A first import from China is not “order on Alibaba and wait”. For a firm in Europe it is a sequence: what you want, who you pay, how goods travel, what customs asks. This text is for beginners. No assumption that you already know LCL, COO or landed cost.
The wider guide stays on Import from China. Here is the list so the first PO does not fail.
1. Know what you order
Before you message a supplier, write:
- product and material (not only a photo),
- quantity you can actually pay and store,
- target price at the warehouse, not only “how much in China”,
- date: when you need goods at destination, not when the factory says ready.
Without that, every quote looks cheap. MOQ and payment sit in China sourcing.
2. Company, VAT and a forwarder
Commercial import runs through a company. You need a VAT number and someone who files the entry (forwarder / customs agent). A private parcel is a different job.
Freight moves cargo and helps at customs. It does not check the factory.
3. Do not send all money up front
Classic beginner error: 100 percent advance to an Alibaba account you have not located. A typical model is a deposit after a written purchase order, the rest before shipment or after QC.
Alibaba and 1688 help research. They are not proof you buy from a factory. How to check: China suppliers.
4. Sample, then series, then vessel
The first import breaks when the series ships “from a picture”. Approve the sample in writing. Do QC before the vessel. A claim at your warehouse is late and expensive.
5. LCL or container
A first import rarely fills a 20'. LCL means you pay your cube in a shared container. FCL makes sense when you have the volume.
Indicative sea is about 35–52 days. Air is for samples and urgent, not for “cheap import”.
6. One figure: landed cost
“How much does import from China cost?” is empty without landed cost: goods plus freight plus duty plus VAT plus fees. If someone gives only a unit price, that is not an import offer.
What to do now
- Open Import from China.
- If you choose who you pay, China suppliers.
- Send a brief on contact: what, how many, by when.
Next step
Send a brief: category, quantity, date. You get a reply within 24 hours with a landed-cost outline where we can price it.
