How to import bags from China(7 simple steps)

Bags are essential in our daily life. In the street, you can see every women with handbags or tote bags, business men with backpack or briefcase, and students are with school bags, the travelers are with cases or luggage. Thus, Handbag has a large market. There is great business opportunities and markets. You may have a idea to set up your bag business, but don’t know how to start.

Introduction

Importing from China can be a lucrative business venture for entrepreneurs looking to establish a brand or expand their product offerings. China is renowned for its manufacturing capabilities and competitive pricing, making it an attractive destination for sourcing bags. However, navigating the complexities of importing can be challenging without the right international trading business knowledge and strategies in place.

In this article, we will explore the step-by-step process of importing bags from China and provide valuable insights to help you succeed in this endeavor.

1. Why Import Bags from China

China is the world’s largest exporter of bags, offering a wide range of options in terms of design, quality, and price. Importing products from China allows businesses to access a vast supplier network, cost-effective manufacturing, and a diverse range of bag types to meet various market demands.

Compare with other countries, goods from china still the biggest export country in the world. Why those people like to import products from China? I have list some of the advantages below.

China has many wholesale bag markets.

There are many styles, update fashion new designs in bags market. The well known and most famous one is in Sanyuanli(三元里）, Guangzhou. There are many buildings with thousands of wholesalers and retailers from different Chinese factories, they cover different types of bags (such as wallets, shoulder bags, school bags, and handbags, Travel bags,tote bags, tool boxes, etc.) you can find a supplier to place your first order, save time, don’t need to go to other place, most products have stock and can custom according to your requirements.

Good Value for the money.

China products well known as cheap, you can buy the same items but in cheaper price. Now China is growing stronger and people’s Living standards improved, the price is not that cheap as before now. The manufacturers are paying more attention to the quality now, compared with the previous low prices products, imported bag from China now has a greater cost-effectiveness. This is one of the important reasons why importers are keen to buy products from China.

China has the complete industrial chain. Import bags from China is more easier.

After years of growing, China have the full bags industrial supply chain, which provides very important support for the efficient delivery. Raw materials are one of the most important factors for the on time delivery. In China, there are many raw material cluster and markets such as Haining, Zhejiang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, non-woven fabrics Xiantao, Hubei, and the world’s leather goods center manufacturer in Shiling, Guangzhou. All raw materials have in stock can buy anytime, providing more possibilities for on-time delivery.

Fast and convenient logistics.

China is one of the largest exporters and has the most convenient logistics network in the world. In 2020, the top 10 busiest ports in the world, China has 7 of that, with the big and large delivery network, it has shorten the sample and production and delivery lead time.

If it’s the first order you made with Chinese factory in small quantity, it’s a good way to ship by express air courier like DHL, Fedex, UPS, TNT, It takes 2 days to send from China to the United States, 3 days to Australia, and about 3-5 days to Europe. Some airport have direct flight can delivery at the same day via air shipments, by sea shipping will take a longer time about 15-25 days. Due to the covid 19, the delivery time may delay.

2 Different channels according to different type of business

Bags have huge market, every one has at least one bag, bags are big categories, divided into many small product categories, I will classify it from 4 aspects as below.

Style bags: According to different people, they can divide into women’s bags, men’s bags, handbags, travel bags, student bags, mountaineering bags, etc.
Fabric bags: Different fabric such as cloth bag, leather bag, PVC bag, EVA bag, canvas bag, non-woven cloth bag, faux leather bag, etc.
Function bags: For some specific use like computer bags, digital bags, camera bags, medical bags, cosmetic bags, musical instrument bag, fishing bags, etc.
Cases: trolley case, tool case, briefcase, suitcase, EVA case, etc.

Depending on the different type of business, there are different channels. We will divide into two kinds: purchasing inventory and customizing private brands.

Inventory in the purchase market

There is always a minimum order quantities for customization. For many small businesses and start ups they have lower minimum order quantities can not meet the custom require, I would like to suggest buy the already in stock bags.

Advantages:

More choice on styles and colors. For the stock items usually can take any quantity, you can match different styles and colors in any quantity.
Need such a small amount start-up funds, small budget friendly, not have much pressure on selling.
No need to spend a lot of time on how to design a new bag collections and follow up productions.
Easy negotiate pricing, better price on wholesale orders.

Disadvantages:

Cannot customize your own LOGO on bags, it is difficult to create your own brand.
The quality may be different due to different bag suppliers and batches. Poor quality products have more after-sales issues. And if they sold out may not restock anymore, means you need more time to look for more alternatives. It is difficult to set up a unique style, not have the unique selling point.
Too many similar or even same products on the market, high competition, low profit margin. Maybe clients can find the same string bags on different bag shops in the same shopping mall.

Customize styles and create your own brand

All companies growing will think to build their own brand, this helps companies to survive for a long time in market, also can have better profits, you can gain many active followers and fans.

Advantages:

Conducive to the rapid growth of the brand and the growth is continuous, which will bring additional brand premiums and create more profits.
Conducive to the formation of a fan group for the brand. In the Internet age, the economic benefits brought by the fan economy are huge, and the brand loyalty of fans is usually much higher than that of non-fan groups, so cultivating and maintaining fan groups is an essential work.
No same bags in the market, with stable quality, low competition and high profits.

Disadvantages:

Need continuously pay attention to the market trends and make right decisions, and market sensitivity is required
Customized bag require a certain MOQ and more funds. For example, you need to make at least 200 pcs in same items of the bag, need to make less designs if less budget.
Need much time and cost on R & D.

3: 4 types of bag suppliers

Now you’ve read my details explanation of best options for purchase bags from China according to your business model, I hope that you are clear about 1-2 steps now. So, let’s move on to the next level, in this chapter, I will explain who these so-called Chinese bag suppliers are? what are their roles in the supply chain, and how they run the business. First, let’s see the 4 types of Chinese bag suppliers.

Inventory bags suppliers

Inventory bags suppliers can be divided into two categories, one is online suppliers, the other is offline market suppliers. I will introduce in detail online sales suppliers and offline market suppliers in Guangzhou, China.

Online sales suppliers: Aliexpress, eBay, Shopify, wish, amazon, global sources, Alibaba suppliers.

They usually have a small amount of inventory. It is worth noting that there may be some differences between different batches of bags. When purchasing, you need to ask the seller if there is a difference and where the difference is. Otherwise, there may be a risk of return and reduce product satisfaction. They purchase bags from the offline market and some Chinese version platform like 1688 and taobao. Then resell them to importers and retailers and end customers, usually they have foreign sales team.

Offline wholesale market

Guangzhou is well known as the “Leather goods city of the World”. There are a large number of bag manufacturers in shiling huadu district, and large wholesale bag markets around sanyuanli. Many importers import bags here every year. There will be an in-depth introduction in other article(not finish yet), Please pay attention to subscribe to my article, there will be a reminder after update.

Bag manufacturers

Handbag manufacturers are the source of all kinds of bags in the market. But they might request high MOQ, for small quantity they don’t have much discount on price. For you, this may be the lowest price you can touch, but may not suitable.

There are two types of bag manufacturers in China

One is a bag manufacturer without an English salesperson, mostly boss in charge of the order, they may have merchandiser in factory, Such manufacturers do not have the ability to communicate in English. They usually cooperate through domestic foreign trading companies and purchasing agents and wholesaler in market.

The other is the bag manufacturer with English sales team. This type of bag manufacturers have its own R&D department, have different people to deal with procurement process. They know more about the bags, have more professional knowledge and suggestions, and can independently complete the process from sample customization to logistics and delivery. Also they have the in house pattern maker and material, they can react quickly then others.

The bag manufacturer prices are usually lower than trading companies, but usually require higher MOQ. For example, the MOQ of ladies cosmetic bags is 500. If you want to design and develop new bag collections, this type of supplier is suitable for you, they will give you a lot of professional advice, and will help you reduce development costs and shorten delivery time.

Trading companies

Trading companies also called middlemen. They help importers buying products from China. Trading company who do not have the production capacity, usually they have the resources of different product manufacturers or sellers. They find factories and send the products to different suppliers for quotation and get the best selection of them.

Due to the long-term cooperative relationship between trading company and bag manufacturers, they can accept a smaller MOQ.

Trading company running their business in 2 ways,

Trading company add profits when quote the price, there is no additional commissions charge anymore, most company use this way.
Trading company earn 5-10% of the total amount. If the quantity of purchase order is relatively small, the commission will increase accordingly. Some of the company will get some percentage commission from Chinese supplier also, if there comes come issues with low quality products, this may be harmful to you.

Sourcing agent or purchasing company

A sourcing agent or purchasing company does not produce products but only provides services.

If you need to buy several or more different types of products in China, sourcing agent and purchasing agents are good choices, they can help you source products, reduce purchasing and transportation costs. You can have more time on your clients.

The Benefits of Using a Sourcing Agent

Access to Global Supplier Networks: Sourcing agents have established relationships with suppliers worldwide. They can tap into their extensive network to find reliable suppliers, including those with unique capabilities or niche products.
Cost Savings: Sourcing agents leverage their expertise in negotiations and market knowledge to secure competitive pricing and favorable terms. They help businesses optimize their procurement processes, reduce costs, and achieve cost savings.
Quality Assurance: Sourcing agents conduct thorough supplier evaluations, including site visits, quality audits, and certifications. They ensure that suppliers meet the required quality standards, minimizing the risk of receiving subpar products.
Time Efficiency: Finding and evaluating suppliers can be time-consuming. Sourcing agents have the knowledge and resources to expedite the process, saving businesses valuable time and enabling them to focus on their core operations.
Risk Mitigation: Sourcing agents assess supplier reliability, financial stability, and track record. They help businesses mitigate risks associated with supplier non-compliance, production delays, or unforeseen circumstances.

4: 5 ways to find Chinese bag suppliers

The last topic introduced 4 types of suppliers in China, the question is: how to find these suppliers? In this chapter, I will introduce how to find Chinese bag suppliers.

Guangzhou bags wholesale market

If you want to see and touch the bag, the most directly way is go to visit the bag suppliers, so that you can see the materials, structure and quality. It’s easy to check and judge whether it is suitable for you. The disadvantage is that you need much time and cost if the order quantity is not big.

There are many wholesale markets in Guangzhou, China. They provide various kind of bag, most of them have in stock. You can select the items and get it ship at the same day. You can compare different shops some of them may have the same item. The more you buy the more discount you can get, you can bargain with them, usually will have around 20-30% price down. If the same items in different shops price are huge difference, you need to pay attention to the material, it may be different grade quality, specially for the leather goods, first layer with second layer and faux leather are huge different.
Guangzhou Sanyuanli(Guihuagang) Wholesale bag market is one of the largest and highest-grade markets in China. It gathers more than 5,000 brands here. You can find all kinds of bags you need here, include women’s bags, men’s bags, string bags, school bags, handbags, shoulder bags, backpacks, travel bags, waist bags and other bags. Guangzhou Guihuagang Wholesale Market is located at No. 1107 Jiefang North Road, Sanyuanli, Baiyun District, Guangzhou, next to Guangzhou Railway Station. It’s not a single market, they consist of different buildings like Baiyun World Leather Trade Center(白云世界皮具贸易中心), China-Hong Kong Leather Trade City(中港皮具商贸城), Guangzhou Jinyi Leather City(广州金亿皮具城), Guangzhou Shengjia Leather City(广州圣嘉皮具城), Guangzhou Xinxing Leather City(广州新兴皮具城), Guangzhou Dongsheng Leather City(广州东升皮具城), Guangzhou An Xing leather market(广州安兴皮具城) and other markets.

Visiting trade show(Canton Fair)

In Guangzhou, every year will held 2 times of Canton fair(the largest trade show in China), Spring (April-May) and Autumn (September-October)Canton Fairs in Guangzhou Pazhou Expo Center. It’s divide into 3 periods, every period different products. The textiles and bags are usually on the last period, many domestic and international suppliers and buyers came during this time. Due to the COVID-19 in 2020 and 2022, the Canton Fair held online. It’s opening again in 2023, a good way to find bag suppliers at the Canton Fair.

Search Chinese bag suppliers on search engine like GOOGLE

Many companies have official English websites. For example, most of bag manufacturer with English salespersons, trading company and sourcing agents have official websites in English.

Searching for Chinese bag suppliers through GOOGLE is a good choice. Entering “bag supplier China” “bag manufacturer China”, will come out many results of bag suppliers, you need to select them and choose reliable suppliers for cooperation. In the introduction of Step 6, I will tell you how to judge whether a supplier is worthy of long-term cooperation. In China, many companies have websites, which are easy to contact.

Business Platforms

We have many business platform like Alibaba, Global source, Made in China. Alibaba is China’s largest trading platform, gathering a large number of gold suppliers. If you are just start ups not have much budget on it, it is not the best choice, because sellers on Alibaba usually require a higher MOQs, most of them get orders not have stock. Note: Alibaba uses a bidding ranking model, which means that as long as you pay enough money, you have a chance to rank first.

DHgate is also one of the trading platforms in China. Normally, the minimum order quantity required here will be lower than Alibaba.

Amazon, Shopify, ebay, Aliexpress, SNS

You can find suppliers through Linkedin, Facebook and other social platforms. The search method is similar to Google. But different to Alibaba or other B2B platforms, there are not too many suppliers for you to choose from, most of them are retailers. You can also find suppliers through Amazon, Shopify, ebay, and Aliexpress. The difference is that 80% of them are retailers. They buy from China’s wholesale market(online and offline) and then resell them to Foreigner. It is impossible to guarantee the stable quality of each batch, and may out of stock.

5: 5 aspects to judge whether bag suppliers is worthy of long-term cooperation.

When choosing a supplier, you must choose a reliable long-term cooperative bag supplier, and it’s dangerous to change suppliers every time. We have customers in the USA, AU and the UK who have cooperated for more than 5 years. During the long-term cooperation, we have discovered 4 important points.

A reliable and long-term bag supplier can give a lot of professional advice, reduce the development cost, and shorten the lead times.
They are more familiar with the importer’s products, general rule and market positioning, and the raw materials and production processes used in the bag are more in line with the importer’s requirements.
Save importers a lot of time in production, small issue they can fix shortly. and cooperate more smoothly.
The quality and delivery time is more stable, avoiding the shortage of goods and defected rate.

How do we determine whether the bag suppliers can cooperate for a long time? Mainly inspect the bag supplier from the following 5 points.

Strike an appropriate balance between quality and price.

When starting to select supplier, we usually exclude suppliers whose prices are too high and too low. Just like iphone12, if the price is $200, then there must be a fake one or with quality problem, or it is not brand new; if it is $5,000, it must be absurd. The long-term cooperation must be based on integrity and mutual benefit.

The capacity of the factory can match the order quantity.

When choosing supplier, we need to know how many equipment and workers there have in production. For example 5,000 handbags, a factory with 20 workers they can not delivery in a month, you need to prepare longer delivery time. An order of 100 bags is not suitable for finding a supplier with 500 production workers, they will not get this small order, or the price will be much expensive than small factories.

Professional knowledge and communicate efficiency.

This is more like to the person you are dealing with, same company but different people, their knowledge, way of working, habits and resources are different. It’s about the company but also more about the people you work with. You can learn and growing together. International trade mostly use E-mails. Due to time zone differences, will greatly delay the efficiency of communication, so excellent sales staff will continue to pay attention to e-mail, and strive to communicate in the shortest time. If you import from China, every Chinese use Wechat, i highly suggest you download WeChat, it will save a lot of time on waiting email.

Attitudes and solutions to problems.

The attitude to the problem, always positive to find the solution, the execution ability are to determine whether the supplier is worthy of long-term cooperation. The occurrence of problems means that the bag supplier have to invest more time, energy and money, causing the loss of profit for the supplier. A reputable supplier is actively helping customers solve problems, considering the problem from the customer’s rather than simply considering the profit.

Professional international trade

International trade involves many professional fields, like delivery terms(DDU, DDP, CIF, CNF, FOB terms) payment terms(telegraphic transfer know as T/T, PayPal, Western union, LC), cargo tracking, tariff rates, customs clearance documents, certificates of origin, customs declaration documents, etc. A qualified supplier can process relevant documents in time, follow up the cargo transportation in time, and inform the importer until the bags arrives at the importer’s own warehouse perfectly.

6: 4 principles to ensure the quality

Before placing the order formally, need to confirm the details.

Confirm the product details: the thickness, color and texture used; the inner fabric and color; the production process and size; the color, shape and size of the hardware. The best way is ordering samples before mass production and confirm.
Reconfirm the quantity, color and price: After the request samples ready, bag supplier will give an final price based on the sample and quantity. But the final price is based on the final quantity and changes, So it is necessary to re confirm the final quantity and price
Confirm the payment terms and delivery terms. Chinese suppliers usually require 30% deposit to purchase materials in advance and the balance before shipment or copy of B/L. In most cases, Chinese suppliers mostly accept payments in U.S. dollars. The most common payment method is wire transfer (T/T). You can login to an online bank or go to an offline bank to complete the payment. In international trade, there are four main delivery methods, EXW (delivery from the factory), FOB (delivery to the dock), CIF (Freight and insurance), DDP (DDU) (delivery to the customer’s warehouse).
Quality control: quality is very important, it is related to your sales, reputation and brand growing.
Inspection the materials before cutting, make sure they are in good condition to go, if not need to change or return to the fabric suppliers. Such as color, texture, thickness, hardware color, shape, etc.
Inspection during production: In fact, inspection during production is more important than finished product inspection. Problems found during production is easy to fix, cost much lower, little impact on the product, can improve the overall quality of the
Finished product inspection: Finished product inspection is the last step before cargo transportation, usually visual inspection. Leather oiled edges, stitch, stains, packaging

7 Arrange Shipping

Arranging shipping and choosing right shipping company is a crucial step in the logistics process, and it requires careful planning and consideration. Whether you are shipping products domestically or import goods internationally, there are several important factors to keep in mind to ensure a smooth and efficient shipping experience.

Importing goods involves more than just transporting them from one location to another. It involves a complex set of decisions and actions that can impact your supply chain, customer satisfaction, and overall business operations.

Shipping Method

Consider the nature of products, their value, size, urgency, and destination. Common shipping methods include:

Air Freight: Fast and suitable for time-sensitive shipments but more expensive.
Sea Freight: Cost-effective for large containers, full container load shipments but has longer transit times.
Road Freight: Ideal for domestic or regional shipments with shorter distances.

Packaging and Documentation

Proper packaging is essential to protect your products during transit. Use suitable packaging materials and ensure compliance with regulations and safety standards. Additionally, accurate documentation such as commercial invoices, packing lists, and customs forms is crucial for customs clearance and smooth transit.

Customs and Duties

For international shipments, familiarize yourself with the customs regulations and duties of the destination country. Ensure that you have the necessary documentation and that your products comply with any import restrictions or requirements.

If you don’t want to deal with these, you can use customs agent or customs brokers to help import shipments. They can handle with customs duty and custom fees.

Transportation Insurance

Consider obtaining transportation insurance to protect your goods against loss, damage, or theft during transit. Evaluate different insurance options and choose coverage that aligns with the value and nature of your products.

Shipping Costs and Transit Time

Evaluate shipping cost based on factors such as weight, dimensions, distance, and shipping method. Compare rates from different shipping companies or freight forwarders to ensure you are getting the best value for your money. Additionally, consider transit time and balance it with cost-effectiveness to meet your customer’s expectations.

Tracking and Visibility

Choose a shipping provider that offers tracking capabilities. This allows you and your customers to track the progress of shipments and provides visibility into estimated delivery dates. Real-time tracking enhances customer satisfaction and enables you to proactively address any potential issues.

Regulatory Compliance

Ensure compliance with local and international shipping regulations. This includes adhering to hazardous material regulations, restricted items, and any specific requirements for certain products or industries.

Delivery Options and Service Levels

Consider the delivery options and service levels provided by shipping carriers. Evaluate factors such as guaranteed delivery times, delivery to specific locations, and any additional services offered, such as signature confirmation or special handling.

The End

I hope after reading this article will be great helpful for you to import bags from China. If you like this article, you can share it with your friends. If you have any related questions, please leave comment or mail us. I’m happy to share with you all my experience. If you need to import bag from China, please feel free contact us.