TL;DR: Importing from China has eight steps: find supplier, verify them, agree on specs and price, produce samples, place order with deposit, QC inspection, pay balance, ship and clear customs. Most problems happen at steps 2, 5, and 6. Fix those and you are ahead of 90 percent of first-time importers.
The process is not complicated. It is unfamiliar. Here is each step explained without jargon.
Step 1: Find a Supplier
Start with Alibaba, Made-in-China, or a sourcing agent. Do not overthink this step. Getting quotes from 3-5 suppliers takes a week. The goal is not to find the perfect factory. It is to find 3-5 candidates worth verifying.
Step 2: Verify the Supplier
This is where most first-timers skip ahead and most problems begin. Three checks: business license cross-check on China’s enterprise credit system. Video call where you direct the camera. Reference call with an existing customer. Cost: zero dollars. Time: 30 minutes. Value: avoiding a bad supplier.
Step 3: Agree on Specs and Price
Write down exactly what you want. Materials, dimensions, tolerances, packaging, labeling. The more specific you are, the fewer surprises later. Get the agreed price in a proforma invoice with all specifications attached.
Step 4: Produce and Approve Samples
The sample is not the production run. The sample was made by the best technician on the best machine with unlimited time. The production run will be made by the night shift on a deadline. Accept the sample as proof the factory can make the product. Not as proof they will make every unit to this standard.
Step 5: Place Order with Deposit
Standard terms are 30 percent deposit. Never pay 100 percent upfront to an unverified supplier. The deposit goes to the factory’s business bank account. The account name must match the company name on the business license.
Step 6: QC Inspection Before Balance Payment
This is your last and best leverage. Someone inspects your goods before you pay the remaining 70 percent. If the goods pass, you pay. If they fail, the factory fixes them. Never skip this step on your first order.
Step 7: Pay Balance and Ship
After QC passes, pay the balance. The factory ships under FOB, CIF, or DDP terms. Your freight forwarder handles the ocean freight, or the factory handles it under CIF. Tracking number provided.
Step 8: Clear Customs and Receive
Customs clearance at destination. Duties and taxes paid. Goods delivered to your door. Inspect immediately upon receipt and document any damage.
Eight steps. Most problems cluster at verification, QC, and payment timing. Fix those three and the other five usually go smoothly.
Written by Xinya Zhang. I help importers through every step of this process. Tell me what you need