How we introduce factories to US buyers

A clear process for what happens when we introduce a Chinese factory to a US buyer. What we do, what we don't, what the factory does, what the buyer does. No mystery.

The basic idea

You make product in China. We know US buyers who need product like yours. We introduce you. They buy (or don't). You ship. We get paid.

The mechanics are simple. What makes it work is doing the introductions correctly - matching the right factory to the right buyer, with realistic expectations on both sides.

How the introduction works

Step 1: You tell us about your factory

This is the 2-page factory profile from the Market research section. It tells us:

• What you make
• Capacity and MOQ
• Existing US-market experience (if any)
• Budget for US-side work
• Target channel (off-price, dollar, closeout broker, etc.)

Without this, we can't tell whether an introduction makes sense for you. With it, we can usually decide in 1-2 days.

Step 2: We identify potential buyers

Based on your profile, we identify which of our existing buyer contacts could be a fit. This isn't a database lookup - we walk our own network of US buyer desks, agents, and consolidators.

Common buyer types we introduce to: - US off-price retailers' sourcing desks (TJX vendors, Ross vendors, Burlington vendors) - Closeout brokers (Hilco, Gordon Brothers, smaller regional brokers) - Independent hardware retail buying desks - Home goods importers and wholesalers - US-based sales agents who represent overseas factories

For each potential buyer, we tell you: - Who they are (company + role of contact) - What categories they buy - Typical order sizes - Payment terms they typically offer - Whether they're a good fit for your situation

Step 3: We do the intro

We forward a one-page introduction document to the buyer. The document includes: - Your factory name and contact - Product categories you make - Why we're introducing you (what we know about the buyer's needs that matches what you make) - A sample pack info or photo link (if you have one)

We don't send pricing. Pricing comes later, between you and the buyer directly. We don't want to be a pricing intermediary.

Step 4: Buyer responds (or doesn't)

Three outcomes from the intro:

Outcome A: Buyer is interested

Buyer contacts you directly. You send samples, quotes, and follow up. This is the typical outcome when the match is good.

You handle the sales conversation. We step back.

Outcome B: Buyer passes

Buyer doesn't respond, or says "not a fit" or "not right now." This is normal. US buyers say no to most introductions. We expect about 1 in 5 introductions to lead to a first conversation.

If a buyer passes, we don't push. We move to the next potential buyer.

Outcome C: Buyer wants to discuss but timing isn't right

Buyer says "call back in 3 months" or "we're not sourcing this category right now." We log it and follow up at the right time.

Step 5: First order (if it happens)

Once a buyer places an order with you, our work shifts to: - Pre-shipment inspection (if you want it) - Compliance documentation review - Logistics coordination - Customs broker coordination - Post-shipment support if anything goes wrong

These are billable services. See Services.

What we don't do

We don't: - Cold-introduce you to TJX / Ross / Dollar Tree corporate. Those companies don't accept cold vendor applications. We introduce to their existing vendors, agents, and consolidators. - Negotiate pricing on your behalf. Pricing is between you and the buyer. We don't take a margin. - Guarantee first orders. Most introductions don't lead to a sale. The work is matching, not closing. - Take title to your goods. We don't buy from you and resell. - Replace your existing sales channels. We add to them. - Provide buyer lists. Our buyer contacts are private. We introduce when there's a fit, not on demand.

What we charge

Two scenarios:

Scenario 1: Just the introduction

Some factories just want an intro, no further services. We charge a flat fee per introduction: $300-500 per introduction, depending on the buyer.

If the intro leads to a sale, we don't take a commission. The fee is non-refundable. We tell you upfront whether we think the intro is high-probability or low-probability.

Scenario 2: Introduction + ongoing sales support

If you want us to stay involved - handling buyer follow-ups, coordinating samples, supporting logistics - we charge:

• Setup fee: $1,000-3,000 to cover the first 3 months of introductions and ongoing coordination
• Commission: 5-10% of net sales that come through our introductions

The commission only applies to sales where we made the introduction. If you find a buyer through your own channels, no commission.

What the factory does

Your responsibilities when we make an introduction:

• Respond to buyer inquiries within 24-48 hours during China business days. US buyers move on quickly.
• Send samples promptly. Sample lead time is often the difference between winning and losing an order.
• Quote in USD, FOB China. US buyers expect this format.
• Have a US purchase order template ready. Most US buyers want to send you a PO; you accept, sign, return.
• Provide compliance documentation. Different categories need different docs. We tell you which ones.

What the buyer does

Typical buyer-side process once you connect:

• Receive your intro from us
• Review your product list
• Request samples (1-2 weeks for you to ship)
• Test samples (1-4 weeks for the buyer)
• If interested: request quote, ask for compliance docs
• Issue a PO with terms (usually Net 30 or 50% deposit / 50% before shipment for first orders)
• Production timeline: 4-12 weeks
• Shipment: 4-6 weeks ocean
• Pay on agreed terms

How long does this take

Realistic timeline:

That's the realistic timeline. Faster than this is rare. Slower is common (especially if samples fail or compliance docs are delayed).

When this doesn't work

Honest list of when this approach fails:

• Wrong product for the buyer. We misjudge the match. We learn and adjust future intros.
• Factory capacity too small for buyer's MOQ. Need to find a smaller buyer or a co-packing partner.
• Pricing too high. Sometimes Chinese factories quote 30%+ above market. We can give market benchmarks; we can't force a price cut.
• Communication issues. Buyer feels the factory is unresponsive or hard to work with. This is fixable but takes time.
• Compliance gaps. Product category requires testing or docs the factory doesn't have. Fixable but adds 4-12 weeks.

If any of these come up after an intro, we tell you and discuss options. We don't push through a bad match.

What to bring to the conversation

If you're considering this service:

• 2-page factory profile (from the Market research section)
• Photos of product (good quality, retail-ready)
• 1-2 minute self-introduction in English (or 简, we translate)

That's it. We take it from there.

Next step

If you're considering this service: - Email us with the factory profile - We review and identify 3-5 potential introductions - We discuss and confirm which to send - We send the intros within 2 weeks of confirmation