How to find, vet and negotiate with Chinese factories: 1688 vs Alibaba, Canton Fair, supplier verification, samples, MOQ and payment terms for US importers.
Referral, fulfilment, the 3.5% surcharge, ads, the 12.5% China duty overlay and Golden Week freight, line by line on one $29.99 product — and the one lever that still returns dollars, not cents.
What is cheaper from China for a GPU server and what is not, the RTX 4090 48 GB explained, a 4-GPU inference box and an 8-GPU 4U server with landed prices, DGX H200 and B300 for teams that need HBM, and spare parts for a running fleet.
Why the same factory sells 20–30% cheaper on the domestic market than on Alibaba, why FOB quotes cost more, and what a sourcing agent that buys in RMB as a Chinese company actually does: contracts, export, control at four points, consolidation.
Five places to find real factories in China, six checks that separate a factory from a trading company, the ten questions to ask, and the terms that protect your deposit.
China makes ~29% of everything manufactured on Earth — 80% of solar panels, 70% of EVs, 90% of lithium batteries. How it happened, from Deng's 1978 reforms to Made in China 2025 — and what it means for your landed cost.
Canton Fair Autumn 2026 runs October 15 - November 4 in three phases. Which phase matches your product, what it costs to go, and when sourcing online is the better call.
China Plus One sourcing in 2026 — why US importers add a Vietnam, Mexico or India backup to China, real tariff rates by country, what to move vs keep in China, and how to qualify a second supplier.
Compare 1688, Alibaba, Made-in-China & 4 more wholesale sites for US importers in 2026. Why 1688.com is 20-30% cheaper than Alibaba — and how to access it.
WeChat is mandatory for sourcing in China. It now takes Visa/Mastercard — no Chinese bank needed. 2026 setup, payment limits, fees, and B2B chat guide.
US-based China sourcing and supply chain management. We help Amazon sellers, brands, and product startups source directly from vetted factories with quality control at every step.
Union Delta LLC 1445 Woodmont Ln NW #1878Tell us what you're sourcing — we'll reply within 24 hours with factory options and pricing.