Before paying for your first Yiwu wholesale order, get the product specification, accepted sample, delivery responsibilities, and full cost in writing. Send the same request to each supplier. Compare quotes only after their quantities, materials, packing, and delivery terms match. A low item price is not enough to choose a supplier.
This is a first-order workflow for US buyers who have already chosen a buying route. If you are still deciding between a market visit, an agent, or online sourcing, start with our guide to buying from Yiwu Market from the US. Use this page to turn a supplier shortlist into a written order, an inspection plan, and a delivery budget.
Define the order before asking for prices
Build a short brief around one product you can inspect and sell. Decide the quantity per variant, acceptable packed size, and maximum spend on the entire order. Use the official Yiwugo directory to locate shops and record their contact details and shop numbers. A directory listing is a lead to verify, not proof of manufacturing capacity.
- Product identity: dimensions, material, color, finish, printing, and reference drawings or photos. Define which details cannot be substituted.
- Order quantity: units per design and total units. Ask whether the minimum order quantity applies per color, SKU, carton, or whole order.
- Packing: units per pack, units per carton, labels, carton dimensions, and gross weight. Specify retail-ready packing if you need it.
- Delivery destination: your US ZIP code and receiving requirements. Separate production time from time in transit.
If you buy through an agent, identify who contracts with you, pays the supplier, receives the goods, and handles a failed inspection. Ask the agent to disclose its fees and any commissions or incentives it receives from suppliers. For a DHgate seller, our supplier selection guide covers the seller checks that come before placing an order.
Send a quotation request you can reuse
The following is an illustrative brief for plain paper gift bags, not a real supplier offer. Replace the example dimensions and quantities with your actual requirements.
Product: Plain paper gift bags, 20 × 10 × 25 cm, with no printing. Please specify the paper grade, weight, handle material, and construction.
Quantity: 600 bags total: 200 each in three colors. Can the colors share one MOQ? Please state the price for this exact mix.
Sample and packing: Quote the sample and sample delivery separately. State units per pack and carton, packed dimensions, gross weight, and any packaging charge.
Delivery and payment: Quote in USD to our US ZIP code. Name the delivery term and place, list included and excluded charges, and state production time, quotation validity, payment stages, and what happens if inspection fails.
Changes: Do not change materials, colors, or packing without written approval. Please identify the business that will issue the invoice and the party arranging export.
Keep the supplier’s answers beside the brief. If an answer is missing, ask for it before deciding; do not fill the gap with an assumption.
Compare quotes on the same delivered basis
Check specifications first. A cheaper offer for a different material, fewer units, or simpler packing is not a like-for-like quote. Then list each cost once: goods, China-side collection, agent work, inspection, freight, insurance if purchased, applicable import charges, clearance, and final delivery.
A named delivery term helps allocate responsibilities, but read the quote itself. Confirm who handles export and import clearance and whether destination charges are included. If a quoted charge already covers an item, do not add it again.
Worked planning example—entirely invented figures, not live prices or tariff estimates. Both offers assume the same 600 approved bags and the same destination.
- Offer A: goods US$480, local collection/agent work/inspection US$120, freight US$240, and assumed import/destination charges US$90. Total: US$930, or US$1.55 per bag.
- Offer B: goods US$450, local collection/agent work/inspection US$150, freight US$260, and assumed import/destination charges US$110. Total: US$970, or about US$1.62 per bag.
Offer B has the lower goods price but costs US$40 more overall in this example. Replace every assumed charge with an item-specific quotation. Sample costs and any additional fees would also need to be included in your real budget.
Keep working cash and expected sales in view. The lowest unit price is not a reason to accept more stock than you can use. After delivery, calculate cost per saleable unit rather than automatically dividing by the ordered quantity.
Approve the sample and define the batch checks
Record the approved sample version with photos and a dated specification. If you accept a change, update both. The sample is a reference for the order; it is not a guarantee that the entire shipment will match.
For the gift-bag example, agree how the following will be checked before dispatch:
- Dimensions and material: measurement method, the agreed specification, and any permitted tolerance. Do not assume a universal tolerance applies.
- Construction: handles, seams, base, and finish. Describe which faults make a bag unacceptable.
- Color and appearance: compare with the approved reference under an agreed method, not an unrelated listing photo.
- Quantity and packing: count by color and pack, reconcile carton totals, and check labels and carton condition.
- Inspection record: identify the inspector, sampling plan, photos, results, and the order or batch checked. Agree the scope before inspection rather than choosing a convenient sample afterward.
Agree on a remedy for nonconforming goods: correction, replacement, reinspection, cancellation where available, or another written resolution. State who pays the related costs. Do not release a payment stage merely because production is described as complete when your agreement requires inspection first.
Confirm payment, paperwork, and freight
Use a written order that names the product version, quantities, price, payment stages, and delivery responsibilities. Verify the payee against the contracting party; independently check an unexpected bank-account change. If ordering on a marketplace, keep payment and communication within its approved process.
Ask for the commercial invoice and packing list information before dispatch. Check that the product description, quantities, carton counts, and weights agree. Confirm the exporter, importer, consignee, and party handling clearance. Have the relevant product classification and import requirements checked rather than treating an agent’s general assurance as clearance.
Toys, cosmetics, electrical goods, and food-contact products can require additional product-specific documentation or testing. A label check or a sample approved for appearance does not establish compliance. Resolve those requirements with the relevant US authority and a qualified professional before committing to production.
Check the delivery before placing a larger reorder
Record carton condition and counts on arrival, then compare the goods with the approved specification. Keep photos, messages, invoices, and inspection records. Report differences through the agreed claim route and within applicable deadlines; compensation is not automatic.
Reorder only when you can repeat the result: the specification is stable, delivered costs are understood, and any defects or communication problems have been resolved. Update the next quote for quantity, freight, and packing changes instead of assuming the first order’s terms remain available.