How to Find a Supplier in China

Last Updated: October 2, 2022 Approved

Suppose you come up with a product idea or think you have market channels for certain products, and you want to find a supplier in China because of the low product development cost and low production cost there. If you Google the product name or concept, you will find tons of China suppliers/manufacturers. However, you still think you have not got one, because you want to find a capable and reliable one that would satisfy your specific needs and have a strong desire to do business with you. Many people get frustrated because they have been communicating with suppliers in China for months, but fail to move forward. The reason, most likely, is that they did not find the suitable one at the beginning. To successfully find a suitable China supplier, you need a strategy. This strategy will consist of awareness, knowledge and a good amount of homework. Below are some practical steps to find a suitable Chinese supplier for you.

Steps

1
Understand what you need. You need to first know what is available and have a way to categorize the information. Here are some categories to help you think about Chinese suppliers: manufacturer vs. 3rd-party supplier; Big corporation vs. small family-owned; 3rd-party supplier with in-house product development capability vs. 3rd-party supplier that just buys-in and sells-out; vertically integrated manufacturer vs. assembly-based manufacturer; etc. Properly categorizing the suppliers will help you understand what you need. For example, if you need to import products in a narrow range, you may choose a manufacturer other than a 3rd-party supplier. If you are a small business and need dedicated attention, you may want to develop a good relationship with a small family-owned business.
2
Do some preliminary Internet research to further develop your category system towards your specific needs.^{[1]
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Research source} Create a data table to help you record the search result, so the job can be done more efficiently and effectively. The table should include columns like company name, contact information, business scale and scope, category check boxes (important), and notes.

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3
Use search engines to search information related to your product name.^{[2]
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Research source} The first 100 results would be the most relevant websites related to the product of your concern. You can also find your competitors' information and develop a better sense of market segment and marketing channels.
4
Use trustworthy B2B websites or popular business directory websites to obtain very structured information for Chinese suppliers. Famous B2B websites providing valid information of hundreds of thousands of suppliers are great choices. Be sure to use local ones, such as alibaba.com, bossgoo.com, made-in-china.com, as you can contact Chinese suppliers on these websites and get quick responses. The directory websites are also excellent resources to obtain industrial knowledge.
5
Narrow down the list of suppliers you want to work with to a manageable amount. At this stage, you may already know what your real needs are and what is available. Initiate contact with the suppliers you want to work with, and further develop relationships with them. Eventually, you will find the one. The process can be a fun and friendly experience.^{[3]
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6
Find a Chinese local business to help you. The local men know how to check the supplier, some special business manner is unknown by the foreign ones, once you have a local guide, all your business work will be easy.^{[4]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I find a sunglasses supplier in china?

Community Answer

Search Alibaba.com for key words like sunglasses. Ignore any supplier with less than 3 years Gold supplier. The higher the number the better. I like 4+ (less chance of scammers). On their page, it will say if they are a manufacturer or trader. Have a well-written introduction of what you are looking for. E-mail it to as many of them as you have time for. Most won't reply. Keep track of who you email and notes about what you/they said in a Word doc or Excel. Sort them in alphabet order so you don't send the same thing over and over again. Do background checks on them before sending money.
Question

How can I find a ladies' handbag supplier?

Yuan Yulin

Community Answer

If your order is small, you can search the suppliers on Alibaba or Amazon. If your order is very big, you can source a qualified factory in China via STIN sourcing service, you will find lots of qualified factories in China.
Question

How do I find reliable cellphone suppliers in China?

Community Answer

Ask around from credible people, and also read reviews. Search for the suppliers' nameonline, and check if they are reputable, with lots of information and reviews.

Warnings

Beware of cheap electronic products sellers from China. Many online sellers of electronic products in China are fraudulent sellers. Unless you are buying in bulk and the products are shipped legally passing through custom checks, then most likely you are buying the product from retailer or wholesaler who do not have export license. This means there is no way to know whether the product is Real or Imitation unless you are an expert. Famous brands will not allow their supplier to sell below their normal selling cost, therefore the suppliers are either selling illegally or it is actually an imitation.

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Be careful with suppliers sub-contracting your order! When facing a backlog of deliveries, Chinese suppliers usually sub-contract them partially or in full, without taking the precaution to inform their clients! Most of the times this leads to sub-standard deliveries

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If you send out inquiries you will get tons of replies from suppliers of all kinds. Some guys may continuously send you product info for years, and are able to pass through all sorts spam protection. You may not want to use your primary email account to register with these sites.Contact a reliable outsourcing company.

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