How to Follow Up Canton Fair Exhibitors After the Fair

Start with a shortlist and a clear next action

Use the post-fair process to turn promising conversations into documented buying decisions. The workflow below is practical purchasing guidance, not an official Canton Fair timetable or a guarantee of supplier reliability.

Adapt the process to your purchase and destination. Adjust the checking effort to the product, intended use, amount at risk and consequences of failure.

Prioritise suppliers whose products match your requirements and who can answer specific questions. Keep alternatives available until identity checks, quotations and samples support a decision.

Organise business cards, photos and promises before emailing

Create a supplier record linking the business card, booth details, contact name, messaging account and product photographs. Add model references and your notes about materials, customisation, minimum orders and delivery discussions.

Label verbal statements as unconfirmed until the supplier puts them in writing. Do not use display photographs alone to identify the manufacturer.

Use a shared spreadsheet or a simple folder system. Give each supplier a status and a next action, and assess responsiveness alongside product fit.

Send the first email within days: short templates

Aim to contact suitable exhibitors within days, while the conversation and product details are still fresh. This is a practical recommendation, not an official deadline for contacting suppliers or receiving replies. Send an individual message that identifies the product and gives the supplier a manageable request.

English template — Subject: Canton Fair follow-up — [product/model]. Hello [name], we met at your booth and discussed [product]. I am buying for [destination market/intended use]. Attached are the product photo and specification for [quantity]. Please confirm whether you can supply this specification, your minimum order quantity, sample cost and lead time, and how long you need to prepare a quotation. Please also send your Chinese business licence and confirm which company would sign the order and receive payment. Thank you, [name/business, if applicable].

Chinese template — 主题：广交会后续沟通——【产品／型号】。您好，【姓名】。我们曾在贵司展位交流过【产品】。本次采购的目标市场／用途为【目的地市场／用途】，数量为【数量】，产品照片及规格见附件。请确认能否按规格供货，并告知最低起订量、样品费用、样品交期及准备报价所需的时间。另请提供中国营业执照，并确认签约公司及收款公司。谢谢。【姓名／公司名称，如适用】。

If there is no reply, send a concise reminder with the original product reference and ask whether the enquiry fits their capabilities. Set an internal stopping point rather than repeatedly chasing an unsuitable supplier.

Request a quotation against a written specification

Send shortlisted suppliers the same specification: product reference, materials and grades, dimensions and tolerances, finish, performance, accessories, packaging, labelling, quantity and intended market. Attach drawings where words or photographs leave room for interpretation.

Ask suppliers to identify deviations explicitly. Request unit price, currency, minimum order quantity, tooling or setup charges, sample charges, production lead time, payment terms, quotation validity and what is excluded.

If using Incoterms rules, state the chosen rule, named port, place or point, and edition in the contract, as ICC recommends. Specify the location as precisely as possible rather than using the rule abbreviation alone.

Assess production capability and destination requirements separately. Request relevant test reports and check their model, specification and scope. Do not treat a report for another product as sufficient evidence for yours. Compare unit prices only after aligning the specification and delivery scope.

Ask for company registration before committing money

Request a readable Chinese business licence, registered Chinese company name, Unified Social Credit Code, registered address and proposed factory address. Ask which entity will manufacture, contract, invoice and receive payment.

For the initial review, refer to the China supplier ID checker. Check the evidence behind any result, and assess production capability, product quality and bank-account ownership separately from registration details.

Reconcile the licence, quotation, proposed contract and payment beneficiary. If a separate export or group company is involved, request a written explanation of its relationship and responsibilities. Independently verify changed payment instructions through contact details you already trust.

Trader or factory? Investigate inconsistencies rather than labels

Assess the proposed manufacturing arrangements and contractual responsibilities rather than accepting or rejecting a supplier solely because it describes itself as a trader or factory.

Ask which production steps happen at the stated factory and which are subcontracted. Request evidence tied to your product, such as a live walkthrough of relevant equipment, an explanation of the production process and traceable quality records.

Investigate contradictory factory addresses, videos unrelated to the product, refusal to identify the manufacturer, unexplained changes of company or beneficiary, and pressure to pay before specifications are settled. Pause where concerns remain unresolved; do not treat these indicators alone as proof of fraud.

Do not infer dishonesty solely from a broad catalogue or a salesperson consulting an engineer. Ask for evidence of any factory-direct claim and clarification of subcontracting or inconsistent answers.

Order samples, then verify production readiness

Agree the sample specification, cost, delivery arrangements, evaluation criteria and tooling arrangements before paying. Establish whether the sample is stock, modified stock or made through the proposed production process.

Record results against the specification and document required changes. Retain an identified approved sample and the matching specification version. Assess batch consistency separately from sample approval.

Before committing to production, decide whether to commission an independent factory check. When discussing the factory verification service, request a written scope covering the proposed site, relevant processes, subcontracting and quality controls. Agree the evidence and deliverables in advance.

Keep factory verification, goods inspection and product testing distinct. Do not use a site visit as a substitute for evaluating the finished order. Put production checks, acceptance criteria, remedies and payment milestones into the written agreement.

Ask for written confirmation of which factory checks and goods inspections are included in the sourcing quote, any exclusions, and any separately agreed third-party charges.

Check the destination before approving the order

Build the landed-cost comparison for the actual destination, including goods, packing, transport, insurance, clearance, applicable duties and taxes, and final delivery. Agree who will handle import formalities and check what the delivery quote includes.

UK example: HMRC's transaction-value guidance includes relevant transport and insurance costs to the UK border in customs value, subject to applicable adjustments. Import VAT valuation starts from customs value and adds applicable import duties, levies and other import charges except VAT itself, plus relevant incidental expenses to the first UK destination. Include expenses resulting from transport to a further UK destination where that destination is known at importation. Avoid counting costs twice.

For EU destinations, the European Commission's TARIC database integrates customs tariff and related trade measures. For the US, CBP's importer guidance directs buyers to classification, import requirements and entry information. Check the applicable destination guidance for your product rather than relying solely on the supplier's experience shipping elsewhere.

Use the fair guides for the wider buying process

For preparation and the wider visit, see the Canton Fair guide. To assess whether another visit fits your buying needs, read is the Canton Fair worth going to?.

The official sources below support the delivery-term and destination-customs points. The contact tracker, email templates and supplier-screening sequence are practical recommendations rather than official fair rules.