China sourcing guides
Practical, plain-English guides to sourcing, quality, logistics and cost — from a team that sources for its own businesses.
Getting started
How China sourcing works, end to end
From a product brief to a delivered pallet: the full journey of a China sourcing project and who does what at each step.
How to import from China to the UK: a complete guide
The full journey for a UK business — finding and vetting a supplier, samples, shipping, EORI, commodity codes, duty, VAT and customs clearance — in one place.
MOQ and sampling: starting with small orders
What minimum order quantities really mean, how to lower them, and why you should always sample before you commit.
How to write a product spec that gets accurate quotes
A specification is what makes a delivery capable of failing. Dimensions with tolerances, materials by grade, colour to a physical reference, packing, and the defect standard with an agreed inspection rule.
Sourcing agent vs UK wholesaler vs online platform
Three ways to buy from China, and the real trade-offs in price, risk and effort for each.
OEM vs ODM: private-label manufacturing explained
OEM builds your design to your specification; ODM puts your brand on the factory's existing product. Either way, selling under your own name normally makes you the manufacturer in law.
China sourcing for e-commerce and Amazon sellers
What online sellers need to get right when sourcing from China — compliance, packaging, inspection and fulfilment.
Your first China order: a step-by-step checklist
A simple, ordered checklist for placing your first order from China without the classic first-timer mistakes.
Dropshipping vs bulk sourcing from China
Dropshipping commits no capital and gives you no control or margin; bulk buying gives you both and leaves you owning the stock. They suit different stages, not different tastes.
Alibaba vs a sourcing agent: which is right for a UK buyer?
When Alibaba is enough, when a sourcing agent saves you money and risk, and how a UK first-time importer should choose.
Do you need a China sourcing agent? A UK buyer's decision guide
A straight answer to whether a sourcing agent is worth it for your situation — the signs you do, the signs you don't, and what it costs.
Sourcing agent vs freight forwarder vs customs broker
Three different jobs that get confused constantly. Who does what, who carries the liability, and which one you actually need.
Suppliers & quality
How to tell a real factory from a trading company
A trading company buys from factories and resells to you. Check the business licence and its registered scope against the official Chinese register, then ask for a live video walk of the line.
Factory audit: what to check before you order
A practical checklist for vetting a Chinese factory — from the business licence to the production line — before money changes hands.
Quality inspection explained
When to inspect, what the common inspection types are, and why checking before shipment is far cheaper than after.
CE, UKCA and ISO: which certifications you need
What these marks mean, the current UK position on CE vs UKCA, and how to check a factory's certificates are genuine.
Protecting your IP and tooling when sourcing
Practical steps to reduce the risk of your design, brand or moulds being copied when you manufacture in China.
How to use Alibaba and B2B platforms safely
These platforms are directories with a payment layer, not a quality system. Verify the company yourself, write a specification with numbers in it, pay in stages and inspect before shipment.
How to avoid China sourcing scams
Most sourcing fraud follows a few predictable patterns. Learn the red flags and the simple habits that keep your money safe.
China Plus One: a UK importer's guide to a second supplier
Why UK SMEs are adding a second source alongside China, and how to do it without disrupting the supplier that already works for you.
De-risking your China supply chain: a practical UK guide
A plain-English way for UK SMEs to spot where their China supply chain is fragile, and the practical steps that reduce the risk.
PSTI: importing smart and connectable products into the UK
Anything that connects to the internet or another device needs a statement of compliance before you can sell it. What importers must hold, and what to ask the factory for.
WEEE: what importing electricals into the UK obliges you to do
Import any electrical or electronic equipment and you are a producer under WEEE. There is no minimum, and 5 tonnes changes how you comply.
Toy safety for UK importers: EN 71, technical files and who is liable
Import toys and you carry the manufacturer's responsibility in the UK. The standards that apply, the documents you must hold, and how to check them.
Food contact materials: importing kitchenware from China
Plastic kitchenware from China needs a declaration and a laboratory report before it can be imported. What is tested, and the limits that matter.
UK REACH: when chemicals rules apply to what you import
Most buyers import finished goods, not chemicals — so when does UK REACH actually bite? The one-tonne rule, the deferred deadlines, and what to ask suppliers.
Logistics & customs
UK import duty and VAT on goods from China
What you actually pay at the border, how it is calculated, and why VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim the VAT.
Sea vs air freight: cost and time
Sea is cheaper per kilogram and measured in weeks; air is measured in days and costs several times more. The decision is what the extra weeks cost you, not which is faster.
UK customs clearance: EORI, commodity codes and documents
Customs clearance is how imported goods are legally released into the UK. What you need in place, who files the declaration, and what actually holds shipments up.
What documents are needed for UK customs clearance
The exact paperwork a shipment from China needs to clear UK customs, who produces each document, and what goes wrong when one is missing.
VAT on imports from China to the UK, and how to reclaim it
How import VAT is calculated on goods from China, how postponed VAT accounting changes your cash flow, and the DDP arrangement that can leave you unable to reclaim it at all.
Incoterms explained: EXW, FOB, CIF and DDP
Incoterms decide who pays for what and where risk passes. Here are the four you will meet most, in plain English.
Shipping lead times and how to plan
Lead time is sampling, production, booking, transit, clearance and delivery, not just the sailing. The most common cause of a late shipment is the buyer taking weeks to approve a sample.
Shipping from China to the UK: the full picture
How goods actually get from a Chinese factory to your UK door — the modes, the timeline, the paperwork and the costs.
UK Plastic Packaging Tax: what importers from China owe
The tax applies to the packaging you import, not just what you manufacture. What it costs, the 10-tonne threshold, and how to avoid paying it.
Packaging EPR: the UK obligation importers inherit
When you import packaged goods, you take on the producer's packaging responsibilities. Who is obligated, what you report, and what it costs.
How to find your commodity code (and check it is right)
The code decides your duty rate, your VAT treatment and whether extra charges apply. How the digits work, how to look one up, and the traps that cost money.
DDP from China: the import VAT trap in an all-in price
A DDP quote looks like it covers everything. If you are not the importer of record you never get the evidence to reclaim the import VAT — and 20% becomes a real cost.
Customs value: what actually goes in the box
Duty and import VAT are calculated on the customs value, not the invoice. What has to be added, what can be left out, and the tooling mistake that catches people years later.
Costs & payment
Understanding your landed price
Landed price is what one sellable unit costs by the time it is in your warehouse: goods, freight, duty, clearance and delivery, plus tooling spread across the run, divided by the units you can actually sell.
How to pay Chinese suppliers safely
The common payment methods, when each fits, and the simple checks that prevent most payment fraud.
The hidden costs of importing (and how to avoid them)
The factory price is only the start. Here are the costs that catch importers out, and how to see them before they bite.
Negotiating price and terms with factories
Negotiation is about more than squeezing the unit price. Here are the levers that actually move a deal.
Practical ways to reduce your import costs
The levers that genuinely lower your landed cost from China — without cutting corners on quality.
Sector guides
Sourcing custom packaging and print from China
Colour, structure and the UK taxes that attach to packaging. How to get print right first time and avoid an expensive tax surprise.
Sourcing for cafes and hospitality
From branded cups to furniture, what independent cafes and restaurants can source from China — and what to watch for.
Sourcing electronics from China: a UK buyer's guide
Certification, safety and security obligations make electronics the highest-admin category to import. What to specify, test and document.
Sourcing furniture from China: fire safety, freight and finish
Furniture is bulky, fragile and heavily regulated for fire safety in the UK. How to specify it, ship it economically and avoid the expensive failures.
Sourcing catering equipment and supplies from China
Food contact rules, electrical safety and the realities of commercial use. What UK hospitality buyers should specify and check.
Sourcing apparel and uniforms from China
Fabric, fit and labelling are where apparel orders fail. What to lock down before production, and why the first bulk run rarely matches the sample.
Sourcing beauty and personal care products from China
Cosmetics carry safety assessment, labelling and responsible-person duties in the UK. What that means before you place an order.
Sourcing fitness and sports equipment from China
Load ratings, weight-based freight and product liability. What to specify for gym equipment that carries people.
Sourcing homeware and kitchenware from China
Food contact rules, breakage in transit and the finish standards that drive returns. What to specify for homeware that survives the journey and the dishwasher.
Sourcing toys and gifts from China
Toys are among the most enforced categories in the UK. Age grading, testing and the documents you must hold before a single unit sells.
Sourcing pet products from China
Chew toys, bowls and bedding fail in ways that reach the customer fast. What to test, and why pet products deserve toy-level scrutiny.
Sourcing promotional merchandise and branded goods
Branding, minimums and lead times for merchandise that carries your name. How to get print and quality right when the product is your marketing.
Sourcing signage and display from China
Colour accuracy, weather resistance and fitting. What to specify for signage and retail display that arrives usable.
Sourcing construction materials from China
Performance declarations, heavy freight and site deadlines. What UK contractors and developers should lock down before ordering.
Sourcing solar, battery and renewable energy products from China
China dominates renewables manufacturing, but electrical safety, battery transport and warranty enforceability decide whether an order works out.
Sourcing machinery and industrial equipment from China
Machinery brings safety obligations, spare parts risk and commissioning. What to settle before you commit to a capital purchase.
Sourcing medical devices and PPE from China
Medical devices need a UK Responsible Person and MHRA registration whatever the class. PPE needs neither and is UKCA marked, with the category deciding whether an approved body is involved.
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