How to Import Wholesale Products from China, Step by Step

A step-by-step guide to importing wholesale products from China

Importing wholesale products from China for the first time raises a long list of practical questions: how long each stage takes, what documents are involved, who arranges what, and where the risks sit. This guide sets out the process we follow with overseas wholesalers, importers and chain-store buyers, in the order it happens. Timings are typical ranges and depend on the category, order size and destination market.

We supply consumer goods by category from Yiwu, China. Our catalogue covers general consumer goods for wholesale buyers, and we quote on FOB, CIF, EXW and DDP bases. The stages below describe how an order moves from requirement to arrival.

Step 1: Confirm your requirements

Every order starts with a requirements confirmation stage. This usually takes 1-3 days and covers the points that shape the quotation: product category, target price, quantity, destination market, packaging and labelling, compliance requirements, and delivery terms.

It is worth being specific at this stage. For each item, tell us:

• Category and item: what the product is and, where relevant, the material and size range you expect.
• Target price: the level you need to hit at your planned order quantity, so we can propose the right specifications rather than start from the top of the range.
• Quantity: per item and in total, including whether you expect repeat orders.
• Destination market: the country the goods will be sold in. This determines labelling, testing and documentary requirements.
• Packaging and labelling: retail packaging format, barcodes, language requirements, inner packing and carton marking.
• Compliance: any testing or documentation your market or your own customers require. Test reports and certificates can be arranged with third-party laboratories per product and destination market; certificates are available upon request.
• Delivery terms: whether you want to buy on FOB, CIF, EXW or DDP terms.

Packaging and labelling are part of this step, not an afterthought. Retail-ready packaging, barcode placement and language requirements affect both cost and lead time, and they should be agreed before quotation so that the price you receive matches the product you will actually receive.

Step 2: Quotation and samples

Once requirements are clear, we issue tiered quotations. Pricing is tiered by quantity, so the quotation will show different unit levels depending on the volume you order. Quotations can be issued on FOB, CIF, EXW and DDP bases so you can compare landed cost rather than unit price alone.

Samples work in two ways:

• Ready samples: free or at low cost, sent by courier on your courier account (courier collect).
• Custom first samples: usually 7-15 days, depending on the item and the changes required.

Check samples properly before approving them: material, dimensions, finish, packaging, and the labelling as it will appear in your market. The approved sample becomes the reference point for the rest of the order, so changes made later are treated as changes to the agreed specification, with the cost and time implications that follow.

Compliance testing can be built into this stage. Testing is arranged per product and destination market, for example EN71 for toys, CPSIA for the US, REACH for the EU and FDA requirements for food-contact items. Test reports and certificates can be arranged with third-party laboratories per product and destination market; certificates are available upon request.

Step 3: Order and production or purchase

After you approve the quotation and samples, the order is placed against a proforma invoice (PI) or contract. The contract should state Incoterms 2020 terms, the agreed AQL level for inspection, and the payment ratio. Production or purchase then typically takes 15-45 days from PI or contract signing, depending on the items and quantity.

Payment terms are straightforward:

• T/T 30% deposit + 70% balance is standard.
• L/C is available for larger orders.
• PayPal and Alipay are accepted for small test orders under $2,000.

The AQL level agreed at contract stage sets the standard for the final inspection, so it is better to fix it now than to negotiate acceptance criteria when goods are ready to ship.

Step 4: Inspection

Inspection runs across the order, not only at the end. The sequence we follow is:

• Pre-production sample confirmation: before bulk work starts, the pre-production sample is confirmed against the approved specification.
• In-process checks: checks while production is running, so problems are caught before the full quantity is complete.
• Final outgoing inspection: the finished goods are inspected against the agreed AQL level, with the inspection report sent at least 3 days before dispatch.

Inspection includes photo and video evidence so you can review the goods remotely. A buyer-appointed third-party inspection is also welcome; buyers commonly use SGS, BV, TUV or Intertek. If you appoint an inspector, schedule the visit so the report is available before the dispatch date.

Building in these checkpoints costs time, but it is usually cheaper than dealing with a quality problem after the container has arrived.

Step 5: Consolidation and dispatch

Consolidation and dispatch usually take 5-15 days after inspection. We ship full or shared containers from Ningbo or Shanghai, and can arrange air freight, China-Europe rail or express where the order profile suits it:

• Sea freight: full or shared containers from Ningbo or Shanghai.
• Air freight: for time-sensitive or higher-value goods.
• China-Europe rail: typically 20-30 days.
• Express: typically 3-7 days.

If you are shipping a mix of categories, consolidation at this stage lets several items travel under one shipment. Confirm your shipping preferences together with the delivery terms earlier in the process, so the quotation basis and the dispatch plan are consistent.

Step 6: Documents

Shipping documents are prepared for each order. The usual set is:

• Commercial invoice
• Packing list
• Certificate of origin (CO / Form A)
• Bill of lading
• Insurance
• Export declaration

Check each document against the order before the goods leave: consignee details, item descriptions, quantities and marks should match the contract and the packing list. Corrections after departure are slower and more expensive than corrections before it.

If your destination market requires product test reports or certificates, confirm this at requirement stage so testing can be arranged with third-party laboratories per product and destination market, and the documents are ready before dispatch.

Step 7: Arrival and after-sales

On arrival, inspect the goods before distribution and compare what you receive against the inspection report and the approved sample. The quality claims window is 30-60 days after arrival, per contract, so raise any issue within that period with the supporting evidence.

Keep the approved sample, the signed contract with the agreed AQL level, and the inspection report together. If a claim is needed, these documents define what was agreed and what was checked.

Common mistakes

Ordering seasonal goods too late

Production capacity for seasonal goods locks up 90-120 days ahead of the season. Buyers who confirm requirements and samples late often find that the schedule cannot be met at the quantity they need. Work backwards from your selling season: requirement confirmation, samples, production or purchase (15-45 days), inspection, consolidation and dispatch (5-15 days), then sea freight and arrival. For seasonal ranges, start the process well before you think you need to.

Skipping inspection

Some buyers go straight from sample approval to dispatch to save time and inspection fees. Final outgoing inspection, with the report sent at least 3 days before dispatch, is the point where issues can still be corrected. Without it, problems surface after arrival, when the options are limited to a claim within the 30-60 day window. Pre-production sample confirmation, in-process checks and a final inspection are worth the days they add.

Comparing prices without comparing packing specs

A lower unit price often reflects a different packing specification: thinner retail packaging, fewer inner units per carton, different carton dimensions or lower-grade materials. A lower unit price on a different packing spec can work out more expensive per sellable unit, and it changes your freight cost because cartons take up volume. When you compare quotations, compare the packing specification, the inner and outer quantities, the carton dimensions and the labelling at the same time as the price. Tiered quotations are only comparable when the specification is the same.

Start with your requirements

If you are importing wholesale products from China for the first time, the requirements confirmation stage is the right place to start. Tell us the category, target price, quantity, destination market, packaging and labelling needs, compliance requirements and delivery terms. We will respond with tiered quotations on FOB, CIF, EXW or DDP bases, and arrange ready or custom samples so you can check the product before the order goes ahead. Test reports and certificates can be arranged with third-party laboratories per product and destination market, and certificates are available upon request.