Sourcing
When there is no link to paste.
Sometimes you have an idea, a photo, or a description — but no listing URL. Sourcing is the version of the service where we find the source, not just verify one you sent.
The process
Tell us the idea
Material, size, colour, where you saw it, why it matters. Even two sentences is a start. Finding the item is the work this tier pays for: no link, no fixed page to read, so the rate is higher than for a link you hand us. Only genuinely complex or custom requests move to a case-by-case quote.
We search
Across 1688, Taobao, Tmall, smaller factories, and off-list suppliers. If a factory needs an order size you cannot meet, we tell you and move on.
We bring back options
Usually two or three, with real listings, real photos, and a plain-English summary of the seller and the shipping terms. You pick.
We verify before quoting
Photos, dimensions, and a written note on the item you picked. Then we quote you in USD, itemised.
What sourcing costs
- Service fee — you send a link8% of the product cost
- Service fee — we source it15% of the product cost
- Complex or custom sourcingCase-by-case quote
- Orders over $1,500Case-by-case quote
Two rates, and which one you pay is decided the moment we know whether you have a link. Same item, same person, same checks — the difference is that finding a source takes hours and reading a link takes minutes. Complex or custom work (custom production, multi-supplier runs, long-lead tracking) and orders over $1,500 are quoted case by case, by hand.
Honest advice
If a request would cost more to handle than the item is worth, we will tell you. A small, simple item is quoted as a small, simple order. When the work does not make sense, we decline and say why. That is faster than a bad order.
We also decline when we cannot find a source we can verify. "We found three listings and none of them are honest" is a reply we are comfortable sending.