Importing from Asia, without the surprises
Finding a supplier is the easy part. Knowing whether the product will pass, whether the documentation holds up, and whether the second container matches the first, is where importing actually gets decided.
The three things that go wrong
After sourcing from Asia for EU clients since 2019, almost every problem we are called in to fix traces back to one of three things:
- The supplier was never properly verified
- The documentation looked fine but did not hold up
- Nobody checked the goods before they shipped
None of these are exotic. They are all preventable with a few hours
of work at the right moment, which is always earlier than people think.
What needs to happen, and when
Before you order
- Verify the supplier actually exists and can deliver. Read more
- Confirm the product meets EU requirements. Read more
- Get the documentation in writing, before the deposit. Read more
During production
- Inspect while it is still on the line, not after. Read more
Before it ships
- Pre-shipment inspection against your specification. Read more
- Check the labelling and packaging. Read more
Once it lands
- Your obligations as EU importer, which do not transfer. Read more
1. Supplier verification
What it covers
Confirming the factory is a real manufacturer rather than a trading company, that it has the certifications it claims, that it has produced this type of product before, and that its financial situation is stable enough to complete your order.
Why it matters
A trading company adds margin and removes control. You cannot audit a production line you have no access to, and when something goes wrong the intermediary has no ability to fix it.
When
Before the first payment, always.
2. Product compliance check
What it covers
Establishing which EU rules apply to your product before you commit to a production run: which harmonised standards, whether CE marking is required, whether the product falls under GPSR, and what testing is needed to prove it.
Why it matters
Finding out after production that your product needs a different construction, a different material or a different label is the most expensive discovery in importing. Tooling has been paid for and the container is booked.
When
Before the sample is approved.
3. Documentation and test reports
What it covers
Getting the test reports, the Declaration of Conformity where required, and the technical file from your supplier. Then checking that what you received is actually usable.
The two things that go wrong
The testing laboratory is not accredited, or the report covers a different model than the one you are ordering. Both look identical to a genuine report unless you check the lab against the ILAC MRA register and match the model number line by line.
When
Before the deposit, in writing, as a condition of the order.
4. During production inspection
What it covers
An inspector on site while roughly 20 to 60 percent of the order is complete, checking the goods against your specification.
Why this timing
Problems found at this point can still be corrected on the remaining units. Problems found after the run is finished mean rework, rejection or acceptance of something you did not order.
When
Partway through the production run.
5. Pre-shipment inspection
What it covers
A final check before the goods leave the factory: quantity, workmanship, function, packing, and conformity to the approved sample. Usually on an AQL sampling basis, or 100 percent for high-risk products.
Why it matters
This is the last moment you have leverage. Once the container sails,
your options narrow to accepting the goods or a dispute at distance.
When
When production is complete and before shipment is released.
6. Labelling and packaging
What it covers
Checking that the label carries what EU law requires: product identification, your details as importer, a traceability code, and any warnings in the language of the market you sell to. Plus, from 12 August 2026, that your packaging meets the PPWR design rules.
Why it matters
A label error is discovered at the border or by a marketplace, not by
you. Relabelling a landed container is possible but expensive, and it
happens while your stock is not selling.
When
Before the artwork goes to print, and again at pre-shipment.
7. Your obligations as EU importer
What it covers
Once the goods are on the EU market, you are the responsible economic operator under GPSR. That means keeping a technical file for ten years, ensuring traceability, putting your contact details on the product, and responding to market surveillance authorities when they ask.
The part people miss
Your supplier is not your compliance department. A Chinese factory has no obligations under EU law and no exposure if something goes wrong. Everything lands with you.
When
Continuously, from the moment the first unit is sold.
What this costs, honestly
Inspections and verification are a small fraction of an order value, usually well under one percent. Independent testing where documentation is missing runs from 250 to 800 EUR per SKU.
Set against that: a rejected container, a relabelling operation, or a marketplace suspension. We have never seen a client conclude afterwards that the inspection was the expensive part.
That said, not every order needs everything. A repeat order from a factory you have used for three years needs less than a first order from a new supplier. Tell us the situation and we will say what we would actually do.
Sourcing and compliance in one place
Most importers work with a sourcing agent for the supply chain and a separate consultancy for compliance. Those two rarely talk to each other, which is how a product gets sourced beautifully and then fails at the border.
We do both. When we review your factory documentation we already know what EU law will require of it, and when we check compliance we know what a Chinese factory can realistically deliver.
12+
Years experience
200+
Brands represented
300+
Suppliers
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about this service.
No. A first
order from a new supplier warrants the full sequence. A repeat order from a
factory you know may only need a pre-shipment inspection. We will tell you
which parts we would skip.
Usually not. CE is a manufacturer declaration, not a certificate issued by an authority. What matters is whether the underlying test reports exist, come from an accredited laboratory, and cover the model you are actually buying.
Yes. We work
across Asia, including Vietnam, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia.
Yes, that is a common arrangement. We review documentation and handle the EU side without touching your existing supplier relationship.
Before the sample is approved, ideally. That is the last point where changing the product is cheap.
Tell us what you are importing.
Send us the product and the supplier, and we will tell you what we would check and what it would cost. No upfront costs, no obligations, and if your setup is already solid we will say so.