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Sourcing notes from inside the supply chain.

Practical notes on sourcing, quality control, shipping and negotiation in China, written from a group that works across furniture, fitness, lighting, packaging and more product categories.

Guanxi and Mianzi: The Two Words Behind Every Negotiation in China

Negotiation & Business CulturePillar guideGuanxi and Mianzi: The Two Words Behind Every Negotiation in ChinaGuanxi and mianzi explained in practical terms for importers: what they actually mean, how they change a negotiation…June 8, 20265 min read

The Chinese Calendar Every Importer Should Have on the Wall

Sourcing Strategy & China CalendarPillar guideThe Chinese Calendar Every Importer Should Have on the WallThe full Chinese holiday calendar and how each break affects production, staffing and quality, from Chinese New Year…June 29, 20264 min read

Incoterms, With a Worked Example Into a South American Port

Shipping, Incoterms & CustomsPillar guideIncoterms, With a Worked Example Into a South American PortEXW, FOB, CIF and DDP compared with an illustrative worked example shipping from China to the Port of Santos, so the…June 11, 20264 min read

How a Product Opportunity Gets Found, Not Guessed

Sourcing Strategy & China CalendarHow a Product Opportunity Gets Found, Not GuessedA practical method for identifying a real product sourcing opportunity in China, beyond following a trend, using…September 14, 20264 min read

Reading a Quotation: What's Actually Inside the Unit Price

Private Label & Product DevelopmentReading a Quotation: What's Actually Inside the Unit PriceHow to read a China factory quotation properly: what the unit price includes and excludes, and the questions that…September 8, 20264 min read

Four Procurement Numbers Worth Tracking Without a Procurement Team

Sourcing Strategy & China CalendarFour Procurement Numbers Worth Tracking Without a Procurement TeamFour practical procurement metrics a smaller importer can track without a dedicated procurement department, and why…September 3, 20264 min read

Landed Cost: What a Product Really Costs After Customs

Shipping, Incoterms & CustomsLanded Cost: What a Product Really Costs After CustomsHow to calculate the real landed cost of a product imported from China, beyond the factory quote, and why comparing…August 31, 20264 min read

Why Material Costs Move the Price of Everything You Import

Private Label & Product DevelopmentWhy Material Costs Move the Price of Everything You ImportHow material and component cost changes ripple into a factory quote, and how to tell a genuine cost shift from a…August 27, 20264 min read

Packaging Built to Survive a Month at Sea

Quality Control & Factory AuditsPackaging Built to Survive a Month at SeaWhat export packaging from China needs to withstand a long ocean transit: master carton design, palletizing, humidity…August 24, 20264 min read

Canton Fair or Yiwu Market: What Each One Is Actually For

Negotiation & Business CultureCanton Fair or Yiwu Market: What Each One Is Actually ForHow the Canton Fair and the Yiwu market differ in purpose, scale and product mix, and which one makes sense depending…August 20, 20264 min read

NNN Agreements: What They Cover and What They Don't

Contracts, Payments & IPNNN Agreements: What They Cover and What They Don'tWhat an NNN agreement actually protects when manufacturing in China, how it differs from a standard NDA, and what it…August 17, 20264 min read

Getting the HS Code Right Before the Container Sails

Shipping, Incoterms & CustomsGetting the HS Code Right Before the Container SailsWhy HS code classification matters before a shipment leaves China, how a wrong code creates risk at customs, and how…August 13, 20264 min read

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