No suitable factory found: what should agents report?
A sourcing agent should report the agreed brief, search attempted, factory responses, evidenced barriers and unresolved checks. The report should recommend a next step and request your written approval before changing requirements or ending the search. Ask Cambridge China Bridge for this reporting scope when agreeing your brief.
State exactly what has not been found
Use a bounded conclusion: ‘No suitable factory has been confirmed within the agreed search scope.’ Record the brief version, intended use, destination market and requirements used to reject candidates. Separate essential requirements from preferences. Our guide to briefing a sourcing agent explains how to make those requirements testable.
Explain whether the search is complete within that scope or still awaiting responses or checks. ‘No factory exists’ is a much broader claim than ‘the factories investigated have not met the brief’. Do not present an incomplete search as proof that the product cannot be made.
Show the search attempted and its limits
Attach a search log showing the channels, regions, product terms and process terms used, including Chinese search terms where relevant. Record factory identities, contact dates, the brief sent, follow-up attempts and response status. Distinguish listings reviewed from factories contacted and factories investigated.
Describe gaps that matter: unanswered enquiries, contacts who could not reach production staff, unavailable site access or processes not yet checked. Link supporting correspondence and files to each candidate. A buyer should be able to see what further work could change the conclusion.
Connect each barrier to evidence
For each rejected candidate, identify the requirement it failed, the supporting evidence and whether the finding is confirmed, supplier-reported or unresolved. Keep factory refusal separate from technical inability. Missing evidence is a verification gap, not proof that a factory lacks the capability. Use factory capability verification when an equipment or process claim needs checking.
| Barrier | Evidence to attach | What remains to establish |
|---|---|---|
| Required process unavailable | Named contact's reply and any equipment or site evidence | Whether another production site or subcontractor was assessed |
| Order quantity not accepted | Factory response tied to the submitted quantity and specification | Whether the objection concerns setup, materials or commercial preference |
| Target cost not met | Quote with its scope, exclusions and assumptions | Whether comparable quotes include the same work |
| Capability evidence missing | Requests made, documents received and unanswered questions | Whether the capability is absent or merely unverified |
Seek approval for a specific change
Present each proposed change beside the original requirement. Explain the expected benefit, evidence supporting it, effect on function or appearance, cost and timing implications, and checks still needed. For quantity changes, use minimum orders and sampling. A proposed substitute should remain labelled as a proposal until you approve it.
Manufacturers and importers placing products on the UK market need to demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements. Treat a material, design or process change as a prompt to review the evidence needed for the revised product. Ask for written approval identifying the revised brief, authorised work and spending scope before approaching factories on changed terms.
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Agree whether to continue, pause or close
Recommend a defined next step: investigate unresolved candidates, extend the search into an identified gap, seek a development route, pause pending buyer information or close the search. Explain why that step could resolve the barrier, what work it involves and when the buyer will receive another report. Repeating the same enquiries needs a reason.
Request written buyer approval before ending the search. Record the decision, reasons, unresolved enquiries and the final brief. Hand over the search log, rejection evidence and any samples or documents held, and reconcile agreed charges or outstanding work against the appointment. If you receive no reply, follow the agreed pause arrangement and report the status; do not infer approval.
Frequently asked questions
What should I receive if a sourcing agent finds no factory?
Ask for the brief used, search log, candidate outcomes, evidence for rejection, unresolved checks and a recommended next step requiring your approval.
Does no suitable factory found mean nobody can make it?
It means suitability has not been confirmed within the reported search scope. Ask what was checked, what remains unknown and whether a wider search could address a specific gap.
Can a sourcing agent change my specification?
Set a written approval process in the appointment. Ask the agent to explain each proposed change and its consequences, then approve a revised brief before work proceeds on that basis.
Should I approve ending the factory search?
Ask for a closure recommendation supported by the search record. Confirm your decision in writing and agree the handover, unresolved enquiries and any outstanding work.