Want to import from China for the first time? Here are the fundamentals of sourcing to avoid the classic mistakes and speak the same language as your suppliers.
Essential vocabulary
- MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity): the smallest quantity a supplier will produce. An attractive unit price with a MOQ that's too high is not a good deal.
- FOB (Free On Board): the price with goods loaded at the port of departure — the most common "trade-show" price.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight): FOB + sea freight + insurance to the arrival port.
- HS Code: the customs code that determines your import duties.
- CBM: cubic meter — the unit that decides how your container fills up.
FOB price is not enough
The #1 beginner mistake: comparing FOB prices against each other. A product can be cheaper FOB yet more expensive landed at your door once freight, duties and import VAT are added. The only comparison that matters is the landed cost. We break down the calculation here.
Negotiate smart
- Always ask for price tiers (per 500, 1,000, 5,000 units): unit price drops with volume.
- Negotiate a bundle with one supplier rather than optimizing product by product — it is often more profitable.
- Take samples of products you're seriously considering, and note the date.
- Version your prices: a supplier seen again or renegotiated over WeChat gives you a useful history as leverage.
Quality control
Never pay 100% upfront. The standard scheme: deposit (30%) → production → pre-shipment inspection → balance. An inspection before shipping costs little compared to the risk.
Keep a usable database
A sourcing trip generates hundreds of contacts and offers. Without structure, it's all lost on the way home. A tool that captures photo + price + MOQ + supplier in one place, then compares offers and prepares the order, turns a trade show into a reusable sourcing database from one trip to the next.
Read also: the Canton Fair 2026 guide.