1. Decide what kind of supplier you need
Factories give the lowest unit price and direct control over quality, but each makes a narrow product range and expects larger MOQs. Trading companies and sourcing agents consolidate many products, accept smaller orders and handle communication, for a 5–15% margin. For a first order of a single product with volume above a few thousand units, go direct; for mixed or small orders, a trading company is usually the better deal.
2. Shortlist by hard criteria
- Business licence (Unified Social Credit Code) that matches the company name on the quote and the bank account.
- Export experience to the US: ask for the names of two US customers or recent bill-of-lading records.
- Relevant certifications for your product (UL/ETL, FCC, FDA, CPSIA, ISO 9001, BSCI).
- English-speaking sales contact who answers specifications precisely rather than with “yes, no problem”.
3. Verify before you pay
Run the licence number through the National Enterprise Credit Information system or a paid service; check that registered capital, founding date and scope match what the salesperson told you. Use a video call to walk the production floor live. For orders over US$20,000, a third-party factory audit (US$300–600) is cheap insurance.
4. Evaluate samples properly
Request samples made on the production line, not hand-built “golden samples”. Test them against your spec sheet and, where a standard exists, send one to an accredited lab. Keep a signed and sealed reference sample at the factory and one with you.
5. Protect the payment
Standard terms are 30% deposit, 70% after a passed pre-shipment inspection and before the container is released. Pay only to the company account that matches the licence — never to a personal account or a “new” account announced by email. For larger orders use an L/C at sight or an escrow service.
6. Put quality in writing
Attach the spec sheet, approved sample photos, packaging requirements, labelling, and the AQL level to the purchase order. State the inspection right and the remedy (rework, replacement, refund) for failures. This is the document the inspector and, if needed, the arbitrator will use.