Thinking of buying products from China but not sure who to trust? A good sourcing agent can make or break your business. They help you find reliable suppliers, inspect products, and handle shipping—all while saving you time and money.

In this post, you’ll learn the 7 most important questions to ask before hiring a China sourcing agent—so you don’t waste your time, money, or trust.

Whether you’re a first-time importer or a growing eCommerce brand, this guide is packed with must-know tips to help you avoid scams and find the right partner in China.

1. How Do You Find and Verify Suppliers?

Great sourcing agents don’t rely on just one platform. Here’s what a trustworthy agent will use:

  • 1688: Local Chinese supplier platform with better pricing (but harder for non-Chinese to use).
  • Alibaba: Great for global buyers, but filled with trading companies.
  • China wholesale markets: Like Yiwu, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen.
  • Private supplier networks: Built from years of experience.

A strong sourcing agent knows how to verify suppliers beyond a simple Google search. They combine tools, local insight, and years of hands-on experience to identify reliable partners.

How we verify suppliers:

✅ Check Business License
We ask for a valid license and confirm whether the supplier is a manufacturer or a trading company. Matching this to their online identity helps us filter out fake suppliers.

✅ Verify online profiles
We analyze:

  • 1688 or Alibaba store ratings

  • Supplier type (e.g., 实力商家 vs. 普通诚信通)
  • Gold Supplier (39,800 RMB) or Verified Supplier (89,800 RMB) on Alibaba
  • Company age and review history (4.5 stars+ is ideal)

✅ Check metrics like:

  • Repeat purchase rate (30%+ is good, 50%+ is excellent)
  • Immediate shipping rate
  • Product consistency and category focus
  • Competitive pricing (we do image-based price comparison)

✅ Ask for a 17% VAT invoice
Only real factories can issue this. No invoice? Big red flag. A VAT invoice not only proves legitimacy but also helps with export documentation.

✅ Request certifications
We verify:

  • Factory audits (BSCI, Sedex)
  • ISO 9001 or safety certificates
  • Product test reports

⚠️ Be careful if they delay or ask you to pay for certifications. Legit factories already have them.

✅ Know the right regions
China has industrial clusters:

  • Baigou → Bags & backpacks
  • Yiwu → Small commodities
  • Shenzhen → Electronics
    If the factory is far from the known zones, we verify more carefully.

2. Do You Offer Quality Inspections or Factory Visits?

Yes, always. We follow strict AQL standards (Acceptable Quality Level) for every order. Quality control is not just a checkbox—it’s the foundation of a successful import. If you are using our sourcing service, we will offer the basic AQL inspection for FREE.

  • We visit the factory for orders over $10,000 and record an audit video.
  • We inspect for:
    • Product appearance and defects
    • Functionality and packaging
    • Labeling and safety requirements

These inspections help prevent costly mistakes and ensure customer satisfaction. If you need one professional quality inpepection report, please let us know, we will offer the price for you shortly.

3. Can You Check Product Compliance and Certifications?

Absolutely. Compliance is critical when importing to the US, EU, or other markets.

We confirm:

  • Product functions match your expectations
  • Certifications are valid and real (not Photoshopped!)
  • The product meets local regulations (RoHS, CE, FCC, etc.)

Many markets have strict rules for product safety and labeling. Without proper documentation, your goods could be seized or delayed at customs. We make sure that doesn’t happen.

4. How Do You Charge for Your Services?

We keep it simple:

  • Commission-based: 3%–5% of the total order value
  • ✅ Minimum order value: $500 USD total
  • No hidden fees, no surprises

Transparency matters. Some agents might charge low upfront but add hidden costs later. We’re upfront from day one.

5. Do You Help Negotiate Better Prices with Suppliers?

Yes! We know factory pricing benchmarks and use them to your advantage.

We:

  • Compare multiple suppliers
  • Ask the right questions
  • Negotiate MOQ, price breaks, and payment terms

We’re not just middlemen—we’re your advocate. Our job is to help you save money while maintaining quality.

6. Can You Help with Sample Orders and Bulk Orders?

Of course! Our process:

  1. Sample order first
  2. Check quality and function
  3. Move to bulk production

By starting small, you reduce risk. We help test the waters before you commit big money. Our team handles communication, testing, and production follow-up.

7. Do You Offer Help with Shipping and Customs?

Yes—we’re your one-stop logistics partner.
We handle:

  • International shipping
  • Customs paperwork
  • Freight forwarding
  • Duty tax support

Whether you’re shipping to the US, Europe, or Southeast Asia, we have freight partners and licensed brokers to smooth the process.

Check out our Shipping Service Page for full details.

Final Question: What’s your Sourcing process?

  1. Customer Sends Detailed Inquiry:
    The process starts when you send us a detailed inquiry with product pictures, links, specifications, and quantities. If you need one template, ask our team to send one shortly. 

  2. Build a Professional Team:
    Our sourcing experts at Dropshipme assemble a dedicated team to handle your sourcing needs.

  3. Offer Initial Quotation and Negotiate Price:
    We provide an initial quotation and negotiate the best possible prices with suppliers to fit your budget.

  4. Sample Order and Bulk Order:
    Once you approve the pricing, we move forward with sample orders and, later, bulk orders. This ensures the product meets your expectations before mass production.

  5. Production Follow-up:
    We keep track of the production process to ensure it’s on schedule and meets quality standards.

  6. Quality Inspection:
    Quality checks are performed at every step of production to ensure that the product meets your exact requirements.

      7. Shipping and Logistics:
          Finally, we handle all aspects of shipping and logistics, ensuring timely delivery to your destination.

  • We will well pack your items, and arrange different shipping option: by sea, by air, by express like DHL, Fedex.
  • Make a Packing list Commercial invoice and Certificate of Origin (CO), and another document you need for customs clearance.
  • Send express tracking code or bill of Loading and well follow up the shipment status.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a China sourcing agent is a smart move—if you ask the right questions. The more transparent and experienced the agent, the smoother your import process will be.

At Dropshipme, we’ve helped 1,000+ global businesses over the last 10 years. Whether you need one product or want to scale up, we’re here to help every step of the way.

From factory sourcing to logistics, we handle the heavy lifting—so you can focus on growing your business.

Want to talk to a real sourcing expert?
Contact us at [support@dropshipme.com] or visit contact us now!