The China Sourcing Blog
Practical breakdowns on sourcing directly from Chinese factories: suppliers, quality control, logistics and project outfitting.
Sourcing tableware and table settings from China for restaurants and hotels
How to source tableware and table settings for HORECA from China: porcelain, glassware, cutlery, buffet equipment. Durability for catering, branding, quality control and fragile-cargo logistics.
Sourcing outdoor and garden furniture from China: for villas, hotels and restaurants
How to source outdoor and garden furniture from China direct from factories: materials (aluminium, teak, rattan, HPL), weather and UV resistance, outdoor fabrics, quality control and logistics.
Sourcing building materials from China: doors, windows, finishing and hardware
How to source building materials and finishing from China direct from factories: doors, windows and aluminium systems, flooring, hardware. Quality, standards, calculation and heavy-cargo logistics.
A contract with a Chinese supplier: what to include
What to put in a contract with a Chinese factory: specification, price and Incoterms, payment schedule, AQL, defect liability, packaging, CIETAC arbitration. With a table, case and checklist.
Shipping from China to Europe: sea, rail, road and EU customs
How to ship goods from China to Europe: by sea, rail, road or air, timelines and cost, EU customs, duties and VAT, the EORI number and CE marking. A breakdown for importers.
Shipping from China to Indonesia and Bali: routes, timelines and customs
How to ship goods from China to Indonesia and Bali: by sea via Jakarta, Surabaya or Benoa, timelines and cost, duties and 11% VAT, LARTAS import restrictions and documents. A breakdown for importers.
Shipping from China to Kazakhstan and the CIS: routes, timelines and EAEU customs
How to ship goods from China to Kazakhstan and the CIS: rail, road, timelines and cost, EAEU customs, the common HS tariff and VAT, Khorgos and Dostyk crossings. A practical breakdown for importers.
How to calculate the profitability of sourcing from China: the landed-cost formula
How to calculate the benefit of sourcing from China: what goes into landed cost, the formula, a worked numeric example, the break-even point by volume. To compare with the local price honestly.
Chinese New Year and procurement: how to plan lead times and avoid a missed delivery
How Chinese New Year affects procurement and delivery from China: when factories close, why prices and lead times spike before and after the holiday, and how to plan your order with a time buffer.
Samples from China: how to order and check before a large order
Why order samples before sourcing in China, what types of samples there are, how much they cost and how long they take, what to check and how a "golden sample" controls the whole batch.
How to set up regular supply from China for a business
How to set up a regular supply pipeline from China: stable suppliers, volume planning, consolidation, better prices on a flow and consistent quality. For businesses with recurring purchasing.
Trends in Chinese furniture manufacturing: what to expect from factories
How furniture manufacturing in China is changing: rising quality and design, contract manufacturing for global brands, customisation, new materials and sustainability. An expert breakdown.