Your first order with a Chinese supplier: how to prepare so nothing goes wrong

The first order sets the pattern

Most problems with Chinese suppliers are not fraud. They are misunderstandings that were never written down: a colour that was "the same as the photo", a quantity in pieces that the factory read as sets, a delivery date nobody confirmed. The first order is where you build the habits that prevent all of that. Here is what to prepare, in order.

This article covers the supplier side only. Customs procedures, duties, import licences and labelling rules differ by country and change; check them with your customs broker or the authority in your country before you order.

1. Verify the company before any money moves

• Ask for the company's registered Chinese name and business licence, and check that the bank account you are asked to pay belongs to that company, not to a person or a different company.
• Look for the factory on a map, and ask for a short video call from the production floor.
• Ask for two references from customers in your region, and contact them.
• If the first order is large, a paid inspection by an independent inspection company before shipment is normal and inexpensive compared with the order.

If a supplier resists any of these, that is your answer.

2. Agree a written specification with photos

The specification is the single document that prevents most disputes. One page, in English, with:

• the product name, model and the exact variant you want
• material, dimensions, weight, colour with a reference code, and any grade or standard
• packaging: inner packing, pieces per carton, carton marking, pallets or not
• labels and any text or logo, with the artwork attached
• quantity in a clear unit, and what one unit means

Attach photos of what you want and, where it helps, photos of what you do not want. Have the supplier confirm the specification in writing, line by line, not with "ok".

3. Order a sample and approve it in writing

Pay for a sample and the courier. When it arrives, check it against the specification and photograph it. Then write to the supplier: "Approved sample, received on this date, production must match it." Keep the sample. If the production differs later, the approved sample and your written approval are what you point to.

4. Fix the documents before production

Agree which documents you will receive and when: the proforma invoice now, the commercial invoice and packing list at shipment, and any certificates you need for your market, which again is a question for your broker. Our article on the difference between a quotation, a PI, a PO and an invoice explains what each one commits. Make sure your purchase order and the supplier's PI match line by line.

5. Pay in stages against milestones

A common structure for a first order is a deposit on the PI, and the balance after a pre-shipment inspection or against the shipping documents. The exact split is negotiated. What matters is the principle: no stage is paid before the milestone it belongs to, and every payment references the deal number.

6. Keep one channel and write everything down

Chinese suppliers often prefer WeChat, and it does give faster replies. Use it for the daily conversation, but put every decision in an e-mail the same day: "As agreed today, the colour is code X and the delivery date is Y." If a question is answered by voice, write the answer back and ask for a confirmation. For contracts and specifications in Chinese, our document translator keeps the layout and is checked by a person; the details are on the services page.

7. Plan the time honestly

A first order takes longer than any later one: samples, approvals and inspection all add days. Ask the supplier for a production schedule with dates and build your own plan backwards from when you need the goods. Treat Chinese public holidays as production stops, because they are.

A one-page checklist

If you are preparing a first order and want a second opinion on your specification or your supplier list, message us on WhatsApp.