Services | Source with Tophney

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How to get started?

International sourcing doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Our proven sourcing framework and project guidance keep everything transparent, organized, and on track.

Gather Requirements

We’ll begin by learning more about your project. This helps us match you with the right factory, cost range, and production plan. You’ll only need to answer a few key questions:

1. What is the product?

There are generally 2 types of product sourcing:

Exisitng product sourcing

Need fast, hassle-free products? Choose from our curated selection of high-quality merchandise that only needs your logo or brand color to make it yours.

Browse our product catalog today.

Browse Catalog

Product development project

From concept to prototype, production, and delivery — we work with you every step of the way to turn your idea into reality.

Let's discuss your project

2. What is the purpose of this project?

Retail/ e-commerce

Wholesale/ distribution

For own use

Brand merchandise/ Corporate giveaways

3. What level of customization do you need?

Ready Stock

No customization, ship as is

Light Customization

Logo print or select from available colors

High Customization

New mold, custom Pantone color, packaging

R&D / Product Development

From concept to fully engineered prototype

4. Quantity

How many units are you planning to order?

Do you have expected reorder frequency or forecasted turnover?

5. Logistics & Timeline

When do you need the product delivered?

Delivery destination? (Country / City)

Shipping terms:

• FOB :you handle freight)
• DDP :we deliver to your door

6. Budget

Do you have a target price range or cost expectation?

This helps us identify the correct quality tier and supplier level.)

Once er understand your requirements, we will use Tophney's Five Pillers Matching System to identify the optimal factory.

Factory Selection Method

Choosing the right factory isn’t about finding “the best”—it’s about finding the most compatible. Just like relationships, alignment matters more than perfection.

Based on your requirements, our team applies Tophney’s Five Pillars Matching System to identify the optimal factory:

Product Compatibility
Professionalism & Cooperation
Scale & Attributes
Quality & Material Tier
Price & Lead Time Alignment

1. Product Compatibility

China has factories that say they can produce anything—but specialization matters.

For example, a factory that normally makes standing fans may accept a tower fan project, sourcing unfamiliar components externally while only contributing their own motor. Naturally, the cost increases—and quality, consistency, and delivery reliability decreases.

The more specialized a factory is in your product category, the better the quality, pricing, lead time, production reliability.

This is our first and foremost screening filter.

2. Professionalism & Coopration

Beyond equipment and price, we evaluate how the factory by spotting the following 6 characteristics:

Basic professionalism and respect

Proactiveness in updates

A factory may offer the right price and quality—but if communication signals future risk, we will proactively switch to protect your project

Constructive communication

Problem-solving attitude

Detail and transparency in quotations

Response speed and clarity

3. Scale & Attribute

We classify factories into three categories to ensure the right operational fit.

Category	Typical Size	Certification Capability	Best For	Notes
Large	500+ employees	Fully certified for global markets	Major retail chains (Costco, Walmart, etc.)	High reliability, higher MOQ
Medium	100–500 employees	Certifications obtainable upon request	E-commerce brands & regional distributors	Best balance of price, flexibility, and stability
Small	Under 100 employees	Certifications arranged if needed	New brands & low-MOQ projects	Most flexible, best for testing market demand

4. Quality and material

As the saying goes: you get what you pay for—in the best way.

In China, every product exists in multiple quality tiers:

Water bottles can cost $1 to $100

Sofas can range from $30 to $5,000

You can:

Send us a sample or reference quality, or

Provide a target budget and we’ll show you what’s achievable at that tier

Whatever your positioning—budget-friendly, mid-market, or premium—we match you with a factory built for that tier.

5. Price & Pricing

Once specifications are clear, we will:

Compare pricing across at least two qualified factories

Verify that quotes are within reasonable market range

Identify whether a higher quote is justified or a lower quote signals corner-cutting

Establish a clear production timeline based on your delivery deadline

Negotiate faster lead times where realistically possible

Once we get the green light from you, you’ll receive a Gantt Chart Timeline to track your project from beginning to end.

14 Steps Timeline

Every project we handle follows a refined 14-step sourcing timeline designed for clarity and confidence. From the first idea to final delivery, you’ll always know exactly what’s happening, when it’s happening, and what comes next.

1

Gather requirements

1-2 Days

We begin by understanding your product idea, specifications, branding needs, and project goals.

2

Source supplier & compile

5-7 Days

We identify the most suitable factories, negotiate on your behalf, and prepare a consolidated quotation for comparison.

3

Confirm quotation

3-7 Days

You review pricing, MOQ, and terms, and we lock in the chosen supplier.

4

Confirm product design

2-3 Days

Final design details, materials, colors, and branding elements are confirmed before sampling begins.

5

Sampling

5-10 Days

The factory produces a physical sample based on your finalized specifications.

6

Ship sample by air

7-10 Days

Your sample is shipped to you via express air freight for fast evaluation.

7

Confirm sample

1-3 Days

You review the sample and approve it or request adjustments.

8

Sign contract + transfer deposit

3-5 Days

You sign the contract we provided and transfer the initial 30% deposit so we can proceed to production with the factory.

9

Mass production

10-30 Days

The factory begins full production with ongoing monitoring to ensure quality and timeline adherence.

10

10.

Confirm logistic quote + sign contract

1-3 Days

We provide shipping options and a logistics quotation, then finalize the logistics arrangement.

11

11.

Shipping

20-30 Days

Your goods are shipped via your preferred method — air, sea, rail, or courier.

12

12.

Receive shipment

1 Days

Products arrive at your destination, ready for inspection, storage, or distribution.

13

13.

Transfer logistic fee

1-3 Days

The remaining logistics fee is settled upon delivery completion

14

14.

Completion & Aftersales Support

Your project is complete once the goods arrive and are confirmed. We continue to support you with any follow-up needs — from reorders to quality checks and future product development.