20 questions Chinese factories actually ask us. Honest answers. Some answers are "we don't know yet" or "it depends." That's a real answer.
Source: actual questions from discovery calls, WeChat conversations, 公众号 comments, and 展会 conversations. Updated as new questions come in.
A: Yes, but be specific about what you mean by "the US market."
The US discount and liquidation channel is large and growing (TJX alone does ~$55B/year). The big-box retail channel is harder (Tariffs, "China + 1" sourcing strategies, declining share). DTC and Amazon are crowded but viable with the right product.
If your product fits the discount channel (off-price, dollar, closeout, thrift), there's room. If you want to be a Walmart vendor directly, that's much harder.
A: Tariffs are real but not new. They've been part of the landscape since 2018.
What's changed: - Section 301 tariffs on many Chinese goods (some at 25%, some 7.5%, some 0%) - New tariffs added in 2024-2025 (varies by product) - "China + 1" sourcing strategy pushes factories to add capacity in Vietnam / Mexico / Cambodia
What's not changed: - The discount channel still buys heavily from China - Tariffs are added to cost; the buyer pays them (or absorbs them); the factory absorbs some; everyone shares - High-volume Chinese factories can still price below US and Southeast Asian competitors
What to do: - Check the HTS code for your product and the current duty rate - Build landed cost on current tariff + 10% buffer for changes - If your margins are <30%, the US market is hard regardless of tariffs - For some products (Vietnam / Mexico assembly), there are duty-saving structures - discuss with a customs broker
A: Realistic range: 3-9 months from first serious outreach to first order.
Breakdown: - Profile + first intro: 1-2 weeks - Buyer response + sample: 2-4 weeks - Buyer evaluation + quote: 2-4 weeks - First PO: 2-4 weeks after sample approval - Production: 4-12 weeks - Ocean shipping: 4-6 weeks
Faster than 3 months: rare unless you have an existing relationship. Slower than 9 months: common, especially if compliance docs are delayed or your sample fails buyer testing.
A: No. Chinese factories commonly export as foreign entities without forming a US LLC.
What you need: - US trademark (if shipping branded goods) - EIN (Employer Identification Number, free from IRS, can be obtained in 15 minutes if you have a US person to receive it, or via fax/phone otherwise) - US bank account for receiving USD payments (we can help you open one) - US agent for service of process (often your customs broker or lawyer)
When you might want a US entity: - Volume > $1M/year to one US customer - Want to buy US inventory and resell - Want to limit personal liability
For most Chinese factories starting out, no US entity is fine.
A: A small team with US-side presence and China-side reach.
US side: warehouse, customs broker relationships, US banking, US buyer network.
China side: factory visits, sample coordination, factory-side trademark filing support.
We don't list team names on the website. If you want to know who's behind this, ask on the discovery call.
A: Both. We have presence in both places. We're not "China agents working with US buyers" or "US agents working with Chinese factories." We're the bridge.
A: Different services.
Alibaba / MIC: a platform where factories list products. Buyers search and contact factories. We don't replace this; some of our clients use both.
Us: introduction, sales outsourcing, catalog listing, show coordination, US warehousing. We're a service, not a platform.
If you're already getting inquiries from Alibaba, we can help you qualify and close those. If Alibaba isn't producing, we can introduce you to buyers we know directly.
A: Yes, for sales we make possible.
For services where we don't make the sale (trademark filing, inspection, compliance, warehousing), we charge a flat fee, no commission.
A: Yes. Standard mutual NDA. We'll send one before the discovery call if you want. Or we can countersign yours.
We don't share your factory information with anyone without permission. Our NDA is mutual: we both protect each other's confidential information.
A: Nothing. 30 minutes, free. Email us with a 2-page factory profile and we'll set it up.
A: No. US trademark law requires (in practice, not legally) a US attorney to file. We'll coordinate with one and bundle the cost.
Cost is $450-700 per mark (1 class). Less than $1,000 total to file a brand.
A: 8-12 months from filing to registration.
You can use the "TM" symbol next to your brand from the day you file. The "®" symbol is reserved for fully-registered marks (after issuance).
If you're planning to start shipping in the next 6 months, file now.
A: No. We refer to a customs broker.
We coordinate the handoff (factory → broker → US warehouse → buyer) but the broker does the customs filing. Cost is $100-300 per entry.
A: Per pallet per month: $25-50. Plus receiving ($25-75 per pallet) and pick-and-pack ($3-10 per order).
Total monthly cost for a small operation: $200-500/month base + usage.
We can recommend warehouses in LA, Memphis, and NJ.
A: No. We work with factories shipping through traditional channels (off-price, dollar, closeout, importers). Amazon FBA setup is a separate service.
Some of our clients sell on Amazon themselves in addition to our channels. We don't coordinate that.
A: Different commitment levels.
Sales outsourcing (us): - Setup fee + commission (8-12%) - No US employee on your payroll - We handle multiple sales roles - Can ramp up or down
US employee (your hire): - $4,000-7,000/month + benefits - Full-time on your team - Long-term commitment - You manage directly
For most first-time and second-year factories, sales outsourcing is the right fit. Once you're at $1M+/year to a US customer, hiring your own US rep starts making sense.
A: Not directly. TJX doesn't accept cold vendor applications.
What we can do: - Introduce you to TJX vendors (factories or agents that already supply TJX) - Walk the floor at ASD Market Week where TJX sourcing desks walk - Help you develop the right product and pricing for the TJX category you want to enter
Realistic path: become a vendor of a TJX vendor (an agent or consolidator), grow volume, eventually get direct access.
A: You don't sell to Amazon. Amazon sells your product; you fulfill it.
Amazon FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) basics: - You ship inventory to Amazon's warehouse - Amazon handles customer orders, shipping, returns - Amazon takes a fee (% of sale, varies by category) - You need UPC codes, listings, and Amazon-specific compliance
We don't coordinate this. There are dedicated Amazon service providers.
What we can do: if your product fits Amazon's discount / overstock channels (Amazon Outlet, Woot!), we can sometimes place inventory there through a B-grade channel placement.
A: Three different off-price retailers, each with different buyer desks and category focuses.
TJX Companies: - TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, HomeSense, Sierra, Winners - ~$55B annual revenue - Largest off-price; biggest home segment via HomeGoods/HomeSense - Sourcing: dedicated vendor base, infrequent new vendor onboarding
Ross Stores: - Ross Dress for Less, dd's DISCOUNTS - ~$21B annual revenue - Apparel-heavy but growing home - Sourcing: similar to TJX, slightly more open to new vendors
Burlington Stores: - ~$10B annual revenue - Apparel + home, smaller scale than TJX - Sourcing: similar model, smaller vendor base
For a Chinese factory with home goods, HomeGoods/HomeSense is the highest-priority target. They buy from overseas agents and consolidators, often in mixed containers.
A: Ask 5 questions:
If you answered yes to 4 of 5, the discount channel probably fits. If 3 or fewer, consider other channels first.
A: Yes. Two ways:
Our catalog page (Network > Catalog) shows current listings. If similar products are moving, your category has demand.
Discovery call with us. We share what we're hearing from buyers (general categories, not specific buyer lists).
We don't share buyer lists. We share patterns.
A: Email us. We'll answer within 2 business days, or point you to the right person.
For specific situations, the discovery call is the fastest path to a real answer.