A China sourcing agent finds and vets suppliers, negotiates price and minimum order quantity, reviews samples and manages shipping. Search interest more than doubled in the past year as more small sellers source directly instead of through marketplaces.
Search interest in "china sourcing agent" more than doubled over the past year. More small sellers are sourcing directly from factories instead of relying on marketplace listings, and finding out fast that vetting a supplier from another country alone is risky.
Skipping any step here is the most common way sellers lose a deposit to a supplier that doesn't deliver.
What a China sourcing agent does
- Finds and shortlists manufacturers or trading companies for your product.
- Negotiates unit price, minimum order quantity and payment terms.
- Orders and checks samples against your spec before you commit.
- Sets up a dropshipping supplier feed if that's your model.
- Compares freight options and tracks shipments.
- Spot-checks production batches before they ship.
Product sourcing service vs. a trading company
A trading company sells you their own margin on top of a factory price, and works for themselves, not you. A product sourcing service works on your behalf: comparing multiple suppliers, negotiating, and flagging risk before money moves.
Questions to ask before you send a deposit
- Has the supplier's business licence been verified?
- Can you get a physical sample before the bulk order?
- What happens if the production batch doesn't match the sample?
- Who inspects the goods before they ship?
What it costs
Unlike agents who charge a percentage of order value, an hourly sourcing agent costs the same whether your order is $500 or $50,000. A 6-hour block at $63 typically covers sourcing and vetting for one product line.
Find a supplier who actually delivers what the sample showed. See the sourcing agent service or start for $1.
Frequently asked questions
What does a China sourcing agent actually do?
Finds and vets manufacturers, negotiates price and MOQ, orders and checks samples, and manages shipping and quality checks.
Is there a minimum order to use a sourcing agent?
Not with an hourly model. You pay for time worked, so it fits a single test order or an ongoing supplier relationship.
How is this different from an Alibaba trading company?
A sourcing agent works for you and vets multiple suppliers on your behalf. A trading company is a middleman selling you their own margin on top of the factory price.
What is doing this yourself costing you?
Doing it yourself: $2,165 a month of your time.
The same hours at our $12/hr pay-as-you-go rate: $520. Dedicated plans start at $5.62/hr.
Simple maths from the numbers you enter. It assumes a VA can take on those hours.
Start for $1Written by the MyRemoteVA team. Search-trend figures come from Google Trends. Prices shown are our current plans. Last updated September 25, 2026. Questions or corrections? Contact us.
Sourcing & Procurement
A China sourcing agent to find suppliers, negotiate pricing, vet samples, manage shipping and connect suppliers to your store, hourly, with no minimum order.
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