Guides
Sourcing guides, written by operators.
The field notes we wish we’d had on the first product. No theory — just how factories, costs, and quality actually behave.
Guides
12 guides
What the factory isn't telling you in their quote — line by line.
The price is the smallest part of the answer. The MOQ, lead time, payment terms, sample policy, and HS code each hide their own surprises.
Why "China is cheaper" is wrong under 1,000 units.
India beats China on small-batch textile. Vietnam beats both on lead time. The real answer is category × volume, not country reputation.
Read guideThe three letters at the end of every factory quote that move price 35%.
EXW, FOB, CIF — what each one transfers to you, what each one leaves with the factory, and the markup that hides inside CIF.
Read guideWhich factory certifications actually matter — and which are just stickers.
OEKO-TEX vs GOTS vs BSCI vs SA8000 vs Fair Trade — the four that move buyer trust, and the half-dozen that are basically wallpaper.
Read guideYour sample looked perfect. Why your bulk run won't.
Samples are made by the senior operators; bulk is not. Color, fit, fabric, finishing, and packing each drift in predictable ways — here's how to lock each one.
Read guideDon't negotiate the unit price. Negotiate these four levers instead.
Payment terms, lead-time penalty, rework allowance, and volume tier — these move all-in cost more than unit-price haggling ever will.
Read guideThe 14-step checklist every founder skips — and pays for later.
Brief, sample, BDA, PO, deposit, mid-production inspection, PSI, balance, freight, customs, last mile. Skip a step and pay 2–10× later.
Read guideWhy your "one sample" is actually six — and the 6–10 weeks they cost.
Six sample types, $400–1,200 in fees, 6–10 weeks of sampling before bulk. Skip a type and discover the gap in the wrong place.
Read guideYour factory wants 30/70. Here are the 5 payment structures and when to push back.
30/70, 20/80, 15/85, LC at sight, Open Account — five structures, very different risk profiles. Which one to ask for, and when.
Read guideCustoms from Asia: the 7 steps that decide whether your first import clears or stalls.
HS codes, Section 301, MPF/HMF, broker fees, ISF, demurrage. Get one wrong and your container sits at $100–300/day.
Read guideYou don't need 5 factories. You need 2 good ones — and a soft-backup bench.
Two vendors at 60/40 split beats five at 20% each on price, terms, and priority — until a single-vendor failure costs you the entire quarter.
Read guideAsia's holiday calendar quietly burns 30% of your year — here's how to plan around it.
CNY shuts China for 3 weeks. Tet shuts Vietnam. Diwali slows India. Plan in writing 8–12 weeks ahead or pay 2× lead time.
Read guideFrom the workspace
Skip the reading. Start with your idea.
Every guide here is something Frenzee already walks you through on the way to a factory-ready brief.