Sourcing Chine — questions fréquemment posées

Electronics: Bluetooth speakers, TWS earphones, IoT modules, smart home devices, PCB assembly, wearables, and similar hardware. We don't source apparel, food, or general merchandise.

Commission-based work: $3,000 minimum order value. Below that, the economics don't justify the sourcing and audit work. For standalone audits or inspections, there's no order minimum.

No. We can start with a reference product, a feature list, or a rough idea. We'll help define the spec through the discovery process. The more you know upfront, the faster we move.

First order from scratch: 8–14 weeks end-to-end (sourcing, audit, sample, production, inspection, shipping). Repeat orders with the same factory: 6–10 weeks. Rush orders are possible for some categories — ask.

Submit an RFQ through the contact form or email hello@china-sourcing-agents.com. We respond within 24 hours and schedule a 30-minute discovery call.

1688 (the domestic wholesale platform, more factories than Alibaba), direct industry contacts built over 7 years, trade shows in Shenzhen and Canton, and factory referrals from existing relationships. We don't just search Alibaba.

Yes. Many of the best factories don't list on Alibaba or list with minimal presence. Direct relationships often yield better prices and more reliable communication.

We deliver 3–5 qualified suppliers after screening out traders, unqualified manufacturers, and those who can't meet your certification requirements. More options don't help if they're the wrong options.

Yes. We can audit a factory you've already identified, manage production with your existing supplier, or just handle inspections. You don't have to use our sourcing service to use our other services.

Business registration check (scope must match what they claim to do), physical site visit, equipment verification, worker headcount vs. payroll, and cross-referencing on 1688 (traders can't hide there as easily as on Alibaba).

AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) is a statistical sampling standard. We use AQL 2.5 for major defects (functional, safety) and AQL 4.0 for minor defects (cosmetic) as defaults. These can be adjusted based on your requirements.

We issue a Hold decision with detailed findings. You decide: accept with concession, require rework and re-inspection, or reject the shipment. We recommend; you decide.

Yes. Inspection is a standalone service. We can inspect at any factory in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Yiwu, and most other manufacturing regions.

Yes. For electronics we run functional tests, check certifications, verify firmware versions, and test specific failure modes relevant to your product category. A speaker gets acoustic and BT connectivity tests. An IoT module gets RF performance checks.

Three models: commission-based (5–8% of order value, $500 minimum), project-based (fixed fee per service), or monthly retainer ($1,500–3,000/month). Most first-time clients use commission.

Typically at the same time as factory payment milestones. For a 30/70 deposit/balance structure: we invoice at deposit and at balance. Never before the factory is paid.

No. The factory quote you see is the actual factory price. Our commission is on top and stated separately. You can verify factory prices after we introduce you.

T/T wire transfer is standard. We coordinate the payment schedule (typically 30% deposit, 70% before shipment). For new clients, we recommend escrow via trade assurance for the first order.

USD for most clients. Factory payments are typically in CNY (we handle the conversion if you're paying in USD).

We coordinate shipping — freight forwarder selection, export documentation, and tracking. We don't operate our own freight business. Freight costs are pass-through at cost.

Sea (LCL/FCL), air freight, express courier (for samples), and rail (China–Europe). We recommend based on your timeline, budget, and cargo type.

Export clearance (China side): yes. Import clearance (your country): we provide documentation and guidance, but you need a licensed customs broker in your country. We can refer you to brokers in the US, EU, and Japan.

Yes. Sample shipping is included in all sourcing engagements. We ship via DHL/FedEx/UPS to your location, typically within 3–7 business days after samples are ready.

Email is the record of truth. For faster updates: WhatsApp for informal check-ins and milestone updates. We work async by default — no scheduling overhead, no time-zone friction. We don't do Slack or other collaboration tools — too many channels, too much noise.

Yes. Crowdfunding projects, pre-seed hardware startups, and early-stage companies are welcome. We've worked with teams going from 0 to first production run. The challenge is usually unit economics at small quantities — we'll be honest about what's viable.

We intervene directly. Delivery delay, quality issue, or factory dispute — we contact the factory in Chinese, escalate through their management chain, and track resolution. You get a status update within 24 hours of any issue flagged.

Yes. Standard mutual NDA before we begin. We take IP protection seriously — partly because we've seen what happens when sourcing agents don't.