How To Buy Wholesale From China?

Estimated reading time: 23 minutes

Do you know how to buy wholesale from China? When you are interested in importing products from China, do you know where to buy from China?

In this article, we will show you the online and offline sourcing strategies and steps when sourcing from China. Thus, you can learn how to find the best way to buy from China for your business.

Is it a Good Idea to buy wholesale from China?

To buy products from China there are several benefits which can be obtained by either the consumers or producers. Here are some key reasons why people choose to buy products from China:

• Cost-Effectiveness: First, let me talk about the cost which could be one of the most persuasive factors for many to go for outsourcing services. Most products manufactured in China are cheaper as compared to other countries. This is due to cheap labor, manufacturing efficiency, and achievement of size benefits in Chinese manufacturing plants.
• Wide Range of Products: Subsector-wise manufacturing industry in China is very vast, and it offers lots of varieties of products in the market, which includes automotive, consumer electronics, telecommunications equipment, and more. When it comes to stocking up on necessities and wants, clothing, furniture, electronics toys, and almost everything else is available in a massive range.
• Customization and Flexibility: This is because Chinese manufacturers are always flexible in their operations, especially in a way that suits the buyer. However, this flexibility may be a major plus for firms seeking to build up items that can be branded or special products.
• Strong Supply Chain and Infrastructure: China enjoys a developed manufacturing facility is results in an efficient supply chain system. This makes sure that the production, packaging, as well as delivery of products, can be done without a lot of hassles and in very large quantities.
• Global Market Influence: China is one of the largest markets in the world, and thus sometimes you may choose to buy things made in China especially if you own a business that is planning to establish a market in China or is already competing in China.

Tip: Features of International Sourcing vs. domestic manufacturing

You will be confronted with the selection of whether to use domestic production in the USA or overseas sourcing in those low labor-cost regions such as China, Vietnam, India, Myanmar, etc.

Comparing local manufacturing in the US to purchasing from China

Advantages (USA Domestic manufacturing):

 

• “Made in the USA” stamp

The stamp would add value to your product when the final customers see the product’s origin of the place. It can differentiate your business from your competitors.

• No communication problem

It would be much easier to communicate with a native English speaker.

• Low shipping cost compared with international logistic costs.
• USA Products: recognized as stable and high quality.
• Quick turn-around time

Disadvantages (USA Domestic manufacturing):

 

• High cost of producing in the USA

That’s why retail giants such as Walmart, Costco, Target, …etc., are still mainly buying products from China or other South Eastern countries.

• The limitation of production capability and product categories

The USA used to import products, especially for those labor-intensive or hand-made products. Consequently, the domestic manufacturer may not meet the large order quantities with their limited production capability. They currently do not cover the full range of product lines as Chinese suppliers do now.

How to buy from China?

Step 1: Identify What You Want to Buy from China

The first step in buying from China is to identify the products you want to buy wholesale from China. Conduct market research and analyze consumer demand, trends, and competition. Consider factors such as product quality, pricing, and potential profit margins.

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to buy from China, determine the quantities needed for your initial order and any future orders. This will help you communicate effectively with suppliers during the negotiation stage.

Tip: Top Products Imported from China

Step 2: How to Find Suppliers in China?

Finding a reliable Chinese supplier is crucial for a smooth buying experience. There are several ways to find suppliers in China:

1. Top Chinese Wholesale Websites to Buy from China

Platforms like Alibaba, Global Sources, and Made-in-China connect businesses with thousands of suppliers. Use search filters and keywords relevant to your product category to narrow down your options.

2. Trade Shows

Attending trade shows in China allows you to meet suppliers face-to-face and establish personal connections. Trade shows like the Canton Fair offer an opportunity to explore a wide range of products under one roof.

3. Referrals and Networking for Buying Directly from China

Reach out to industry professionals or fellow entrepreneurs who have experience sourcing products from China. They may recommend reliable suppliers based on their own positive experiences.

Remember to thoroughly vet potential suppliers by reviewing their company profiles, certifications, customer reviews, and production capabilities before proceeding further.

4. China Sourcing Agent Services Explained

In your search for a China sourcing agent for your source products from China, you might want to consider working with a China sourcing agent.

Owlsourcing has a better understanding of the Chinese market than the company and even better contacts with Chinese suppliers. Some of the operations that we can perform for our clients include supplier vetting, sourcing and negotiation for prices, quality assurance assessments, direct transportation, and arrangement of shipment.

With a sourcing agent, language barriers, risks, and time and effort that you have to employ are greatly minimized. Nonetheless, do not forget to make a proper selection of your sourcing agent.

They should have passed performance testimonials from delighted clients, a portfolio, and a clear fee schedule. This means that there will be an efficient flow and productivity of your sourcing process in addition to the improvement of the possible profits.

5. Visiting China Markets

China has many kinds of markets for the different sectors. Before you decide to start visiting the following markets, here are the following recommendations for the product categories you require We have the following recommendations:

Product Category	Market name	Place	Recommend Reading
Electronics	Shenzhen Huaqiangbei Electronics Market	Guangdong	Import electronics from China
Clothing	Sijiqing Clothing Wholesale Market	Zhejiang	Import clothing from China
Small commodities	Yiwu International Trade City	Zhejiang	Buy and import from Yiwu
Kitchen Utensils	Shaxi International Hotel Articles City	Guangzhou	Import kitchen utensils from China
Shoes	Jinjiang Shoe Market	Fujian	Import shoes from China

Step 3: How to Conduct Due Diligence on Chinese Suppliers

In any business relationship, it is prudent to undertake some background research on the potential suppliers. Check their business permits, licenses, accreditation, certification, or any paperwork that would prove their credibility.

Also, some important criteria include its production capabilities, delivery time, quality assurance and distribution, and post-purchase services. Get samples when you can in order to evaluate the product’s quality for yourself.

Step 4: How to Negotiate Prices with Chinese Suppliers

Both the price and terms of the offer are important elements of the buyer’s decision-making. First of all, send several tenders to potential suppliers and pay significant attention to the prices offered.

These include the prices of the products, how payment is done, the available shipping methods, and the required quantities per order.

Related to material suppliers, it is quite important to be polite and unambiguous about your needs.

Try to give each of you what you want out of the process so that both of you are content. Earning the supplier’s trust means that over time there might be an opportunity for favourable pricing and cooperation.

Step 5: Sample Order Before Buy Wholesale from China

One might want to order a significant amount of uniforms at a time, but it is better to ask the supplier for a sample before that. This enables you to evaluate the quality of the product, packing, and general fitness for your intended market base. If satisfied with the sample, you can go ahead with a lot of confidence.

Step 6: Place Your Order 

When you have gone through the above steps, you can now order from the selected supplier of the product. Compliance with a number of specifications such as product differentiation, packaging, labeling, and product delivery time.

They must specifically ensure that all AHP terms are well codified in a purchase agreement or contract form. Some of the areas that should be included in this document are; Payment terms, quality assurance mechanisms, ownership of ideas, and conflict-solving avenues.

Step 7: Quality Control and Inspection

Maintaining quality control is crucial during the manufacturing process. Consider hiring an independent third-party inspection company to conduct inspections at different stages of production.

This point has already been elaborated that it is most important to eventually control the total quality in manufacturing. An independent third-party inspection company may be employed to make inspections at various stages in the production process.

It helps you ensure that your products are healthy to be in the market because you have assessed them all.

Step 8: Shipping and Logistics

The last process is usually to secure means of transporting your products to their destinations. In this step, a firm is supposed to identify which mode of transportation would be appropriate given certain factors such as cost, time, and properties of products. Other possibilities are sea/ocean shipment, air shipment, and express and mail shipment.

Air Freight VS Sea Freight VS Express Courier	Air Freight	Sea Freight	Express Courier
Speed	Fastest mode of transport, usually a few days.	Slower, typically takes weeks or months.	Very fast, often within a few days.
Cost	Generally the most expensive.	Most economical for large shipments.	Moderate to high cost.
Volume and Weight Limitations	Suitable for smaller, lighter shipments.	Ideal for heavy, bulky, or large shipments.	Typically limited to small and medium-sized packages.
Safety and Reliability	High level of security and low risk of damage.	Generally safe, though longer transit time can increase risk.	Highly reliable and safe for small items.
Tracking	Comprehensive tracking options.	Tracking is available, but less detailed.	Detailed tracking and regular updates.

How to buy low-cost products from China?

The rapid growth of E-commerce highly boosts the sales revenue for those online stores. The pursuit of cost down is one of the most effective ways to get a decent margin and, meanwhile, to compete with strong competitors.

We will show you the sourcing strategy and steps, both online and offline when buying from China.

1. From Online Chinese wholesale websites

There are two outstanding B2C retail, wholesale websites in China: DHGate and Aliexpress. You can find a lot of products, and the sites are targeting buyers from overseas markets.

A) Aliexpress:

Aliexpress established in 2010, which mainly focuses on providing wholesale Chinese products to countries like Russia, the USA, Spain, Brazil, and France. The site serves 230 countries in the world and ships products through China post mail service or air couriers.

The difference between Amazon and Aliexpress is the logistics and warehouse system. Amazon has advanced warehouses worldwide and supports the sellers to store the goods in their warehouse.

They have already generated a highly effective and sophisticated logistics system in North America.

Aliexpress does not provide a warehouse storage service. The vendors on Aliexpress usually ship from China directly to the customers. Buyers can receive China goods at a low price after waiting for 10-25 days depending on the location.

The most popular categories among the categories on Aliexress are wholesale clothing, wholesale dress, Brazilian human hair, wholesale kitchen products, wholesale toys, sunglasses, and other products with good quality and reasonable prices.

The feature of Aliexpress: You can buy products with competitive prices and low minimum order quantity. You can benefit if you want to start with a small amount of wholesale when you buy from China and test to sell in your market.

Aliexpress is also one of the options if you are doing a dropshipping business. You can even find boutique vendors on the platform. 

Also, I have written an article about the safety of buying from AliExpress, which I suggest you read.

B) DHGate.com:

The DHGate was founded in 2004, and it’s the first China wholesale website. The website aims at the overseas retail market (B2C) while another company Alibaba focuses on B2B (business-to-business).

Now the site has won twenty-one million online buyers who’ve experienced buying from China directly. The severing country range is more than 220 countries. DHGate is another workable platform if you want to do a dropshipping business and don’t want to have your stocks.

Both DHGate and Aliexpress work like they provide large platforms for countless Chinese Stores selling their products at a wholesale price.

You can get some good options there if you are not going to private label your products and are willing to accept the Chinese supplier’s existing packaging.

C) Alibaba.com

The site was founded in 1999, and it is by far the most popular Chinese wholesale website because it provides almost every kind of product in the market. Most overseas importers would source for cheap China products or develop OEM/ODM projects with suppliers on Alibaba.

Those ” Chinese stores” listed on Alibaba are either the China manufacturers or trading companies. For more details about why China wholesale suppliers can rank in a high position on Alibaba, please check my post about how to find the right supplier on Alibaba.

It’s not a China online shopping website, but a site where you can find wholesale items and provide OEM/ODM service.

Alibaba.com is a platform where you can contact Chinese suppliers freely and where you can learn how to Buy from China directly. But as we have mentioned in the previous post about Alibaba, you should know the pros and cons when buying from Alibaba.

D) Made-in-China.com

Established in 1996, Nanjing Focus Technology Co., Ltd(the parent company) created an online wholesale website, “Made-in-China.” The site intends to provide the opportunity to introduce cheap Chinese products to buyers all over the world.

It works similarly to other China wholesale websites that work as a broad dashboard for you to search for your nitch.

Made-in-China is a platform where you might able to find some first-rate Chinese wholesale suppliers with a long history because they have followed the website for many years. The site is beneficial when you want to see mechanical manufacturers in China.

E) Global Sources

Global Sources is one of the three largest Chinese wholesale websites that provides Product/Service searching features when people want to buy from China.

The conclusion here is that you can benefit from using these direct wholesale websites to source products. But you need some skills on how to deal with and negotiate with the Chinese wholesale suppliers.

We will share more about it in the following content.

F) 1688.com

The website is part of the Alibaba group. It focuses on providing wholesale products to China domestic buyers when they receive OEM/ODM orders from overseas markets or just for their own business.

Generally speaking, 1688.com is for Chinese domestic buyers to navigate the products, and Alibaba is designed for overseas buyers when they want to buy from China.

Note: Why does the site 1688.com seem not popular for Western buyers?

Language barrier: Most of China’s wholesale suppliers in 1688.com do not speak English. Communication is a problem.

Business Type: Suppliers there mainly target Chinese domestic buyers. The vendors on 1688.com don’t understand the exportation process very well. They always work with the trading company or the Sourcing agents to get the purchase orders.

To resolve these two barriers, a sourcing agent like OwlSourcing might help you if you want to explore the Chinese domestic market and find a unique nitch for your business. We will help you buy from 1688.

2. Buy Direct from China in Person

1. Canton Fair:

Founded in Guangzhou in April 1957, the Canton Fair was first called the China Export Commodities Fair.

This China Fair became the largest trade show for overseas buyers who want to buy wholesale from the Chinese market.

Exhibition Details: China Import and Export Fair Complex (380 Yuejiang Middle Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China)

Phase 1: April 15-19

• Electronics & Household Electrical Appliances
• Lighting Equipment
• Vehicles & Spare Parts
• Machinery
• Hardware & Tools
• Energy + Resources
• Chemical Products
• Building Materials

Phase 2: April 23-27

• Consumer Goods
• Gifts
• Home Decorations

Phase 3: May 1-5

• Office Supplies, Cases & Bags, and Recreation Products
• Medical Devices and Health Products
• Food
• Shoes
• Textiles & Garments

I have a post for details about how to attend the Canton Fair and find the right Chinese wholesale suppliers in Canton.

Here is the Canton Fair complete guide.

2. Hongkong MEGA SHOW

20-23 Oct for wholesale toys session

Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre

Over the past twenty-eight years, the MEGA SHOW Series has established its reputation as the most critical showcase and sourcing hub for Made in Asia products in Hong Kong every October.

3. Yiwu Expo: 21-25 Oct

Yiwu International Expo Center

Exhibition Area: 100,000 ㎡
International Standard Booths: 3,600
Quality Exhibitors: 2,000
Visitors: 200,000

Navigating wholesale items and buying from China: check my post about how to find the right wholesale supplier in the Yiwu market.

4. China International Toy Fair: 16-18, Oct

Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC)

80,437 professional buyers from over 134 countries and regions

2,326 exhibitors, 220,000 sqm exhibition area

Benefits of Attending the China Fair or Hong Kong Fair

• Many vendors will gather together to show their products at the Show so you can find the ideal products and check various sample quality onsite.
• You can face to face talk with vendors in the same industry and navigate the next trend of the product by communicating with the vendors.
• Experience one of the world’s largest trade shows, you won’t regret it because you can find almost anything you want.

How to find the Best supplier when buying wholesale from China?

A. Find out the Supplier from Your Competitors

Assume that you are a pet products seller on Amazon and plan to sell the beds for pets. Although you can access the wholesale website, you still want to know who’s the current vendor of your competitors with good online sales revenues.

Step 1: find out the target product and the competitor on Amazon. Below for reference when you type the keyword ” pets bed”:

Now you get the seller’s name, and then you can check it on Google to see if there is more information about the seller or the relevant companies. We type the seller name on Google and see the result below.

It seems that the company is not only sold on Amazon but also has a B2C website, where you can find much info on this company.

The next step for you is to look at the “About Us” page and find out the official company name. Why? You can find the suppliers under the official import company name through the Customs data website.

Here is the sample when we try to explore more about this online wholesale company:

On this page, you can see the parent company name, and that might be an importer name. Please be aware that sometimes these brands company will not use their company to execute China import but with their subsidiaries or import agent’s name.

Let’s find out what is the result when using the official company name in this case.

Step 2: You can access the Customs data website to see if you can find the leads of related suppliers.

Here we use Usaimportdata, which is free when we use the primary function, and it works well.

You can find out the import record if they have a history buy from China and what you need to do is to fill in the importer’s name in the section “buyer” to see the result:

Then the recent import data of this company shows up WOW:

What did you see? From the result page, you can find the pet bed suppliers for this company, and you would need to continue to use Google to find out the contact info.

Step 3: Do more research on Google to find out the supplier information.

China vendors also have different company names especially when they doing the export business. Maybe one name is for the factory, and the other is an export company name, but both of them are in the same group.

Below is the final result of the manufacturer for the beds of pets. We got it, and we can contact them for an inquiry if you are also in the PETS industry.

I hope you can get an idea about how to get the vendors from your competitors’ websites and practice this until you can use it to find your target China wholesale suppliers.

B. Ask your sourcing agent to help you

First-rate manufacturers may not need to promote themself on the B2B website because they have a stable business, so they need to maintain their relationship with their premium clients.

If you want to find these professional factories when buying from China, then you can find them through your sourcing agent because they have already connected with many manufacturers.

Just as the real estate broker can help you find a house that meets your needs, they will provide professional services to meet your needs. Generally speaking, it is the same thing!

The Latest China Manufacturing Distribution Map

You may have ideas about how to buy from China, but do you ever see the map of China’s manufacturing distribution map?

If not, please continue to read the post.

Firstly, you would need to have a look at China’s map and know the provinces and cities which give you a general idea about mainland China and its resources.

The Latest China Manufacturing Distribution Map You can download the map freely!

So whenever you want to buy from China, then you should analyze your product region no matter whether you are going to find the product yourself or through the sourcing agent.

The above China resource map would greatly help you understand the resource distribution in mainland China.

You will find out how you can benefit if you start to familiar with the Chinese resource distribution map.

How to cooperate with Chinese wholesale suppliers?

You need some skills when you buy from China and deal with your Chinese vendors.

1. Face to Face communication with Chinese wholesale suppliers

When you’re hiring, you probably will arrange for an interview to find the right candidate. Why the meeting is so crucial because the designated candidate will work with you, more importantly, he needs to be able to create value for your company.

That’s the same factor why you are looking at the vendors from the overseas market: create value. In this case, face-to-face contact with the supplier will be equally important, especially before the cooperation rather than after the payment of 30% advance.

You can conduct video conferences with potential partners through online video tools and talk about the specific project details before the official order.

Zoom, Skype, and WeChat are widely used in China when they are looking for a conference meeting. For further information, read this article: “How to Contact Chinese Manufacturers“.

Through direct contact with your suppliers, you will learn about the professionalism and service attitude of the factory or trader and will be able to make an ideal decision.

A personal meeting is crucial when contacting the supplier and establishing the relationship.

2. Demonstrate to your suppliers that you are committed to your business

You need to show your vendor that you are very serious about your business in China then your supplier will take your order seriously.

Based on a particular culture, Chinese suppliers are very good at how to respond. A positive attitude will generally get a positive response.

Remember that the overseas vendors, especially the ones in China, will evaluate if you can be a long-term cooperation partner. The evaluation will affect how they are going to support you and ultimately your business.

3. Assess the type of your business and the size of your factory or trader

If the shoe fits, don’t wear it unless it’s comfortable.

If you are a buyer from a retail giant such as Walmart, then maybe you used to choose a large-scale factory with high production capacity and perfect machinery and a specific certificate is required.

You probably can work with small and medium-sized overseas suppliers if you are chain store retailers or online store sellers. (Amazon sellers)

Therefore, it is essential to conduct a proper evaluation and find a suitable supplier.

4. Know if your supplier is a trading company or manufacturer

You need to know if your supplier is a factory or a trade intermediary. When you understand what type of company they are, you can combine your situation to make the right choice.

If you are an experienced purchaser, then you can adapt to a variety of environments. But if you are an inexperienced international buyer, then you may need to work with a trader or sourcing agent rather than a factory.

Why are there so many trading companies sourcing agents in China? Because they can create value and help you to conduct your business well in China.

5. Place a try order before a large order to test the vendor

Through the trial order, you can work with them about the whole process of the purchase order and know how they can cooperate with you and support you on the project.

You can analyze if they are the right suppliers to continue the relationship, or if you need to eliminate the cooperation with the specific China supplier.

What you have to know is that during the process, especially when you find the order is under quality issue or production time, then that’s the time to show how good this supplier is and the ability to resolve the problems on time.

More Related Articles,

• How to Verify China Vendor? 9 Useful Tips
• Top Guangzhou Electronics Wholesale Market Guide
• How to Source Products from Yiwu to Sell on Amazon?
• How to Import Bicycles from China: Tips & Notes

Final Thoughts

When you are ready to buy from China, you should be clear about how to proceed step by step. We hope this article helps you understand this process. Of course, if you prefer to find a China sourcing agent, we highly recommend Owlsourcing. If you need assistance, please contact us.

Do you have any idea about how to find the right wholesale vendors in China? Please leave a comment and share it with us!