r/Business_in_China

I used to own a company in Europe and had a great business relationship with several Chinese suppliers.

For about four years, we imported around 50 containers per year. Unfortunately, at the end of 2024, our business failed and the company went bankrupt.

The total debt was around €800,000:

• Around €400,000 was covered by Sinosure.
• The remaining €400,000 has never been paid.

I have since started working for another company as a Purchasing Manager. Part of my new job requires travelling to China to inspect goods and meet suppliers.

My biggest concern is whether I could face an exit ban or any other legal issues because of the debts from my former company.

I've already consulted three Chinese lawyers, and all of them told me that I should be safe and that they found no active court cases against me. However, I'd really like to hear from people who have been in a similar situation.

Has anyone here had a company go bankrupt while owing money to Chinese suppliers and later travelled to China without any problems?

Business failures are unfortunate, but they do happen.

Any real-life experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Every week someone here loses money to a "factory" that turns out to be a trading company or worse, a straight-up scammer. Most vetting advice online is surface-level (ask for a video call, check reviews) — and those are the easiest things to fake. Here's a deeper checklist. Some of these only work if you (or someone you trust) can read Chinese, which is kind of the point.

1. Read the business license (营业执照) — specifically the "business scope" line.
Every registered Chinese company has one. The "scope of operations" (经营范围) literally lists what they're legally set up to do — "manufacturing" vs "wholesale/trade" are different words. A trading company's scope will say trade/sales, not production. Ask for the license, then actually read that line.

2. Cross-check the registered address on a Chinese map.
Drop the registered address into Baidu Maps (Google Maps is thin inside China). A real factory sits in an industrial zone with a plausible footprint. If the "factory" address is an apartment block or a tiny office park, that's your answer.

3. Ask a spec question only a real maker can answer instantly.
For that water bottle: "What's your wall thickness tolerance, and what's your reject rate on vacuum-seal testing?" A factory rattles off numbers. A trading company goes quiet, or says "I'll check with the factory" — congratulations, you just found the middleman.

4. Match the utility bill to the production claim.
A real factory has an electricity bill that scales with output. Asking for it feels odd, but it filters out a huge share of fakes that pass paperwork checks. Trading companies can't produce one that matches "we make 50,000 units a month."

5. Check the VAT invoice (增值税发票) situation.
Real manufacturers issue proper VAT invoices and can talk about export rebates without flinching. Vagueness here is a flag.

6. Watch how they behave when you mention a third-party inspection.
Say you'll send an inspector to their site. A real factory says "sure, here's the address and a contact." Hesitation, excuses, or "let's do a video call instead" = walk away. On-site audits check raw material logs, headcount, and internal QC — things a staged video-walk-through can't.

7. Never wire money to a personal account or an "agent" who only talks on WhatsApp/IG.
Payment should go to the company account matching the business license name. DM-only + upfront payment + no verifiable address is the classic burn combo. Trade Assurance / escrow exists for a reason.

None of this is paranoia — it's just the checklist that separates people who get burned from people who don't. Add yours in the comments if I missed any.

Dm me if you can help me out and show me some of your work OEM

Has anyone here ever wanted to buy from apps like Taobao, ZZER, HARMAY, etc., but gave up because of the language barrier, account verification, restrictions, needing a mainland phone number... all the confusing stuff? 😅

I'm pretty new here so I have no idea if anyone will reply this 😅. But figured I'd ask...

Would anyone here actually be interested in trying it out?

Some examples brands:

Chinese bag brands like Songmont, MUVA

Fragrances like To Summer and Melt Season

preloved luxury pieces (LV, Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Celine, YSL, etc.—within a certain value limit)

Or just everyday finds like clothing, phone cases, home décor, beauty products, souvenirs, Pop Mart/Crybaby, and other random Taobao gems.

One thing that a bit surprised me when comparing listings with **Fashionphile, The RealReal, and Rebag**, I noticed that many items are considerably lower in China.

Feel free to leave a comment or send me a DM—I'd love to hear your thoughts!

I'm exploring different ways to connect with manufacturers in China for a new product idea, and Made-in-China.com. keeps coming up in my search.

One thing I noticed is that it makes it easy to browse suppliers across a wide range of industries and compare products before reaching out, which seems helpful when you're still researching options.

For those who have experience sourcing in China, have you used Made-in-China? How reliable were the suppliers you found and what was your overall experience with communication, pricing and quality control?

I'd love to hear any lessons you've learned or things you wish you had known before placing your first order.

Llevo tiempo pensando en esto y finalmente lo voy a hacer. Me voy a China los próximos 3 meses para explorar oportunidades reales de negocio que conecten con el mercado europeo.

¿Por qué China? La realidad es que muchas cosas de calidad se producen allá, pero casi siempre llegan aquí con márgenes raros o sin el cuidado que se merecen. Hay fábricas que trabajan con calidad real, proveedores serios, y la posibilidad de hacer custom manufacturing que acá directamente no existe o es prohibitivo

¿Qué busco? Identificar oportunidades concretas. Piezas de electrónica, muebles, productos de diseño, equipamiento especializado — cosas que tengan demanda en Europa y que podamos traer con una propuesta diferente. No estoy hablando de dropshipping o basura aliexpress. Hablo de productos con calidad real, que resuelvan algo, que valga la pena.

El plan: Visitar fábricas, entender procesos, negociar volúmenes, hacer prototipos, establecer relaciones directas con productores serios. Busco proveedores que trabajen con estándares de calidad, con tiempos realistas, con ganas de hacer partnership de verdad.

¿Qué después? Traer esos productos aquí, armar un negocio que sea sostenible. Puede ser una tienda online, puede ser distribución, puede ser marca propia — depende de lo que encuentre y de cómo cierre los números.

Si alguien ha hecho algo parecido o tiene referencias de fábricas confiables en China, cualquier input suma. También si tienes ideas de productos o nichos que creas que funcionaría, cuéntame.

Hello hello hello,
Im looking for a womens bag manufacturer in china that can take low MOQ orders i.e

10 design x 35 piece per article

Hmu if anyone can

Please only reply if your a chinese manufacturer

I always assumed these products were mostly about checking build quality.

The more I looked into them, the more I realized that performance claims are just as important as the physical product.

A few things that stood out:

1. Don't assume the advertised performance is accurate.

It's easy to compare products by numbers on a listing, but those numbers still need to match what the product actually does.

If customers feel the purifier isn't effective, the reviews usually reflect that pretty quickly.

2. Open more than one unit.

I've seen samples where the first unit worked perfectly, but later production units had noisy fans, sensor issues, or inconsistent operation.

Testing one sample isn't always enough.

3. Water tanks deserve extra attention.

For humidifiers, I'd spend a few extra minutes checking for leaks before shipment.

A tiny leak might not seem like a big deal until it damages the retail packaging or neighboring units during transport.

4. Test the smart features if you're selling a connected model.

Wi-Fi pairing, app setup, and sensors are easy to overlook.

Customers expect these features to work right out of the box, and they'll often leave a one-star review if setup becomes frustrating.

5. Packaging matters more than I expected.

Filters, fan assemblies, and water tanks can all be damaged if the internal packaging isn't designed well.

Sometimes the product itself is fine—the packaging simply wasn't built for international shipping.

One thing I've learned is that products with moving parts, sensors, or performance claims usually require a lot more verification than simple household items.

A product can look well-made, but if it doesn't perform the way customers expect, returns and negative reviews can pile up quickly.

For those of you selling electronics or small appliances, what's been the biggest source of returns—actual manufacturing defects, inaccurate product claims, or shipping damage?

I'm getting closer to placing my first order with an overseas supplier, but the more I read, the more cautious I become.

Some people say ordering samples is enough, while others recommend factory inspections or spending weeks talking with suppliers before making a decision.

For anyone who's been through this process before, what gave you confidence to move forward? Was there a specific step that helped you avoid a bad supplier, or was it mostly experience and instinct?

I'd love to hear what worked for you and what you'd do differently if you had to start over.

Hey guys, I have been running a decent business for the past 2 years (I manufacture beds), I recently decided to import materials directly from China.

I also foresee I'll be importing new materials as I am expanding. What are the main mistakes I should avoid doing? Like what are the main pitfalls people fall into and lose money?lastly what you wish you knew when you started.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

I placed a production order, paid a 30% deposit, and the goods are finished. Due to unexpected major cash flow issues, I can't pay the remaining balance immediately.(no loan possible either)

I've offered several alternatives, including:

• releasing the portion already covered by my deposit,
• releasing the full shipment under a written deferred payment agreement,
• paying the balance in instalments.
• storing the goods for me for a storage fee until I can pay the remaining balance.

The sales manager has refused every proposal and insists on full payment before releasing anything. They also said that if I don't pay by the end of this month, they will sell the goods to another customer.

The contract doesn't address what happens in this situation. I own the branding, logo, designs, tech packs, and all related intellectual property. However, the trademark is not registered in China.

Has anyone dealt with something similar?

• Are they likely bluffing about selling the goods?
• Can they legally sell branded goods produced for my company if the contract is silent on ownership?
• Is there another solution you've seen work in practice with Chinese factories?

Any advice on what I should do or experience would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone,
I’ve come up with a product idea and I’m looking for someone who can help turn it into a real product.
I’m looking for someone with experience in:
Product design
CAD
Prototyping
Manufacturing
The product is fairly simple but has a few moving parts, and I’d like to create a working prototype before moving to production.
If you’ve helped develop consumer products before or know a manufacturer that can take an idea from concept to prototype, I’d love to hear from you.
Please comment below or send me a message.
Thanks!