How to Import Toys from China — a Checklist from Inside the Toy Cluster
The checklist we actually walk through with first-time buyers: channel fit, supplier verification, whole-order quotes, samples, documents in the critical path, freight math and backwards calendars.
1. Start with your channel, not with a product.
The right SKU for a dollar store is the wrong SKU for a museum shop. Write down your channel, price band, shelf dates and target market first; every later decision gets easier.
2. Shortlist suppliers you can verify.
Trade directories, fairs, and referrals all work — what matters is verification. Ask every supplier three questions: which plant molds this product, which plant assembles it, and who inspects it before packing. Vague answers are your first cost saving — walk away.
3. Quote the whole order, not just the unit price.
A toy FOB price means nothing without case pack, MOQ, carton size, CBM and document costs. We quote all of it as a rule — buildable numbers are the only numbers worth comparing.
4. Sample before you believe anything.
Stock samples in 3–7 working days are normal in Shantou; color and packaging samples take 7–12. A golden sample locked before bulk is worth more than any promise.
5. Put documents in the critical path.
US buyers need ASTM F963 / CPSIA / CPC scoped to the SKU; EU buyers need EN 71 / CE with REACH as applicable; UK buyers need BS EN 71 / UKCA routes. Request them at RFQ stage, not after production — re-testing after the fact is how shipments miss vessels.
6. Choose freight like a buyer, not like a tourist.
Sea freight is the default for toys: heavy, low-value-density, season-flexible. Express and air solve launch emergencies, not margins. Get CBM math done before you commit dates — a 1:14 RC truck and a blister card of pull-backs live in different freight worlds.
7. Inspect where defects happen.
Incoming materials, in-line checks, final random inspection. If your supplier cannot tell you where in the process a defect would be caught, you've found your defect.
8. Plan the calendar backwards from the shelf.
Summer Program allocations confirm March–June with top-ups closing mid-July; Q4 gifting slots book July–August. Work backwards: shelf date → vessel → FRI → production window → PO. Then add honest slack.
The shortcut: you can run this checklist yourself across a hundred factories — or work with a desk that already runs it. Send us your category, market, quantity and dates; the trade desk replies within one business day.
Three routes from here, depending on where you are in the process:
Browse the range · How our wholesale process runs · Documents per market · Start your briefNext step