Precision manufacturing machinery and components, illustrating product sourcing

Sourcing from China: a guide for UK businesses

Sourcing from China means finding, checking and managing Chinese suppliers, and controlling the full landed cost. This guide is for UK businesses buying manufactured goods from China. It covers supplier vetting, quality control, duty and when to diversify, and how our China sourcing agent service helps.

Sourcing from China can cut unit costs for many manufactured goods, but the unit price is only part of the story. Freight, duty, quality failures, lead times and working capital all affect the real cost. This guide covers the steps UK businesses should take to source from China with fewer surprises.

By Matt Buckley · Updated 27 October 2026

Start with landed cost, not unit price

Landed cost is the full cost of getting a product to your warehouse: unit price, packaging, freight, insurance, import duty, customs clearance and inland delivery. Add the cost of stock in transit and any quality inspections. A lower ex-works price can disappear once these are included. A should-cost model helps test whether the quote is fair.

Finding China suppliers and manufacturers

There are many China suppliers listed online, but a listing tells you little about capability. Chinese manufacturers tend to cluster by product and region, so start by identifying where your category is made, then build a long list from trade data, trade fairs and trusted referrals. Aim for 10 to 20 candidates before issuing a request for quote.

Compare Chinese factories and trading companies

Many suppliers present as a factory in China but act as trading companies. Trading companies can be useful for small or mixed orders, but they add margin and distance you from quality control. Check the business licence scope, visit or audit the site and ask to see production lines running your type of product.

Sourcing products from China: the process

Write a clear specification and target landed cost
Shortlist manufacturers in China and issue a structured RFQ
Compare quotes on the same Incoterms basis
Assess samples, then audit the preferred sites
Negotiate price, MOQ, payment terms and tooling ownership
Inspect before shipment and track the first orders closely

Vetting suppliers

Confirm the business licence and whether you are dealing with a factory or a trading company
Request references from existing export customers
Commission a factory audit before large orders
Check that the supplier can meet UK product safety and labelling rules

See supplier audit and due diligence for how we run this.

Quality control

Agree a written specification and approved samples before production. Use pre-shipment inspections by an independent firm, with clear acceptance criteria. Build quality terms and remedies into the purchase contract.

Duties, customs and compliance

Check the commodity code and duty rate on the UK Global Tariff ^[1]. Confirm who is responsible for customs clearance under the agreed Incoterms. Some goods face trade remedies or extra controls, so check before committing. See import duty from China to the UK and how to import from China.

Manufacturing in China

Manufacturing in China remains the default for many product categories because of the depth of its supplier clusters, component supply and tooling skills. The trade-offs are distance, lead time, minimum order quantities and the work needed to verify factories and control quality. Our independent China sourcing service handles that verification and compares China with other countries on landed cost.

When to diversify

Single-country dependency is a resilience risk. Many UK firms now run a China plus one strategy, keeping China for some lines and adding a second country for others. Our supply chain resilience guide covers the trade-offs.

How Caventis helps

An independent China sourcing agent covers landed cost modelling, supplier selection, audits and negotiation for UK businesses buying from China and other countries.

If you want help finding and qualifying suppliers, an independent product sourcing agent can compare options on landed cost for you.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to source a product from China?

For a straightforward product, finding, sampling and approving a supplier usually takes a few months before the first order ships. Custom tooling, certification or several sample rounds add time, and sea freight adds several weeks more.

Do I need to visit China to find a supplier?

Not always. Remote shortlisting, video calls and samples narrow the field, but an on-site audit by you or an independent firm is the best way to confirm the supplier is a real factory with the capacity it claims.

Should I pay a Chinese supplier the full amount up front?

Avoid it where you can. A deposit with the balance due after a passed pre-shipment inspection keeps leverage on quality. Agree payment terms in the purchase contract before production starts.