Cambridge China Bridge
Guides

Getting started (Page 6)

A leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskEtsy or craft fairs: hobby or business?Buying a small batch from China to resell? Check HMRC’s trading guidance, gross income, Self Assessment and the trading allowance.2 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskCan I keep my EORI when I become a limited company?Changing from sole trader to limited company? Check EORI registration, VAT, broker authority and shipment records before the company imports.4 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskDo I need an import licence for goods from China?Check tariff measures, product restrictions and the right licensing authority before ordering goods from China, then plan applications before shipping.3 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskHow to buy from 1688 in the UK without an accountCannot register or pay on 1688 from the UK? Learn how a buying agent handles orders, checks, consolidation and shipping, and what to budget.4 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskRFI, RFP and RFQ for buying from ChinaChoose the right supplier request, control specification changes and compare China quotes, with a worked cotton T-shirt duty and VAT example.5 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskSourcing agent vs your own China officeSourcing agent or your own China office: cost, control, headcount, representative office or WFOE, when each makes sense, and hybrid models.4 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskRecent sourcing projects: who asked, what we didSix anonymised September 2026 projects, from exact-size craft parts to a CNC router quote checked before payment: what each buyer needed and what we did.3 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskSourcing agent or seller: who you contract withAn agent buys for you; a seller sells to you. Which one you contract with decides who you claim against, who imports and which costs you see.6 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskImporting from China without a warehouseA registered office counts as being established for an EORI number. The real obstacle is not legal, and nor is the offer to import under somebody else's number.6 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskSelling China-made goods from the UK into the EUSelling UK-imported consumer goods on into the EU needs an economic operator established in the Union. Who can hold that role, and why your UK company cannot.6 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskWhich UK tax number does a supplier want?UK businesses hold several numbers that all get called a tax number. Knowing which does what tells you when the request is routine and when it is not.6 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskCan a sole trader import from China? UK rulesYou do not need a limited company to import into the UK. What you do need is an EORI number, and to understand that the liability is personal.6 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskAliExpress vs Alibaba vs DHgate: UK costsAliExpress vs Alibaba vs DHgate: compare UK landed cost per sellable unit, delivery, order quantities and customisation.7 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskBuying from China when you are not in the UKOverseas buyers can use the same China sourcing, supplier-management and quality services; destination import rules and door-to-door terms need separate checks.6 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskIs a sourcing agent worth it for 100 units?Is a sourcing agent worth it for 100 units? Why percentage-fee agents decline small orders, which minimums are real, and four ways to get a run made.9 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskChina Sourcing Agent: Five UK Buyer ChecksChoosing a China sourcing agent? Check factory access, pricing, importer responsibility, order size and what happens when inspection fails. UK buyer guide.7 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskSourcing agent vs freight forwarder vs customs brokerThree different jobs that get confused constantly. Who does what, who carries the liability, and which one you actually need.4 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskDo you need a China sourcing agent? A UK buyer's guideA 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.6 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskAlibaba agent UK: when you need one, and when you don'tNot always: for simple, low-risk goods many UK buyers order direct on Alibaba. An agent pays off when the factory needs verifying or every batch inspecting.5 min readA leather folder, notebooks and a pen laid out on a wooden deskHow to import from China to the UK: a complete guideThe full journey for a UK business — finding and vetting a supplier, samples, shipping, EORI, commodity codes, duty, VAT and customs clearance — in one place.5 min readA single small cardboard box, opened and emptyDropshipping or bulk buying: which is better?Dropshipping vs bulk buying from China: one risks no capital but gives no control or margin; the other gives both and leaves you owning the stock.5 min readSomeone holding a printed checklist on a clipboard in a meetingYour first China order: a step-by-step checklistA simple, ordered checklist for placing your first order from China without the classic first-timer mistakes.5 min readTwo warehouse workers walking between racking with parcelsChina sourcing for e-commerce and Amazon sellersWhat online sellers need to get right when sourcing from China — compliance, packaging, inspection and fulfilment.5 min readA long production line running down the middle of a factory hallOEM vs ODM: What They Mean When Sourcing From ChinaCompare OEM and ODM manufacturing in China: design control, tooling ownership, minimum orders, lead times, costs and risks, with a hypothetical UK example.8 min readA team of four gathered around a laptop in an officeSourcing agent vs UK wholesaler vs online platformCompare a UK wholesaler, China sourcing agent and B2B platform on landed price, importer responsibility, quality control and the work your team must manage.6 min readTwo people in a site office reviewing a large technical drawing on a tableProduct specification sheet: template for China factoriesA product specification sheet a Chinese factory and an inspector can both use: the fields, a worked tolerance example, defect classes and change control.4 min readMaterial and fabric swatches laid out on a table with colour samplesMOQ and sampling: starting with small ordersWhat minimum order quantities really mean, how to lower them, and why you should always sample before you commit.5 min readAerial view of a container terminal, with stacked containers and gantry cranesChina Sourcing: How Sourcing From China Works, Step by StepHow sourcing from China works: choose a buying route, check suppliers, approve samples, agree payments, inspect production and arrange UK delivery.12 min read

Discuss your sourcing project

Tell us the product, quantity and destination. Our own staff in China verify factories, follow production and inspect before shipment. We reply the same working day to confirm receipt and arrange next steps.

Discuss your sourcing project
Get a quote