Record existing suppliers before appointing an agent
Before appointing an agent, agree a dated supplier schedule with supporting contact records. Separate existing relationships from introductions made during the assignment, and define any restrictions by supplier, activity, product and duration. Discuss that schedule with Cambridge China Bridge.
Agree the supplier schedule before work starts
Create a dated schedule and ask the agent to acknowledge it as part of the appointment documents. Record each supplier's company name, trading names, website, factory address, contact person and relevant products. Attach evidence of your earlier contact, such as correspondence, quotations, sample requests or order records.
Describe the relationship accurately: a name saved from a directory, an unanswered enquiry, sample discussions and an established supply relationship are different starting points. State whether the agent may contact each supplier, for which work, and whether you want your existing arrangements kept confidential. For the broader appointment decision, see whether you need a sourcing agent.
Separate prior knowledge from new work
Propose an express exclusion for the listed pre-existing relationships from any introduction-based restriction. Separately agree payment and authority for work the agent performs on those suppliers, such as verification, negotiation or production coordination. Prior contact should not leave either party guessing about the scope of the new assignment.
Resolve overlapping claims before outreach. If the agent already knows your supplier, record that alongside your earlier evidence. If it proposes a different factory behind a familiar trading company, record both entities and the proposed work. Compare how sourcing agents describe their arrangements when discussing these boundaries.
Keep an introduction log during the assignment
For each proposed introduction, record the supplier's identity, introduction date, who introduced it, the product brief and supporting correspondence. Agree what counts as an introduction: sending a public listing, arranging a discussion or presenting a checked factory. Record the agreed status before sharing sensitive specifications or placing an order.
If you recognise a proposed supplier, flag it promptly and attach your earlier evidence. Keep disputed entries visibly unresolved until both parties agree their treatment. Update the schedule when a supplier uses another trading name, proposes an affiliated factory or introduces a subcontractor; avoid automatically treating every connected business as covered.
Define any UK service restrictions precisely
If the appointment proposes exclusivity or a restriction on bypassing the agent, ask for named suppliers, covered products, restricted activities, a clear start and end, and treatment after termination. Specify whether direct technical discussions, existing orders, unrelated products and independently found suppliers are excluded. Ask how permission for an exception will be recorded.
Restrictions in agreements that breach UK competition law may be unenforceable. Ask a UK solicitor to review proposed restrictions, particularly wording covering all suppliers, all purchasing or other service providers. Do not treat a supplier schedule as a legal assessment of the clause. Consider the commercial trade-offs alongside exclusive supply agreements.
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Test the wording and agree the handover
Before signing, ask both parties to explain how the wording would apply if you reorder from an existing supplier, buy another product from an introduced factory, or appoint someone else to inspect goods. Record the agreed answers in the appointment documents rather than relying on a sales conversation.
Agree who holds the current schedule, who can approve changes and how disputed entries will be resolved. At the end of the assignment, reconcile the introduction log and record outstanding work, agreed payments, supplier communications and any continuing restrictions. Keep the acknowledged schedule and its supporting records with the appointment documents.
Frequently asked questions
What proves I knew a supplier before appointing an agent?
Keep dated correspondence, quotations, sample requests or order records identifying the supplier. Ask the agent to acknowledge the supplier's status in the appointment schedule.
Does an Alibaba listing count as an existing supplier?
Record it as a saved lead if you have had no contact. Agree how that differs from an existing relationship and what work the agent may undertake on it.
Can I order directly from a factory the agent introduces?
Check the agreed introduction terms before ordering. Ask for a written exception or clarification if direct purchasing, repeat orders or unrelated products are unclear.
How long should a sourcing agent restriction last?
Negotiate a clear end date linked to the covered work and suppliers. Ask a UK solicitor to assess the proposed wording rather than assuming a standard duration is suitable.