Finding a reliable supplier in China means collecting 3–5 offers from three sources (a factory, a trading company, 1688), verifying each in four steps (business licence, export rights, platform status, factory audit), reviewing a sample, agreeing MOQ and price, signing a contract and inspecting the batch before it ships. The process usually takes 2–4 weeks. GSR Logistics’ Chinese-speaking staff walk it for you — the commission starts at 3% of the order value.

Factory, trading company or 1688: which one fits you?

Finding a product in China is easy; finding a reliable source is not. One product returns hundreds of sellers, half of them middlemen, and prices differ by a factor of two. Start by choosing the type of source.

Criterion Factory (工厂) Trading company (贸易公司) 1688 seller
Price Lowest 10–20% higher Close to factory price, tiered
Typical MOQ 300–1,000 pcs or one model 50–300 pcs, mixed 2–100 pcs
Range One category, deep Wide, from several factories Very wide
Language Chinese only Often English too Chinese only
Own brand (logo, packaging) Yes Yes, through the factory Rarely
Responsibility for quality Clear, one source Split between middleman and factory Platform protection
Best for Regular batches, own brand, technical goods Mixed orders, small volume, complex goods First batch, testing, marketplaces

Rule of thumb: buy the first batch on 1688 or from a trading company, and move to a factory once you know the product sells. The 1688 ordering process is in How to order from 1688.

How do you verify a supplier?

Verification has four steps; each costs more than the previous one, so the order matters.

  1. Business licence (营业执照). Ask for a photo of the licence. It shows the 18-digit Unified Social Credit Code (统一社会信用代码), registered capital, registration date and business scope. Check the code in the state registry at gsxt.gov.cn: does the company exist, is it active, do the name and address match. If the scope includes 生产 (manufacturing) it is a factory; if it says only 贸易 (trading) it is a middleman.
  2. Export rights. Not every factory can export. Ask whether it is registered with customs (海关登记) or works through an export agent. Without export rights a factory cannot issue an invoice in its own name — which later causes trouble at customs and with the certificate of origin.
  3. Platform status. The “Verified Supplier” badge on Alibaba means a third party (SGS, TÜV, Intertek) inspected the factory on site; the profile shows a video, the production area and the headcount. Look at years on the platform (Gold Supplier), transaction level and reviews. On 1688 the good signs are the 实力商家 (strong seller) and 工厂 (factory) badges and a repeat-purchase rate (回头率) above 30%.
  4. Factory audit. Before a large order, see the workshop: a video call (machines, warehouse, QC station), a visit by your own staff or a third-party inspection. Ask about capacity, which countries other clients export to, and certificates (CE, ISO 9001, test reports for the product).

Two more signals. The bank account name must match the company name on the licence; a seller suggesting “faster to a personal account” is a reason to stop. And the address: factories sit in industrial zones on the outskirts, trading companies in office buildings downtown.

Samples: why and how much?

A sample is the cheapest insurance. It shows real material, stitching, colour and packaging instead of a picture. A factory usually makes one in 3–10 days; it costs 1.5–3 times the unit price, and many factories credit it once the order is placed. Take samples from your 1–2 shortlisted factories, never more than three — otherwise the choice drags on.

We receive the sample at the Yiwu warehouse: photograph, measure, weigh and film it. On request we fly it to Tashkent in roughly 5–10 days. Keep the approved sample — it becomes the reference for checking the batch, and the contract gets a clause “in accordance with the approved sample”.

MOQ and price negotiation

MOQ (minimum order quantity) is the smallest quantity a factory accepts in one order: 300–500 pieces of one model in clothing, 1,000 pieces in plastic goods, 100–500 pieces in electronics. Ways to lower it that actually work:

  • split one model across several colours or sizes (the factory counts the total);
  • buy ready stock from the factory’s warehouse — it often sells without an MOQ;
  • offer 10–30% more per unit for a trial batch and promise a follow-up order;
  • combine several models made from the same material on the same machines into one order.

Five rules on price:

  1. Ask for tiered prices: for 500, 1,000 and 3,000 pieces — you will see where the factory gives its discount.
  2. Ask for a written price breakdown: goods, packaging, labels, delivery within China, export documents. An “all-inclusive” price tends to come back with surcharges.
  3. Fix packaging and quality requirements before the price — a low price often means thin packaging and cheaper material.
  4. Do not push below cost: the factory will agree, then save on material or stitching, and you find out only on arrival.
  5. Payment terms are part of the price: offering 50/50 instead of 30/70 can earn a 2–3% discount.

Incoterms: EXW or FOB?

Every quotation must state the delivery term — it defines who pays up to which point.

Term Seller covers Buyer covers For consolidated cargo
EXW (ex works) Making the goods available at the factory Pickup, transport within China, export clearance, the whole onward route The most transparent price; we arrange transport to the Yiwu warehouse
FOB (free on board at the port) Transport within China, export clearance, delivery to the port Everything after the port or border For sea containers; on overland routes “FOB” in practice means “to the border” — clarify it
Delivery to the receiving point (送货到仓库) Factory to the receiving point (Yiwu, Guangzhou or Kashgar) Receiving point to Tashkent The most convenient option for consolidated cargo — the seller pays domestic transport

For consolidated truck freight and air cargo the practical choice is EXW or “delivery to the receiving point”: the seller ships to the address we give you, we receive, inspect and carry the goods to Tashkent. There are three receiving addresses in China: Yiwu, Guangzhou and Kashgar — your manager tells you which one applies. For container lots FOB is standard; the exact term and port name on the invoice are also needed to calculate the customs value correctly.

Contracts and prepayment

A factory normally issues a proforma invoice (PI): goods, quantity, price, delivery term, lead time, payment schedule. For a large batch sign a contract — with a specification, quality criteria (“in accordance with the approved sample”, an acceptable defect rate), production lead time, a penalty for delay, packaging and labelling requirements, and the right to inspect.

The usual payment split is 30% on order and 70% before shipment, after the inspection result. Three rules for companies and sole traders in Uzbekistan:

  1. The foreign-trade contract is registered in EEISVO (E-Contract, service 96 on my.gov.uz) — banks refuse payments on an unregistered contract.
  2. Prepayment is not mandatory, but if you do prepay, the goods must arrive or the money must be returned within 180 calendar days (PKM-283 of May 14, 2020). With a 60–90-day production lead time, plan around that deadline.
  3. Pay only to the company account named on the licence. On 1688 and Alibaba, paying through the platform (Trade Assurance) holds the money until the goods are confirmed.

If you cannot pay China directly, we pay in yuan through the Buying from 1688 & Taobao service. Customs will need the contract, invoice and certificate of origin — see Uzbekistan customs duties 2026.

Quality control before shipping

Goods are checked before they leave the factory — once shipped, a claim is hard to enforce. Three levels:

Level What is checked When
Factory report The factory sends its own photos and video Every batch, free
PSI — pre-shipment inspection A random 10–20% sample of the batch: quantity, dimensions, colour, function, packaging, match with the approved sample Before the 70% payment, on orders above $3,000
Receiving at the Yiwu warehouse We weigh, measure, open and count every box; the photo report lands in your Telegram; detailed inspection $1/kg Every receipt

If defects turn up, the remedy is agreed with the factory before shipment: replacement, discount or rework. Receiving and inspection terms at the Yiwu warehouse — Yiwu warehouse & quality control.

How do GSR Logistics’ staff help?

Our clients do not need to speak Chinese. The sourcing service runs in five steps:

  1. Search. From a photo, link or description, our staff in Yiwu collect 3–5 offers from factories, 1688 and Alibaba sellers and the Futian market in Yiwu: price, MOQ, lead time, packaging, certificates.
  2. Verification. Business licence, export rights, platform status; a video call or factory visit where needed.
  3. Negotiation. We agree price, MOQ, payment schedule and delivery term in Chinese; you receive the offer in English, Russian or Uzbek as a table.
  4. Sample and contract. We check the sample at the Yiwu warehouse and photograph it; we prepare the contract and proforma invoice to customs requirements.
  5. Control and delivery. Pre-shipment inspection, receiving at the Yiwu warehouse with a photo report, then truck in 15–25 days or air in 5–10 days to Tashkent, with customs clearance.

The commission starts at 3% of the order value; complex searches with a factory audit go up to 5% (estimate · Updated September 8, 2026; the exact percentage is fixed in the contract). Service terms — Product & supplier sourcing.

Manager’s tip. In your first message to a factory state three things clearly: a photo and specification of the product, the quantity you need and the target market (Uzbekistan). A specific request gets a specific price; “how much is it?” gets the lowest price for the largest batch, which then doubles.

This guide is general information; MOQ, prices and lead times depend on the product. Verified as of September 8, 2026.