Finding a supplier in China takes one evening: 1688 and Alibaba list thousands of sellers for any query. Finding one who ships what was promised, on time and at the agreed price, is harder. Below: where to look, factory vs trading company vs sourcing agent, how to write a brief that gets comparable quotes, and the signs that should stop you before you pay a deposit.
Where to find a supplier in China
There is no single best place: mass-market goods for a marketplace are easiest to find on 1688, an own-brand product at a trade fair or directly from a factory. As a rule, check several channels and compare.
Online platforms: 1688, Alibaba, Taobao, Pinduoduo
- 1688.com is the largest wholesale platform for China's domestic market: Chinese interface, prices in yuan, a minimum order quantity (起批量) with most sellers. Factories and traders both sell here; prices are usually lower than on Alibaba, but payment is via Alipay and messaging is in Chinese.
- Alibaba.com is the same suppliers' international storefront in English, with Verified Supplier and Trade Assurance filters and foreign card payments. Prices tend to be higher and minimum orders larger: the platform is built for export.
- Taobao and Pinduoduo are retail and small wholesale: fine for samples and testing demand, but for regular purchasing move on to a wholesaler or a factory.
Full comparison of the platforms: 1688, Alibaba or Taobao: which to choose.
The Canton Fair and other trade shows
The Canton Fair runs in Guangzhou twice a year, in April and October, in three phases by product group, from machinery and electronics to clothing and household goods. Most exhibitors are manufacturers: you can handle samples, agree terms on the spot and collect dozens of contacts in days. The trip costs time and money, and without Chinese talks move slowly, so ChinaGoGlobal provides Canton Fair support: interpreting, negotiations and follow-up with the factories you find.
Wholesale markets: Yiwu, Guangzhou, Foshan
| City | What to look for | Specifics |
|---|---|---|
| Yiwu | Accessories, toys, stationery, household items, souvenirs | The world's largest small-commodity market: low minimums, many trading companies; ChinaGoGlobal has a warehouse here |
| Guangzhou | Clothing, footwear, bags, cosmetics, electronics | Whole districts of wholesale markets by category; combine with the Canton Fair; ChinaGoGlobal has a warehouse here |
| Foshan | Furniture, lighting, sanitary ware, tiles, building materials | Next to Guangzhou, large furniture centers and factories; our main consolidation warehouse is here too |
Through a sourcing agent
A sourcing agent, buying agent or intermediary is a company in China that finds suppliers for your request, negotiates in Chinese, buys the goods and checks them before shipping. It helps when you are new to buying in China, need to compare many factories, or the supplier wants payment in yuan to a Chinese account. ChinaGoGlobal has offered supplier and factory search since 2024; pricing is on request, once a manager has seen the task.
Factory, trading company or agent: which to choose
On 1688 and Alibaba a factory and a trading company look alike: both mention “manufacturing” and show workshop photos. The difference sets the price, the minimum order and who answers for defects.
| Factory | Trading company | Sourcing agent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Lower: no middleman markup | Higher by the company's markup | Factory price plus the agent's fee (on request) |
| Minimum order | Usually high | Lower: the company pools orders from different clients | Depends on the supplier found |
| Product changes, OEM | Yes: Full control over materials and design | Limited: depends on the partner factory | Yes: Finds a factory to match your spec |
| Responsibility for defects | Its own, but arguing with a factory abroad is hard | Takes it on if it values the client | Inspects goods before dispatch, helps resolve disputes |
| Best for | Large batches, your own product, private label | Small and mixed orders, first purchases | Delegating search, buying and checks |
How to tell a factory from a trading company
- Business license (营业执照). Ask for a photo and check the business scope: a manufacturer has 生产 (“production”), a trader 贸易, 商贸 or 进出口 (“trade”, “import-export”). The name is a hint too: 厂 or 实业 for factories, 贸易有限公司 for traders. The 18-digit code on the license can be checked in China's enterprise registry.
- Range. A factory makes one product group on one set of equipment. If the “manufacturer's” catalog has headphones, blankets and kitchen knives, it is a trading company: fine for small mixed orders, not fine when it poses as a factory and charges a markup for a “direct factory price”.
- Live video from the floor. Ask to see the workshop live: machines, raw-material stock, packaging for your type of product. A factory does it easily; a trader will stall or show someone else's video.
How to brief a supplier
Half the problems start with a vague request. “We need thermal mugs, what's the price?” gets you ten quotes you cannot compare. A good brief is one page sent to every candidate in the same form, so you compare offers on the same parameters.
- Product description and quantity. Purpose, material, dimensions, weight, color, power or capacity: everything that affects the price, plus photos or a link to a similar item on 1688 or Alibaba. State the quantity for the first order and an estimated annual volume: this sets how far the supplier will move on price.
- Packaging and labeling. Box or bag, logo, barcode, label in Russian or Kazakh. Kaspi, Wildberries and Ozon have their own packaging requirements; state them up front.
- Quality requirements. Which defects are unacceptable, whether certificates and test reports are needed. Many goods imported into Kazakhstan and other EAEU countries need an EAC declaration or certificate; ask early whether the factory can supply the documents for it.
- Delivery terms. EXW (ex works) or FOB price, when you need the batch, whether you want a sample first.
- Target price. Optional, but it helps the supplier see at once whether you are a fit. Quote it in yuan or dollars, not tenge or rubles, and do not push it too low or you will get substituted materials.
One brief for every candidate
Send the same request to 5–10 suppliers and tabulate the answers: unit price, minimum order, lead time, sample cost, payment terms. A two- to threefold spread is normal; a price far below the rest usually means a different material or thickness, not a generous seller.
Selecting a supplier step by step
- Build a long list. 10–20 candidates from 1688, Alibaba, a trade show or a market. On 1688 check years on the platform, transaction volume and repeat-buyer share; on Alibaba, Verified Supplier status and registration year.
- Send the brief and filter by the replies. Keep those who answered to the point, asked clarifying questions and did not promise “anything you want”. Usually 3–5 remain.
- Check the documents. Business license, company name matching the payee, product certificates where needed. A factory check, remote or on site, can be ordered as a separate service.
- Order samples from 2–3 finalists. Samples are usually paid and shipped at your expense, but cheaper than a defective batch. Compare them with each other and with the brief.
- Agree the terms in writing. Specification, price, quantity, lead time, packaging, payment schedule and what counts as a defect: in one document, or at least in one message thread.
- Start with a trial batch. A small run shows whether production goods match the sample and gives you grounds for a discount next time.
No time for all these steps? Message a manager on WhatsApp and we will shortlist suppliers for your task.
Red flags: when to be careful
Most Chinese suppliers are ordinary companies that want a regular customer, but the signs below are common enough to know.
- Payment to a personal account or a third party. The payee name must match the company name on the license. A request to pay an individual, a different company or “the manager's card” is a reason to stop.
- A price well below the market. If one of ten quotes is 30–40% cheaper than the rest, ask why. As a rule, the answer is a different material, a thinner wall or a wish to collect a deposit.
- Agreeing to everything. Any quantity, deadline and customization without a single question usually means the supplier does not yet know where it will place your order.
- Pressure and urgency. “This price is for today only”, “raw materials are getting dearer, pay now”: a tactic to keep you from checking the company.
- Full prepayment. The usual practice is part of the amount before production and the balance before shipment, after inspection. 100% up front from a new supplier is a higher risk.
A sample and a production run are not the same thing
A good sample does not guarantee a good batch: samples are often made by hand from the best materials, so production goods are inspected before the balance is paid, by photo, video or with an inspector at the factory.
After you have found a supplier
Finding a supplier is only the first step. For the batch to arrive as ordered you usually also need a factory check before a large order, an inspection before dispatch and clear logistics to your warehouse.
- Factory check. Before the first large deposit, make sure the factory exists and matches what was claimed. What to look at: how to check a factory in China.
- Quality control. A batch inspection before the balance is paid: quantity, appearance, functions, packaging. ChinaGoGlobal carries out quality control with photo and video reports, so you see the goods before they leave China.
- Consolidation and delivery. Goods from several suppliers are best gathered in one place and sent together. ChinaGoGlobal's warehouses in Foshan, Guangzhou, Yiwu and Khorgos receive, weigh and, if needed, repack the goods and ship them by air, road, truck, rail or sea to Kazakhstan, Russia and other CIS countries. Transit from dispatch at the warehouse: air 2–3 days, road 7–10 days, truck 10–14 days, rail 20–30 days.
- Documents. Sole proprietors and companies selling on Kaspi or wholesale need an invoice, a packing list and, where required, certificates. Customs clearance and certification can be handled turnkey.
Typical mistakes along the way, from a “factory” in an office tower to paying without a specification: mistakes when buying in China.
On your own or through ChinaGoGlobal
If you can message in Chinese, pass Alipay verification and visit factories, everything here can be done on your own. If not, send a ChinaGoGlobal manager a product description, links to similar items and the quantity on WhatsApp. We will shortlist suppliers, check them, request samples, buy the batch on 1688, Taobao, Pinduoduo, Alibaba or from a factory — our Chinese team member handles negotiations with sellers — receive it at the nearest of our warehouses and deliver it to your city. Pricing is on request: a manager quotes after seeing the task.