Sourcing
Guides on finding, evaluating and developing suppliers — from first search to production-ready programs.
How to Source Products from China: A Practical Guide for Ecommerce Brands
A working framework for sourcing from China — supplier discovery, verification, sampling and cost, for operators.
Read articleHow to Verify a Supplier in China: Documents, Capability and References
Run verification as a process: documents, capability and references, checked before any money moves to a supplier.
Read articleHow to Calculate Landed Cost: A Model That Includes What Quotes Miss
Product cost is where your margin math starts, not ends. Build the landed cost model before you commit.
Read articleHow to Request Product Samples: From First Contact to Golden Sample
From first request to sealed golden sample: the sampling process that protects your specification.
Read articleSourcing Agent vs Direct Supplier: How to Structure Your China Supply Chain
Direct-to-factory vs a sourcing partner in China: what each buys you, what it assumes, and how to choose the structure.
Read articleChina Industrial Clusters Guide: Ten Manufacturing Belts by Category
Where each product category is actually made in China, and how to source inside the right cluster.
Read articleMOQ Negotiation Strategies: Lower Minimums Without Burning Suppliers
Why factory minimums exist, the levers that actually move them, and the trades worth making to start small.
Read articleOEM vs ODM vs Private Label: Choosing the Right Manufacturing Model
The three manufacturing models compared for ecommerce brands: what changes in cost, MOQ, ownership and timeline.
Read articleThe Canton Fair Sourcing Guide: From Aisles to Purchase Orders
Prepare, work the booths that matter, and convert contacts into orders: a working Canton Fair plan.
Read articleAlibaba vs 1688 vs a Sourcing Partner: Three Channels, Three Games
Three ways into China's manufacturing base, what each is actually for, and how to combine them.
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