How to Source Products in China

Your step-by-step method for choosing the right product at a China trade fair — without getting overwhelmed, tricked, or lost in a sea of shiny objects.

You can check my post that explains what China trade fairs are

Darling, let me tell you a secret:
You don’t need a fat bank account to find a winning product.
You just need a method — a compass — so you don't wander through a fair like a dazzled tourist clutching bubble tea, buying things because they sparkle.

Don’t forget to check my post about Why You Should Go to China to Find Your Next Product Even If You’re a Total Beginner.

Here’s the method I wish every new entrepreneur had in their back pocket before stepping into a trade fair in China.

How to Source Products in China

Even If you have a Tiny Budget and Zero Experience

Step 1: Walk In With One Problem to Solve, Not “A Product to Find”

Every successful product is simply this:
A tiny solution to someone’s daily headache.

Pick one type of headache before you even enter the fair.

Examples:

• “New moms need a faster way to prep formula.”

• “Remote workers want cheaper ergonomic tools.”

• “Women 40+ want healthier snacks that don’t mess up hormones.”

One problem.
One person.
One mission.

If you walk in looking for “something cool to sell,” you’ll drown in options.
If you walk in looking for “solutions,” products start revealing themselves like magic.

Step 2: Set Your Non-Negotiables

(Because Temptation Will Hunt You Down)

Factories will charm you with:

• glowing lights

• futuristic gadgets

• talking pens

• the 18th version of the same humidifier

But you, wise explorer, must whisper your boundaries in your heart:

Your non-negotiables:

1. Small enough to ship cheaply.

2. Not fragile.

3. Not seasonal.

4. Healthy margins (3× your cost is the rule).

5. Simple — no exploding batteries or legal nightmares.

If a product fails even one of these criteria, bow politely and walk away like a queen.

Don’t risk flying across the world without a strategy.
For $12, the Global Goods Playbook gives you booth questions, mobile checklists, product comparison sheets, and the exact system new entrepreneurs use to avoid costly mistakes.
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Step 3: Start With “The Wandering Hour” — No Talking, No Buying

This is a sacred hour.
You wander. You observe.
Like a jaguar in silence.

During this hour, you:

• spot trends

• feel what booths attract crowds

• note which items make your instincts hum

You don’t talk to anyone yet.
You don’t pick up a product.
You don’t make eye contact with the charming salesman who will insist he invented Bluetooth.

You’re gathering intuition — something money can’t buy.

Step 4: Shortlist 5 Products Using the “5-Second Test”

This test saves you from emotional purchases.

Hold an item (or look at it) and ask:

“Would someone know what this is — and want it — within 5 seconds?”

If the answer is yes, put it on your shortlist.
If the answer is “Umm…,” drop it like a rotten mango.

Complicated does not sell.
Mystery does not sell.
Simple sells.

Step 5: Now Talk to the Supplier — but Ask Like a CEO, Not a Tourist

Here are the four questions that separate a beginner from a boss:

1. “What’s your Minimum Order Quantity?”

The magic words you want to hear?
“We can start small.”

2. “Can I brand this or customize the packaging?”

Your brand lives in the details — and in a $0.40 sticker if needed.

3. “What are your top three products right now?”

Let them tell you the trends instead of you pretending to know.

4. “What’s your EXW and FOB price?”

Sounds fancy, right?
It simply means:

• EXW = price at the factory

• FOB = price delivered to the port

Ask this with confidence.
They’ll think you have a whole team behind you.

(Spoiler: you do. I'm right here, sunshine.)

Step 6: Photograph Everything Like an Investigator

Every booth starts to blur after two hours.
You won't remember who had the collapsible blender and who had the folding yoga board shaped like a croissant.

So take photos of:

• the product

• the booth name

• the booth sign with the contact info

• the supplier’s business card

• and the supplier standing in front of the product (trust me, this saves your life later)

Step 7: Do Not — I Repeat, Do NOT — Choose the First Supplier You Like

You are not choosing a soulmate.
You are choosing a factory.

Compare your five shortlisted products by:

• unit cost

• shipping cost

• packaging options

• willingness to work with small orders

• communication quality

When two suppliers ghost you, take a deep breath.
It’s part of the rite of passage.

Step 8: Order a Sample Before You Spend a Single Dollar on Inventory

If the product arrives and feels like it was made by angry toddlers?
Move on.

If it arrives and you hold it, and something in you whispers yes?
You found your first product.

Check on my post about Why You STILL Need to order a Sample (Even If You’re Physically in China)

Step 9: Start With the Bare-Bones, No-Risk Inventory Strategy

For tiny budgets:

• order 20–50 units

• sell them before you reorder

• reinvest every single penny

You’re building momentum, not a warehouse.

Unlock checklists, tools, templates, and behind-the-scenes secrets I created to help you make money, build confidence, and reinvent your life — one brave step at a time.
Join the Freebie Vault →

Step 10: Launch Like a Beginner, Improve Like a Pro

Your first launch will be scrappy.
A little messy.
Deeply charming.

Post pictures.
Tell people the story.
Share why you chose the product.
Tell the journey — people love a product, but they buy the person who went through the fire to bring it to them.

And when that first sale comes in?
you’ll hear angels singing your favorite song in the distance.

Check my post about the best places in China to source products.

A Final Whisper for the Brave One Reading This

You don’t need a massive budget.

You need curiosity, a bit of courage, and a method.

And now you have one.