9 signs of a scammer among Chinese suppliers
Nine clear warning signs among Chinese suppliers, from payment to a personal account to fake certificates — and how to verify a factory before you transfer.
Factory inspection in China: how it works and why before the balance payment
Why you inspect a Chinese factory before paying the 70% balance, and how a pre-shipment AQL inspection works: stages, checklist and common buyer mistakes.
Sample OK, batch defective: how factories swap quality — and how to stop it
The sample is perfect and the batch is not — that is quality fade, a deliberate substitution. How a golden sample, IQC and DUPRO stop it before shipment.
Supplier check before the deposit: a Chinese supplier verification checklist
The checklist a wholesale importer works through point by point before wiring a deposit: legal vetting, factory status, audit, contract and payment details.
Factory or middleman: how to tell a manufacturer from a trader
Why most "factories" in China are trading companies, what a middleman really costs you, and the signals that reveal a real manufacturer before you pay.
How to find and verify a manufacturing factory in China: a guide for wholesale importers
Where to find real factories in China, how to tell a manufacturer from an intermediary, verify the business licence, audit the plant and pay without risk.
What importing from China really costs: the full landed-cost breakdown
Every cost of importing from China: EXW price, tooling, inspection, freight, insurance, duty and VAT, with Sept 2026 freight rates and a worked example.
Sea, air, rail or truck from China: how to choose the freight mode
Sea, rail, air or truck from China? Door-to-door transit times, Sept 2026 indicative rates, chargeable weight, battery DG rules and routes to UA, KZ and PL.
How to verify a Chinese factory before you pay: the four-tier checklist
A four-tier checklist to verify a Chinese factory before paying: gsxt licence checks, certificate databases, on-site audit, capacity maths and AQL inspection.
How to import from China: a step-by-step guide for first-time buyers
Import from China step by step: find and verify the factory, samples, Incoterms, payment, inspection, shipping and customs for Ukraine, Kazakhstan and the EU.
Sourcing knowledge from inside China
Practical guides on importing from China: factory verification, payments, quality inspection, freight and landed cost — from a team based in Jinan.
Complete 2026 Guide: How to Register a Foreign Company in China (WFOE Step-by-Step)
If you're a foreign entrepreneur or business looking to expand into the Chinese market, 2026 presents unprecedented opportunities. China has been steadily improving its business environment for foreign investors, with significant policy changes that make the registration process faster, more transpa