Yiwu Sourcing Agent FAQ
Straight answers to the questions buyers ask before a first order: fees, MOQs, samples, payments, inspection, consolidation, shipping and what happens when goods are wrong.
These are the questions buyers actually ask before a first order with a Yiwu sourcing agent. The answers are short and honest. Where something depends on your product or your country, we say so.
Fees and getting started
How much do you charge?
Our fee is a commission on order value, tiered roughly between 4% and 10% depending on service level and order size. The exact rate for your order is confirmed in writing in the quote before anything proceeds. Goods cost, freight, duties and third party testing are separate. The pricing page explains what moves the rate.
Is there a minimum order value you will work with?
We do not publish a hard minimum, but commission on a very small order may not cover the work involved, and we will tell you honestly when that is the case. Many buyers start with a modest trial order to test the process, which we think is sensible, and we quote those on the same per-order basis.
How do I start?
Email or message us with the product, target specification, quantity, destination and timing. Rough is fine. We come back with questions, then a quote. Nothing is owed until you confirm a quote in writing.
Products, MOQs and samples
What are typical minimum order quantities in Yiwu?
It varies by product and supplier, and there is no single number. Yiwu minimums are generally friendlier to smaller buyers than ordering direct from a factory, often a carton or a few cartons per design for stock items, and higher for anything custom. We confirm the real MOQ per product when we quote, because the figure quoted casually at a booth is not always the figure that holds when the order is written.
Can I get samples before ordering?
Yes, and for anything beyond trivial value you should. We collect samples, photograph and measure them, and courier them to you if you want them in hand. Some suppliers charge for samples, and some deduct that charge from a later order; we pass the costs through as they are. Occasionally a sample arrives wrong. Better in the sample than in the shipment.
Can you source products that are not in Yiwu market?
Often, yes. Many suppliers around Yiwu and the wider region do not hold a booth, and we search beyond the market halls when a product calls for it. If a product genuinely belongs to another sourcing region, we will say so rather than force it through Yiwu.
Payment
How does payment work?
You transfer funds for the goods, and we pay suppliers on your behalf, typically a deposit up front and the balance around completion of the order, which is the standard pattern here. You receive a record of what was paid, to whom, and when. Our commission is invoiced as agreed in the quote.
Do I pay suppliers directly or through you?
Either can work. Most clients pay through us because paying eighteen booths individually from abroad is slow and expensive, and because holding the balance until inspection is cleaner when one party controls the timing. If you prefer to pay a supplier directly, tell us and we will structure the order that way.
Quality and inspection
Do you inspect the goods before shipping?
Yes, at the depth you choose. At minimum we count cartons and check opened boxes visually when goods arrive at our warehouse. Deeper levels check individual pieces against the written brief. The right depth depends on the product and what a defect would cost you at destination, and we help you pick rather than defaulting to the most expensive option.
What happens if the goods are wrong?
We tell you before anything ships, with photos, and we go back to the supplier while the balance payment is still unpaid, which is when problems actually get fixed. Depending on the case, that means rework, replacement, a price adjustment, or rejecting the goods. What we will not do is quietly load defective cartons to keep a schedule. In the worst cases there are limits to what can be recovered, and we are straight with you about the options.
Can you arrange laboratory testing or certification?
We can coordinate third party testing where your market requires it. The testing itself is done by independent laboratories, is billed separately, and its requirements depend on your destination country and product category. What your market legally requires is something to confirm with the relevant authority or a compliance specialist there; we do not make compliance claims on a supplier’s behalf.
Consolidation and shipping
Can you combine orders from several suppliers into one shipment?
Yes, this is one of the main reasons buyers use Yiwu at all. Orders arrive at our warehouse over days or weeks, are checked in, and are consolidated into one shipment with a packing list that matches the cartons. Weak cartons get repacked and shipping marks applied. One late supplier can hold up the rest, which is why we push on delivery dates during ordering.
How do the goods actually ship?
Sea freight through Ningbo or Shanghai for full containers and larger loose cargo, rail towards Europe on some routes, and air or express courier for small, urgent orders. We prepare the cargo and documents and hand over to the forwarder. Freight is billed separately and rates move with the market, so freight figures in an early quote are estimates until booking.
Who handles customs, duties and taxes in my country?
You do, usually through a customs broker or your express carrier. Duties, taxes and import requirements depend entirely on the destination country and the product, so we do not state rates or tell you what your law requires. Confirm with your own broker or customs authority before you order, and we will make sure the shipment’s paperwork gives them what they need to work with.
Practicalities
Do I need to travel to Yiwu?
No. Many of our clients have never visited; the whole process runs remotely with photos, samples and written confirmations at each step. That said, a visit is genuinely useful for building a product range, and if you do come we can accompany you in the market and turn the trip into an organised order file.
What languages do you work in?
We work with international buyers in English and handle all supplier-side communication in Chinese. If you are more comfortable messaging in another language, ask; written communication gives us more room than a phone call.
How long does an order take?
Honestly, it varies too much for one number. In-stock market goods can be consolidated and shipped within a couple of weeks of confirmation. Custom-made goods commonly need several weeks of production before freight time starts, and the period around Chinese New Year slows everything. We give you a realistic range for your specific order in the quote and update you when reality moves.
Do you work with first-time importers?
Yes, regularly. First orders mostly fail on missing basics: no written specification, no inspection, no one confirming import requirements at destination. Our process covers the first two by default and prompts you on the third. Come with patience and a clear product idea.
Common questions
Our fee is a commission on order value, tiered roughly between 4% and 10% depending on service level and order size. The exact rate for your order is confirmed in writing in the quote before anything proceeds. Goods cost, freight, duties and third party testing are separate. The pricing page explains what moves the rate.
We do not publish a hard minimum, but commission on a very small order may not cover the work involved, and we will tell you honestly when that is the case. Many buyers start with a modest trial order to test the process, which we think is sensible, and we quote those on the same per-order basis.
Email or message us with the product, target specification, quantity, destination and timing. Rough is fine. We come back with questions, then a quote. Nothing is owed until you confirm a quote in writing.
It varies by product and supplier, and there is no single number. Yiwu minimums are generally friendlier to smaller buyers than ordering direct from a factory, often a carton or a few cartons per design for stock items, and higher for anything custom. We confirm the real MOQ per product when we quote, because the figure quoted casually at a booth is not always the figure that holds when the order is written.
Yes, and for anything beyond trivial value you should. We collect samples, photograph and measure them, and courier them to you if you want them in hand. Some suppliers charge for samples, and some deduct that charge from a later order; we pass the costs through as they are. Occasionally a sample arrives wrong. Better in the sample than in the shipment.
Often, yes. Many suppliers around Yiwu and the wider region do not hold a booth, and we search beyond the market halls when a product calls for it. If a product genuinely belongs to another sourcing region, we will say so rather than force it through Yiwu.
You transfer funds for the goods, and we pay suppliers on your behalf, typically a deposit up front and the balance around completion of the order, which is the standard pattern here. You receive a record of what was paid, to whom, and when. Our commission is invoiced as agreed in the quote.
Either can work. Most clients pay through us because paying eighteen booths individually from abroad is slow and expensive, and because holding the balance until inspection is cleaner when one party controls the timing. If you prefer to pay a supplier directly, tell us and we will structure the order that way.
Yes, at the depth you choose. At minimum we count cartons and check opened boxes visually when goods arrive at our warehouse. Deeper levels check individual pieces against the written brief. The right depth depends on the product and what a defect would cost you at destination, and we help you pick rather than defaulting to the most expensive option.
We tell you before anything ships, with photos, and we go back to the supplier while the balance payment is still unpaid, which is when problems actually get fixed. Depending on the case, that means rework, replacement, a price adjustment, or rejecting the goods. What we will not do is quietly load defective cartons to keep a schedule. In the worst cases there are limits to what can be recovered, and we are straight with you about the options.
We can coordinate third party testing where your market requires it. The testing itself is done by independent laboratories, is billed separately, and its requirements depend on your destination country and product category. What your market legally requires is something to confirm with the relevant authority or a compliance specialist there; we do not make compliance claims on a supplier's behalf.
Yes, this is one of the main reasons buyers use Yiwu at all. Orders arrive at our warehouse over days or weeks, are checked in, and are consolidated into one shipment with a packing list that matches the cartons. Weak cartons get repacked and shipping marks applied. One late supplier can hold up the rest, which is why we push on delivery dates during ordering.
Sea freight through Ningbo or Shanghai for full containers and larger loose cargo, rail towards Europe on some routes, and air or express courier for small, urgent orders. We prepare the cargo and documents and hand over to the forwarder. Freight is billed separately and rates move with the market, so freight figures in an early quote are estimates until booking.
You do, usually through a customs broker or your express carrier. Duties, taxes and import requirements depend entirely on the destination country and the product, so we do not state rates or tell you what your law requires. Confirm with your own broker or customs authority before you order, and we will make sure the shipment's paperwork gives them what they need to work with.
No. Many of our clients have never visited; the whole process runs remotely with photos, samples and written confirmations at each step. That said, a visit is genuinely useful for building a product range, and if you do come we can accompany you in the market and turn the trip into an organised order file.
We work with international buyers in English and handle all supplier-side communication in Chinese. If you are more comfortable messaging in another language, ask; written communication gives us more room than a phone call.
Honestly, it varies too much for one number. In-stock market goods can be consolidated and shipped within a couple of weeks of confirmation. Custom-made goods commonly need several weeks of production before freight time starts, and the period around Chinese New Year slows everything. We give you a realistic range for your specific order in the quote and update you when reality moves.
Yes, regularly. First orders mostly fail on missing basics: no written specification, no inspection, no one confirming import requirements at destination. Our process covers the first two by default and prompts you on the third. Come with patience and a clear product idea.
Tell us what you are looking for
Send us the product, the quantity you have in mind and where it needs to go. We will come back with what we can find in Yiwu and what it would cost to handle.