You know, China has always been the most important producer and exporter of toys in the world. More than 70% of the toys on the global market are produced in China. If you want to import toys, then importing from China is undoubtedly the best choice.
Of course, from the tens of thousands of toy supplies in China, it is not easy to select the right one for your toy business and successfully complete the whole process of importing toys from China.
This article will give you more guidance on how to find the right toy supplier and what to do when importing toys from China. This article is sure to help you better import toys from China
1. How to find the toy supplier for Importing Toys from China
Some common strategies include:
Strategy 1: Search online directories and databases
China has toy markets and some online wholesale sites that can help you import toys from China into your country. The most common B2B markets for Chinese toymakers are:
- Alibaba
- Global resources
- Made in China
Strategy 2: Attend trade shows and visit wholesale markets
Toy fairs allow you to meet potential suppliers and manufacturers face to face and learn about the products and services they offer.
Generally speaking, if you want to wholesale a wider variety of cheap toys quickly, then the Chinese toy wholesale market is your best choice.
Because in the wholesale market in China, you can find many wholesalers who sell all kinds of toys. Here, you can complete one-stop toy purchasing, wholesale you want to buy all kinds of toys.
There are five most famous toy markets in China, the largest of which is Yiwu Toy Market. Plastic toys, inflatable toys, plush toys, educational toys, diy toys, girls toys, electronic toys, remote control toys and other types of toys everything.
Two of the most important toy wholesale markets in China
Yiwu Toy Wholesale Market — the most important market in Yiwu
Yiwu Toy market is located in the first zone of Yiwu International Trade City. It is the largest toy wholesale market in China. There are more than 2,000 toy wholesale stores selling thousands of different categories of toys from all over China.
That means you can find over 2,000 wholesale toy suppliers here, as well as hundreds of different toys from each toy wholesaler.
When you walk into Zone 1, you will find many toy stalls on many streets. In front of the street, there are four signs: “General Toy,” “Electric Toy,” “Inflatable toy,” and “Fabric Stuffed toy.” The categories aren’t specific, but they give you a general idea of where to find the toys you need. See table below for details.
- Fabric plush toys – 400 suppliers Ordinary toys – 1000 suppliers
- 200 electronic toy suppliers
- Inflatable Toys – 200 suppliers
- Fabric Plush Toys – 400 suppliers
Why Yiwu toy market can buy the cheapest wholesale toys? Because the toy supplier here is the general agent of the toy factory, their price is calculated according to a lot of expenses.
So many times, you will find that even if you find the manufacturer, after comparing the price, you will find that the price in Yiwu market is still lower.
Unfortunately, most of the wholesale toy suppliers here do not speak English, so it is best for you to find an English translator or toy purchasing agent to translate for you in order to properly communicate with the toy suppliers.
Guangzhou Toy Wholesale Market — the earliest market
Guangzhou Yide Road toy shop circle is one of the most important trade bases for toys and gifts in China, including International Toy boutique City, Hong Kong Toy Wholesale City, Wanling International Toy boutique Plaza, Wind Toy City, etc.
For many experienced buyers, Guangzhou toy Market is a place not to be missed. Several toy markets here gather toy wholesalers from all over China. All kinds of toys can be bought here, such as baby toys, wooden toys, plastic toys, electric toys, holiday toys and so on.
Here is more Chinese toy wholesale guide for your reference. He can help you find Chinese toy suppliers quickly.
https://unionvisionchart.com/how-to-find-toy-suppliers-by-visiting-china/
Strategy 3: Seek referrals from other businesses
Toy companies in the same industry can often provide you with good potential supplier recommendations, because you have similar business types and product needs.
Therefore, you can also choose to ask them for some help, of course you have to effectively screen the suppliers they provide。
Strategy 4: Use a purchasing agent or trading company
Purchasing agents and brokers are professionals who specialize in helping businesses find and evaluate potential suppliers and manufacturers for importing toys from china.
Generally speaking, finding potential suppliers and manufacturers takes time and effort, but it is a crucial step in the product sourcing process.
By taking the time to research and evaluate potential toy suppliers and manufacturers, businesses can be sure to work with reliable and trustworthy partners who can help them produce high quality products at competitive prices.
If you are not familiar with the toy market in China, or you do not know which factory or trading company to cooperate with, then you can find a purchasing agent to complete the order.
The purchasing agent will keep your cost control and quality control requirements in mind and find you the right plant until delivery. Purchasing agents in China are all local operations, so they will be more familiar with the factory.
For example, the MOQ of a factory is 2000pcs, and the purchasing agent will try to help you reduce it to 1500pcs or even lower.
2. How to evaluate toy suppliers for importing toys from china
There are several key factors companies should consider when evaluating potential toy suppliers and manufacturers for importing Toys from China.
Some of the most important factors to consider include:
Factor 1: Quality
The quality of toy products provided by potential suppliers or manufacturers is critical to the success of your business.
Be sure to carefully review the supplier or manufacturer’s quality control processes and procedures and ask for samples of their products to assess their quality.
Factor 2: Price
Price is an important factor when evaluating potential toy suppliers and manufacturers, but it should not be the only factor for importing toys from china.
You need to carefully examine the pricing structure of the toy supplier, learn more about the price structure, including whether there are volume discounts, and compare with other toy suppliers to find the best price。
There’s a lot of information about prices. First, you need to know EXW, FOB, CIF, CFR. After reviewing these quotation methods, choose the method that suits you to negotiate with the factory.
In general, it is best to have factories quote ex-factory prices so that they can be compared with other factories. You can compare the lowest prices.
Secondly, you need to quote from several wholesalers or suppliers to understand the corresponding product parameters in their price, such as product quality, size, gram weight of materials, etc., which will affect the price.
In addition, if your order is large enough, you can understand asking the factory to review the price and give you a discount. Generally speaking, factory quotation is based on quantity. The more you have, the lower the price.
Factor 3: Delivery time
Lead time is the time it takes a supplier or manufacturer to produce and deliver the materials or components you need.
Be sure to discuss delivery times with potential suppliers and manufacturers to make sure they can meet your business needs.
If you order from a factory in China, you must ask about delivery time. Most toys are made to order. If they have a lot of orders waiting to be placed, then lead times can become very long and may affect your sales cycle, especially if you want holiday merchandise.
Factor 4: Flexibility
It is important to work with suppliers and manufacturers who are flexible and able to adapt to changing needs and requirements.
Consider whether potential suppliers or manufacturers will be able to adapt to changes in your product portfolio or production schedule, and whether they will be willing to work with you to find solutions to any challenges that may arise.
Factor 5: Reputation
The reputation of a potential toy supplier or manufacturer is an important factor to consider when evaluating them as a potential partner.
Be sure to research the toy supplier or manufacturer’s track record and customer reviews, and ask for references to other businesses they have worked with in the past.
Factor 6: Payment method
In the communication between China and wholesale suppliers, the payment method is also one of the most critical aspects in the negotiations.
First, you need to understand several standard payment methods: telegraphic transfer, letter of credit, D/A.
Generally speaking, Chinese suppliers expect T/T payment, that is, 30% deposit and the balance before delivery.
3. How to ensure the quality of importing toys from China
The quality of toy products is very important for importing toys from China, you need to make sure that your suppliers can provide you with products that meet your quality and specifications requirements.
To do this, companies should take the following key steps:
Step 1: Specify specifications
It is important to establish clear and detailed specifications for purchasing toys before beginning the manufacturing process.
This should include information about the materials and components to be used, the dimensions and tolerances required, and any performance or quality standards that the product must meet.
Step 2: Communicate your specifications to suppliers and manufacturers
When you have successfully defined the specifications of the toy products you need, you must carefully communicate with the supplier to ensure that the toy supplier can clearly understand your needs and carry out effective implementation to be able to produce toy products that meet your requirements.
Step 3: Perform a quality control check
Throughout the production process, it is important to conduct regular quality control checks to ensure that the materials and components produced meet your specifications.
This can include visual inspection, measurement and testing to verify that materials and components meet required standards.
Step 4: Work with suppliers and manufacturers to resolve any issues
If any problems or discrepancies are identified in the quality control process, it is important to work closely with suppliers and manufacturers to resolve these issues.
This may include providing additional guidance or specifications, or working with suppliers or manufacturers to find solutions to problems.
Overall, ensuring that your product is of good quality and meets your specifications requires careful planning and coordination with suppliers and manufacturers.
By setting clear specifications and conducting regular quality control checks, businesses can ensure that their products meet the required standards and deliver the performance and quality that customers demand.
4. Possible difficulties for importing toys from china
Language and cultural differences
The language and cultural differences are probably the most obvious challenges you will face when shopping in China. Even if you speak Mandarin, there are a lot of nuances in translation.
Due to differences in language, culture, business practices, etc., this can lead to disagreements and miscommunication between you and the vendor, which can lead to a lot of trouble if not addressed. Beyond the language barrier,
It is important to understand that Chinese suppliers often think differently from Westerners.
Another challenge directly related to sourcing in China is cultural sensitivity, particularly understanding of local culture and language, and understanding how these factors will affect communication between manufacturers and buyers involved in global sourcing.
Transportation problem
Another challenge of global sourcing in China is how quickly your goods get to your city. At present, China’s global procurement mode of transport is mainly sea.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, major domestic ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo, Tianjin, Qingdao and Shenzhen are under capacity strain, and it is still difficult to obtain freight reimbursement.
Since November 2022, shipping capacity between China and North America, the Mediterranean, Europe, South America and Southeast Asia has continued to be insufficient, and international freight prices have skyrocketed, with some shipping prices doubling.
As a wholesale toy manufacturer for more than 20 years, we support OEM and ODM orders for wholesale toy products. We have best-selling Plastic toys, plush toys, wooden toys, educational toys, etc. We can provide services to help you importing toys from China. Any questions, please feel free to contact us.
