We began in 2013 as a two-person buying desk for a European pet retailer. Today we work across five categories, with more than 200 factory relationships and roughly 600 containers a year — still small enough that the person who quotes you also walks the factory floor.
Most sourcing agents do the first one and stop. The second and third are where containers go wrong.
Three factories shortlisted per item, real quotes compared, and a reference sample kept at our office. You choose between options we have physically held, not catalogue renders.
In-line and final inspection at AQL 2.5, with a written report and a photo set. Test reports for your market are matched to each SKU, not promised in general.
Goods from five factories, three categories and two provinces become one container with one document set — checked, packed and photographed before the doors close.
We are neither a factory nor a pure trading desk. The difference shows up in the details.
| Factory direct | Typical trading co. | Yiwu Pet Sourcing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category range | One product line | Whatever is asked | 5 categories, sampled |
| Minimum order | High, tooling-driven | Medium | From 50 pcs, mixed styles |
| Sampling | 7–15 days | 7–10 days | 3–5 days |
| Customization | Limited to their moulds | Forwarded to the factory | Managed end to end |
| Container | FCL only | LCL or FCL | 3–5 categories consolidated |
| Quality control | Their own line check | Photos on request | Two-stage, written report |
| Who you talk to | A sales rep | A sales rep | The person running your order |
Comparison reflects typical practice in Yiwu; individual suppliers vary.
No layers between you and the work. Each function has one owner, and you are introduced to all of them.
One buyer per category, in the market twice a week. They know which factory is good at which process — and which one is good at hitting a date.
In-line and final inspection against your approved sample. AQL 2.5 for major defects, with photos of every issue found.
Test reports, customs paperwork, booking and the consolidation plan. One person owns the container from packing list to bill of lading.
Runs the RFQ, the sample rounds and the production schedule. Answers within four business hours, including partial answers.
Our 1,200 m² consolidation warehouse sits ten minutes from the trade city. Every order passes through it before it reaches a container — which is how five factories become one shipment.
If a date or a price is not achievable, we say so before you order — not after the deposit.
A fast "we cannot make this" is worth more than a slow maybe. We decline work outside our categories.
Forwarder invoices are passed through at cost. Our margin sits in the sourcing fee, stated up front.
Every sample, revision and inspection has a date and a photo. If it is not written down, it did not happen.
A photo helps, but a description of the use case and target quantity is enough to start.
