How it works
From first message to loaded container
Most trips follow the same seven steps. You send a product and a price target, we answer with factories and a schedule, then we run the week together.
What the week actually looks like
The sequence below holds for most trips. Shenzhen and Yiwu add a day of travel. Canton Fair weeks add two.
Before you book
Send the product and the target price
A photo, a price target and a rough quantity are enough to start. We check that the item can be made and shipped before you buy a ticket.
Week 1
Shortlist and audit
We screen suppliers, check business licences and export rights, and send three to five factories with photos and landed cost.
Week 2
Fix dates and visa
You confirm the dates. We book hotels, trains and factory slots, and issue the invitation letter your visa application needs.
Day 1–3
Visit and compare
Two to four factory visits a day inside one industrial belt. Prices negotiated on the spot and written into the meeting notes.
Day 4
Agree price and sample
Back at the table for price, tooling, packaging and delivery. Samples go out against your spec sheet, not the supplier's.
After you fly home
Follow the order
Deposit, production schedule and weekly checks, with pre-production and AQL 2.5 inspection reports and photos.
Shipment
Book and document
Three forwarder quotes, then the booking. We check documents, loading photos and the door delivery date.
Cost
Three ways to pay
Every figure is a starting point, quoted in writing before anything is booked. There is no open-ended hourly billing.
| Type | From | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Day rate | from US$280 / day | Interpreter, driver, local transport and itinerary support. Flights and hotels are excluded. |
| Project fee | from US$600 / project or 3–5% of order value | Sourcing, factory audit, sample chasing, inspection and weekly follow-up. |
| Logistics | quoted per shipment, no markup | Freight at cost plus a flat operations fee. Three quotes, compared in writing. |
Your side
What we need from you
Four details turn a rough idea into a costed plan. With them we can quote in a day.
- Product photos or links, plus your target price
- Estimated quantity and the market you sell into
- Your travel window, even a rough month
- A budget range for the trip, not only for the goods
Speed
How fast we can move
Three clocks run at once: the trip, the visa and the supplier.
48 hours — first draft itinerary
A draft route, a factory count and a cost range after your first message.
2 weeks — boots on the floor
Shortlist, invitations and travel dates fixed inside two weeks for most countries.
6 weeks — peak season lead time
Canton Fair and Chinese New Year fill hotels and factories. Book six weeks out for April and September trips.
Send the product. We will send the week.
One message with a photo and a target price is enough. Eight years in Guangzhou, 200+ buyers from 23 countries.