The China Sourcing Library
Every week I publish one report from inside Shanghai: what goes wrong between buyers and factories, why it happens, and what to do before it costs you. Everything here is free to read, and every claim is sourced. Start with the six essentials, or pick a topic.
One report every Thursday. Free.
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How to import from China safely: six reads before your first order
New to buying from China, or about to wire a first deposit? Read these in order. Each one closes a door that costs buyers real money.
- How to Check a China Supplier Before You Wire a DepositMake sure it is a real factory, and the bank account is really theirs.
- NNN vs NDA in China: Which Protects Your DesignProtect your design before you send a single file.
- China Supplier Contract Guide: Which Agreement Do You Need?Pick the contract a Chinese court will actually read.
- Is Alibaba Trade Assurance Safe?Know what protects your money, and what does not.
- What It Really Costs to Import From ChinaKnow your real cost per unit before you order.
- How China Sourcing Agents Really Get PaidKnow who the people helping you really work for.
Prefer to watch? ▶ Watch this playlist on YouTube
Check the supplier, protect the money
Before a deposit leaves your account: is this a real factory, is the bank account really theirs, and what protects you if it goes wrong.
The tool for this job: The 7-Factor Supplier Vetting System →
Contracts, designs and molds
What a Chinese court will actually enforce, how to stop a factory using your design, and how to keep the tooling you paid for.
The tool for this job: The China Contracts Vault →
Negotiating With Chinese Factories
Who the people helping you really work for, what a factory's yes really means, and why price-only buyers get bumped first.
The tool for this job: The China Negotiation Script Pack →
Prefer to watch? ▶ Watch this playlist on YouTube
Costs, tariffs and margins
The factory quote is the first line of the math, not the answer. Every cost that lands on your side of the ocean.
The tool for this job: The Tariff and Landed-Cost App →
Inside China: Tech, Factories and What Comes Next
Chips, magnets, batteries, medicine, ships and oil. The single points of failure behind the products you buy, and the dates to watch.
The tool for this job: The free weekly briefing →
Prefer to watch? ▶ Watch this playlist on YouTube
Sourcing guides by product
What to check, test and ask for in the categories I audit most, before you order a single pallet.
The tool for this job: The factory audit field apps →
Quick answers from the floor
Short, direct answers to the questions buyers ask me most.
- How do I know if my supplier is a real factory or just a trader? →
- My supplier wants the deposit sent to a personal bank account. Is this normal? →
- What hidden costs sit between the factory price and my door? →
- Are Chinese certificates real, and how do I check one? →
- How do I make a contract that actually works in China? →
- We are small, under 50k. Will a good factory take us seriously? →
- Who owns the mold I paid for, and how do I prove it? →
- How do I stop a factory changing materials without telling me? →
- The factory went quiet after I paid the deposit. What now? →
- Should I visit the factory myself or send someone? →
Your question is not here? Ask the Floor →
What to get next
The buyers who get the most from this pair it with the tools below. Each one protects the next step.