After 11 years in Chinese factories, here is what intermediaries never tell French SMEs before it is too late.
Every year, hundreds of French SMEs lose tens of thousands of euros on Chinese orders. Not because of China. Because of what we didn’t tell them before.
Eleven years in Guangdong factories. Here is what I observe each week.
1. Your supplier is probably not the manufacturer
On Alibaba, 60% of “factory” profiles are intermediaries. They buy from the real manufacturer, add 20 to 40% margin, and sell you the illusion of direct. The test: request a live video from the workshop with the date visible. Silence or refusal, it’s a trading company.
2. The lowest price always hides something
A supplier who accepts your budget without negotiating is not giving you a gift. It reduces elsewhere. Raw materials, labor, controls. I saw an order for €15,000 delivered with substituted components, which did not comply with European certifications. The customer lost everything. The supplier kept the deposit.
3. Your agent never sets foot in the factory
Most sourcing agents manage everything from an office, via WeChat. They transmit your questions, translate the answers, take their commission. They have never seen your production line. Without physical presence, there is no control. There is administrative management.
4. Inspecting too late is useless
Waiting until production is packed to send an inspector is the most common mistake. If defects are detected at this stage, everything must be unpacked, sorted, corrected. Lost weeks. Useful inspection is done during production. Not after.
5. Once the container is loaded, it’s finished
No one says this clearly before ordering. Legal recourse between France and China is long, expensive, and most contracts signed with Chinese suppliers are worthless in practice. Your only leverage is before shipping. Not after.
Importing from China is not risky in itself. It’s risky when you delegate without controlling.
Nicolas Allard, field agent in China for 11 years, supports French, Belgian and Swiss SMEs in their import operations.
