Field notes
Practical writing from the factory floor — sourcing, verification, negotiation, quality and logistics.
How to verify a Chinese supplier before you send money
A nice website, a paid badge and fast replies prove nothing. Here is what actually proves a supplier — and how we check it before a client commits money.
The real landed cost: why cheap freight isn't cheap
Hidden destination charges are creative accounting with a container attached. How to read a freight quote properly.
Negotiating with Chinese factories: beyond the price
Payment terms, inspection rights, penalties, enforceability. The goal is a deal that survives production.
The one rule that saves projects: inspect before final payment
The strongest rule in international trade — and the expensive ways buyers talk themselves out of it.
Alibaba is not the market: where real suppliers hide
The platforms are a starting point, not the full map. How suppliers are actually found inside China.
Armenia–China trade: building a route that actually works
What it takes to move goods between Chengdu and Yerevan — structure, paperwork and the people in between.