There are three ways to buy goods from China. Which one is right for you depends on a single thing β how much you're ordering.
The price of a product ordered from abroad up to the point of entering your country consists of:
- The manufacturing cost of the product
- Shipping and transport costs
Costs after the product enters the country are usually fixed (or should be), and we won't consider them here.
Cheap purchases
Many of you have probably heard of Aliexpress, Temu, DHgate, Gearbest, and other Chinese platforms for buying single items online.
If you are an individual purchasing for personal use, this is the cheapest option for you.
With low or free shipping, this is often the best choice since no agent in China can provide such low shipping costs. No agent can do this for you. Shipping costs for small packages are another story and are often elevated to national standards.
We explained why shipping costs can be negligible in our blog post: Free Shipping from China.
Since this is single-item buying, prices are higher than when buying in bulk. The same product on Aliexpress is more expensive than on Alibaba because on Aliexpress you buy item by item, while Alibaba requires MOQ (minimum order quantity).
It's clear that buyers ordering larger quantities usually get better prices. Alibaba is cheaper than Aliexpress β in other words, B2B bulk purchasing is cheaper than B2C single-item buying.
Cheaper purchases
Buying in bulk is always cheaper than buying single items.
However, buying on Alibaba and other B2B platforms (Made-in-China, Globalsources...) isn't always straightforward.
Two main factors affect the final price:
- Quantity β larger orders β lower price per unit
- Shipping method β the way goods are shipped and package size
A buyer ordering 500 phone cases cannot expect the same price as someone ordering 50,000. That's why Alibaba shows different prices for different quantities.
Larger quantity β lower unit price.
Negotiating is always possible β especially on larger orders.
Due to volume and shipment size, goods are mostly shipped by sea β slower but significantly cheaper than air freight.
Often, it is more profitable to take a larger quantity and rent a full container rather than sending smaller shipments in a shared container.
Most cost-effective purchases
China has a massive domestic market β and many factories have never tried to export. They're not on Alibaba, they don't advertise in English, but they manufacture quality products at factory prices. An agent knows where to find them β you probably wouldn't on your own.
And those who are on Alibaba? They're not always what they claim to be. Many list themselves as manufacturers, but in reality they're resellers β which means higher prices and greater risk for you.
Your calculation
Most buyers assume that paying an agent automatically means a higher cost. When buying in bulk β that's usually not the case.
For example, you want to buy phone cases at $1/unit. You order 1,000 units β your cost is $1,000 without shipping. An agent may find the same product for $0.90/unit, charging $100 for their service. The total is still $1,000, but you have certainty that your goods will arrive safely.
Agents have better shipping rates and direct access to factories that are not listed on Alibaba or Aliexpress.
Conclusion
Importing from China without an agent can work out fine. But when it doesn't β delayed shipments, wrong items, or nothing arriving at all β the time and money you lose are usually far greater than what you would have paid an agent.
An agent isn't a middleman taking a cut. They are your eyes and ears in a country where you don't speak the language, don't know the factories, and can't physically inspect goods before shipping.
For small quantities and personal use β Aliexpress is perfectly fine.
But if you're importing for business, an agent isn't a cost. They're an insurance policy.