GUIDES
China Sourcing Guides
Find a practical answer, review a relevant example and use the linked tool when you have a real supplier question to resolve.
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Yiwu market photo: JesseW900, CC BY 2.0
Choose the purchasing issue you are dealing with
Browse topics, then open the guide that matches your supplier or order.
Getting started with supplier conversationsUnderstand what a supplier’s reply can tell you about communication, quotations and production timing.1 guide 
Supplier identity & public evidenceSeparate website names, legal entities and company roles, then match each conclusion to the source that can actually support it.5 guides 
RFQ & quotationDefine the product and commercial basis clearly, then compare supplier responses without treating unlike offers as equivalent.6 guides 
MOQ, lead time & commercial termsReview quantity, timing, packaging, customisation and payment assumptions before they become order commitments.9 guides 
Sample, production & quality consistencyUse samples and documents as scoped evidence, and carry approved requirements into production through explicit controls.8 guides 
Product & market requirementsClarify product formats, measurement bases and market signals before they change a sourcing or product decision.3 guides 
AI-assisted reviewUse AI to organise replies and open questions while keeping source checks, uncertainty and buyer judgment visible.3 guides All sourcing guides
Open a topic to see every guide in that group.
Getting started with supplier conversations1 guide
Supplier identity & public evidence5 guides
How to Identify the Legal Entity Behind a Chinese Supplier Website ↗Why Is a Chinese Supplier’s Website Name Different from Its Registered Company Name? ↗Why Is the Bank Beneficiary Name Different from the Supplier? ↗When a Chinese Supplier Says “Our Factory,” Which Company Are You Actually Dealing With? ↗Company Website, Registry Record or Exchange Filing: What Can Each Source Support? ↗
RFQ & quotation6 guides
What Makes a Good RFQ for Chinese Suppliers? ↗How to Compare Quotes from Chinese Suppliers ↗How to Read a Chinese Supplier's Quote Beyond Price ↗Why Two Chinese Suppliers Can Quote Different Prices ↗What an Air Fryer RFQ Should Include ↗How to Compare Air Fryer Supplier Quotations on the Same Basis ↗
MOQ, lead time & commercial terms9 guides
What to Check Before Accepting a Supplier's MOQ ↗Why Is a Chinese Supplier’s MOQ 1,000 Units — and Who Actually Set It? ↗How to Ask About Lead Time Without Getting a Vague Answer ↗Packaging and Logo Options for Supplier Orders ↗Stock Product, Private Label, ODM or OEM? ↗When a Chinese Supplier Says “It’s a China Rule,” What Might Actually Be Happening? ↗When a Chinese Supplier Says “This Is Standard in China,” What Should You Actually Verify? ↗When a Chinese Supplier Says “Material Price Increased,” What Should You Actually Verify? ↗What to Confirm Before Sending a Deposit to a Chinese Supplier ↗
Sample, production & quality consistency8 guides
What a Small Buyer Can Actually Learn From One Factory Visit ↗When a Chinese Supplier Says “We Make It Ourselves,” What Should You Actually Verify? ↗When a Chinese Factory Outsources Part of Production, What Should You Actually Verify? ↗Why Can Three Chinese Suppliers Give Three Different Answers to the Same Production Question? ↗Sample Looks Good. What Should You Confirm Before Production Starts? ↗What to Ask a Chinese Supplier Before Paying for a Sample ↗Why an Approved Air Fryer Sample Does Not Guarantee Consistent Mass Production ↗How to Check Whether an Air Fryer Certificate or Test Report Covers the Quoted Model ↗