What Foreign Buyers Often Misunderstand About Chinese Factories
Welcome to Issue #003 of Made Real.
Things I Wish More People Knew
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time in Yiwu,Zhejiang — one of China’s major production hubs for everyday consumer goods.
I’ve also met a surprising number of buyers from different parts of the world. Some came for the first time, others were already doing business here. But whether they were new or experienced, I noticed something in common:
👉 There are still a lot of misunderstandings about how Chinese factories actually work.
Not just small things — but big, relationship-shaping assumptions that often lead to frustration on both sides.
Here are five I see the most — and a few real stories from the factory floors.
1. “Cheaper = Better”
This one comes up a lot. Buyers show up thinking the lowest price wins. It doesn’t.
📍 A few months ago, a buyer showed me a quotation from another supplier — $1.05 per unit. My factory friend had quoted $1.30. “Can you match it?” the buyer asked. The answer was no — because that $1.30 included better raw materials, environmental testing, and a proper warranty. The cheaper factory skipped all of that.
Fast forward 2 months: the cheaper batch failed testing in Europe. They lost their first retailer deal.
💡 In manufacturing, “cheap” can become very expensive later.
2. “Factories Are Eager for Any Order”
This used to be true 15 years ago. But not anymore. Good factories are busy — and picky.
📍 I know a fashion accessories factory in Dongyang that recently rejected a 12,000-unit order. Why? The buyer kept changing specs, never sent a final sample, and disappeared for 10 days after the contract draft. “If they’re this disorganized now,” the factory owner told me, “imagine what happens during production.”
Factories are under pressure too — from labor shortages, rising material costs, and even platform penalties. They’re looking for stable, respectful partners — not just any business.
💡 You’re not the only one doing due diligence. So is the factory.
3. “If Their English Isn’t Great, They’re Unprofessional”
Oof. I’ve seen this happen more than once — a buyer walks away just because the factory rep is using awkward Google Translate phrases.
📍 But here’s the thing: some of the most brilliant production minds I’ve met barely speak English. One tooling engineer I know in Ningbo helped reverse-engineer a component for a major Swiss brand — just by looking at a photo. But he sends messages like “we make good product, trust me.” That doesn’t mean he’s clueless — it just means he’s focused on machines, not grammar.
💡 Language is a tool, not a reflection of ability. Ask better questions. Use more diagrams. Stay patient.
4. “Production Should Be Fast. That’s What China Is Known For.”
Yes, China is efficient — but it still takes time to make good things.
📍 A founder I met wanted custom packaging, pantone-matched inks, and three SKU variations — in under 18 days. That’s not how production works. Dyes need time to settle. Materials need to be ordered. Machines have queues. And workers need to rest.
Fast doesn’t mean careless. But when buyers rush too hard, factories often feel forced to cut corners. And the product suffers.
💡 Speed is not about pressure — it’s about process clarity.
5. “Factories Are Trying to Trick Me”
I understand the fear. Scam stories spread quickly online. But most factories I know don’t want a quick win. They want repeat business.
📍 I remember a client who asked: “What if you just disappear after I pay the mold fee?” After 10 back-and-forth emails, sample videos, and on-site footage, the factory finally said, “We’ve been here 20 years. If you can’t trust that, we’re not the right fit.”
💡 Yes, be careful — but don’t build your partnerships on fear. Trust is still the strongest currency.
Final Thoughts
Every time I walk through a factory in Yiwu, I’m reminded that it’s not machines making your products. It’s people.
People who care about their craft.
People who eat lunch together after hours of packaging.
People who still believe in building long-term relationships — even if they don’t speak perfect English.
If you want to manufacture in China and you’re serious about doing it right, I’ll keep sharing what I see — the raw, real version. No filters. No fluff.
Because that’s what Made Real is about.