How to Import Products from China: A Sourcing Checklist
Use this checklist to plan supplier verification, samples, compliance, landed cost, quality control, freight, customs, and receiving before ordering.
Reviewed and updated October 3, 2026 by Virteche Global
Importing from China follows the same core sourcing discipline as any international purchase, but distance, language, production specialization, holidays, export arrangements, and destination compliance make planning especially important. The importer remains responsible for understanding the rules in the market where goods will be sold.
1. Define the product and destination rules
Create a revision-controlled specification covering materials, dimensions, performance, packaging, labeling, and acceptable defects. Identify tariff classification, origin marking, safety, environmental, radio, chemical, food-contact, or other rules with qualified advisers before samples are approved.
2. Find and verify suppliers
Shortlist suppliers that fit the product and order size. Verify the legal contracting entity, factory or trading role, payment beneficiary, production capability, quality controls, certifications, and experience with the destination market.
- Do not send payment based only on a marketplace profile.
- Independently verify changed bank details.
- Use risk-based audits and restricted-party checks where appropriate.
3. Approve samples and commercial terms
Evaluate a suitable sample against the written specification and preserve an approved reference. Compare quotes on the same quantity, currency, delivery term, named place, packaging, testing, and lead-time basis.
- Define tooling and intellectual-property ownership.
- State deposit and balance milestones, inspection rights, remedies, change control, and dispute terms.
- Calculate landed cost and downside scenarios before ordering.
4. Control production and shipment
Confirm materials and approvals before production, monitor milestones, and inspect according to product risk. Book transport with complete weights, dimensions, commodity details, and dates. Have draft customs documents checked before departure.
- Plan around factory schedules and major holiday shutdowns using current supplier dates.
- Buy cargo insurance appropriate to the risk and delivery term.
- Keep specification, quote, PO, approvals, reports, invoices, packing list, and transport records together.
5. Receive and improve
Inspect receiving quantity and condition promptly, preserve evidence of damage or shortages, and follow claim deadlines. Track actual landed cost, defects, lead time, and supplier response so the next order uses evidence rather than assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a customs broker to import from China?
Requirements vary by destination and shipment. Even where self-filing is possible, a licensed broker can help with classification, valuation, entry, bonds, and agency requirements. The importer should still understand and verify the information filed.
What is the safest way to pay a new supplier?
There is no risk-free method. Use verified beneficiary details, staged payments tied to evidence, contractual protections, and a payment method proportionate to the order and counterparty risk. Avoid unexplained third-party or personal accounts.