How to Source From China: From Product Brief to First Purchase Order

Proper sourcing from China starts with a brief you can compare against, not with a request for “your best price.” Define the product, order size, destination, quality requirements, timing, and commercial terms. Then compare each supplier’s evidence and quote against that same brief; the first number is not enough.

The first good supplier conversation makes future surprises visible. It separates the product itself from tooling, packaging, inspection, shipping, taxes, and the customer experience you are trying to deliver.

Use a sequence that makes quotes comparable

1. Write a decision-ready brief. Include product function, materials, dimensions, tolerances, required documents, packaging, target quantity, destination, and target delivery window. Flag what is non-negotiable.
2. Ask for the legal company identity. Request the Chinese company name, Unified Social Credit Code, and business license. These are more useful for checking records than a storefront name alone.
3. Ask what the quote includes. Identify the Incoterm, tooling, samples, packaging, inspection, export documentation, freight, duty, taxes, and destination charges. “Low unit cost” and “low landed cost” are not the same thing.
4. Compare the operating story. Ask how the supplier handles material changes, quality defects, production delays, rework, and communication. A response that is only fast is not yet evidence of capacity.
5. Sample before the purchase order. Put your acceptance criteria in writing. A sample is an opportunity to check the product and the supplier’s ability to follow instructions.
6. Document the agreement that matters. Preserve the final specification, quantity, price basis, payment milestones, inspection approach, delivery terms, and agreed remedy for nonconforming goods.

Factory or trading company is a fit question

A manufacturer may offer deeper product control; a trading company can coordinate categories, lower minimums, or communicate more easily. Neither label proves reliability. The question is whether the company’s role, documents, product capability, and commercial terms fit the order you are placing.

Put the sample and changes in the same written brief

Here is an illustrative brief for a plain tote bag. Replace every example with your actual requirements and agree on how measurements and defects will be checked.

• Product and quantity: 1,000 unprinted tote bags.
• Reference: sample TB-01, with dated photos and the agreed material specification attached.
• Dimensions: attach a drawing showing the measurement points and agreed tolerances.
• Packaging: specify units per carton, protection and carton markings.
• Delivery: write the named place or port, Incoterms® version and agreed shipping date.
• Acceptance and changes: record inspection timing, defect criteria, remedies and who must approve a change before production.

Ask for an explicit reply before paying

Please confirm the attached specification and sample reference. List any differences in material, dimensions, packaging, price or timing. Please obtain our written agreement before making a substitution.

请确认所附产品规格及样品编号，并列出材料、尺寸、包装、价格或交期方面的任何差异。如需替换材料或更改规格，请先取得我们的书面同意。

Save the supplier’s reply with the final quote and order. A message without acknowledgement leaves the agreement unclear. This example is a drafting aid, not a complete contract or a product-compliance assessment.

What this cannot tell you

Supplier diligence cannot replace product-specific compliance work, a quality-control plan, or professional legal advice for an important order. Customs treatment and safety requirements depend on the destination and goods. If you are importing into the United States, the importer or its authorized broker is responsible for entry work; use current official guidance for your shipment.

Useful references

For US-bound commercial goods, US Customs and Border Protection’s importing guide explains the role of the importer and customs broker. Use the landed cost calculator to make a starting estimate, then validate the exact commercial and import terms for the order.