Full-service agency: common questions
One team owns your order from first brief to shipped goods: verified suppliers, negotiation in Chinese, production follow-up with photo reports, inspection-gated payments and consolidated shipping. The step-by-step skeleton is on how it works; fees are on the pricing page.
What exactly is included end to end?
Supplier search and verification, RFQ benchmarking across vetted factories, sample management against a written spec, contract with 30/70 inspection-gated payments, weekly production follow-up, pre-shipment inspection with photo reports, consolidation in Shenzhen and door-to-door or FBA shipping with export documents handled.
How long does a full-service order take?
Stock products can move from quotation to shipment in two to three weeks. Made-to-order goods with custom packaging typically need two to four weeks of sampling plus 20–35 days of production, then freight. Your version of the timeline — with dates per stage — comes with the first quote; see how it works.
How do you charge for full service?
A 5–8% commission of product value, scaled by order size, billed separately from the factory price. Factories invoice you directly at the factory price, so no margin hides inside your unit cost, and any negotiated saving is yours before commission is calculated. Details: commission rates explained.
Can you match 1688 factory prices?
Yes — we buy as your local buyer of record on both platforms: export-platform protection on Alibaba where it matters and domestic 1688 prices where they count, typically 30–50% less for identical goods. The trade-off is explained in 1688 vs Alibaba.
What happens if the factory fails inspection?
The balance is not paid. Failed lots are reworked at the factory\u2019s cost and re-inspected to the same AQL standard before anything ships, with photo evidence at each step. Recent examples — including a 1,200-unit labeling save — are in our case studies.
Do I keep the supplier relationship?
Yes. Quotes name the factories, goods are invoiced at the factory price and all specs, reports and contacts stay with you. Many clients reorder directly later and bring us back only for inspections — that is fine, and per-visit inspection rates are published on the pricing page.
How do we start a full-service project?
Send your product idea, reference link or photo through the contact page. Within one business day you get a consultation, then a shortlist of verified factories with itemized quotes in days, not weeks. Most first engagements begin with a trial order or single inspection.