How it works

A defined process, priced before it starts

No open-ended retainers to begin with, no vague discovery phase. You know the deliverable, the exclusions and the cost before any supplier is contacted.

  1. 01

    Qualification call

    A short call to confirm the product, the quantity, the timing and the actual commercial question. If the work is not a fit, we say so on that call.

  2. 02

    Scope and fixed price

    You receive the deliverable, the exclusions and the price in writing. For the Supplier Benchmark Sprint that is a flat $750 for one product and up to three suppliers.

  3. 03

    China-side work

    Suppliers are contacted directly in Mandarin. Quotes are pressed on the details that matter: real MOQ, tooling, packaging, lead time, terms and who actually manufactures the product.

  4. 04

    Comparison and risk flags

    A clean side-by-side comparison plus obvious commercial and documentation risk flags, manufacturer versus trading company assessment and specialization signals.

  5. 05

    Recommendation and review call

    A direct recommendation framed as KEEP, RENEGOTIATE, SAMPLE, SWITCH or DO NOT PROCEED, walked through on a review call.

  6. 06

    Execution, if you want it

    Negotiation, sampling, visits, production coordination or ongoing purchasing support — separately scoped. Or take the findings and run it yourself.

Good fit

When this works well

  • You have a defined product or SKU
  • You have a target quantity and a destination
  • You hold a quote you are not sure about
  • You are replacing an underperforming supplier
  • You are preparing samples or a first production run
  • You buy from China repeatedly and need China-side follow-through

Poor fit

When it does not

  • You want product ideas rather than a product
  • You want weeks of speculative free research
  • You need dozens of unrelated SKUs quoted at once
  • You are looking purely for the cheapest possible goods
  • You need guaranteed regulatory, customs or quality outcomes

Want to know if your situation is a fit?

A short qualification call is the fastest way to find out. If it is not the right work for us, you will hear that directly.