How our China procurement agency works

Buying from China involves more than placing an order. Payments go to local accounts, the supplier communicates in Chinese, quality issues surface at the wrong moment, and goods from several factories have to be brought together before they can be shipped economically. A procurement agency absorbs those tasks so that your first sight of the goods is not at your own door.

What we do on the buying side

• Placing and following up orders with suppliers, typically on 1688, Taobao, Pinduoduo or Alibaba
• Communicating with the factory in Chinese, including specifications, samples and delivery dates
• Arranging payment in RMB so your supplier is paid in the currency it expects
• Chasing production and confirming the date the goods are actually ready
• Inspecting or arranging inspection before the goods are released
• Collecting from the supplier, or receiving delivery at our Shenzhen warehouse

You keep control of the commercial decision — what to buy and at what price. We handle the execution and report what we find.

Consolidation, repacking and storage

Consolidating is usually the single largest saving available to a buyer who orders from more than one supplier. Sending four orders separately means four sets of documentation, four minimum charges and four international shipments. Bringing them together means one.

1. Your suppliers deliver to our Shenzhen warehouse, or we collect from them
2. Each delivery is checked against the packing list and any obvious damage is reported
3. Cartons are repacked or combined where that reduces volume, and measured so the freight is quoted on real dimensions
4. Goods are stored for the agreed period at the quoted charges before departure
5. The consolidated shipment is booked once everything is ready, or in stages if part of the order is urgent

Third-party inspection before the goods leave China

Quality problems are cheapest to fix while the goods are still with the supplier. We arrange third-party inspection covering quantity, appearance, function, packaging and carton marking, and the report can be sent to you before you release the balance payment. Inspections can also be arranged in a production setting rather than only at the end, which is the point at which defects can still be corrected.

Our third-party inspection service explains what is checked and how the report is used.

What to prepare before you order

• The product link or clear photographs, and the specifications that matter to you
• The quantity, and your target price per unit
• Any logo, packaging or labelling requirement, including marketplace labels
• The destination and the date the goods are needed
• Whether you want the goods inspected before dispatch

If you are not sure whether a supplier is reliable, send the listing and we will look at it before you commit. When the order is ready to move, the shipment can go by air, ocean or DDP depending on the deadline and the volume — we will quote the option that fits rather than every mode available.

Frequently asked questions