL sampling). Then door-to-door logistics to your warehouse.
CERTIFICATIONS & COMPLIANCE
Regulatory requirements checked before production starts
Electronics sold in the US, EU, UK, or Japan must meet specific regulatory requirements before clearing customs. We evaluate compliance risk before production starts — not after your shipment is stuck at the port. Supported certifications: FCC (US market), CE (European Economic Area), RoHS (restricted substances), UKCA (post-Brexit UK), PSE (Japan), UN 38.3 (lithium battery transport), and IEC standards for industrial equipment. Our quality system: incoming material inspection to verify components against your BOM; first-article inspection to confirm the pilot unit matches your spec; AQL-based sampling for pre-shipment inspection; and defect tracking by category — cosmetic, functional, critical — with trend analysis across orders. Current average defect rate across all inspected orders: < 1%. See our CE/FCC certification guide for China electronics.
DETAILED PROCESS
How electronics sourcing from China actually works
Every China sourcing project for electronics follows a predictable pattern. Understanding each phase helps you set realistic timelines, budget accurately, and avoid the failure modes that catch inexperienced buyers. Below is the exact process we run for every electronics and IoT sourcing engagement, from first contact to delivery at your warehouse.
Step 1: Technical scoping and BOM review
Before we search for a single factory, we review your product specification, schematic, and bill of materials. This is where engineer-led sourcing differs from a generic trading company. We check component availability, identify single-source or end-of-life parts, evaluate PCB stack-up for manufacturability, and flag certification requirements — FCC for US market entry, CE for European Economic Area, RoHS for restricted substances, UKCA for post-Brexit Britain, PSE for Japan. A BOM review at this stage typically catches two to three issues that would have caused delays or redesigns later. We also confirm your target landed cost, order volume, and timeline so every factory we approach receives a complete technical package.
Step 2: Supplier discovery and shortlisting
We search our verified supplier network, trade show contacts, and targeted Alibaba or Global Sources queries to identify factories with relevant electronics manufacturing experience. For a BLE speaker project, that means factories with prior audio product production, not generalist assemblers. We filter by capability — SMT line count, test equipment, clean room availability, past certifications — and shortlist three to five candidates. Each shortlist entry includes a capability summary, typical MOQ, estimated unit price, and lead time. You receive this shortlist with our recommendation before any audit budget is spent.
Step 3: Factory audit and verification
A factory audit is an on-site inspection that verifies the manufacturer actually exists, owns its production equipment, employs qualified staff, and can produce your electronics at the required quality level. We check business registration against government records, inspect SMT lines, reflow ovens, testing stations, and QC processes, review quality management system documentation, and interview the engineering team. For electronics sourcing, we specifically verify ESD protection, component traceability, and whether the factory subcontracts critical processes without disclosure. The audit report includes photos, ratings across ten categories, and a clear go or no-go recommendation. Cost: $300–800. Recovery: avoiding one bad production run pays for ten audits.
Step 4: Sample evaluation and pilot run
Once the factory passes audit, we negotiate sample terms — typically two to five units for functional and cosmetic evaluation. You test against your spec; we collect your feedback and translate technical changes into actionable engineering notes for the factory. After sample approval, we manage a pilot production run of fifty to five hundred units. This is where DFM problems surface: tolerance stack-up, assembly sequence issues, test coverage gaps. We catch these at pilot scale, not during a ten-thousand-unit production run. The pilot run output becomes the golden sample against which mass production is measured.
Step 5: Production management and three-stage QC
Mass production runs are managed with weekly status reports, photo documentation, and direct factory contact. Our three-stage quality inspection protocol covers pre-production — incoming material verification against your BOM, checking for counterfeit or substitute components; in-line inspection at twenty percent completion — catching process drift before it affects the full batch; and pre-shipment inspection at eighty to one hundred percent — full AQL sampling with defect categorization into cosmetic, functional, and critical. Defect rates are tracked across orders for trend analysis. Current average across all inspected electronics orders: below one percent. Every inspection includes photo evidence and a written report.
Step 6: Certification, logistics, and delivery
Before shipment, we confirm certification labeling and documentation are correct — FCC ID, CE mark with DoC, RoHS compliance letter, UN 38.3 for lithium battery shipments. Then we coordinate door-to-door logistics: freight forwarding by sea, air, or rail, export documentation including commercial invoice, packing list, and certificate of origin, and customs clearance coordination. Your landed cost estimate — factory price, our commission, freight, duty, and VAT — is disclosed upfront before you commit. Typical delivery timeline from factory gate to your warehouse: two to four weeks for sea freight, five to ten days for air.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The six risks every electronics buyer faces in China
China electronics sourcing delivers cost advantages and manufacturing scale, but it also carries specific risks that can erase margins and damage brand reputation. Our process is designed to identify, quantify, and mitigate each risk before it becomes a problem.
Fake or trader factories
The most common failure mode: you pay a deposit to a factory that either does not exist or is a trading company posing as a manufacturer. Your quality problems start here. Our on-site factory audit verifies business registration, equipment ownership, and production capability before any deposit changes hands. We have walked away from factories that looked perfect on Alibaba but had no SMT line on-site.
Component substitution and counterfeits
Factories under cost pressure may substitute cheaper components without telling you. A capacitor with the wrong temperature rating fails six months after delivery. Our incoming material inspection checks every component lot against your approved BOM, including manufacturer part numbers, date codes, and packaging authenticity. For critical ICs, we use X-ray and decapsulation verification when required.
Quality drift between samples and mass production
The sample was perfect; the bulk shipment is not. This happens when factories change processes, operators, or subcontractors between sample and production. Our in-line inspection at twenty percent catches drift early, and our pre-shipment inspection at full completion verifies the batch against the golden sample. If drift exceeds tolerance, production stops until root cause is resolved.
Certification gaps and customs rejection
Electronics without proper certification labeling are rejected at customs or delisted from Amazon. We evaluate certification requirements during technical scoping — FCC for the US, CE for Europe, UKCA for Britain, PSE for Japan, UL for safety-critical products — and verify labeling before shipment. We also manage UN 38.3 testing for lithium battery transport and IEC standards for industrial equipment.
IP leakage and design copying
Your PCB layout, firmware, and industrial design are valuable. We protect them with mutual NDAs signed before any design file is shared, factory shortlisting that excludes known traders and resellers, and ongoing monitoring for unauthorized product listings. Verification is the first defense: a factory with real equipment and a reputation to protect is less likely to copy your design than a shell company.
Logistics delays and hidden costs
Sea freight delays, customs holds, and unexpected duties can turn a profitable order into a cash flow problem. We provide a landed cost estimate upfront that includes factory price, commission, freight, insurance, import duty, and VAT. We coordinate with freight forwarders who specialize in electronics shipments and handle export documentation including HS code classification, certificate of origin, and packing lists.
AGENT COMPARISON
Trading company vs sourcing agent vs engineer-led agent
Not every China sourcing service works the same way. Understanding why choose an engineer-led partner vs a traditional trading company helps you choose the right electronics manufacturing partner and avoid paying for capabilities you do not need — or missing capabilities you do.
| Pricing model | Factory audit | Technical capability | Quality control | Category focus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading company | Marks up factory price by 15–30% | Limited or no on-site audit | Cannot read schematics or BOMs | Basic pass or fail inspection | General merchandise, no category focus |
| Generic sourcing agent | 5–10% commission, fee disclosed | Basic verification, sometimes virtual | Forwards your spec to factory | Standard AQL inspection | Multiple categories, shallow expertise |
| Engineer-led agent (us) | 5–8% commission, fully transparent | On-site audit with equipment inspection | Reads schematics, reviews BOM, checks DFM | Three-stage QC with trend tracking | Electronics and IoT only, deep expertise |
The right choice depends on your product complexity and risk tolerance. For standard consumer goods with simple specs, a trading company may be sufficient. For electronics with custom PCBs, certification requirements, and quality standards, engineer-led sourcing pays for itself.
QUALITY SYSTEM
How we keep defect rates below 1%
Quality in electronics manufacturing is not an accident. It is the result of a systematic process that starts before production and continues until the shipment reaches your warehouse. Our quality system has six layers, each designed to catch a specific category of defect before it reaches your customer.
Incoming material inspection
Every component lot is checked against your approved BOM before it enters production. We verify manufacturer part numbers, date codes, reel labels, and packaging condition. For critical passive components and ICs, we spot-check electrical parameters and packaging authenticity. Counterfeit components are rejected at the door, not discovered in the field.
First-article inspection
The first production unit is built, tested, and compared against the golden sample and your technical specification. This confirms the factory understood your requirements, the tooling is correct, and the test procedure covers all functional parameters. No mass production starts until first-article approval is documented and signed.
In-line process inspection
At approximately twenty percent of production completion, we inspect work-in-progress units for process drift — solder joint quality, component placement accuracy, cosmetic defects, and test station calibration. Catching a problem at twenty percent means eighty percent of the batch is still correctable. Catching it at pre-shipment means rework or scrap.
Pre-shipment AQL sampling
At eighty to one hundred percent completion, we perform full AQL-based sampling according to ISO 2859-1. Inspection covers functionality, cosmetics, packaging, labeling, and accessories. Defects are categorized as critical — safety or function failure; major — noticeable defect affecting user experience; minor — acceptable within tolerance. The batch ships only if defect counts fall within AQL limits.
Defect tracking and trend analysis
Every defect found during inspection is logged by category, factory, and production date. Over time, this data reveals patterns: a specific factory with recurring solder joint issues, a component batch with higher-than-expected failure rates, or a seasonal quality dip after Chinese New Year. Trend analysis lets us intervene before a pattern becomes a crisis.
Certification and compliance verification
Quality does not end at functional correctness. Electronics must also meet regulatory requirements for their target market. We verify FCC labeling and documentation for US shipments, CE mark and DoC for European Economic Area, UKCA for post-Brexit Britain, PSE for Japan, and UN 38.3 for lithium battery transport. Certification gaps are identified during technical scoping, not after customs rejection.
INDUSTRIES
Specialized Electronics & IoT Hardware Procurement
Electronics is not a single category. A factory that excels at PCB assembly may be unsuitable for plastic-overmolded smart home devices. Our sourcing process matches your product category to factories with proven experience in that specific vertical — not generalist assemblers who claim to do everything.
Automotive Electronics Sourcing China — ADAS, EVSE & EV
Source ADAS sensors, EV charging equipment, and automotive-grade electronics from China with IATF 16949 verification and IEC 61851 EVSE compliance.
Consumer Electronics Sourcing China — Bluetooth, TWS & OEM
Source Bluetooth speakers, TWS earphones, smart watches, and portable chargers from China with full certification support for FCC, CE, and RoHS.
Industrial IoT Hardware Sourcing China — Gateways & Sensors
Source IIoT hardware from China: industrial gateways, DIN rail switches, Modbus converters, and field sensors with verified compliance documentation.
IoT Module Sourcing China — LoRa, BLE & WiFi Suppliers
Source IoT modules from China — LoRa, BLE, WiFi, Zigbee. We verify genuine chips, certification docs, and long-term supply commitments.
LED Lighting Sourcing China — OEM/ODM, UL & DLC
Source LED strip, bulbs, fixtures and smart lighting from China with UL, DLC, CE and RoHS certification management for US, EU, UK and Japan markets.
PCB Assembly & SMT Sourcing China — Prototypes to Volume
PCB assembly in China — Gerber to assembled boards. PCBA factories for prototypes, NPI runs, and volume production with engineer-in-the-loop oversight.
Power Electronics Sourcing China — GaN Chargers, BMS & EV
Source GaN chargers, power banks, BMS units, and EV accessories from China with certification management for US, EU, UK, Japan, and Korea.
Smart Home Device Sourcing China — Zigbee, Matter & WiFi
Source smart home devices from China — Zigbee, Matter, WiFi. We handle FCC/CE/RED certification so your products reach market on time.
Wearable Device Manufacturer China — Health Tech
Source smart watches, fitness trackers, and TWS earbuds from China with UN 38.3 battery certification, FPC expertise, and FCC/CE dual certification.
WHERE WE SOURCE
China manufacturing hubs we work in on-site
Shenzhen
The world's densest electronics ecosystem. From Huaqiangbei's component markets to precision PCB factories in Bao'an, this is where most consumer electronics and IoT hardware is built. We have direct relationships with SMT assembly houses, BLE module suppliers, and certification labs.
Guangzhou
Canton Fair headquarters and a growing cluster of smart home and appliance manufacturers. Good for initial supplier screening before deep factory verification.
Shanghai
China's most internationally connected city. Strong for automotive electronics, precision manufacturing, medical devices, and Yangtze Delta logistics through Yangshan Port.
Dongguan
Plastic injection, mold tooling, and assembly at scale. Ideal for products that combine electronics with mechanical parts: smart home devices, wearables, power banks.
Hangzhou
Cross-border e-commerce capital with smart home IoT, digital health devices, and bonded warehousing built for DTC fulfillment.
Yiwu
World's largest small-commodities wholesale market. Source electronics accessories, private-label packaging, and cross-border e-commerce orders with China–Europe rail options.
Ningbo
Power electronics, LED lighting, and injection-molded plastics with Ningbo Port shipping. We audit here for clients who need fast production ramp-up.
Foshan
World's largest furniture cluster plus ceramics, sanitary ware, and the Midea/Galanz appliance supply chain.
Qingdao
Home of Haier and Hisense. Strong for appliance electronics, display modules, smart home integration, and shipping through a top-10 global container port.
Every factory we recommend has been visited in person. No virtual tours, no third-party subcontractors without your knowledge.
CASE STUDIES
China Hardware Sourcing Case Studies & Results
Private Label IoT Sensor: From Generic to 4.6★ on Amazon
IoT sensor private label launched in 90 days. 4.6★ Amazon rating, 34% margin vs 12% on the prior generic unit. 500-unit MOQ.
IIoT Gateway from China: EU Integrator Saves 22% vs HK
Direct factory established. 22% cost saving vs Hong Kong distributor. CE-certified hardware, TÜV lab reports. IEC 61850 gateway, 200 units delivered.
Bluetooth Speaker from China: EU Startup, 5,000 Units
EU startup delivered 5,000 Bluetooth speakers on time with 0.4% defect rate. 18% margin improvement vs their prior sourcing agent. FCC + CE certified.
GUIDES & INSIGHTS
Sourcing guides worth reading
Alibaba vs 1688 for Electronics: Which Source to Use
The real differences between Alibaba, 1688, and going direct to factory — pricing, trust, negotiation tactics, and when to use each.
13 min read Sourcing 101China Payment Terms: T/T, LC, Escrow
A practical breakdown of the payment terms used in China sourcing — Telegraphic Transfer, Letters of Credit, escrow, and when each one protects you.
14 min read Sourcing 101How to Source Electronics from China
How to source electronics from China in 2026: find factories, audit suppliers, manage QC, and control payment terms.
21 min readCOMMON QUESTIONS
China Sourcing Agent FAQs: What Buyers Ask
What does a China sourcing agent actually do? +
A China sourcing agent finds and vets factories, negotiates pricing, manages production, and inspects goods before they ship — so you deal with one accountable contact instead of twenty anonymous Alibaba listings. We work only on electronics and IoT, and we read your schematic and BOM before quoting, not after.
How are you different from a generic China sourcing company or trading company? +
Most China sourcing companies and trading companies are commerce middlemen who forward your spec to a factory and add a margin. We are hardware engineers: we audit the factory on-site, run three-stage QC, and catch DFM problems before tooling is cut. We cap our roster at 15-20 B2B wholesale clients so each project gets a real engineer, not a ticket.
What does China product sourcing cost? +
Our China product sourcing runs on three models: 5-8% commission with a $500 minimum per order, fixed project fees ($300-800 for a standalone audit), or a $1,500-3,000 monthly retainer. We never mark up factory quotes — the price you see is the factory price, and our fee is stated separately.
What is the minimum order to work with you? +
$3,000 order value for commission-based sourcing — below that, the audit and management work doesn't pencil out. Standalone audits and inspections have no order minimum. Crowdfunding and pre-seed hardware teams are welcome; we've taken projects from zero to a first 5,000-unit production run.
Which electronics can you source? +
Consumer electronics, IoT modules, smart home, wearables, PCB assembly, power electronics, and automotive electronics. We don't touch apparel, food, or general merchandise. If your product has a PCB inside, it's in scope.
How do you protect my IP and design? +
A mutual NDA is signed before any design file changes hands, and factory shortlisting weeds out traders who would resell your design. Verification — business registration plus an on-site visit — is the first defense against both IP leaks and quality shortcuts.
Who is the best China sourcing agent? +
There is no single best — it depends on what you source. For electronics and IoT hardware you want an agent who can read a BOM and run a factory audit, not just a trading desk. Before committing, ask any agent for a sample inspection report, their fee structure in writing, and two references in your product category.
Can I buy directly from Chinese manufacturers instead of using an agent? +
Yes, and for a simple high-volume product with one verified supplier it can be cheaper. An agent earns its fee on supplier vetting, quality control, IP protection, or running several factories at once — the failure modes that cost far more than the commission. With one trusted factory and a stable order, going direct is fine.
How long does a China sourcing project take? +
From initial RFQ to delivery: 8–12 weeks for a first order with a new factory. Sourcing and audit take 1–2 weeks, sample evaluation 2–4 weeks, production 3–6 weeks, and logistics 2–4 weeks. Repeat orders with the same factory typically cut that to 4–6 weeks.
Do you handle shipping and customs? +
Yes. We coordinate door-to-door logistics including freight forwarding, export documentation, and customs clearance coordination. Your landed cost estimate includes factory price, our commission, freight, import duty, and VAT — disclosed upfront before you commit.
What is a factory audit and why do I need one? +
A factory audit is an on-site verification that the manufacturer you're about to pay actually exists, owns its equipment, and can produce your electronics. For first orders above $5,000, we consider it non-optional. The cost ($300–800) is typically recovered by avoiding a single bad production run.
Can you source custom products or non-standard electronics? +
Yes — in fact, that's where engineering-led sourcing matters most. Custom PCB designs, private mold tooling, firmware modifications, and non-standard sensor configurations are all in scope. We review your technical spec before committing to a project timeline.
How do you protect my IP and design? +
A mutual NDA is signed before any design file changes hands, and factory shortlisting weeds out traders who would resell your design. Business registration verification plus an on-site visit is the first defense against both IP leaks and quality shortcuts.
What is the minimum order to work with you? +
$3,000 order value for commission-based sourcing — below that, the audit and management work doesn't pencil out. Standalone audits and inspections have no order minimum. Crowdfunding and pre-seed hardware teams are welcome; we've taken projects from zero to a first 5,000-unit production run.
Do you work with retail or dropshipping buyers? +
No. We only work with B2B buyers — wholesale importers, distributors, hardware brands, and industrial integrators. Our minimum order is $3,000 and our process is built around factory audits, bulk production runs, and door-to-door logistics for commercial shipments. If you are looking for one-off retail purchases or dropshipping, we are not the right fit.
How do I import electronics from China as a wholesaler? +
Start with a factory audit and sample evaluation. We verify the supplier's business registration, inspect their equipment on-site, and run a pilot production run before you commit to a bulk order. Then we manage three-stage QC, export documentation, and customs coordination so your shipment clears smoothly. For wholesale importers, we also handle certification management — FCC for the US, CE for the EU, PSE for Japan — before production starts, not after your goods are stuck at the port.
Have a sourcing project in mind?
Tell us what you need. We respond within 24 hours, including weekends.