Shenzhen is speed: electronics, equipment, prototype, neighbouring Dongguan as a factory belt. A business trip without a check list easily becomes expensive improvisation. This list is for firms from Serbia who go to close suppliers, not to “feel the city”.
Trip goal before the ticket
Define one success sentence, for example:
- “Shortlist 2 PCB assembly partners plus an approved engineering sample plan”, or
- “Audit the current factory plus a QC protocol for the Q3 series”.
Without a goal, the calendar fills with showrooms.
Context: China sourcing.
2–3 weeks before departure
- Visa / entry regime checked on time
- Hotel near meetings (Nanshan / Futian / Bao’an, depends on the plan)
- WeChat business profile ready
- Tech pack, BOM, test criteria in PDF plus offline
- NDA template (if you share IP)
- Factory list with addresses and named contacts
- Interpreter / local agent if needed
- Budget: samples, taxi/Didi, courier, partner dinners
Mobility
Crowds and distances lie on the map. Plan max 2 serious audits per day. A Dongguan visit is a full day, not “on the way”. Metro plus Didi. Leave buffer for rain and traffic.
At the meeting / audit
- Business licence and address confirmed
- SMT / line / QC station seen live
- ESD / storage for electronics if relevant
- Traceability (lot)
- Capacity versus your forecast
- Photo/video with permission
- Names of who decides price and who decides quality
Detail: Supplier check.
Samples and IP
Do not leave the only drawing copy without a record of what you shared. Paid sample with a clear acceptance criterion. Engineering change only in writing. MOQ, sample, tool.
Payments
Do not carry large cash. Deposit only after a contract and a legal-name check. Align invoice legal name with the business licence. Talk FOB port (Shekou / Yantian often in play) or EXW.
Electronics flags
Batteries, chargers, radio, CE / RoHS papers, a test report that matches this model. See CE marking. A housing stamp is not a report.
After the trip (14 days)
Day 1–2: notes plus photos into CRM. Day 3–7: same RFQ to the shortlist. Day 7–14: sample PO. Do not pay a series deposit in the hall.
Sea is still about 35–52 days after cargo-ready. Sample 2–5 weeks. FTA from 1 July 2024 still wants HS and COO from the exporter you visited.
Papillon can walk the belt with you or instead of you. Business trip. Contact.
Next step
Send the request: category, quantity, and date. You get a reply within 24 hours, with an outline of the total cost to destination where we can price it.
