Switch sourcing agents and keep the same factory
Confirm the factory will work through your proposed agent, review your existing service terms, then arrange a joint introduction and a written cutover plan. Keep open orders, payments and claims allocated explicitly; do not assume contracts transfer. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate the factory handover with its own staff in China.
Confirm the factory is willing
Ask a known factory contact to confirm in writing that the same manufacturing business and production site will accept future orders through your proposed agent. Check who can approve that arrangement, whether the factory needs the outgoing agent's agreement, and whether prices, payment terms or access to production records would change. A new agent saying it knows the factory is not confirmation from the factory.
Establish whether you currently buy from the factory or from an agent acting as a seller. Compare the names on quotations, purchase orders and invoices before discussing the handover. The agent or seller guide helps you identify the arrangement; retaining the production site does not necessarily retain the same seller.
Review restrictions before making introductions
Collect the signed service agreement, accepted terms, confidentiality documents and later amendments. Look for notice arrangements, exclusivity, restrictions on approaching introduced suppliers, continuing commission, outstanding fees and limits on sharing supplier details or files. Ask the outgoing agent to identify any restriction it considers relevant and its proposed release terms in writing.
If wording or its effect is disputed, ask a solicitor to review it before proceeding. Do not treat factory willingness as clearance to bypass an unresolved restriction. Agree which drawings, samples, inspection records and tooling information can be shared; use the file ownership and handover guide for that separate review.
Arrange a joint introduction
Once restrictions have been addressed, arrange a shared email thread or call with the buyer, outgoing agent, incoming agent and factory contact. Introduce the new contact, explain the intended scope and ask each participant to acknowledge its responsibilities. Follow the call with a written record, including unresolved points rather than treating silence as approval.
Ask the factory to confirm who will receive orders, discuss specifications, arrange inspections and answer production queries. Agree who may request changes and who gives buyer approval. Keep the approved specification and sample unchanged unless the buyer expressly approves a revision. Compare the incoming agent's staffing and payment model using the agent comparison guide.
Separate the handover from contract transfer
For a UK contract, effective novation requires every party's consent and an intention to novate. A joint introduction is an operational step; do not use it as evidence that an existing supply contract has moved to the incoming agent. The contract transfer guide covers the separate assignment and novation questions.
Prepare an order register showing the contracting parties, deposits, unpaid balances, work in progress, inspection status, shipment arrangements and unresolved defects. Propose whether each open order stays with the outgoing arrangement or needs separately documented changes. Identify who will handle refunds, rework and warranty queries for earlier goods, and obtain agreement before redirecting money or instructions.
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Agree the cutover and test it
Define the cutover by an agreed date or named purchase order. Record who manages existing orders and who handles new ones, along with contacts, document access, inspection booking, shipment release and payment instructions. Confirm the factory's acknowledgement. Verify any changed bank details through an established contact channel before paying.
Run the next repeat order through the agreed workflow and check that the factory received the correct specification, approvals and delivery instructions. Resolve conflicting instructions before production or shipment proceeds. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate this review with its own staff in China; brief us with the existing terms, factory contact and open-order register.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change sourcing agents but keep my factory?
Potentially. Obtain the factory's written willingness, review existing service restrictions and agree the handover. Confirm the seller and order terms rather than assuming they remain unchanged.
What if my old agent refuses an introduction?
Ask it to explain the relevant terms and outstanding issues in writing. Have disputed restrictions reviewed before arranging another route; do not assume the factory's agreement resolves them.
Does changing agents transfer my existing orders?
Do not assume so. Record who holds each order and agree its treatment separately. For a UK contract, effective novation requires all parties' consent and an intention to novate.
When should the new agent take over?
At the agreed date or purchase order, once factory willingness, restrictions, records and responsibilities are settled. Keep an explicit owner for every unfinished order and earlier quality claim.