Our China product sourcing service covers the full path from supplier identification to a documented, confirmed production order. Finding a supplier is only the beginning. Getting from that first contact to a confirmed order takes supplier screening, sample coordination, price comparison, written terms, and production-start follow-up.
We work with Amazon sellers, B2B importers, independent brands, and Kickstarter founders who need a China-based team to manage the supplier relationship from the start.
The Four Services at a Glance
| Service | What You Get | Start Here If |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier Sourcing | Screened shortlist, price comparison | No supplier yet |
| Product Development | Production-ready approved sample | Design done, need sample |
| Purchase Management | Confirmed terms, signed order | Sample approved |
| Order Management | Production tracked to shipment | Order placed |
Many buyers need more than one of these. Some need all four in sequence.
What Each Service Covers
Supplier Sourcing: We identify, screen, and compare Chinese suppliers for your product. We handle supplier search, supplier screening, price comparison, and sample coordination, so you have a screened shortlist before you commit to a supplier.
Product Development: We help buyers move from existing drawings, prototypes, or reference products to a buyer-approved sample ready for production. We manage production capability matching, specification review, sample rounds, and packaging coordination.
Purchase Management: We confirm final pricing, payment terms, and written order terms, then issue and confirm the purchase order. We coordinate the deposit process and confirm the production start arrangement before handing off to Order Management.
Order Management: We follow production from order confirmation to shipment readiness. We confirm specifications and production expectations, track the production timeline, manage factory communication, and prepare the handoff for inspection or shipment.
How the Services Connect
Buyers who use the full process usually follow this path:
Supplier Sourcing → Product Development → Purchase Management → Order Management
Not every order requires all four. The right starting point depends on whether you already have a supplier, sample, confirmed specification, or purchase order. An established buyer with an existing supplier and approved sample might start at Purchase Management. A buyer returning after a quality problem might start with Supplier Sourcing to find a better factory. We can support buyers at different stages of the sourcing process.
Sourcing on Your Own vs. Sourcing with a Local Team
Both routes can work. The difference shows up in time, screening depth, and what happens when something goes wrong.
| On Your Own | With Maple Sourcing | |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier search | Platform listings, remote screening | Verified on the ground |
| Price benchmark | One or two quotes | Side-by-side comparison |
| Communication | Time zones, language gaps | Local team, supplier hours |
| Order terms | Factory-weighted templates | Reviewed before deposit |
| When problems occur | Remote, little leverage | In-person factory visits |
Who This Is For
New importers who need help at every stage: finding a supplier, developing a product, placing an order, and monitoring production.
Established buyers who handle some stages themselves but need support at specific points, such as negotiation, production follow-up, or supplier replacement.
Kickstarter founders who have a funded campaign and need a China-based partner to manage manufacturing from prototype to first production run.
Amazon FBA sellers sourcing private label products who need a consistent process from supplier search through to production-ready order setup.
How Fees Work
Our product sourcing fee is 10% of your order value, fully transparent, with nothing added on top. Many sourcing agents quote between 3% and 10%, so our fee sits at the top of the visible range. But a low headline rate can hide a margin built into the factory price. A low-rate agent who does not show you the factory’s real quote may cost you far more than 10% in the end.
We work the other way around. You see the factory’s real price, you get the factory’s contact details, and our fee is the only money we make on your order. We have priced this way since 2012, and that transparency is one reason many of our clients have stayed with us for more than five years.
FAQ
Q1. Do I need to visit China to use this service?
No. The process is designed to run remotely. You review supplier shortlists, samples, and order terms from home, while our team handles the on-the-ground work. If you want to visit factories yourself, we can arrange and accompany the visit.
Q2. Are you limited to suppliers near Shenzhen?
Our team is based in Shenzhen, but supplier search covers manufacturing regions across China. Product categories cluster in different cities, and we search where your product is actually made rather than only what is nearby.
Q3. Do you work with small first orders?
Minimum order quantities are set by factories, not by us, and they vary widely by product. Small trial orders are common for new sellers, and part of supplier screening is finding factories whose minimums match your volume.
Q4. What should I prepare before the first contact?
A product description or reference link, your target quantity, your target price if you have one, and any drawings or samples. Rough information is fine to start. We will tell you what is missing before supplier search begins.
Q5. How long does it take to go from supplier search to a confirmed order?
It varies by product. A simple product with standard specifications can move from search to confirmed order in a few weeks. Custom products with multiple sample rounds often take two to three months. We confirm a realistic timeline after reviewing your requirements.
Q6. Will I know which factory produces my order?
Yes. The supplier shortlist comes with real company details, and you approve the supplier before any order is placed. You are never asked to buy from a factory you cannot identify.
Q7. What happens if the samples are rejected?
Sample rounds are part of the process, and a rejected sample is information, not failure. We document what missed the specification, work with the factory on a revised round, and if the factory cannot meet the requirement, we return to the screened shortlist.
Q8. Does Product Sourcing include quality inspection?
No. Our product sourcing service runs through production follow-up to shipment readiness. Final inspection, factory audits, and in-process quality checks are handled under our Quality Control services.
Ready to Start?
Tell us where you are in the process and what you need. We will recommend the right starting point and confirm what our sourcing team can cover for your order.
If you also need supplier verification, factory audits, in-process quality checks, or final inspection, our Quality Control services can be added to the sourcing process.
