Trying to find the best sourcing agents in China on the internet is like searching for the needle in the haystack.
That’s why we have done the heavy lifting for you and selected the best sourcing agents for some of the common ecommerce business models.
The right sourcing agent will make a significant difference to your dropshipping business.
From finding better pricing, to reducing MOQs, their services can improve efficiency and positively impact your bottom line.
We have also tried to highlight the speciality of each service. Think of this like what they are best known for, even though they may offer other services.
Let’s get started.
What is the Best Sourcing Agent?
Here are our recommendations of the best sourcing agent and company in China.
- Sourcingbro – Best for Shopify Dropshipping Sourcing
- Jingsourcing – Best for Amazon FBA Sourcing
- The Gulati Group – Best for Sourcing Apparel (or Clothing)
- Fabric Sourcing China – Best for Sourcing Textile & Fabric
- Ejet – Best for Footwear Sourcing
- Globus China – Best for Sourcing Furniture
- Peng Light – Best for Led Lights Sourcing
- Tony Sourcing – Best Agent for Sourcing Toys
- Lazpanda – Best Agent for Sourcing Electronics – Option 1
- BizShenzhen – Best Agent for Sourcing Electronics – Option 2
- Meeno Group & Imex, Dragon Sourcing – Additional Sourcing Agents
1. Sourcingbro
I don’t intend to toot my own horn. But Sourcingbro is hands down the best sourcing agent for DTC brands and for businesses dropshipping from China.
Let me explain why.
I set up Sourcingbro after spending four years working in the dropshipping industry in various capacities. It was then that I realized that while there were hundreds of sourcing agents operating in the Chinese landscape, almost everyone was a clone of the other.
What was lacking across the industry was personalization. An agent that goes beyond the cookie-cutter, template offerings and brings a personal touch into sourcing.
That’s our biggest USP. Here’s a look at our key services.
Key Services: Why Sourcingbro
Sourcingbro can be the reliable dropshipping fulfillment agent you need for managing the entire supply chain.
We offer end to end services, ranging from product sourcing from our extensive ground-network of factories, conducting factory audits, finding you better pricing, helping with product development and lastly, shipping.
1. Sourcing
Regardless of the size of your ecommerce operation, you expect great product quality, low prices and favorable conditions when you dropship from China. You’d want the seller to turn around your orders on time, ensure that the quality is consistent across orders, and agree to a reasonable MOQ.
Sadly, this combination rarely comes through. Most sellers in the Chinese marketplace may not speak English. The ones that do, have limited communication channels which means that updates are not frequent. You may be anxious to know the status of the order and have to wait for hours to get a response in broken English.
Sourcingbro will strike off, all these problems. We have an extensive network of factories that we tap into, to find you a better deal. A better quality product, better pricing and favorable MOQ.
2. Purchasing
When you source from Aliexpress or Alibaba or 1688, you will have to stock in bulk or according to the MOQ demanded by the seller. While bigger brands may be able to afford the upfront cost, a lot of smaller and medium-sized businesses may not be.
We have an input-based inventory management system and a network for trusted sellers, with consistently-good, quick production turnaround times. The combination of the two allows you to stock only as much as you can sell. Reduced costs and reduced risks.
3. Product development
Looking to build a dropshipping brand? We can assist you with product development. From concept to mold design, to custom packaging that can help increase your brand visibility, we do it all.
4. Your eye on the ground
Regardless of whether you source from a seller you found on Alibaba or from a trusted seller in our network, we will be your eye on the ground. We conduct periodic factory audits, as well as analyze every order that reaches our warehouse. If you have been dealing with quality control issues, we can take care of that for you.
5. Fulfillment
Our team works with brands large and small. Right from one-man operations clocking 8-10 sales a day, to large organizations doing 1000-sales a day, our fulfillment services are flexible. We will securely receive and stock the inventory for you in our warehouse in China.
Sourcingbro’s team counts and verifies every shipment before it is organized in cases/pallets. When we receive the order, the team will pick, pack and ship to precision. Oh, did we forget to mention that we will also assist you with picking the best packaging for your shipment?
6. The personalized attention
We are a small team of passionate individuals who have worked our way to become one of the best sourcing agents in China. Our journey has taken us from a home-office, to our own small space in Shenzhen, where we spend hours helping businesses better their ecommerce operations across the world.
We assure you that the personalized one-on-one attention you get from us cannot be beat.
Summary:
If you ship direct to customer by sourcing from suppliers in China, or you are dropshipping from Aliexpress, but are generally dissatisfied due to various reasons, Sourcingbro can turn it around for you. From better sourcing to reliable sellers to faster and cheaper shipping to key markets around the globe, our team has the skills and expertise you seek from a partner on the ground.
2. Jingsourcing
Best Agent for Amazon FBA Sourcing
Jingsourcing is one of the most popular sourcing agents amongst Amazon FBA businesses. This company was started by Jing Zhu, in 2015 from a tiny apartment. They have quickly grown into a large operation with 40+ permanent employees.
In the years, Jing Sourcing have managed to garner a fair bit of repute amongst Amazon FBA sellers. This is partly because of their expertise with the FBA business model and secondly because of their ability to help businesses scale.
Here’s a look at their key services.
Key Services:
1. Product sourcing
Jing Sourcing will help you navigate through the confusing Alibaba marketplace where a 1000 sellers might be offering the same product. Their dedicated team can help you find the best option, which gives you a competitive edge at a decent cost.
2. Product development
If you have visualized, what you believe will be a breakthrough product, Jing Sourcing can help you realize the idea by helping you take this into development.
They can assist you with various aspects of development such as mass production, getting the prototype made, advising on the best materials and arranging mass production.
3. Low MOQ customization
A lot of ecommerce startups want to offer customized products but are unable to do so because manufacturers will only offer customization for large MOQs. Jing can help you find manufacturers who offer customization even for orders of less than 500.
Summary:
Jing Sourcing has good reviews, especially from Amazon FBA sellers. They have served 1500 Amazon businesses in the last few years and this gives them a great understanding of Amazon’s FBA requirements with regards to size and weight. If you sell on Amazon FBA, Jing Sourcing might be one of the better options out there.
3. The Gulati Group
Best Agent for Sourcing Apparel (or Clothing)
New York based Gulati Group is an apparel manufacturer that manufactures clothing for some of the biggest brands around the world, including H&M, Mango, AZ, Old Navy, JCPenny, Target & Macy’s to name a few.
They recently ventured into sourcing, opening the floodgates for small and large ecommerce vendors around the world, who for the first time have a chance to match big ticket brands with their own.
Since they have been manufacturers themselves for some of the biggest names in retail, they bring some great advantages to the table.
Key Features:
1. Supplier network
Gulati Group’s vast experience in the apparel industry has given them access to an extensive supplier network. Regardless of whether you are looking to design a standard product or a fancy one, you can count on them to deliver.
2. Checks & balances
Their sourcing services include factory evaluation, laboratory testing, pre-production inspections, mid-production inspections to ensure that the quality is consistent and the TAT is as promised and a final inspection. It is pretty comprehensive and will ensure that all checks and balances are in place.
3. Great reputation
Gulati Group is one of the most trusted names in the apparel industry. We have no idea about how their pricing model works. But you have the added assurance that you are working with an organization that knows their business.
Summary:
For sellers looking to expand their ecommerce apparel businesses, or set up a new one by sourcing from different parts of the world, the Gulati Group offers an unbeatable combination of skill and experience. It may be best suited for medium to large-sized brands though.
4. Fabric Sourcing China
Best Agent for Sourcing Textile & Fabric
Fabric Sourcing China may not boast of the big ticket clients that the Gulati Group does. But it can surely help you source the best fabric at the cheapest costs from the Chinese marketplace.
As implied by the name, they specialize in fabric sourcing, and can help you source almost any type of fabric. Some of the newer technologies in this space is quite exciting and it is critical that you find the best supplier in China.
Some of these include Polyester, Nylon, Linen, Cotton, Woolen, Silk, antimicrobial fabrics for sports applications, outdoor fabrics, furniture fabrics and now, fabrics for medical applications. Their services are pretty extensive too. Let’s take a look.
Key Features:
1. Source according to material or application
If you are unsure of what material would be best suited for your intended application, just speak to the team. They can suggest the best options for your intended use.
For instance, what would the best fabric be for school bags? What are the best fabric choices for medical devices or furniture? If you have a material mapped out already, just let them know and they will find the best supplier for you.
2. Quality checks
Just like most sourcing agents in China, Fabric Sourcing China will conduct factory audits and quality checks to ensure that the fabric you are sourcing matches the quality you seek.
3. Custom printing
Fabric Sourcing China can also help you source fabrics with your custom designs. They generally use digital and screen printing. But if you have a specialized requirement, you can communicate it with them.
4. Guidance
The team can also help guide you in the wholesale markets of Guangzhou & Dongguan, if you wish to personally visit the suppliers. Else, they can collect multiple fabric swatches as samples and send them to you for approval.
Summary:
Fabric Sourcing China may offer a better alternative for smaller brands in retail niches that require quality fabrics from dependent sellers.
5. Ejet Sourcing
Best Agent for Footwear Sourcing
Ejet sourcing is one of the oldest companies in the sourcing industry in China. They set up shop in 2007 and now, have grown to a large operation with 100+ permanent employees. Ejet has traditionally catered to big brands doing large volumes of business in a year. But in recent times, they have made some changes to their business model, making it more SMB friendly.
While they offer end to end services in the dropshipping supply chain, they are best known for their expertise in the footwear industry. If you have an ecommerce brand in the footwear space, Ejet might be the partner you are looking for in China.
Key Services:
1. Sourcing
Ejet’s services can largely be categorized into two parts. Sourcing is one of their mainstays. They have an extensive network of suppliers that they have vetoed over the years. They can ensure that you find the right supplier, and may also be able to help audit your supplier, if you choose to work with them.
2. Product development
Ejet can assist you with product development, right from conceptualization, all the way till production, ironing out creases and providing vital insights all the way.
3. Fulfilment & delivery
Ejet also handles the other half of the ecommerce supply chain, handling Amazon FBA prep, warehousing & logistics.
Summary:
With 15-years in the sourcing industry and one of the most skilled team in the footwear sourcing industry, Ejet is a great option for retailers in this niche.
6. Globus China
Best Agent for Sourcing Furniture
Globus China is the best sourcing agent in China for furniture. This Foshan-based brand has been offering furniture sourcing services for a decade now. They know the ropes of the business better than any other service provider out there.
Their network is extensive with more than 5000 manufacturers, and their reputation is flawless. That’s a hard to beat combination if you are looking for a provider in this industry specifically.
Key Services:
1. Sourcing
80% of China’s furniture manufacturers are in Foshan. It’s teeming with options, which makes it all the more difficult for brands to choose the right supplier. Globus China helps you with sourcing from a variety of sources. You can source online, source from wholesalers, source from the market or deal only with vetoed suppliers.
2. Quality control
Buying furniture from a different country comes with its own set of risks. That’s why Globus China is so reputed across the industry. They perform quality checks ensuring that every furniture piece is consistent and matches the advertised description. Besides, they also take care of customs clearance and delivery.
3. Furniture tours
If you’d like to visit China personally to source the furniture, Globus China can be your guide and partner on ground. A personal representative will take you around the key furniture markets in Foshan, making it immensely simple to source the right product.
Summary:
Furniture ecommerce businesses will be hard pressed to find a sourcing agent with better skillsets. It’s a no-brainer really.
7. Peng Light
Best Agent for Led Lights Sourcing
Peng Light is one of the best sourcing agents in China for sourcing Led lights. The Led lights industry in China is extensive and covers the entire gamut of indoor, outdoor and industrial lighting. Notably, most of the LED light ecommerce brands shop from China.
Peng Light helps you with three aspects of the supply chain. They can help you find the right manufacturer, they can assure you consistent quality, and they can help you find the exact product you are looking for.
Key Services:
1. Supplier management
Unless you have considerable experience in the lighting industry, sourcing LED lights is always tricky. Peng Light brings the experience and the network to the table. They can take a huge load off your shoulders allowing you to focus on your core competencies instead.
2. Quality control
It is not unheard of, of suppliers using inferior quality materials to manufacture your products after the order is placed. That’s why having a reliable partner on-ground, such as Peng Light to monitor the manufacturing process and take necessary remedial action is critical.
From appearance to electrical/photoelectrical parameters, Peng will conduct functional tests and provide you with a detailed report.
Summary:
Peng Light has the industry-specific expertise that ecommerce businesses in this competitive industry generally seek, while looking for sourcing agents.
8. Tony Sourcing
Best Agent for Sourcing Toys
Toys was at one point of time, the most profitable dropshipping niche. But with over 8000 toy suppliers competing in the Chinese Toy Industry, and US Amazon’s ‘Children’s Product Certificate’ requirement, it’s no longer as simple as it once used to be.
With direct on-ground contacts with leading toy manufacturers, Tony Sourcing is the uncrowned leader in this space. They have a large network of toy manufacturers, which pegs the number of samples at over 10 million.
Key Services:
1. Amazon toys source
Tony Sourcing can connect you with Toys manufacturers who will provide you with a legitimate CDC certificate, so that you can sell your toy brand on US Amazon.
At the same time, they work with vendors who genuinely understand children’s product safety rules. The products will be tested in a CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) accredited laboratory.
2. Toys supplier
Tony Sourcing also has their own brand of Toys that you can dropship. If you are looking for something custom, they can help with product development and supply an extensive catalog of toys.
Summary:
If you want an edge over your competition in the Toys industry, you need a reputed and experienced supplier. Tony Sourcing can help you find that supplier.
9. Lazpanda
Best Agent for Sourcing Electronics – Option 1
Lazpanda is a sourcing agent based in Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen with a notable reputation in electronics sourcing. They are a small team. But a skilled one. They cater to ecommerce businesses big and small, all around the globe. Their primary services are sourcing and FBA prep.
But they can also offer additional services, such as quality checks, warehouse management and logistics upon request.
Key features:
1. Sourcing
Lazpanda is based in Shenzhen, which gives them a strategic advantage while trying to source products. Besides, the founder, Keen, has worked in product sourcing in the Huaqiangbei market for a while. This gives them an astute understanding, as well as a great network.
2. Quality control
Lazpanda can perform factory audits as well as negotiate with suppliers to ensure that you get better product quality at an equal or better price.
3. FBA services
If your ecommerce business uses Amazon FBA, then Lazpanda can handle the entire supply chain for you. From sourcing to packaging and photography for Amazon FBA, their services are extensive.
Summary:
Lazpanda is a good choice for small and medium sized ecommerce businesses looking to source electronic items from Shenzhen. They have the expertise and the proximity to the marketplace to boot.
10. BizShenzhen
Best Agent for Sourcing Electronics – Option 2
BizShenzhen is another sourcing agent in Shenzhen that offers an excellent sourcing service for electronics. While they do cover general ecommerce products as well, their reputation is far better for electronics products.
In fact, they also help with custom manufacturing electronic products, if that’s a service you are looking for. Also, unlike most other agents that charge a certain percentage of your order value, BizShenzhen offers a wide range of flexible models of cooperation including monthly retainer, hybrid model, one-stop supplier, project-based, etc.
Key Services:
1. Sourcing
BizShenzhen specializes in electronics sourcing across industries. From consumer products for home use to industrial products in healthcare, cryptocurrency and computers, they can connect you with the right manufacturers.
2. Shipping
BizShenzhen also ticks off the other important phase of the ecommerce supply chain. They can help you ship your products to any part of the world in the most cost-effective and economical way.
Their shipping and logistics services include, but are not limited to freight shipping by sea, air and rail, as well as direct shipping to consumers.
Summary:
BizShenzhen is a small organization, which means that you most likely get one-on-one attention with them. The founder Charlie Lin is an active blogger and vlogger. So you can get a fair idea of how he converses, his past experience and his understanding of the Chinese marketplace.
11. Meeno Group & Imex Sourcing & Dragon Sourcing
Additional Sourcing Agents in China
There are two other sourcing agents that also merit a mention in this list. The first one is Meeno Group. This is a small-business friendly sourcing service for more generalized sourcing requirements. That means that they don’t specialize in a specific industry or product category.
They also offer sourcing consultancy, which a lot of sourcing agents don’t. Meeno Group also performs factory audits and extends translation support if your team were to visit China.
The second service is Imex Sourcing, which is a more comprehensive service for end-to-end supply management. They offer some exclusive services, other than what the traditional sourcing companies do.
The third service is Dragon Sourcing, which is an emerging market sourcing company that providing sourcing and procurement services all over the world.
Key Services:
1. Low order value
With Meeno Group, you can avail of a sourcing service even for order values as low as $500. This makes it a slightly better choice if you are a startup and looking to begin dropshipping without spending a lot of money upfront.
2. 360-degree portal
With Imex Sourcing, you get access to a 360-degree portal, which is like a custom dashboard that lets you view your ecommerce business from a distance. You can then engage their services depending on the challenge you face at a particular stage.
Summary:
Both these sourcing agents have good reviews for generalized sourcing needs. Imex might be a better choice if you are sourcing from Thailand. They do offer a Thailand company verification service that can protect you from online scammers.
China Sourcing Agent FAQ
In case you still have unanswered questions, here’s a brief FAQ that covers some of the common ones that we come across.
This of course is not an exhaustive list of services. But it gives you a fair idea, doesn’t it? Sourcing agents offer a variety of advantages, which we have covered in detail already.
What does a sourcing agent do?
Not all sourcing agents offer end-to-end services though. So you might want to consider this before you engage an agent.
How much do sourcing agents charge?
How to find sourcing agents in china?
How to find a sourcing agent on Alibaba?
What are the Benefits of Using a Sourcing Agent
We are sure that you have encountered some of the common hurdles that international ecommerce businesses generally face when they try to source directly from China.
So we won’t go beating around the bush. Here’s the difference that you will experience when you work with a reputed sourcing agent from China.
1. A Partner on Ground
A lot of ecommerce brands, particularly small businesses and startups, rely on the internet to source Chinese suppliers. As we all know, the Chinese marketplace is enormous and there are as many bad apples as there are good ones. As a business who is in all probability working with limited resources, a bad apple is the last thing you want to start off with.
On the other end of the spectrum are large brands with massive volumes, who can do with better product quality, faster production turnaround times, quicker responses from sellers, timely updates, better shipping prices and more.
The Best Sourcing agent from China becomes your partner on the ground. Think of them like the important link in the chain that works on your behalf and safeguards your interests. A lot of websites call a sourcing agent, the ‘middleman’. We disagree. It’s a partner for your business.
2. An Efficient Business
Why would you want to waste time and resources browsing through thousands of suppliers and yet, shopping pig in a poke? A sourcing agent can do the job for you at a very nominal cost.
Most sourcing agents have an extensive network of suppliers that they work with. This allows them to find better quality products in a jiffy. You will be amazed at how fast we are able to find products for our clients at Sourcingbro.
3. Seamless Communication
Communication in China is more than translating their language. There are business etiquettes. Negotiation models that are more likely to work. An agent brings this skillset to the table. They become your representative, but are well versed in the local language and culture. That’s a great advantage.
4. A Layer of Security
China is one of the safest places to do business in. Else it wouldn’t have become the shopping ground for the world. But, there are a few unscrupulous players in the industry who may try to fob you off in more ways than one.
There can be a stark discrepancy in the quality of the sample you receive and your final product. Some of it can even be invisible to the naked eye (inferior quality materials). Some suppliers can take an order and then delay it citing numerous reasons. You cannot afford this during your peak business season.
A sourcing agent will visit the factory, perform pre-sales, mid-production and post-production audits to ensure that everything is in order. It’s an added layer of security that every business must consider adding.
5. A Single Point of Contact
Rather than dealing with a supplier, a separate logistics provider, a separate warehouse management firm, and the customs, you have a single point of contact who will be happy to assist you with all your concerns and anxieties.
All that you will be doing is focusing on your own business marketing and sales. The agent will do the rest.
Things to Consider when Working with a Chinese Sourcing Agent
While we have tried to make it easy to find the best sourcing agent in China for your ecommerce venture, here’s some more clarity on the factors that you must consider before making the final choice.
1. Accessibility
You need a person who’s accessible, friendly & helpful. But they should also be assertive if and when required. How else would they stand up for your best interests in case they have to deal with an unscrupulous or unreliable supplier?
A great way to know if the person is a right fit, is to hop on a call and speak to them. That’s how we get started at Sourcingbro. It helps us understand what the client’s requirements and expectations are.
2. Industry-specific Knowledge
If you are looking for products in specific industries, such as Footwear or fabrics or LED lights, it may be better to work with someone who has industry-relevant knowledge and expertise.
This will ensure that they are well aware of the components that affect quality. For instance, LED lights can have different types of chips and drivers. If the agents themselves are unaware of the different parameters (3030 or 2835 & flicker-free), then how do you expect them to perform QC audits?
3. Experience
How many clients have they sourced products for? How many years of cumulative experience does the team bring to the table? Don’t go merely by their word either. Reach out to former clients for a word, if possible. A trustworthy agent will be more than willing to help you with references if need be.
4. Location
Where is the sourcing agent located? This can make a significant difference to the ease with which they have access to suppliers. This does not mean that an agent located in a different province might not have connections or a network elsewhere.
But if your sourcing task demands visiting multiple suppliers each day for a week or a month, an agent in proximity to the supplier is a better bet.
Closing Thoughts
That sums up our list of the best sourcing agents in China. Remember, a sourcing agent can be a permanent ally who helps you amplify and scale your ecommerce business taking out all the hurdles that stand in the way currently.
So take your time analyzing the service. Do your due diligence and engage the person that’s the best fit.
If you’re doing shopify dropshipping or ready to transition into a private label brand, then we may be a great fit and can work together.
