The three services every Chinese factory needs before shipping product to the US for the first time. Order matters.
Why first: Without a US trademark, US customs can seize your branded goods at the port of entry. This is non-negotiable for any product carrying a brand name.
Why second: Catches defects before they leave your factory. Cheap insurance against a much larger problem (rejected shipment, lost buyer trust).
Why third: Many product categories require specific US compliance certifications (CPSC, FCC, FDA, Prop 65, etc.). Without them, your goods are blocked at US customs or pulled from shelves.
The three services have dependencies:
| Service | When to do it | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| US trademark | Before first branded shipment | (nothing) |
| Compliance documentation | 4-12 weeks before first shipment | (nothing) |
| Pre-shipment inspection | During production, before shipment | Trademark filed (so branding is correct) |
You can do compliance and trademark in parallel. Inspection is the last step.
You can't. Customs will seize the goods if they're branded and you don't have a US filing. The trademark filing takes 8-12 months. File before you need it.
Maybe. But many factories are wrong about this. Children's products need CPSC. Electronics need FCC. Food-contact items need FDA. Soft goods often need Prop 65 warnings. If you don't know whether your product needs compliance, ask before shipping.
You can. But your QC team doesn't have skin in the game. If 5% of your shipment is defective and your team passes it, the buyer pays the cost - and doesn't reorder. An independent inspector with a report the buyer trusts is worth the cost.
Month 1-2: Discovery call + factory profile
Month 2-3: Trademark filing prepared and submitted
Month 3-4: Compliance documentation process starts
Month 4-6: Compliance certificates obtained
Month 6-9: First US buyer identified (via Network)
Month 9-10: Production runs at your factory
Month 10: Pre-shipment inspection
Month 11: First shipment books
Month 12-13: First shipment arrives in US
This is the standard "do it right" timeline. Faster is possible (skip some steps). Slower is common (especially if compliance docs are delayed or buyers take time).
These three services don't include: - Buyer introductions (see Network) - Logistics coordination beyond inspection (we refer customs brokers) - US warehouse (separate service) - Trade show attendance (separate service) - Ongoing US sales support (separate service)
You can buy all of these from us, but they're separate services with separate pricing.
Service-level detail files come after first contact. Rough ranges:
Total for first-time entry into a single product line: $1,500-3,000 excluding inspection costs on later shipments.
If you're considering first-time US export: - Write the 2-page factory profile (Market research section) - Email us with the profile - We set up a 30-minute discovery call - On the call, we agree on which services fit your timeline and budget