Most problems people describe as importing problems are specification problems that were not noticed until the container was on the water. Getting the order of operations right — specification, sample, approval, production, inspection, then freight — avoids nearly all of them, and every stage is cheaper than the one after it.
The order, and why it is this order
- Specification in writing. Item, capacity, material, colour reference, decoration, lid, pack, market. This document is what every later dispute is settled against.
- Documents identified. Which certificates your market and your retailer need, named before production rather than after.
- Sample approved and archived. Photographed, dated, filed with the order.
- Production, with inspection. During production is where an inspection can still change the outcome.
- Pack-out confirmed, then the container plan. Loading is calculated from the actual pack, not assumed.
- Freight terms agreed in writing. The Incoterm decides who pays what and who carries the risk at each point.
The four things that actually go wrong
| Failure | Usually because | Prevented by |
|---|---|---|
| Colour rejected on arrival | No tolerance agreed | Pantone reference plus a written tolerance |
| Documents missing at customs | Market not stated at the brief | Naming the market and the retailer up front |
| Container short of the plan | Carton changed after loading was calculated | Confirm the pack-out before the container plan |
| Launch missed | Artwork or approval arrived late | Vector artwork with the brief; approval within a set window |
What a factory can and cannot do for you
A factory can manufacture to a specification, provide the documents it holds, and arrange freight under an agreed Incoterm. It cannot take responsibility for a market it was never told about, or for a claim printed on a pack that the product does not hold. Saying the destination plainly at the start is the single most useful sentence in an importing brief.
Questions buyers ask
Should I use a trading company or a factory?
A trading company can be useful for small mixed orders across many products. For a programme where the specification matters, a factory answers more of the questions you will end up asking.
When do I pay?
Payment terms are a commercial negotiation, and they should be in writing with the same care as the specification. Agree them before production, not before shipping.
Do I need a Chinese agent?
Not necessarily, but an inspection agent is worth it above a certain order value — see the QC checklist for what they should be measuring against.
The process page sets out the sequence we run with a new buyer.
