Buying directly from a Chinese factory can cut your purchase cost significantly — provided you control the whole chain: sourcing, quality, freight, customs and compliance. Here are the steps in order.
Define your project
- Product specifications, materials, packaging and mandatory markings.
- Quantities: a first trial order, then expected annual volumes (suppliers think in MOQ).
- Target price, worked back from your selling price minus margin, freight, duties and fees.
- Regulations: CE marking, GPSR and product-specific rules — see our CE and GPSR guide.
Find and verify suppliers
B2B platforms, trade fairs such as the Canton Fair in Guangzhou and referrals are the main sources. Compare at least three offers and always check the company’s business licence and that the company signing the contract is the one receiving payment. Our supplier verification guide explains how, or let our sourcing team compare three suppliers for €149, refunded if you order.
Negotiate price, Incoterm and payment
Agree the unit price, MOQ, lead time, export packaging and the Incoterm — FOB or FCA are usually best for importers with their own forwarder (see our Incoterms guide). A 30% deposit and 70% balance before shipment is common; tie the balance to a successful inspection.
Inspect before shipment
Once goods have left, leverage is gone. A pre-shipment inspection based on ISO 2859-1 (AQL) sampling costs €199 per man-day with a photo report within 24 hours.
Choose your transport mode
| Mode | Door-to-door | Indicative rate |
|---|---|---|
| Express | 3–6 days | from €8.50/kg |
| Air | 6–9 days | from €4.90/kg |
| Road | 16–22 days | from €360/m³ |
| Rail | 22–28 days | from €230/m³ |
| Sea | 35–45 days | from €175/m³ |
Compare on your own shipment with our freight calculator or read our sea vs rail vs air comparison. Buying from several suppliers? Consolidate them at our China warehouse — free for 30 days.
Prepare customs clearance
Businesses need an EORI number and the correct tariff code for each product. In France, VAT-registered businesses have had to self-assess import VAT since 1 January 2022, so there is no cash outlay at clearance. Details in our duties and VAT guide; our customs service starts at €79 per declaration.
Calculate your landed cost
Example: 4 m³ (800 kg) bought for €12,000 FOB Shanghai with a 4% duty rate. Sea groupage €700, insurance €42, clearance €79 and about €510 of duty give a landed cost of about €13,331 — roughly 11% on top of the purchase price, before import VAT (self-assessed for VAT-registered businesses).
