Business
How to find suppliers
Finding a supplier is easy; finding a reliable one is work, and it does not start on an online platform.
Where to look
Industry shows are the best start: in two days you will see dozens of manufacturers and compare them in person.
Wholesale markets give you range and quick samples, but behind the counter there is often a trading agent rather than a factory.
Online platforms are handy for a first pass, but manufacturers and resellers are mixed together there.
Worth knowing
Tell a factory from a trading company. A middleman is not necessarily bad — but the price, the lead time and how much you can change are fundamentally different.
The working order
Build a long list
Dozens of candidates from the show and the platforms — it is too early to filter at this stage.
Ask for samples
Charging for samples is normal practice and the first filter for seriousness.
Check the company
Registration details, licences and a real address — before any money moves.
Go and see the plant
Walking the line shows what correspondence never does: capacity, order, quality control.
Start with a small order
The first order is a trial, however convincing everything looks.
Careful
A large advance to an unfamiliar counterparty is the commonest way to lose money in this country. Split payments across stages.
Checked: 26 August 2026
Editor: The PANDA editorial team
What you can hand to PANDA
Sources
- Ministry of Commerce of the PRCofficial source
- State Administration for Market Regulation of the PRCofficial source
- PRC government portal for foreignersofficial source
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