Indeed, buying goods from China can take 3 to 6 months from the moment you generate the idea till you bring it to life. Just think that a freight shipment has got a time frame of around 45 days. Consider also the time required for negotiations, arrangement of samples provision, manufacturing, elaboration of permits and shipping documentation. And never disregard the major force. Lesson learned from the pandemic 2020-2021: proper planning of logistics is crucial! If you deal with the seasonal product, go straight forward to initiate all the production process at least 3 months before the season starts, or even the earlier the better.

Commonly, the suppliers will not be able to give you a unit price for the goods because the price varies immensely depending on the quantity and time frames. The suppliers’ quote will change if you request 50, 1000 or 10000 pieces, and also the shipping method used. The higher is the quantity, the longer is the deadline, the better is logistic management – the greater will be your economy.

Different suppliers may give different prices for one and the same product. All depends on materials quality and fabrication performance. Going for the cheapest option or negotiating way too much may result in really poor quality with no chances to sell your product or merely put it in use. Look for the golden mean!

Detailed verification of your partners is fundamental for successful business and beneficial collaboration. Unfortunately, Chinese market is still full of fake companies acting as traders, factories, exporters that try to (and often succeed to) sell you some inexistent products. And the worst thing you can do is to skip the supplier's verification and transfer him money via Western Union or other similar system to his personal account. Be consistent in your decision where to buy and how to pay your order. Should you have any doubt, just contact a specialized company. Asia Forum is your trustful partner in this area as well and you will be provided with all the necessary consultations.

Make it a rule to always check the goods when the order is ready, even if the factory is your regular supplier. Not just the 1st order but also the 5th and even the 10th one might be in risk if your supplier notices that you lost your guard. Should you keep silent and avoid constant dialogue with your supplier, the percent of the defects will be increasing with every order. The simple fact of ongoing controls and routine visits of inspectors to the factory causes a powerful effect. The supplier will be aware that he deals with the serious client and you will see a whale of a difference in treating your order.

The common practice contemplates advanced payment when placing an order to secure the deal for your partner. A good and reliable manufacturer normally agrees on up to 30% down payment in initial contracts. In future, when the supplies turn constant, the conditions may vary. At the same time, the fake companies hunting a quick profit will be insisting on bigger amounts, which should alert you and prompt to additional verification steps.

The concepts of "guarantee", "post-sales service" are not applicable to the business in China in 90% of the cases. And so-called "return" becomes an irrational, unprofitable and actually useless solution. Therefore, go back to the two highlights above: inspections & control at every milestone.

Import of goods in any country implies elaboration of corresponding documentation. You must be sure whether your goods are subject to certification and/or declaration. These documents will be required in customs clearance. Failure to provide them the shipment will not be customs cleared and might be even confiscated. Thus, this is another issue to be always settled by the supplier prior to the shipment of goods from China – proper packaging and marking.

Foreign trade contracts form an important part of international business agreements. In China there is an option when a simple invoice may serve in fact as a contract. However, we insist to always conclude a foreign trade contract with your supplier even if he does not show interest in it. A contract is your legal and financial guarantee in case of nonfulfillment of obligations.