What we promise, and what we do not.
A sourcing agent sits between you and the seller, and between you and customs. Those two positions carry different duties. This page separates them, because most disputes start where the customer assumed we were the seller.
The entity named on your invoice
The service is provided by the company named on your quotation and invoice. That name, not this website, is the counterparty to your order. Our registered address is shown in the footer of every page.
This is the clause that matters most
When you ask us to buy something, we buy it on your behalf, in your interest, and the goods become yours at the moment of purchase from the seller — not when they reach you. We are not the manufacturer, the brand owner or the retailer of the goods, and we do not warrant them.
What that means in practice: if the item is defective, the claim runs to the seller, and we will pursue it as your agent and tell you honestly how far it can go. If the item is not what the listing described, we will say so at inspection, before it ships, and give you the choice to return, replace or abandon it.
A quote is an estimate with a stated basis, not a promise that tax will not move
A quotation is valid for seven days unless it says otherwise, and is calculated on the goods value, category, weight and volume you told us. Duty follows the HS code confirmed at declaration; VAT follows the rate in force on the day of import. If the declared basis changes — a different code, a heavier carton, a new VAT rate — the number changes, and you will hear it before dispatch rather than at your door.
| Charged | How it is calculated |
|---|---|
| Sourcing fee | 8% of the goods value, one flat fee. No membership, no minimum order, no per-parcel surcharge |
| China domestic freight | At cost from the seller to our Guangzhou warehouse |
| International freight | By chargeable weight (air) or volume (sea), whichever the carrier bills |
| Insurance | Optional, charged at the rate shown on your quote and subject to the insurer's terms |
| Duty, VAT and customs fees | Advanced by us and itemised on the invoice, so the consignee pays nothing at the door |
Four things only you can do
| What | Why it falls on you |
|---|---|
| Describe the goods accurately | Duty, VAT and admissibility all follow the description. A vague or optimistic description is the most common cause of a held shipment |
| Hold the import licences and registrations | SASO/SABER certificates, SFDA registration, CST type approval, an importer of record with a tax number. We can tell you what is required; we cannot obtain it in your name |
| Pay duty, VAT and any fine on time | Where a quote includes tax we advance it; where it does not, the authority will look to the importer of record, which is you |
| Check the delivery | Report visible damage at delivery and hidden damage within seven days. After that the carrier will not accept a claim |
Some categories are refused outright, some need review first
Counterfeit and trademark-infringing goods are refused on every route, at any declared value. Other categories — e-cigarettes, drones, radio equipment, satellite devices, religious printed material, brand-name goods without an authorisation chain — are reviewed case by case before you pay, and the answer is given in writing.
If goods turn out to be different from what was declared, we stop the shipment and tell you. Costs already incurred — freight, storage, return or destruction — are yours. The full list and the review process are on the restricted items page.
A pair of eyes, not a laboratory
Our inspection is visual and documentary: quantity, model and colour against the order, visible damage, obvious functional faults, packaging condition, and photographs of what we saw. It is not a lab test, not a conformity assessment, and not a guarantee that every unit works. Where a certificate or a test report is required for import, that is a separate service and is quoted separately.
Thirty days free, then it costs money
Consolidated goods are stored free for 30 days from arrival at our warehouse. After that, storage is charged at the rate shown on your quotation. Goods left for more than 90 days without instruction may be disposed of to recover costs, after two written notices to the email address on the inquiry.
We do not guarantee clearance
Customs authorities decide. We prepare accurate documents, use the correct code and respond to queries; we do not control inspection outcomes, valuation disputes or release timing. A shipment held for a certificate you were required to provide is not a service failure on our side, and storage or demurrage arising from it is yours.
Capped at the fee, and it does not cover lost profit
Our liability for any single shipment is limited to the service fee we charged for that shipment, unless a higher figure is required by the mandatory law that applies to your contract. We are not liable for lost profit, lost opportunity, or consequential loss. Cargo loss and damage during carriage is covered by the carrier's terms and by insurance if you bought it; we will assist with the claim but we do not underwrite it.
The commercial mechanics
Goods and the sourcing fee are payable before we purchase. Freight and tax are payable before dispatch, unless a written credit arrangement exists. Cancellation is free before we have paid a seller; after that it is whatever the seller will refund, minus work already done.
If something goes wrong, write to us first: most claims are settled by a photograph and a replacement. If that fails, these terms are governed by the law stated on your invoice; where the invoice states none, the law of the place where the contracting entity is registered. The date of this page is 29 October 2026.
One thing we will always do
Tell you before you pay, not after the box is on a plane. If a category is restricted, a certificate is missing, or the price has moved, you hear it from us first.