General
1 answers
What Should You Do When Your Chinese Supplier Stops Replying Mid-Order?
Six weeks ago, I placed an $18,000 order with a factory in Wenzhou, paid a 30% deposit, confirmed all product specifications, and everything went s...
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China Sourcing Q&A
Ask questions and get expert answers about 1688 sourcing, factory negotiation, quality control, and cross-border logistics.
Quality Control
1 answers
What Can You Do If a Chinese Supplier Sends Defective Products?
I just received 1,000 products from a Yiwu factory, of which about 200 had obvious quality problems. For example: the wrong color of the suture, lo...
Sourcing
1 answers
How Should Importers Prepare for Chinese New Year 2027 Shutdown?
The shutdown during the Spring Festival in China last year caught me off guard. I placed the order in mid-January and didn't ship it until late March.
Sourcing
1 answers
Is China Still Cheaper Than Vietnam for Small Business Manufacturing?
I often hear people say that manufacturing costs in China are getting higher and higher, and small brands should turn to Vietnam.
General
1 answers
What Is a Golden Sample and Why Must You Lock It Before Mass Production Starts?
My purchasing agent told me that a "sealed golden sample" was needed before mass production, but I didn't quite understand what this was and why it...
Logistics
1 answers
What Is Container Loading Supervision and When Do You Need It?
My sourcing agent offered to add container loading supervision to my next shipment from China, which means someone watches the factory load my prod...
Quality Control
1 answers
What AQL Level Should You Use for Pre-Shipment Inspections in China?
I'm paying for a pre-shipment inspection on my next order from China, and the inspection company asked me what AQL level I want them to use.
General
1 answers
How Do You Create a Product Spec Sheet for Chinese Manufacturers?
Every sourcing guide says I need to send a detailed product specification document to the factory before production starts, but I don't really know...
Payment
1 answers
What Is the Safest Way to Pay Chinese Suppliers as a Foreign Buyer?
I've been asked to pay a 30% deposit upfront to a factory in China, and honestly that makes me nervous.What's the safest payment method for sending...
Sourcing
1 answers
How Do Small Businesses Negotiate Lower MOQ with Chinese Suppliers?
Most Chinese suppliers I contact want me to order thousands of units right away, but I can't afford that kind of inventory risk.