How It Works
How It Works
Sourcing from China in 4 simple steps — from product idea to delivered goods.
What you receive at each step
Quote
An itemized comparison of verified factories: names, unit prices, MOQs, lead times. How we source →
Order
Signed spec, 30/70 payment structure, inspection gates written into the contract.
Produce
First-article approval, mid-run checks, weekly photo updates from the line.
Ship
Consolidation, documents, freight booked for your deadline — mode comparison — delivered door to door or to FBA.
Want the full picture first?
Read the complete guide to importing from China — this page is the managed version of its Stage 3 through Stage 8. Amazon sellers can see the FBA chain in sourcing for Amazon FBA sellers.
Ready to Start?
What does the process look like for your product?
The steps on this page are the skeleton; the muscle changes with the product. A stock product ordered from inventory can move from quotation to shipment in two to three weeks. A made-to-order product with custom packaging typically needs a sampling phase of two to four weeks before production, and a first production run of 20 to 35 days.
The reliable way to know your version of the timeline is to put it in writing against a real factory quote: production window, inspection point, labeling or prep time, and freight mode, each with its own days. The landed cost guide shows where the money lines sit in the same sequence.
Send the product details through the contact page and you will get your version of this process, with dates, in the first quote.
What does the process cost to run?
Process transparency extends to the bill: the commission that funds this sequence is 5 to 8 percent of product value on full-service orders, inspections run about $280 per visit, and every pass-through cost, freight, duty, lab tests, arrives with its invoice. Nothing inside the process is monetized twice. The full breakdown, line by line, is on the pricing and commission page, and it is the same document we hold ourselves to when a client asks why a cost changed.
Process questions, answered
Six checkpoints from quote to delivered goods, each producing something you can read. The managed version of the complete import guide; FBA sellers should also see sourcing for Amazon FBA. Money lines per stage are in the landed cost guide.
How long does the whole process take?
Stock goods: two to three weeks from quotation to shipment. Custom goods: two to four weeks of sampling plus 20–35 days of production, then freight (express days, air about a week, sea three to six weeks). Your dated version of this timeline comes with the first factory quote — see shipping compared.
What do you need from me to quote?
A product link, photo or drawings, target quantity and deadline — sent via the contact page. Within one business day you get a consultation; itemized factory comparisons with MOQs and lead times typically follow in 7–10 days. No commitment until you approve a quote in writing.
When do I actually pay?
A 30% deposit books production and the 70% balance is paid only after a passed pre-shipment inspection — the gate is written into the proforma invoice. Service fees are invoiced separately. The full deposit-and-leverage logic is in the payment terms guide.
How is quality enforced at each step?
Signed spec first, then first-article approval, mid-run DUPRO review and AQL pre-shipment sampling with photo reports — see the AQL guide and inspection types. Failed lots are reworked at factory cost and re-inspected before the balance moves.
How does shipping and consolidation work?
Goods from all suppliers consolidate in our Shenzhen warehouse into one consignment with one export file, then ship express, air, rail or sea — door to door or direct to FBA with prep and labeling. Mode choice by margin and deadline is in shipping compared.
What happens when something goes wrong?
Your agent escalates the same day with photos and options: rework, partial reship or factory switch, with costs assigned per the contract. Real recoveries — a labeling save on 1,200 units, a material-report reorder — are documented in our case studies.
How do we start?
Through the contact page: product details in, consultation and itemized quote out, with factories named and fees on one document. The quote carries no obligation, and the free sourcing checklist shows every stage you will walk through.
Can I visit the factory during production?
Yes — clients are welcome on the floor with our team, and we arrange the visit around a production milestone so there is something meaningful to see. Most clients instead follow the weekly photo check-ins and the three gate reports; both paths see the same lines, just from different distances.
What documents do I receive at delivery?
The commercial invoice and packing list, export customs declaration, bill of lading or airway bill, inspection reports with photos for every gate, and material or lab certificates where applicable. FBA orders add compliant labeling and prep confirmations — see FBA shipping.