2026 Procurement Guide for Brands and E-commerce Sellers

Updated April 2026 — A comprehensive guide to sourcing, verifying suppliers, quality control, logistics, and navigating tariffs when procuring from China.

1. Why Procure from China in 2026 (Advantages and Challenges)

Core Advantages

1. Full Industry Chain Advantage: China has the most complete manufacturing industry chain in the world. All links from raw material procurement to finished product production can be completed domestically. Suppliers for more than 90% of consumer electronics, daily necessities, and industrial products can be found in China, and production efficiency is 30%-50% higher than in other developing countries [Source: 2026 Report of Shanghai Cross-border E-commerce Industry Association].
2. Cost Advantage: Despite rising labor costs, China's comprehensive production cost is still 40%-60% lower than in Europe and the US, and 10%-20% higher than in Southeast Asian countries. However, supply chain stability and production efficiency are much higher than in Southeast Asia, so the overall cost-performance ratio remains the highest in the world.
3. Innovation Capability Advantage: China's innovation capabilities in new energy, AI hardware, smart home appliances, electric vehicles and other fields have become globally leading. The R&D speed of new products is 2-3 times faster than in Europe and the US. In 2025, China's exports of the "new three items" (new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, solar cells) increased by more than 30%, with long-term competitive advantages [Source: Sina Finance March 2026 Report].
4. Policy Support Advantage: The 2026 government work report clearly proposes to promote the expansion and upgrading of the cross-border e-commerce plus overseas warehouse model, increase credit and credit insurance support, expand the cross-border use of RMB, and improve the level of cross-border trade facilitation, providing policy support for procurement and export [Source: 2026 Government Work Report on NPC website].

Main Challenges

1. Uncertainty in Tariff Policies: The US still imposes an additional 145% tariff on most Chinese goods, and the EU CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) has been officially implemented, increasing the export cost of high-carbon products. Adjustments to import tariffs in various countries continue to affect the cost structure [Source: Zhixing Think Tank 2026 Cross-border E-commerce Analysis].
2. Increased Compliance Thresholds: Product compliance requirements in markets such as the EU and the US are constantly updated, with increasing thresholds for CE certification, FCC certification, environmental protection standards, etc., increasing compliance costs for small and medium-sized sellers.
3. Homogeneous Supply Chain Competition: The information gap dividend has been erased, supply chain advantages are leveled in extreme homogeneity, price competition is fierce, and brand building has become the long-term core competitiveness [Source: 100EC 2026 Cross-border E-commerce Outlook].
4. Rising Traffic Costs: Amazon advertising CPC continues to rise, TikTok Shop traffic competition intensifies, overseas customer acquisition costs are getting higher and higher, putting higher requirements on product profit margins.

2. Alibaba vs 1688 vs Made-in-China.com vs Direct Factory Contact

Alibaba.com

• Positioning: B2B platform for overseas buyers, suitable for medium and large-scale procurement, looking for suppliers with rich foreign trade experience
• Advantages: Suppliers generally have foreign trade experience, are familiar with international rules, support trade assurance transactions, and have platform protection
• Disadvantages: Supplier prices are relatively high, many are traders not factories, making screening difficult
• Suitable for: Medium and large sellers with annual procurement volume of more than $1 million, customers requiring professional foreign trade services

1688.com

• Positioning: China's domestic B2B wholesale platform, suitable for small-batch procurement, looking for domestic suppliers
• Advantages: Low prices, complete categories, many factories directly settled, supporting small-batch procurement and even drop shipping
• Disadvantages: Suppliers have insufficient foreign trade experience, many do not support export customs declaration and international logistics, requiring customers to solve export issues on their own
• Suitable for: Small and medium sellers with annual procurement volume of $100,000 to $1 million, customers with their own export channels

Made-in-China.com

• Positioning: B2B platform for industrial products and electromechanical products, suitable for procurement of industrial supplies and large equipment
• Advantages: High proportion of factories, strong authenticity, suitable for industrial category procurement
• Disadvantages: Fewer consumer product suppliers, platform functions are not as complete as Alibaba
• Suitable for: Customers purchasing industrial products, mechanical equipment, and large components

Direct Factory Contact

• Positioning: Directly connect with production factories, suitable for large-scale procurement and long-term cooperation customers
• Advantages: Lowest prices, high communication efficiency, ability to deeply customize products, and establish long-term stable cooperative relations
• Disadvantages: Need to find factories on your own, processes such as factory audit, negotiation, and contract signing are complex, with higher risks
• Suitable for: Large sellers with annual procurement volume of more than $1 million and mature supply chain management capabilities

3. Supplier Verification (Red Flags, How to Check Business Licenses, Using Tianyancha/Qichacha)

Red Flags (Be Cautious When Encountering These Situations)

1. Price is obviously more than 30% lower than the market average, very likely to be a scammer or using shoddy materials
2. Unwilling to provide business licenses, factory photos, or past customer cases
3. Require 100% advance payment, refusing any negotiation on payment terms
4. Reply extremely quickly to communications, agree to any request immediately without any objection
5. Registered for less than 1 year, registered capital less than 1 million yuan (~$142,857), without any qualification certification
6. No company-related information can be found online, or there are a large number of negative complaints

Checking Business Licenses

1. Require the supplier to provide a scanned copy of the business license duplicate, check whether the business scope includes the production or sale of relevant products
2. Check the establishment time, suppliers established for more than 3 years are relatively more reliable
3. Check the registered capital, it is recommended that production enterprises have a registered capital of more than 5 million yuan (~$714,286), and trading enterprises have more than 1 million yuan (~$142,857)
4. Check the authenticity of the business license through the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, check whether there are records of abnormal operation, administrative penalties, etc.

Tips for Using Tianyancha/Qichacha

1. Basic Information Query: Enter the company name to view the company's basic information, shareholder information, change records, and annual report information
2. Risk Information Query: Check whether the company has risk information such as legal proceedings, person subject to enforcement, dishonest person subject to enforcement, administrative penalties, abnormal operation, etc.
3. Operation Status Query: Check the company's patents, trademarks, qualification certificates, bidding information, import and export information, etc.
4. Associated Relationship Query: Check the company's affiliated enterprises, actual controller, and ultimate beneficiary, to avoid cooperating with shell companies
5. Score Reference: Enterprises with a Tianyancha score of more than 80 are relatively more reliable, and enterprises with a score below 60 should be cooperated with caution

4. Detailed Explanation of OEM/ODM/Private Label Processes

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing)

• Definition: The customer provides the design plan, technical parameters, and brand logo, and the factory produces products according to the requirements, labeled with the customer's brand

Process:

1. Customer provides product design drawings, technical specifications, and quality standards
2. Factory quotes, confirms price, delivery time, and payment terms
3. Sign contract, pay deposit (generally 30%)
4. Factory produces samples, customer confirms samples
5. Factory conducts mass production
6. Customer inspects goods, pays balance, factory ships

Suitable for: Customers who have their own product design and technical capabilities and only need factory production

ODM (Original Design Manufacturing)

• Definition: The factory has ready-made product design plans, the customer selects a suitable plan, requires the factory to modify part of the functions and appearance, and labels the customer's brand

Process:

1. Customer selects the factory's existing product plan and puts forward modification requirements
2. Factory evaluates modification feasibility, quotes, and confirms delivery time
3. Sign contract, pay deposit
4. Factory produces modified samples, customer confirms
5. Factory conducts mass production
6. Customer inspects goods, pays balance, factory ships

Suitable for: Customers who do not have their own design capabilities and want to launch products quickly

Private Label

• Definition: The factory has already mass-produced public mold products, the customer only needs to affix their own brand logo and packaging, then can sell

Process:

1. Customer selects the factory's public mold products, confirms product specifications
2. Customer provides brand logo and packaging design
3. Factory quotes, confirms delivery time
4. Sign contract, pay deposit
5. Factory produces, labels, and packages
6. Customer inspects goods, pays balance, factory ships

Suitable for: Small and medium sellers who want to enter the market quickly and test product demand

5. MOQ Negotiation Skills

MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) is the minimum order quantity set by the factory according to production cost and production efficiency. The MOQ of different products varies greatly, ranging from dozens to tens of thousands of pieces. The following are effective negotiation skills:

1. Small Batch Test for First Cooperation: Tell the factory it is the first cooperation, place a small batch first to test market reaction, and there will be a large number of repeat orders if sales are good. Most factories will accept test orders 30%-50% lower than the standard MOQ
2. Merge Orders for Similar Products: If purchasing multiple similar products at the same time, you can merge orders to reduce the MOQ of a single product
3. Accept Partial Customization Modifications: If the customization requirements for the product are not high, you can accept part of the factory's standard configuration to reduce MOQ requirements
4. Long-term Cooperation Commitment: Sign a long-term cooperation framework agreement with the factory, promise annual procurement volume, and the factory will be willing to reduce MOQ
5. Share Mold/Tooling Costs: If a new mold needs to be opened, you can share the mold cost with the factory to reduce MOQ requirements
6. Place Orders Before Peak Season: Place orders during the factory's off-peak production season, when the factory has sufficient capacity, it is easier to accept low MOQ orders; during peak season, the factory has tight capacity, so it is difficult to negotiate lower MOQ

2026 General MOQ Reference:

6. Quality Control (QC Process, AQL Standard, Remote Inspection, Third-party Inspection Companies)

QC (Quality Control) Process

1. IQC (Incoming Quality Control): After the factory purchases raw materials, inspect the raw materials to ensure they meet quality requirements
2. IPQC (In-Process Quality Control): Quality inspection of each process during production to timely detect problems in the production process
3. FQC (Final Quality Control): After production is completed, conduct 100% inspection of finished products to screen out unqualified products
4. OQC (Outgoing Quality Control): Before shipment, conduct sampling inspection of finished products to confirm that the entire batch of products is qualified

AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit) Standard

AQL is an internationally accepted sampling inspection standard, and different AQL standards are selected according to the risk level of the product:

• AQL 0.1/0.65: Suitable for high-risk products, such as medical equipment, children's toys, electronic product safety-related components, no serious defects allowed
• AQL 1.0/2.5: Suitable for ordinary consumer electronics and daily necessities, allowing a small number of minor defects
• AQL 4.0/6.5: Suitable for low-value products and industrial supplies, allowing more minor defects

The commonly used inspection standards for cross-border e-commerce products are AQL 2.5 (major defects) and AQL 4.0 (minor defects).

Remote Inspection

If you cannot go to the factory for inspection in person, you can use remote video inspection:

1. Require the factory's quality inspection personnel to show the production process and finished product status of the product through live video
2. Randomly select samples, require the quality inspection personnel to show the details of the samples, function tests, and packaging status
3. Require the factory to provide high-definition photos and videos as inspection evidence

Remote inspection has low cost and is suitable for inspection of small batch orders and low-value products.

Third-party Inspection Companies

For large batch orders and high-value products, it is recommended to use third-party inspection services:

• Mainstream domestic third-party inspection companies: SGS, BV, ITS, CTI, CCIC
• Service fee: Charged per person-day, generally 1,500–3,000 yuan (~$214–$429) per person-day, varying according to product complexity
• Service content: Conduct sampling inspection according to AQL standards, issue a professional inspection report, and clarify whether the product is qualified

Third-party inspection reports have legal effect, and can be used as a basis for claims if the product is unqualified.

7. Logistics and Transportation (FOB/CIF/DDP Explanation, 2026 Sea/Air Freight Price Range)

Explanation of Trade Terms

1. FOB (Free On Board): The seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the designated port of shipment on board the vessel and completing customs declaration. All costs and risks after the goods are on board are borne by the buyer. The buyer is responsible for sea/air freight, insurance, destination port customs clearance and other costs
2. CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight): The seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the destination port, paying sea/air freight and insurance costs. Destination port customs clearance, tariffs, delivery and other costs are borne by the buyer
3. DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): The seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the address specified by the buyer, bearing all costs, including sea/air freight, insurance, export customs declaration, import tariffs, destination port customs clearance, delivery, etc. The buyer only needs to receive the goods

2026 Sea Freight Price Range

Prices vary with seasons and market supply and demand, and prices will rise by 30%-50% during peak season (September–December).

2026 Air Freight Price Range

Volumetric cargo is charged according to volumetric weight: volumetric weight = length(cm) × width(cm) × height(cm) / 6000. When volumetric weight is greater than actual weight, it is charged according to volumetric weight.

8. 2026 Tariff Reality

US 145% Tariff

In 2026, the US still imposes an additional 10%-25% tariff on $370 billion worth of Chinese goods. Together with the basic tariff, the comprehensive tariff for some products is as high as 145%, mainly involving categories such as electronic products, textiles, furniture, and toys.

Countermeasures:

1. Conduct origin certification for products, and eligible products can be excluded from additional tariffs
2. Transit through Southeast Asia to avoid high tariffs
3. Adjust product structure and export products not affected by additional tariffs
4. Use the US de minimis rule, goods with a single ticket value of less than $800 can be exempted from tariffs (but the US is discussing canceling the de minimis rule in 2026, pay attention to the latest policy)

EU CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism)

In 2026, the EU CBAM is officially fully implemented, imposing carbon tariffs on high-carbon products such as steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, electricity, and hydrogen imported into the EU. The part of the product's carbon emissions exceeding EU standards requires additional tariffs. The tax rate is calculated based on the carbon price, which is about €80 per ton of CO2 in 2026.

Countermeasures:

1. Choose suppliers with low carbon emissions and purchase products produced with green energy
2. Provide product carbon footprint reports to prove that carbon emissions meet EU standards
3. Adjust product structure and export low-carbon emission products

EU de minimis Cancellation

In 2026, the EU has canceled the €22 de minimis tax exemption threshold, and all goods imported into the EU, regardless of value, are required to pay tariffs and VAT (Value Added Tax). VAT rates range from 17% to 27% depending on the country.

Countermeasures:

1. Include tariff and VAT costs in price accounting to avoid losses
2. Register an EU VAT number and declare VAT independently to reduce costs
3. Use EU overseas warehouses to stock up in advance and reduce customs clearance costs

9. Canton Fair Guide (2026 Spring Dates, Registration Process, Content by Phase)

The 139th Canton Fair Spring 2026 will open on April 15, 2026, held at the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou, with a total exhibition area of about 1.55 million square meters, gathering more than 40,000 exhibitors.

Content by Phase

Registration Process

Overseas Buyer Registration:

1. Visit the Canton Fair official website (https://www.cantonfair.org.cn), enter the buyer registration page
2. Fill in personal information, company information, and upload supporting documents such as passport and company business license
3. Submit for review, the review time is generally 3–5 working days
4. After passing the review, receive the buyer certificate and enter for free

Open Registration Period: The buyer registration time for the 2026 Spring Canton Fair is March 13–31, 2026. Failure to submit materials after the deadline is regarded as automatic abandonment, and there is no supplementary reporting channel.

Exhibition Visiting Tips

1. Check the exhibitor directory on the official website in advance, mark the suppliers you are interested in, and make an appointment for negotiation in advance
2. Prepare company introductions, procurement requirements, and business cards to improve negotiation efficiency
3. Wear comfortable shoes, the exhibition hall is very large, and you need to walk tens of thousands of steps every day
4. Try to avoid the peak flow of people in the first 2 days of the exhibition, there are fewer people in the later days, and you can have in-depth negotiations with suppliers
5. Bring a suitcase to conveniently carry suppliers' samples and materials

10. Amazon FBA Shipping Process from China

1. Stock Preparation: Produce and package products according to Amazon FBA packaging requirements, print FNSKU labels and affix them to each product, and affix shipping label labels to the outer boxes
2. Ship to Freight Forwarder Warehouse: Deliver the goods to the freight forwarder's warehouse in China, or arrange for the freight forwarder to pick up the goods at your door
3. Export Customs Declaration: The freight forwarder is responsible for handling export customs declaration procedures, providing customs declaration materials (packing list, invoice, contract, customs declaration authorization letter, etc.)
4. International Transportation: The freight forwarder arranges sea/air freight to the Amazon destination country port/airport
5. Destination Country Customs Clearance: The freight forwarder is responsible for destination country customs clearance, paying tariffs, VAT and other fees
6. Delivery to Amazon Warehouse: After customs clearance is completed, the freight forwarder arranges local logistics to deliver to the designated Amazon warehouse
7. Amazon Warehousing: The Amazon warehouse signs for the goods, scans and puts them into storage, and the products begin to be available for sale

Notes

1. Ensure that the products meet the certification requirements of the destination country (such as US FCC, EU CE, etc.) to avoid being detained by customs
2. Declare the value of the goods truthfully, avoid under-declaration leading to customs fines
3. Choose a freight forwarder with FBA transportation experience, familiar with Amazon warehousing requirements, to avoid warehousing delays
4. Purchase cargo insurance to avoid losses caused by loss or damage of goods during transportation

11. Customs Declaration and Import Process

Export Customs Declaration Process (China Export)

1. Prepare customs declaration materials: packing list, invoice, contract, customs declaration authorization letter, declaration elements, brand authorization letter (if there is a brand)
2. Entrust a customs broker to declare to the customs
3. The customs reviews the customs declaration materials, and opens the box for inspection if necessary
4. After passing the review, pay export tariffs (if applicable, most products are exempt from export tariffs and also have export tax rebates)
5. Customs releases, goods can be loaded on board/aircraft for export

In 2026, China's export customs declaration is fully electronic, and most goods can achieve "advance declaration" and "two-step declaration", with an average customs clearance time of no more than 24 hours.

Import Process (Destination Country Import)

1. After the goods arrive at the port, the freight forwarder/customs broker declares to the destination country customs
2. Submit import customs declaration materials: packing list, invoice, contract, bill of lading, certificate of origin, certification certificate, etc.
3. The customs reviews the materials, and opens the box for inspection if necessary
4. Pay import tariffs, VAT and other taxes and fees
5. Customs releases, goods can be picked up and delivered

Import processes and requirements vary greatly from country to country, it is recommended to find a local professional customs broker to handle it.

Export Tax Rebate

China implements an export tax rebate policy for most export products, with tax rebate rates ranging from 0% to 13%. Eligible enterprises can apply for export tax rebates to reduce costs. Conditions for export tax rebate:

1. The goods are within the scope of VAT and consumption tax collection
2. The goods have been declared and exported out of the country
3. Export sales have been processed financially
4. Foreign exchange has been received and verified

12. Real Fraud Cases and Prevention

Case 1: Advance Payment Fraud

• Case: A US seller found a supplier on 1688 with a price 30% lower than the market. The supplier required 100% advance payment. After the seller paid, the supplier lost contact, no goods were received, and the money could not be recovered, resulting in a loss of $50,000.
• Prevention: Never pay 100% advance payment, pay a maximum of 30% deposit, and pay the balance after the goods are inspected and qualified; try to choose orders with trade assurance protection, and the platform can compensate if there is a problem.

Case 2: Goods Not Matching Description

• Case: A European seller purchased a batch of electronic products, the sample quality was very good, but after receiving the bulk goods, it was found that inferior raw materials were used, there were many functional failures, and the qualification rate was only 30%. The supplier refused to compensate, resulting in a loss of €100,000.
• Prevention: Be sure to seal samples before mass production, arrange QC inspections during mass production, strictly inspect goods according to AQL standards before shipment, and pay the balance only after passing the inspection.

Case 3: Counterfeit Goods

• Case: A seller purchased a batch of branded sports shoes, the supplier said they were genuine, but they were actually high imitations. After the goods arrived in the US, they were seized by customs, the seller was sued by the brand owner, resulting in a loss of $200,000 and facing legal proceedings.
• Prevention: Do not purchase counterfeit or fake goods. For products involving brands, be sure to obtain the brand owner's authorization letter, declare truthfully, and do not conceal.

Case 4: Freight Forwarder Disappearance

• Case: A seller found a freight forwarder with very low prices to ship FBA. After paying the freight, the freight forwarder lost contact, and both the goods and freight were lost, worth $80,000.
• Prevention: Choose freight forwarders established for more than 3 years, with formal qualifications and good reputation, don't only look at the price, try to choose freight forwarders that allow monthly settlement or freight payment after the goods arrive.

General Prevention Principles

1. Don't be greedy for small bargains, prices obviously lower than the market average must have problems
2. All cooperation must sign a formal contract, clarifying the rights and obligations of both parties and liability for breach of contract
3. Payment terms should be as safe as possible, don't pay 100% in advance, trading through platform trade assurance is more secure
4. Keep written records of all communications, which can be used as evidence if problems arise
5. Be sure to conduct a background check on suppliers you cooperate with for the first time, try to conduct on-site factory audits or arrange third-party inspections