The China Sourcing Playbook
Source from China with confidence.
From Finding Your First Supplier to Placing Your First Order
Learn how to find Chinese manufacturers, assess suppliers, compare quotations, understand minimum order quantities and prepare for your first import order.
A practical sourcing handbook for entrepreneurs, e-commerce sellers and businesses looking to buy products from China.
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Published by IE Sourcing. Secure payment through Stripe. Digital files only — nothing is posted.
What you'll learn
A clear route from idea to first order.
- ✓How Chinese manufacturing and sourcing work
- ✓Where to find suppliers
- ✓How to evaluate manufacturers and trading companies
- ✓How to request and compare quotations
- ✓How MOQs, samples and production timelines work
- ✓How to reduce supplier risks
- ✓How to understand shipping and landed costs
- ✓How to prepare for a first import order
What's included
The handbook, plus twelve tools to use.
Ten chapters take you from product brief to receipt and reorder. The tools turn each step into something you can fill in, send and keep as a record.
The China Sourcing Playbook
The complete handbook: ten chapters, the twelve tools (pages 44–55), a glossary and a linked directory of official sources.
Practical Toolkit (printable)
The same twelve tools as a separate companion you can print and complete for each product and supplier.
Editable templates
A text version of the twelve tools to copy and complete in the editor of your choice.
Delivered as one ZIP, with each file also available to download separately. The toolkit PDF pages are printable rather than interactive forms.
The twelve tools
The numerical examples in the handbook are hypothetical teaching examples, not supplier quotations or promises of savings. Customs rules, tariffs and product standards change, so check current requirements for your own product and market before committing money. The Playbook is practical education, not legal, tax or customs advice.
Who it's for
If you're about to buy from China for the first time.
- ✓ First-time importers
- ✓ Aspiring product-brand founders
- ✓ E-commerce entrepreneurs
- ✓ Small-business owners
- ✓ People exploring manufacturing in China
Written for five markets
The Playbook is written for buyers importing into the US, UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Start with one product and one destination market; adding markets later is a separate compliance and costing exercise.
Questions
Before you buy.
Is the guide suitable for beginners?
Yes. It starts from the basics of who makes, sells and exports products in China, and follows the order in which a first-time buyer makes decisions. Start with one product and one destination market, and read Chapters 1–2 before you contact suppliers.
Is this a physical or digital product?
Digital only. You receive downloadable files; nothing is printed or posted. The toolkit is laid out so you can print the pages yourself.
What files are included?
The 60-page Playbook PDF, a 12-page printable Practical Toolkit PDF with the twelve tools, and an editable text version of those templates. They arrive together as one ZIP, and each file can also be downloaded separately.
Can I use it outside the UK?
Yes. The price is in pounds sterling and the handbook is written for buyers importing into the US, UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Import rules, tariffs and product standards differ by country and change over time, so check the current rules for your own market.
How do I receive the files after purchase?
After your payment is confirmed you are taken to a download page with your files. The link to that page also works from your browser history for 30 days, so keep it safe. If you lose it, email hello@iesourcing.com from the address you paid with and we will help you regain access.
Does purchasing include personalised supplier research?
No. The Playbook is a self-guided handbook and toolkit. Personalised supplier research, quotations and Mandarin negotiation are a separate service, the Factory Intelligence Pack (£249). The Playbook does not guarantee supplier quality, costs or business results.
Want it done for you?
Our team in China can run the supplier research.
The Factory Intelligence Pack compares 2–3 supplier routes with real quotations, negotiated in Mandarin, for a defined product. Start with a free direction check.
The China Sourcing Playbook
Source from China with confidence.
A 60-page handbook and twelve practical tools for your first import order.
Checkout is being activated — please check back shortly.
Secure payment through Stripe. Digital download. Questions about your purchase: hello@iesourcing.com. See our terms and privacy policy.