Blog
Practical insights on doing business in China — sourcing, inspection, and local support.
China Factory Says Your Order Is Delayed: What Should You Do First?
When a Chinese factory says your order is delayed, the first step is not to immediately cancel the order or accept a new delivery date. Buyers should first identify the cause of the delay, check the actual production stage, compare the remaining work with the shipping deadline, and ask the factory for a specific recovery plan. This article explains how overseas buyers can assess the real impact of a factory delay and decide whether they need closer production monitoring, an on-site check, or a partial shipment.
How to Track a China Factory's Production Progress Without Being There
This article explains how overseas buyers can monitor a Chinese factory's actual production progress without being physically present. It covers what useful production updates should contain, how to compare reported progress with the original schedule, which evidence is meaningful, and when remote updates are no longer enough and an on-site check makes sense.
What a China Factory Production Schedule Should Actually Include
A factory's statement that an order will be completed in 30 days is not the same as a production schedule. This article explains what a useful China factory production schedule should contain, including material readiness, production start, key manufacturing stages, quality checks, packaging, and shipment readiness. It also shows buyers how to read milestone dates, identify vague schedules, and respond when actual progress starts falling behind plan.
China Supplier Prices: What “VAT Included” and “VAT Excluded” Actually Mean
Chinese supplier quotations often show prices as “VAT included,” “VAT excluded,” or simply provide a number without explaining the tax treatment. For overseas buyers, this can make two apparently similar quotations difficult to compare. This article explains what VAT means in a China supplier quote, why export arrangements can change the treatment, and what buyers should confirm before comparing prices or placing an order.
Why Chinese Suppliers Use Subcontracted Factories: What Buyers Should Know
This article explains why Chinese suppliers may use subcontracted factories and why subcontracting is not necessarily a red flag. It covers what buyers should verify about the actual production facility, quality control, production responsibility, and potential risks before approving an order.
Why a Chinese Supplier’s English Name May Not Be Its Legal Company Name
A Chinese supplier's English name does not always match the company's registered Chinese legal name, and that difference is not automatically a problem. This article explains why the names can differ, what buyers should verify to connect the English-facing business identity with the correct registered entity, and which mismatches should trigger further checks before signing a contract or sending payment.
Why a Chinese Factory May Use a Trading Company to Export Your Order
A Chinese manufacturer may use a separate trading company to handle overseas sales, export paperwork, or logistics. This article explains how buyers can distinguish a normal export arrangement from an unclear transaction by checking who manufactures the goods, who sells them, who receives payment, who handles export, and who remains responsible for the order.
Samples Declared as "Personal Effects": Why This Shortcut Creates a Customs Problem
Some suppliers ship samples under a "personal effects" customs declaration to skip paperwork. It has a strict value limit, and going over it isn't a simple fine.
China's New Enterprise QR Code: A Faster, Harder-to-Fake Way to Verify a Supplier
A new QR code now appears on Chinese business licenses, and it does something a supplier's stated company name and self-reported documents can't: link directly to the official government registration record. Here's how this new verification tool works and why it closes a gap manual registry searches leave open.
Social Insurance Headcount vs Real Staff Size: Why the Numbers Rarely Match Exactly
Checking a Chinese factory's social insurance records is a legitimate, useful way to estimate real staff size — but buyers who find the number lower than the factory's claimed headcount often jump to the wrong conclusion. A gap between insured employees and total workers is common and usually explainable. Here's how to read it correctly.