Services
Six things we do, and what you get back from each one.
We are a sourcing partner, not a factory and not a directory.
Below is exactly what we take on, what you receive at each stage,
and where our limits are. Where we cannot yet commit to a number,
we say so instead of inventing one.
One published rate: 5% of the order value, shown as a
separate line on your quotation. No tiers, no subscription, no monthly
retainer.
Product sourcing and negotiation
What we do
- Read your requirement — a photo, a link, a drawing or a sample
- Screen suppliers on capability, not just on price
- Obtain comparable quotes on the same specification
- Negotiate unit price, tooling and payment terms
- Send you a shortlist and the reasoning behind it
What you get back
- A quotation with unit price and the 5% fee shown separately
- The region and cluster the product comes from
- Our reasoning for rejecting the alternatives
- A written list of anything still missing to quote accurately
Supplier audit
Most sourcing failures are decided before the first order,
by who you chose. This is the step that decides that.
Identity
Business licence, registered address against production address.
A mismatch is a warning sign, and we tell you when we see one.
Capability
Do they own the production line, or do they subcontract it?
Subcontracted production means the delivery date is not theirs to promise.
Evidence
Certificates as originals, not as a sentence in a chat message.
If a claim cannot be evidenced, we treat it as unverified.
Where we are honest about our own limits: we are a newly
established company and we are still building our supplier records. Where a
supplier has been visited in person or has run a trial order with us, we say
so. Where we have not, we mark it as under research rather than implying a
relationship we do not have.
Quality control before shipment
The sample you approve becomes the written standard for the whole order.
Inspection happens against that standard, in China, before the container leaves.
The sequence
-
Approved sample sealed
Your approved sample and its specification are recorded before production starts.
-
Production check
We confirm production has actually started on your specification, not a generic one.
-
Pre-shipment inspection
Goods are checked against the sealed standard before they are packed for shipment.
-
Report and photographs
You receive a written report and photographs. Shipment does not proceed until you have seen it.
What the report covers
- Quantity and packing count
- Workmanship and finish against the approved sample
- Dimensions and weight against specification
- Function check where the product has a mechanism
- Carton marks, labels and barcodes
- Photographs of the goods and the packing
Consolidation and mixed loading
Buying from one supplier is the exception, not the rule. Buying from six and
receiving six separate shipments is where the freight cost destroys the margin.
Collect
Goods from multiple suppliers are received and held at a single point
rather than shipped separately.
Inspect
Each supplier’s goods are checked before they are mixed into the
load, so a problem is attributable to the right supplier.
Load as one
One shipment, one set of documents, one invoice from us — which is
also what your customs broker and your accountant want.
Note on small orders: consolidation only saves money above
a certain volume. If your order is small, we will tell you that shipping
separately may be cheaper rather than sell you a container you do not need.
Private label, OEM and ODM
Your brand on an existing product is private label. A product modified to your
specification is OEM. A product designed with you from the start is ODM.
The factory conversation is different in each case — we run it for you.
We handle
- Artwork and print file preparation with the factory
- Packaging structure, material and printing method
- A print proof sent to you for written approval
- Barcode, label and compliance text placement
- Tooling and mould questions, and who owns what
You decide
- The design and the wording on it
- Whether the tooling is owned by you or by the factory
- Final approval before production is released
Tooling cost, sample lead time and private-label minimums depend on the
product and the factory. We quote them per project rather than publish a
number that would be wrong for your case.
Logistics and export documents
The goods are made. Now they have to arrive, and the paperwork has to satisfy
a customs broker on the other side.
Booking & loading
Space booked, container loaded and sealed, with loading photographs.
Export documents
Invoice, packing list and the certificates your destination actually asks for.
Consistency
We check invoice, packing list and bill of lading agree with each other —
a mismatch is how shipments get held.
Tracking
You receive the booking confirmation and tracking rather than having
to ask for it.