Guides
Plain-English answers for small importers and online sellers, written by a bilingual English and Mandarin speaker who has worked on both sides of trade between China and North America. Every fact is dated and linked to its official source.
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Free PDFYour first order from ChinaOur nine-page checklist: landed cost, vetting suppliers, quotes, samples, inspection, shipping and customs, plus the Chinese phrases you will actually use.Get the free PDF →Start here
Five guides that answer most first-order questions.
- 01Incoterms explainedFOB, EXW, DDP, CIF and every other term: who pays freight, insurance and duties.
- 02MOQ meaning and how to negotiate itWhat minimum order quantity means on Alibaba and how to get a lower MOQ.
- 03How to calculate landed costThe formula, every cost to include, and a step-by-step worked example.
- 04What is an HS code?How to find yours, and what duty columns 1 and 2 mean.
- 05Etsy fees 2026The listing, transaction, processing and Offsite Ads fees, with worked examples.
On the clock
Dates coming up that change costs or deadlines, and the guide for each.
Suppliers, samples and quality
Find a factory, get comparable quotes, check who you are paying and inspect before the balance.
SourcingFind a manufacturer in China
A one-page brief, where to search, and how to compare quotes.
SourcingChina sourcing agents
What they charge, the red flags and how to check an agent is real.
SourcingFactory or trading company?
Seven checks, from the business license scope to the official registry.
SourcingVerify a supplier before you pay
An 8-step checklist: names, registry, video call, sample, payment.
SourcingMOQ meaning and how to negotiate it
What minimum order quantity means on Alibaba and how to get a lower MOQ.
SourcingLow MOQ manufacturers in China
How to order small: five asks, Mandarin wording and small-run math.
SourcingWhat is an RFQ?
RFQ meaning, a free template in English and Chinese, and RFQ vs RFP vs RFI.
SourcingRFQ vs RFP vs RFI
What each one means, and which to send a supplier.
SourcingOEM vs ODM
Who owns the design, typical MOQs and lead times, and which to choose.
Clothing brandsWhat is a tech pack?
What goes in one, measurements and grading, stitch types, and the key terms in Chinese.
SourcingHow to message a Chinese supplier in Mandarin
Copy-paste Mandarin for MOQ, price tiers, samples, lead time and payment, with pinyin.
SourcingChinese New Year messages for suppliers
Copy-paste Chinese for closing dates, the last order, payment, inspection and greetings.
SourcingHow to buy from 1688 in English
Sourcing agents, supplier badges in Chinese, key terms and what it really costs.
ImportingHow to buy from Taobao in English
Translation, shopping agents, paying with a foreign card, duty by country and avoiding fakes.
SourcingAlibaba Trade Assurance
What it covers, what it doesn't, and how to file a claim.
SourcingAlibaba Verified Supplier
What the badge means, how it compares with Gold Supplier, and what to check yourself.
QualityWhat is a golden sample?
The signed sample your production is checked against.
QualityAQL meaning
How to read the sampling table, which AQL to pick and when to book a pre-shipment inspection.
QualityPre-shipment inspection cost in China (2026)
Pre-shipment inspection in China costs about USD 268 to 299 per man-day in 2026. Provider rates, what a man-day covers, AQL sample sizes and extra fees.
QualityFactory audit in China
Audits vs inspections, prices per day, AQL sampling and a checklist.
Costs, tariffs and paperwork
What an order really costs once it lands, which terms to agree and the documents customs will ask for.
ImportingHow to calculate landed cost
The formula, every cost to include, and a step-by-step worked example.
MexicoMexico tariffs on Chinese goods 2026
The new rates up to 50%, how IGI, DTA and IVA add up, and the 33.5% courier rate.
CustomsEU EUR 3 customs duty on small parcels
EUR 3 per item since July 1, 2026, what counts as an item, and the November 1 changes.
CustomsWhat is an HS code?
How to find yours, and what duty columns 1 and 2 mean.
ImportingIncoterms explained
FOB, EXW, DDP, CIF and every other term: who pays freight, insurance and duties.
ImportingFOB vs EXW
Which one is really cheaper, what each includes, and where the risk becomes yours.
IncotermsCIF vs FOB
Who pays freight and insurance, where risk passes, and which to choose.
IncotermsDDP meaning
Delivered Duty Paid: who pays the duty, and the risks of DDP from China.
SourcingWhat is a proforma invoice?
How it differs from a commercial invoice, and what to check before you pay.
CustomsWhat is a commercial invoice?
What it must show for customs, who issues it, and an example.
ShippingWhat is a packing list?
What goes on it, how it matches the invoice, and an example.
ShippingWhat is a bill of lading?
Order, straight, sea waybill and telex release, explained.
Shipping, payments and timing
Get goods moving, pay suppliers without losing 3% to the exchange rate and plan around the Chinese calendar.
ImportingHow to ship from China
Express, air or sea: transit times, rough costs, duties without de minimis, and a step-by-step checklist.
ShippingWhat is a freight forwarder?
What they do, what a quote includes, and red flags.
ShippingEasyship vs Pirate Ship vs ShipStation
Which shipping app fits your volume and country.
SourcingHow to pay Chinese suppliers
Wise vs Airwallex vs PayPal vs bank wire: fees, normal payment terms and how to avoid scams.
SourcingYour first business trip to China: visa-free entry, payments and factory visits
First business trip to China? Visa-free entry for Canada and the UK, 240-hour transit for the US, paying by Alipay or WeChat Pay, fair dates and phrases.
SourcingWise vs PayPal for suppliers
What it really costs to pay a factory in China.
ReviewWise Business review
Fees in the US and Canada, paying Chinese suppliers, safety, pros and cons.
SourcingChinese New Year 2027 factory shutdown
When factories close and reopen, order and shipping deadlines, and supplier phrases in Chinese.
HolidaysChinese New Year 2027: date and animal
Saturday, February 6, 2027 starts the Year of the Fire Goat: key dates, holiday length and greetings with pinyin.
Importing from China, country by country
Duty, VAT, registration numbers and the customs steps for each destination, with links to the official sources.
Importing from China to Europe in 2026: duty and VAT in all 27 EU countries
Importing from China into the EU: duty is the same in all 27 countries, VAT is not. VAT by country, the EUR 3 parcel duty, EORI and links to 27 country guides.
European Union
UK and EFTA
China-Africa trade
Buying from China into Nigeria, Ghana and the CFA franc zones, import duty by country, and exporting to China at zero tariff.
Buying in Yiwu and Guangzhou from West and Central Africa
Visa, fairs, markets, agents, paying from Nigeria, Ghana and the CFA zones, shipping and customs, step by step.
2026 guideExporting to China at zero tariff from Africa
The two policies (LDCs since 2024, 20 other countries since May 2026), origin rules, GACC registration and products already approved.
2026 guideImport from China to Nigeria in 2026: duty, levies, Form M and SONCAP
What you pay, a worked example in naira, banned goods, the Form M and SONCAP steps, phones, ports and transit times.
2026 guideImport from China to Ghana in 2026: duty, VAT, levies and ICUMS clearing
What you pay in duty, VAT and levies, a worked example in cedis, banned goods, GSA and FDA rules, ICUMS steps, ports and transit times.
2026 guideImport from China to Kenya in 2026: duty, VAT, IDF, RDL and PVoC
What you pay, a worked example in shillings, KEBS PVoC, KenTrade and IDF steps, restricted goods, paying suppliers, Mombasa and transit times.
2026 guideImport from China to South Africa in 2026: SARS duty, VAT and permits
SARS duty on FOB value, 15% import VAT, a worked example in rand, RLA registration, ITAC and NRCS permits, paying suppliers, ports and transit times.
2026 guideHow to pay a Chinese supplier from Africa in 2026: options, paperwork and fees
SWIFT, yuan and CIPS, PAPSS, Trade Assurance, apps and cash compared, the paperwork by country, a fee example and a safe-payment checklist.
2026 guideShipping from China to Africa in 2026: sea, air and groupage
FCL, groupage, air and express compared, sea transit times by port, how Guangzhou agents work, documents and delays.
Import duty by country (calculator)
Etsy and online shop sellers
Fees, SEO, ads and the seasonal dates that decide your fourth quarter.
Etsy sellersEtsy fees 2026
The listing, transaction, processing and Offsite Ads fees, with worked examples.
Etsy sellersEtsy Regulatory Operating Fee 2026
Rates by country since June 22, 2026, what it is charged on, and worked examples.
Etsy sellersEtsy Offsite Ads explained
The 15% or 12% fee, the $100 cap, opting out and pricing so ad sales still pay.
Etsy sellersEtsy SEO in 2026
How Etsy search ranks listings, titles, all 13 tags, and a free tag checker.
Etsy sellersBest Etsy SEO tool 2026
eRank, EverBee, EHunt, Alura, Sale Samurai and Marmalead: prices compared, with a cost calculator.
Etsy sellersHow to start an Etsy shop
Every sign-up step, what it costs, shop name rules and what to do first.
Etsy sellersEtsy vs Shopify
Fees side by side, a worked example and how many orders it takes for your own store to pay off.
Etsy sellersPrintful vs Printify
Print-on-demand costs for Etsy, and what you keep per tee.
Etsy sellersBlack Friday checklist for sellers
Stock, sales, photos, shipping, emails and ads for Etsy and Shopify, with a free printable.
ShippingHoliday shipping deadlines 2026
USPS, UPS, FedEx and Canada Post cut-offs from official pages, plus your shop's last order date.
Marketplace fees at a glance
The headline fee on each resale app. Each guide works through what you keep on a real sale.
Amazon sellers
Fees, advertising and fulfillment, in plain numbers.
Amazon sellersAmazon seller fees 2026
Plans, referral fees, FBA fees with the new surcharge and peak rates, and a worked example.
Amazon adsWhat is a good ACoS?
Break-even and target ACoS, ACoS vs TACoS, and how to bring it down.
FulfillmentWhat is a 3PL?
3PL vs Amazon FBA vs shipping yourself: costs, 2026 FBA fees and when to switch.
Amazon sellersHelium 10 vs Jungle Scout
Every plan priced side by side, with a calculator.
Starting and growing a business
First steps, product ideas and getting found online.
Start a businessHow to start a small business
Ten steps from idea to first customer, with official links for the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.
Side hustlesDigital products to sell in 2026
20 ideas with real Etsy search and competition data, and how to choose, make and sell one.
Side hustlesSide hustle ideas to make extra money
21 ideas for beginners with start-up cost, who each suits and a first step.
Passive incomeHow to make passive income
10 realistic ways compared by the work and money they need up front.
Small business SEOSEO checklist for small business websites
33 checks for set-up, keywords, on-page, technical and local SEO. Tick them off as you go.
ToolsWhat are Claude skills?
Claude skills are folders of instructions Claude loads only when needed. How they work, the SKILL.md format, how to add one, and skills vs MCP.
ToolsClaude for Small Business explained
Claude for Small Business: Anthropic's free package of 15 workflows for Claude Cowork. What it connects to, what it costs on each plan, and setup.
ToolsClaude usage limits explained
Claude usage limits explained: the 5-hour session and weekly limits, usage per plan, how to check yours, what to do when you hit it, and tips.
Learning Chinese
Free HSK word lists from the official syllabus.
More guides
New and other guides.
Buying in Yiwu and Guangzhou from West and Central Africa
Exporting to China at zero tariff from Africa
Import from China to Ghana in 2026: duty, VAT, levies and ICUMS clearing
Import from China to Kenya in 2026: duty, VAT, IDF, RDL and PVoC
Import from China to Nigeria in 2026: duty, levies, Form M and SONCAP
Import from China to South Africa in 2026: SARS duty, VAT and permits
How to pay a Chinese supplier from Africa in 2026: options, paperwork and fees
Shipping from China to Africa in 2026: sea, air and groupage
Run your own numbers
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