How we judge China sourcing routes before recommending them

We start with whether China sourcing is worth it

A product is not a good China sourcing target just because the factory price looks low. We look for enough order value, customization need, margin gap, or product bundling to justify samples, inspection, freight, duties, damage allowance, and time.

• Good fit: whole-home packages, remodels, rental furnishing, custom cabinets, tiles, lighting, vanities, doors, windows, and bundled decor.
• Bad fit: tiny one-off orders, rush purchases, vague custom specs, and products with unresolved local-code risk.
• Borderline fit: mixed small orders where freight and coordination can eat the savings.

We separate listed, reviewed, and verified

Supplier status language stays conservative. Listed means the supplier or sourcing route exists in public or category research. Reviewed means the profile has been manually checked against available evidence. Verified is reserved for proof such as direct review, factory audit, documents, references, or other concrete evidence.

• We do not call a supplier verified because a marketplace badge says something shiny.
• We record caveats when supplier role, MOQ, export markets, or product range is unclear.
• We prefer boring evidence over impressive adjectives. Boring wins.

We judge routes by failure points

Every recommendation has to survive the boring ways sourcing fails: wrong dimensions, material substitution, weak packing, unclear payment milestones, missing spare parts, freight damage, and no inspection before final balance.

• Specs: dimensions, finishes, materials, tolerances, drawings, and samples.
• Quality: approved sample, production photos, random inspection, defect photos, and carton checks.
• Freight: incoterms, carton dimensions, crating, duties, port fees, local delivery, and damage allowance.

What this site does not prove by itself

China Home Source is a buyer guide and sourcing-intake layer. Public pages are not a substitute for legal advice, customs brokerage, code compliance review, third-party inspection, or a signed supplier contract.

Before you move forward

• Treat factory price as the beginning of the cost model, not the answer.
• Ask what evidence supports any supplier status label.
• Write the product spec before asking for final pricing.
• Use inspection before final balance on custom or high-value orders.
• Keep supplier caveats visible instead of burying them under sales copy.

Common questions