How We Work
Reviewed by Hasan Olwan · Last updated: September 24, 2026
A sourcing agent works for you, the buyer, inside China. At OLWAN Sourcing, that means we find and check suppliers, negotiate in Chinese, follow production, inspect your goods before you pay the balance, and ship them to your door. You approve every stage before we move to the next. This page explains each step, how payment works, and what we can’t promise.
How do sourcing agents work? Our 7 steps
- Request. You send the product, quantity, budget and country through our quote form or WhatsApp. We reply within one business day.
- Quote and agreement. We confirm what you need, which services apply and our fee, in writing, before any work starts.
- Sourcing. We search Yiwu market, factories all over China and specialized trade fairs, then send you a comparison of at least three suppliers, often more. Already have a supplier? We can verify it before you pay.
- Samples. You approve a sample before any bulk order. Samples are charged at cost.
- Order and production. We place the order and follow production. You pay for the goods and our commission together, by bank transfer.
- Quality inspection. We check the goods before you pay the balance, and send you a photo report. → Quality inspection
- Consolidation and shipping. We collect goods from all your suppliers in our Yiwu warehouse and ship them by sea, air or express, with DDP to your door if you want it. → Shipping
Payment terms
- Goods and commission: paid together, by bank transfer.
- Commission rate: based on the value of the goods, per our published tiers. The rate applies to the whole order.
- Samples: charged at cost.
- Inspection, verification and shipping: priced separately, confirmed before booking.
- No credit and no deferred payment. We don’t offer either.
- We don’t take commission from suppliers. We work for you, and our only fee is the one you see.
Who you deal with
One team in Yiwu handles your order from the first message to delivery, and you have one contact for everything. Our founder, Hasan Olwan, has worked in international trade since 2007, and in Yiwu since 2009.
What we can't guarantee
We’d rather tell you now than surprise you later.
- We don’t control the factory. We choose suppliers carefully and follow production closely, but a factory can still miss a deadline or change a material. When it happens, we push for a fix and keep you informed.
- Inspection reduces defects. It doesn’t remove them. An inspection checks a random sample against agreed standards. A small number of defects can still get through.
- Shipping times are estimates. Ports, weather, customs inspections and Chinese holidays can delay any shipment.
- Duty rates can change. Governments change tariffs, sometimes with little notice. If rates change before your goods clear customs, the DDP price is adjusted, and we tell you as soon as we know.
- We don’t offer credit or deferred payment.
- We don’t give legal advice. Trademarks, product certifications and import rules in your country are your responsibility. We’ll tell you what we know, and point you to the right expert.
Questions?
See our FAQ, or send us your product and we’ll walk you through it.