What should you ask a China sourcing agent before you sign? The right questions expose in one phone call what references take weeks to reveal: how the agent makes money, who actually inspects your goods, and what happens when something arrives broken. This checklist is written for commercial project owners — hotel developers, general contractors and FF&E contractors — who are about to commit a project budget to an agent they have never worked with.
Money Questions: How Do You Get Paid?
- “What is your fee structure — and is it the only way you make money on my order?” The answer you want is a clear service fee with no hidden factory rebates. An agent taking undisclosed commissions from factories is negotiating against you.
- “Do I see the factory’s invoice, or only yours?” Transparent agents show factory-level pricing. Opaque ones re-invoice with margin buried inside.
- “What do sampling, inspection visits and rework cost?” Get the full fee map in writing before the first PO, not after.
Competence Questions: Can You Actually Run My Project?
- “Can you read my CAD drawings and BOQ directly?” Project procurement runs on drawings. If the agent needs everything re-explained in spreadsheets, engineering errors follow. (Here is how we handle CAD and shop drawings.)
- “Show me a commercial project like mine — scale, categories, destination.” A real answer names the project type, container count and timeline. Vague answers (“we have many hotel clients”) are a warning sign.
- “Which factories will quote my job, and have you shipped from them before?” You are buying the agent’s factory pool. New-to-agent factories mean you are the guinea pig.
- “What happens if my main factory’s capacity is full?” Programs slip when there is no qualified backup. Ask for the plan B by category.
Sourcing this for a commercial project?
FBM Sourcing works with project owners, developers, main contractors and FF&E contractors on hotel, apartment, school, office and other commercial building projects. Send us your BOQ, drawings or product list — we’ll come back with a sourcing plan and budget estimate.
Quality Questions: Who Checks, and Against What?
- “Who physically inspects — your own staff or a subcontractor?” Both can work; you just need to know, and to see a sample inspection report before signing.
- “Can I appoint QIMA, SGS or my own inspector?” The only acceptable answer is yes. An agent who resists third-party inspection is telling you something. (Our position: welcome, on every order.)
- “What is your inspection standard — AQL level, checklist, photos?” Ask to see a real report from a past order. Structure means process; a few WhatsApp photos means no process.
- “How are certifications verified for my destination market?” Fire ratings, water standards and emission certificates must match your jurisdiction — ask who checks report validity and product match.
Risk Questions: What Happens When Something Goes Wrong?
- “What is your claims process for transit damage and defects found on site?” Get percentages and timelines in writing: what defect rate triggers rework, who pays for replacements, how fast they ship.
- “What deposit structure do you require, and whose account receives it?” Payments should go to the contracted company, and the deposit schedule should track production milestones — never 100% upfront. Review the Incoterm and payment implications before you commit.
- “If we stop working together, what happens to my shop drawings, molds and supplier contacts?” Ownership of tooling and drawings you paid for should be contractually yours.
How to Score the Answers
- Disqualifiers: refusing third-party inspection; refusing to disclose fee structure; no verifiable commercial project history; 100% upfront payment.
- Strong signals: factory-level price transparency; named inspection process with real reports; direct CAD/BOQ capability; destination-market certification literacy; backup factories per category.
- Weigh it like a scorecard, not a feeling. We published a structured version here: the sourcing agent vetting scorecard — and a broader guide on how to evaluate a China sourcing agent.
Get a China Procurement Quote for Your Project
Ask us every question on this list — we publish our answers and welcome the comparison. Send your drawings, BOQ or product list with quantities, destination port and timeline, and we will respond with a sourcing plan and budget estimate. Start at our building materials & FF&E procurement page.
