Frequently asked questions
Straight answers on finding, vetting and paying a manufacturer in China, and on how we work at BiiLinx.
Sourcing from China
How do I find a reliable manufacturer in China?
Screen for certifications and a proven track record, then check the plant in person before you pay. The first factory a search engine shows you, or the booth that calls itself a manufacturer, is rarely the right one. At BiiLinx our own team in Shenzhen runs that search: we find the product, screen certified factories with a real history, negotiate price and terms, and visit the plant.
How can I tell whether a Chinese supplier is a factory or a trading company?
Check the business license, the certificates and the plant. A Chinese business license is a public document: if its business scope does not include manufacturing, you are dealing with a middleman. The legal name has to match the one on the certificates and on the bank account you will pay into. A real manufacturer tells you where it produces, welcomes a visit and explains in detail which processes it runs in house and which it outsources. A trading company is not a problem in itself. Paying a middleman's price while believing you buy from the factory is.
What can a factory audit in China actually verify?
That the company exists and is what it claims, that the plant is really the plant, and that its export history is real. Since April 2026 a Chinese regulation on the security of industrial and supply chains limits how much data a buyer can extract from a plant, so audits now lean on third-party certification such as ISO 9001 or audits by bodies like SGS. A certificate tells you the system complied on the audit date, not what is happening on the line today. That part still needs someone on site.
How do I check quality before paying the balance?
With a pre-shipment inspection against a written specification and an approved pre-production sample. The balance is the only leverage you keep if a quality problem shows up, so release it after the inspection. QIMA's Q3 2026 barometer found that buyers from emerging markets failed the acceptable quality level (AQL) on 26% of their electronics orders, against 8% for buyers from developed markets: the gap sits in the buyer's process. We follow production, issue quality reports and inspect the cargo before it leaves the factory.
How do I pay a Chinese manufacturer safely?
Split the payment into a deposit and a balance, and check who you are paying first. The most common structure is 30/70: a 30% deposit so the factory can buy raw materials, and 70% against a copy of the bill of lading. It is a trade custom, and the split is negotiable. Almost every payment goes by international wire (T/T), which offers no protection once it lands, so the receiving account must belong to the same legal entity that sells to you. At BiiLinx we safeguard your payments: the money goes through our control before it reaches the factory.
Should I ask for samples before placing an order?
Yes. It is the only stage where a mistake is cheap. Name the sample you want (catalog, custom, pre-production or reference), because a hand-made custom sample says nothing about how mass production will turn out. The buyer usually pays for samples and shipping, and many suppliers offer to deduct that cost from the first order: get it in writing. In our method, samples are the stage where you check the physical product before committing to the order.
When is the 2026 Canton Fair and which phase should I visit?
The 140th edition runs in Guangzhou from October 15 to November 4, 2026, in three phases. Phase 1, October 15 to 19, covers advanced manufacturing, home appliances, electronics, machinery and tools. Phase 2, October 23 to 27, covers ceramics, kitchenware, decor, furniture and building materials. Phase 3, October 31 to November 4, covers toys, apparel, textiles, food and health. Pick the phase that matches what you import, and decide before you fly who will audit the plants you meet there.
How do Chinese holidays affect my orders?
They stop production and shipping, so sample approvals, inspections and payments have to be closed before them. In 2026 the Mid-Autumn Festival ran from September 25 to 27 and Golden Week from October 1 to 7. Chinese New Year 2027 falls on February 6, and the length of the mainland holiday has not been officially announced yet. Between the last October holiday and the February shutdown, the production window is short.
About BiiLinx
What is BiiLinx?
BiiLinx finds manufacturers and optimizes purchasing in Asia: your eyes in Asia. We source, screen and audit your manufacturers in China with our own office and team in Shenzhen, with no middlemen in between.
What difference does an office of our own in Shenzhen make?
Someone on your side sees the factory, the production and the cargo without you having to travel. We do not outsource the search: our team works in China's industrial heartland, visits the plants, checks the samples and negotiates in Spanish, English and Chinese, with no outside interpreter in the room.
What does purchasing consultancy include?
The whole buying process in Asia, from finding the product to a verified shipment. It covers product and supplier search, screening of certified manufacturers, price and terms negotiation, product customization and development, production follow-up with quality reports and cargo inspection, payment safeguarding, financing, consolidation in our warehouses in China, and legal protection in China over delivery and quality.
Do you also handle freight and customs?
Yes. We consolidate your goods in our warehouses in China and arrange shipping by sea, air or land, with customs paperwork handled and delivery at destination. For the Mexico to China corridor there is OptiChina, with multimodal transport, warehouses under Recinto Fiscalizado Estratégico (Mexico's strategic bonded zone regime) and customs clearance.
Do you work with small businesses or only with large companies?
Both. We help small and midsize businesses start buying internationally so they compete better in their sector, and we help large companies optimize high-volume purchases of raw materials, semi-finished products and metals.
What does the process look like?
It follows our 360 Method in seven stages: briefing, proposal, samples, production, quality control, logistics and delivery. It starts with the product, the volume and the technical specification you need, and ends when the goods reach their final destination.
Where are your offices?
We have our own offices in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Shenzhen is the origin office, right next to the factories: from there a plant gets visited, a sample gets checked and a deal gets closed without anyone having to fly in.
How do I request a quote?
Through the contact form, with the details of your product or your operation. Your request goes to the office that runs your route, and a person from the team answers about your case.