China Sourcing &
Supply Chain Resources
Field-tested procurement playbooks, supplier audit frameworks, cost breakdown templates, and risk mitigation guides developed from 20+ years of hands-on trade across China's industrial manufacturing hubs.
China Supplier Due Diligence & Factory Audit Kit
Comprehensive 48-point verification checklist covering business license authentication, production capacity auditing, and social compliance protocols.
- On-site PSI (Pre-Shipment Inspection) Rubric
- Authentic vs. Trading Company Audit Formula
- Bilingual NNN & Supply Agreement Framework
Practical Sourcing Guides & Playbooks
Step-by-step manuals designed for international procurement managers, brand owners, and supply chain directors sourcing from China.
How to Direct-Source on 1688 Without a Chinese Entity
A comprehensive roadmap for overseas buyers navigating wholesale domestic prices, domestic payment escrow, local logistics, and export translation barriers.
Multi-Supplier Consolidation: Reducing Freight by 30%+
Learn how consolidating multiple LCL shipments from disparate factories in Zhejiang and Jiangsu into unified FCL containers eliminates duplicate port charges.
AQL Sampling Standards & Defect Classification
Practical implementation of ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 (ISO 2859-1) tables, Critical vs. Major vs. Minor defect tolerances, and factory inspection protocols.
OEM vs. ODM Product Development in China
Protecting your tooling ownership, managing initial pilot runs, engineering change orders (ECO), and drafting enforceable mold custody agreements.
Incoterms 2020: FOB vs. CIF vs. DDP Sourcing Comparison
Clear breakdown of risk transfer points, customs clearance liabilities, insurance coverage responsibilities, and hidden port destination surcharges.
Amazon FBA Prep & Compliance Standards in China
How to label, palletize, and package goods directly at origin in China to prevent Amazon warehouse rejection and avoid expensive US prep center costs.
Procurement Templates & Calculators
Download ready-to-use calculation models, supplier scoring sheets, and inspection report forms.
Total Landed Cost (TLC) Calculator
Excel (.xlsx) • Version 3.1 • Dynamic Formula Sheet
Calculate ex-factory unit costs, inland trucking, sea freight per CBM/KG, port destination charges, customs duty percentages, and VAT implications in one integrated sheet.
Supplier Evaluation Matrix (Scorecard)
Excel (.xlsx) + PDF Guidelines • 6 Weighting Categories
Weighted rating model comparing 3 to 5 candidate factories across production capacity, ISO certifications, sample accuracy, payment terms flexibility, and response time.
Sample Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) Report
PDF Document • Complete 24-Page Anonymized Report
Real-world inspection sample illustrating visual defect breakdowns, barcode verifications, carton drop tests, dimension checks, and batch photo logs.
Container Loading & CBM Plan Model
Excel (.xlsx) • 20GP / 40GP / 40HQ Space Planner
Automated carton dimension and weight inputs to maximize container space utilization, avoid overweight penalties, and optimize carton master pack sizes.
Ground presence in Yangtze River Delta & South China
Direct relationship with verified manufacturers
Defect prevention before release of final payment
Through multi-supplier warehouse consolidation
Frequently Asked Sourcing Questions
Everything you need to know about working with an on-the-ground China sourcing agent and supply chain partner.
How is working with Tommysourcing different from searching on Alibaba or 1688 directly?
B2B platforms primarily list trading companies or sales middlemen who markup prices. Tommysourcing provides on-the-ground factory audits, audits genuine business licenses, negotiates raw material direct pricing in Chinese RMB, conducts batch quality inspections, and physically consolidates your goods before international dispatch.
How do you verify if a supplier is a real factory or a trading company?
We perform a multi-layer verification: checking government enterprise registration records, verifying production scope, conducting on-site visits in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, inspecting machinery, and reviewing worker headcount and utility usage.
Can you manage orders from 5–10 different suppliers into one shipment?
Yes. Our multi-supplier consolidation service centralizes products from multiple factories into our Suzhou / Shanghai warehousing hubs. We inspect each batch, repackage if needed, build a single customs export manifest, and load unified 20GP/40HQ containers.
What payment terms and deposit structures are typically arranged?
Standard manufacturing contracts operate on a 30% deposit prior to production and 70% balance upon final pre-shipment inspection pass. We hold inspection reports as the prerequisite trigger before authorizing balance releases to suppliers.