Sourcing Guides
Step-by-step guidance to help global buyers evaluate suppliers, verify sourcing evidence, and make more informed procurement decisions.
How to Evaluate Supplier Samples Before Placing a Bulk Order: What a Sample Can and Cannot Prove
A good supplier sample can confirm product characteristics and help establish an approved production reference, but one sample cannot prove mass-production consistency, current capacity, compliance, or future delivery. This guide shows how to evaluate samples collected or requested after Canton Fair, create an Approved or Golden Sample, use a pilot order where appropriate, and define what still needs verification before bulk production.
How to Shortlist and Verify Suppliers You Meet at Canton Fair Before Placing an Order
Meeting a supplier at Canton Fair can help you assess products, ask questions, and collect sourcing information quickly—but a booth visit is not the same as supplier verification. This guide shows how to turn your Canton Fair contacts into a practical shortlist, cross-check company and factory claims, compare suppliers on the same basis, and decide what still needs verification before samples, deposits, or bulk orders.
How to Verify Supplier Export Records with Customs Data
Learn how to identify the correct exporter, review shipment patterns, compare products and destination markets, and interpret the limitations of customs data.
How to Verify Chinese Suppliers: A Practical Guide for Global Buyers
Learn how to verify a supplier’s legal identity, factory relationship, product capability, compliance evidence, export activity, and payment details before placing an order.
Direct Manufacturer vs. Sourcing Agent: Which Sourcing Model Is Right for Your Business?
Should you buy directly from a Chinese manufacturer, work through a trading company, or hire a sourcing agent? The right model depends on your order volume, product complexity, supplier-management capacity and need for local support. This guide compares the three approaches, explains how intermediaries are paid, identifies potential conflicts of interest, and provides practical questions for choosing a sourcing model that fits your business.
Need to verify a specific supplier?
Use SourcingX to review company information, supplier status, export activity, and unresolved evidence before moving forward.
Verify a Supplier