Sourcing Guides
General, brand-agnostic guidance on sourcing from China.
How to Order from a Chinese OEM Manufacturer: A Step-by-Step Guide
General guidance on sourcing electronics manufacturing from China — inquiry, sampling, payment terms and shipping, independent of which factory you choose.
Read article →How to Vet a Chinese Electronics Manufacturer: A Due Diligence Checklist
General due diligence steps for evaluating any electronics manufacturer, independent of which factory you’re considering.
Read article →Alibaba vs Direct Factory Sourcing: What Changes When You Skip the Middleman
Marketplace sourcing platforms simplify discovery, but going direct to a verified factory changes your pricing, communication and quality control access.
Read article →How to Read a Factory Audit Report
A social compliance or quality audit report contains more useful detail than the pass/fail headline — here’s what to actually look for.
Read article →Sourcing Trade Shows: Are They Still Worth Attending in 2026?
Video factory tours and digital catalogs have reduced the need for in-person sourcing trips, but trade shows still offer something virtual channels can’t replicate.
Read article →Common Red Flags When Evaluating a New Supplier
A handful of warning signs consistently precede sourcing problems — here’s what experienced buyers watch for during initial evaluation.
Read article →How Exchange Rate Fluctuations Affect Your Sourcing Costs
Currency movement between quote and payment can meaningfully affect landed cost — here’s how experienced importers manage the exposure.
Read article →Incoterms Explained: FOB, CIF, EXW and What They Mean for You
Shipping terms materially affect your landed cost and risk exposure — here’s a plain-language breakdown of the three most common terms in electronics sourcing.
Read article →Building a Backup Supplier Strategy Without Overcomplicating Procurement
Full dual-sourcing is overkill for most buyers — here’s a lighter-weight approach to reducing single-supplier risk.
Read article →How to Negotiate Payment Terms with a New Manufacturer
Payment terms are more negotiable than many first-time buyers assume — here’s what typically moves and what doesn’t.
Read article →What a Sourcing Agent Does (and When You Don’t Need One)
Sourcing agents can add real value for complex, high-volume programs — but many buyers can manage a direct factory relationship without one.
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