Getting started import from China

There are several key areas and tips which a new buyer needs to learn to import from China.

Find Chinese Audiovisual suppliers
1. On B2B website like Alibaba, Made in China and Globesources etc. This is an easy and convenient way to find Chinese suppliers, but be careful to screen those suppliers on B2B website, some of them are trading company actually, some of them are bad reputation,don't trust Gold and TrustPass supplier on Alibaba either,Alibaba didn't take due diligence to verify Gold Supplier or TrustPass,the Gold and TrustPass suppliers of Alibaba don't necessarily mean they are legit and trustworthy. There are many scam case happening every year through B2B website, so make sure verify them properly before placing the order. 
2. Trade shows like Infocomm, Prolight+sound and Palm/Install Expo etc. It provides an  opportunity to meet suppliers face to face while looking at and touching their products, the American and European trade shows have a small number of Chinese suppliers while shows in China have a greater depth of Chinese suppliers, please check our Calendar of Events in China for more information.
3. Sourcing company like AVinformation. Normally, sourcing companies already have their supplier database to access and with their professional knowledge they can find and select suitable supplier very fast.

Select suitable suppliers

Before doing business with a Chinese supplier, buyers need to verify that the supplier is a real company, that it is financially strong enough and technologically capable enough to fulfill your order, and that it can compensate you in case of a loss or dispute.

Here are some verification tips to bear in mind:

1.	Do not use any supplier if it: a. Doesn't have website, only showing their product on B2B website  b. Only uses personal account to accept payment  c. Sells copy product at very low price  d. Has communication barrier
2.	Be sure to compare price/service levels to narrow down your list of potential suppliers.
	Eliminate those with the highest prices. Try to shortlist to three suppliers maximum. Also be aware that suppliers offering extremely low prices can be considered fishy, since they may cut product quality to bring prices down.
3.	Request samples or place a trial order first in order to judge price, quality, and service standards.

After completing all of the steps above, you should also perform a proper verification:

1. Online background check(company registration information/reputation)
2. Site visit(equipment/assets/business license/quality system)

Remember, big suppliers may not be the best for your needs since they can be slow in responding to small buyers. What's more, always keep at least one backup supplier just in case, also prepare more time than the leading time which suppliers promise.

Pay Suppliers 

Generally, there are three types of payment terms: Telegraphic Transfer (T/T), Collection, and Letter of Credit (L/C). T/T, as the most popular payment method, is welcomed by all suppliers, especially in China in recent years.

Common T/T payment terms are 30% at time of order and 70% when goods are shipped. The 30% payment at time of placing the order gives the manufacturer the money he needs to purchase the raw materials necessary for your order. The payment before shipping mitigates risk that the buyer won't pay, but then puts financial risk on you as the buyer. Understand and mitigate this risk through communications with the supplier (does he seem professional) and by starting with a small order.

Remember, don’t accept to make payment to any personal account or westunion.

Quality Control 

Quality control generally begins before manufacturing starts, so after having seen the sample ask the supplier what steps he takes to ensure quality control. This can includes both the raw materials he's using in the product, and also any continuous improvement to the manufacturing process. Once your order is ready, you have three choices for managing the quality of products. 
1, rely on the supplier's quality control, 
2, have someone in your company do it, 
3, hire a third party to do it. 
Inspect product including not just the end products, but also intermediate products during the production process and even raw materials. Sometimes verifying container loading is also necessary.

Shipping and Logistics 

You have two main choices for having your products shipped – air shipping and ocean shipping. 
Air shipping makes sense if you need product fast, if product is small volume/high value, or if your order is relatively small (less than 2 cubic meters). DHL, TNT, UPS and FEDEX all provide this service. 
Ocean shipping is your other option. You'll want to find a third party logistics service provider (3PL), with customs broker capabilities (most have this), that has experience with the origin port and destination you're working with. Shipping across the ocean can take several weeks depending on which port you're coming into; add customs clearance, inland distribution to your warehouse and you can easily be looking at over 30 days just for shipping. A good logistics service provider will be able to give you estimates of end to end shipping times, the cost, and manage the entire process for you. 


Remember, make delivery term(FOB/CIF...) clear with supplier and sign with contract.


Quote partly from Peter Zapf and  Steven Chow