Field-tested advice on sourcing from China, supplier vetting, quality control, freight, negotiation and the details that protect your margin.
15 articles
New
9 min
Takeaway: Three steps: company setup, work permit letter, work visa. You can start from abroad. Real costs and timeline included.
The full process, in China or abroad: the three steps, the documents, real 2026 costs and the timeline for your licence, work permit and visa.
New
14 min
Takeaway: Set up Alipay and Weixin at home, know your visa route, and remember your address must be registered within 24 hours of landing.
Alipay, WeChat, Amap and Baidu Translate, payments, visa, police registration, metro, trains and food. Everything to set up before the plane doors open, with a graphic for every step.
New
12 min
Takeaway: Seven stages from factory to fulfilment centre. Budget 3 to 4 months for a first order, and judge the product on landed cost, not unit price.
The full journey on one page: find a factory, verify it, sample, comply, inspect, prep and ship. With the 2026 rule changes and realistic timings.
New
10 min
Takeaway: FOB, CBM, HS code, B/L, T/T. Every term you meet in a China quote, decoded in plain English with visuals you can scan.
FOB, CIF, CBM, HS code, B/L, T/T and more, in plain English. A visual glossary so you can read any China quote with confidence.
New
11 min
Takeaway: Air to launch, sea to scale. And the big 2026 change: Amazon stopped doing FBA prep and labeling, so FNSKU now happens at the factory.
Sea vs air, freight forwarders, the DDP trap, and the big 2026 FBA prep change. A sourcing agent's guide from factory to fulfilment centre.
New
10 min
Takeaway: Most supplier "certificates" are reused or self-declared. The CE mark is self-applied, so the test report behind it is what counts. Compliance is your job, not the factory's.
Most certificates suppliers send are reused, self-declared, or fake. How to verify CE, FDA, FCC and Prop 65 before customs or Amazon shut you down.
New
9 min
Takeaway: $380 flat for sourcing, $60 sampling, $260 QC. The "free agent" is the most expensive route. Ask any agent how they actually make money.
Flat fee vs commission vs retainer, with real 2026 ranges. The $15-agent trap that almost cost a client $7,000, and my honest Summit Sourcing pricing.
New
9 min
Takeaway: Reverse image search + business license check + unannounced video walkthrough. 30 minutes saves your deposit.
A client almost got burned last month: the supplier showed photos of a factory that wasn't theirs. Here's the verification protocol that catches fake factories before the deposit leaves your account.
New
9 min
Takeaway: Canton Fair is a filter, not a collection drive. Pick one phase, shortlist 5-10 suppliers, close at the factory.
Canton Fair 2026 dates, the three phases explained, what works on the floor, and what first-timers get wrong. From a sourcing agent who attends every spring and autumn.
Featured9 min
Takeaway: China still wins on ecosystem depth and speed, not just price, for most categories.
Rising costs, tariffs, and Southeast Asian competition have buyers questioning China. Here is an honest look at where China still wins in 2026.
Strategy10 min
Takeaway: China+1 is a risk hedge, not a full replacement. Diversify the risk, not the whole chain.
Everyone is talking about China+1, but few explain what it actually means for your supply chain. Here's a practical breakdown of when to diversify and when to stay put.
Sourcing10 min
Takeaway: Check the business license and hold a real sample before any deposit leaves your account.
A practical, step-by-step process for verifying a Chinese supplier, from license checks to samples and contracts, so you never wire a deposit to a company you cannot trust.
Trends8 min
Takeaway: Differentiation now beats cheap. Smaller MOQs and social commerce are reshaping 2026.
The way sellers source from China is shifting fast. Here are the trends shaping 2026, smaller MOQs, social commerce, compliance, and why differentiation now beats cheap pricing.
Technology9 min
Takeaway: AI speeds research, comparison and RFQs, but it still cannot walk a factory floor.
AI now speeds up product research, supplier comparison and RFQs, but it still cannot walk a factory floor. Here is how to use it well without getting burned.
Quality9 min
Takeaway: Most costly defects are catchable before the container ships, if you inspect the right way.
The most expensive quality problems happen before a container ever leaves China. Here are six inspection mistakes importers keep making, and exactly how to avoid each one.
Planning9 min
Takeaway: Place orders and book freight weeks early. Chinese New Year ripples for months.
Chinese New Year shuts Chinese factories for weeks and ripples for months. Here is how to time orders, lock materials, book freight, and protect your stock.
Logistics9 min
Takeaway: EXW can look cheapest while hiding the most cost. Know exactly who pays for what.
Confused by EXW, FOB, DAP and DDP on your supplier's quote? Here is what each Incoterm actually means, where the hidden costs hide, and how to pick the right one.
Trends6 min
Takeaway: A new tariff line can erase your margin overnight if you quoted in FOB and never planned for it.
Tariffs on Chinese imports are reshaping landed cost and margin for Amazon sellers in 2026. What changed, what it means for your numbers, and how to protect profit.
Logistics7 min
Takeaway: Unit price is usually 70 to 75 percent of true landed cost, the rest is packaging, inspection, freight, duties, brokerage, local handling, inland delivery, and storage.
Most importers compare unit price and get blindsided by everything else. The complete landed cost checklist: packaging, inspection, freight, duties, and storage.
Sourcing7 min
Takeaway: A "factory" with a wide product range is probably a trading company. Both can work, but the pricing should reflect it.
Many "factories" in China are traders or subcontractors. How to spot the red flags, verify a real manufacturer, and avoid material-switching scams before payment.
Strategy7 min
Takeaway: A 100-unit test gives you the same demand signal as a 1,000-unit order, at about 14 percent of the cash risk.
Test products before risking a container. A practical guide for Amazon and TikTok Shop sellers to negotiate small MOQs and scale from trial order to bulk safely.
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