IE Sourcing
Your Direct Line to Chinese Manufacturing
Most importers pay the foreigner price without ever knowing it. We're on the ground in Shenzhen, with direct factory relationships and pricing negotiated in Mandarin — the number a local buyer pays, not the number quoted to a stranger's email. This is how a rough idea becomes real stock in your hands.
Free. No obligation. We reply within 1 working day.
The Problem
Sourcing from China alone is slow, risky and opaque. First-time importers lose months messaging suppliers who never reply properly, or commit budget to a factory they can't verify — and find out too late that the product, the MOQ or the price was never realistic.
Why IE Sourcing
Every factory in China runs two price lists — one for local buyers, and one for cold foreign enquiries with no one to verify them. We're not a cold enquiry. We're on the ground in Shenzhen, in direct contact with factory owners and production managers, negotiating in Mandarin as a trusted local buyer. That's the gap between the number on a listing and the number a factory actually works to — and it's the difference between an idea that stalls and a business that ships.
We deal with factory owners and production managers directly — not agency resellers reselling access they don't really have.
Real visits, real verification, real accountability in Shenzhen — not a stock photo and a storefront listing.
Negotiated in Mandarin, the way a local buyer negotiates — so the number you get is the number the factory actually works to.
This is the access most importers spend months, and thousands of pounds in mistakes, trying to find on their own. We already have it — and from your very first enquiry, it's working for you.
See exactly what that access costs.
View Pricing →How It Works
Access a network of verified manufacturers, not a cold list of Alibaba storefronts.
Secure the best prices, MOQs and payment terms — with someone in China pushing on your behalf.
Oversee production, quality and timelines — with updates, not silence, until goods are ready.
From factory to your door, on time and on spec — with a plan for reordering once it sells.
Ready to start? Get real supplier quotes from £249.
See Pricing →Case Studies
Every client below has signed an NDA. Company names, supplier identities and identifying project details are withheld. What's shown is real, anonymised sourcing data — the numbers a genuine sourcing assessment produces before you commit a penny to inventory.
Broad brief covering a beauty-tech device with consumables. Within one working day, multiple Guangdong supplier routes were compared side by side — this route carried the lowest entry MOQ of the options found, and the clearest path to a first order within budget.
Where speed mattered more than a lower MOQ, this alternative hydrogel route delivered a faster sample turnaround and a shorter bulk lead time than the premium format, with a faster packaging proof available too.
The premium format route supported English packaging from the outset. First-round pricing wasn't strong enough, so alternative routes stayed open while negotiation continued with the strongest candidates — real leverage, not dependency on one factory.
None of the first-round quotations above were strong enough commercially on their own — so instead of passing them straight back, alternative supplier routes stayed open while negotiation continued with the strongest candidates.
Price, MOQ, sample cost, lead time, capability, packaging and supplier responsiveness were all weighed, not just the cheapest number. All three projects moved into contract, with China-side price negotiation continuing afterwards to improve the position further.
"I have a product idea" becomes "I know what it costs, who can make it, what the MOQ is, and what my next step is" — no finished spec or supplier shortlist required to start.
Ready to see real supplier numbers for your product?
See Pricing & Get Started →Confidentiality note: these projects are subject to NDA. Client identity, supplier identities, direct factory contacts and other identifying project details have been withheld. Commercial figures shown are anonymised working data from the sourcing process and are not current supplier quotations — any live project requires fresh supplier confirmation.
The Journey
We assess whether your idea is realistically sourceable, flag obvious MOQ or budget issues, and give you an honest view on whether it's worth moving forward. No cost, no commitment.
We go into the Chinese supplier market and bring back genuine, comparable quotations — pricing, MOQ, sample cost, lead time and private label options, compared side by side.
You compare real options against your budget and goals, and choose the direction you want to develop.
We coordinate samples, confirm your logo, packaging and materials, and compare samples across factories before you commit to production.
Final negotiation, specification, production schedule and full China-side coordination — managed start to finish, with regular updates through production.
Inspection arranged before goods leave China, so problems get caught at the factory — not after they land on your doorstep.
China-side documentation and freight forwarder coordination handled for you, right through to shipment readiness.
Once your supplier, spec and packaging are locked in, reordering is fast — this is where a proven product starts paying you back.
Is This Right For You
This is the shortcut past the trial-and-error that burns most first-time importers' budget and confidence. If you've got a real idea and you're ready to back it properly, this is how it becomes a real business — not a folder of unanswered Alibaba messages.
We work best with founders planning to spend £3,000+ on goods, ideally £5,000+. For a first order, plan a total project budget of £5,000–£7,500+ — that covers more than just the factory invoice: samples, branding, inspection, freight and duty. Lighter, high-margin, low-MOQ products can sometimes work below that. Tell us your numbers and we'll give you a straight answer either way.
What It Costs
No surprise invoices. Here's exactly what happens after your free check, and what each next step costs.
Initial Sourcing Direction Check. An honest, China-side view on whether your product idea is realistically sourceable — before you spend a penny.
Starter Supplier Quote Pack. 2–3 real, comparable supplier quotations for one clearly defined product — pricing, MOQ, lead time and private label options.
Detailed Sourcing Assessment. Up to 5 supplier routes, deeper screening, negotiation and a structured comparison report.
From there, sample coordination, first order management and repeat orders are quoted based on your specific product and order size — always agreed with you before any work begins.
See Exactly What You Get
Every Starter Quote Pack and Detailed Sourcing Assessment follows the same structure. Here's a worked example for a private-label water bottle order, so you know exactly what lands in your inbox — not a vague email, a proper document.
| Field | Client / Project Input |
|---|---|
| Project reference | IE-0142 — Insulated Water Bottle |
| Product | 750ml double-wall stainless steel water bottle |
| Target market | United Kingdom |
| Target quantity | 1,000 units (first order) |
| Target price / budget | £2.60–£3.00 landed unit cost |
| Private label / branding | Custom logo laser engraving, brand colour, gift box |
| Target timeline | Samples approved within 3 weeks |
If the brief is incomplete, the Quote Pack states assumptions clearly rather than presenting uncertain supplier information as confirmed.
| Metric | Route A | Route B | Route C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Cost-focused | Balanced | Premium capability |
| Unit price | £2.15 | £2.55 | £3.10 |
| MOQ | 1,000 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Sample cost | £38 · 5 days | £45 · 4 days | £60 · 6 days |
| Bulk lead time | 28 days | 22 days | 30 days |
| Private label | Laser logo only | Laser logo + colour box | Full custom tooling |
| Payment terms | 50/50 | 30/70 | 30/70 |
Supplier identities are anonymised at this stage. All prices, MOQ and lead times are working quotations, reconfirmed before any production order.
| Assessment Area | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price competitiveness | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| MOQ fit | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Lead time | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Branding / customisation | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Overall commercial fit | 3 | 5 | 3 |
Recommended route: B. Best balance of price, MOQ, lead time and branding for a first order at this budget — with room to negotiate the sample cost down before committing.
| Stage | Typical Next Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Quote Pack delivered | Review supplier routes, MOQ, price, lead time and risks |
| 2. Supplier route selected | Confirm preferred route and any remaining questions |
| 3. Sample / private label | Coordinate sample, branding, packaging and specification |
| 4. First production order | Confirm final PI, quantity, production plan and terms |
| 5. Production / inspection | Follow production, arrange inspection before shipment |
Freight, insurance, duty, VAT and destination customs are excluded unless specifically included. Full terms confirmed in your Quote Pack.
Get Started
Tell us about your product idea and we'll give you an honest, China-side view — sourceable or not, realistic MOQ, and what it would take to move forward.
We reply within 1 working day. No spam, ever.
Questions
Yes. For most standard products where a factory already manufactures the base item, we can quote private labelling directly — unit price, MOQ, logo/branding method, packaging options, sample cost and any setup or printing costs, compared across suppliers.
That's treated as a deeper project. Changing the design, formula, tooling or moulds means the factory needs a much more detailed brief before a quotation is meaningful — we'll scope this with you before starting.
For a clear, relatively standard product, around 2–3 working days once you've had your free direction check. More complex or technical products, and ODM work, are confirmed case by case.
We'd ideally like to see £3,000+ in goods budget, with a total project budget of £5,000–£7,500+ covering samples, branding, inspection, freight and duty — not just the factory invoice. Lighter, high-margin, low-MOQ products can sometimes work below that.
We coordinate the China-side documentation, packing information and freight forwarder handover. Your destination-side freight/customs provider handles the import process once goods leave China.
Reordering is fast. Once your supplier, specification and packaging are already established, we can reconfirm pricing, availability and the new production schedule within 1–2 working days.