15 questions to ask a furniture sourcing agent in China before you sign

Before you sign with a furniture sourcing agent in China, ask how they are paid and whether they take anything from suppliers, whose account receives your deposit, whether you will see each factory’s own quotation, what is inspected and when, and who handles damage or mismatches after delivery. Good agents answer in writing and back each answer with a document; vague or private-message-only answers are the warning sign.

Why ask a furniture sourcing agent questions before signing?

Because the answers that matter — fees, commissions and who pays for mistakes — are rarely published. Foshan’s buyer teams describe their process in detail on Xiaohongshu: needs assessment, factory matching, accompanied visits, renderings, quality checks, delivery. Under two such posts, more than ten readers asked about price or how to get in touch; replies went by private message. A reader in Philadelphia asked whether furniture could be delivered to their home; the answer was a cheerful yes, with no word on customs, duties or who handles damage.

None of that means the services are poor. It means an overseas buyer has to ask. The fifteen questions below are grouped by where money is usually lost. For background on how agents work, start with our complete guide to furniture sourcing agents in China.

What should you ask a furniture buying agent about fees and payments?

Ask for the fee, what it covers and whose account your money goes to — in writing, before any factory is contacted.

1. How are you paid — percentage, fixed fee or retainer? One Foshan team publishes two tiers for domestic clients: RMB 1,000 for sourcing to an existing design, and RMB 5,000 with a soft-furnishing designer and airport pick-up. Percentages are more common for export orders.
2. Will you confirm in writing that you take no commission, rebate or gift from suppliers? Buyers report that some agents and guides are paid by the shops; our explainer on Foshan furniture guides and kickbacks explains how to check.
3. Whose company account receives my deposit? The supplier’s is safest.
4. When is the balance paid? The right answer is: after you approve the inspection report.
5. What is not included? Travel, samples, third-party testing, warehouse storage and freight are often extras.

What should you ask about suppliers and quotes?

Ask whether you will see real suppliers and their own quotations against one specification.

6. Are your suppliers makers or resellers — and will you tell me which is which?
7. How many quotes will I see per item? One team says it matches 3–5 factories to each client; two or three comparable quotes per line is a practical minimum.
8. Will each quote be the factory’s own document, against the same written specification? A re-typed summary hides margins.
9. Can I contact the supplier directly if I need to? The supplier should be named on the contract.
10. How would this compare with buying the same item on Alibaba? A good agent will tell you when you do not need them — see Alibaba or a sourcing agent for furniture.

What does the comment section add?

The comment threads are short, but they show what buyers actually ask — and what they are not told in public.

• Price on request only. On one post, six of the ten visible comments ask about the fee or how to get in touch; the replies say details were sent privately.
• Overseas buyers are reading. A reader in Philadelphia asked whether chosen furniture could be delivered straight to their home; the answer was yes, with no detail on customs or duties.
• Where is it made? One reader asked which factory produced a sofa shown in the post; the maker’s name was offered only by private message.
• Design first. Several readers simply asked the team to design their room — a reminder that buyer teams often sell styling as much as sourcing.

What should you ask about quality control and inspection?

Ask what is checked, at which stage, against which reference — and what happens if it fails.

11. At which production stages do you check? One Foshan team says its inspectors attend at the inner-materials, bare-frame and upholstery stages; another describes a first check by the factory’s QC and a second by its own staff covering material, size and colour.
12. Is the specification signed with material samples attached? The first team writes material swatches into the contract and inspects against them, to rule out A/B versions — a showroom-grade piece for approval and a lesser one in production.
13. What happens if the inspection fails? You want a written answer: rework, replacement or refund, and who pays for re-inspection.

Our furniture inspection checklist lists what a report should cover.

What should you ask about shipping and after-sales?

Ask who is responsible from the factory gate to your room, and who pays if something arrives broken or wrong.

14. Who packs, consolidates and ships — and to which point? One team says every piece is packed individually, with wooden crates for expensive or fragile items. Ask whether the price is to the port, to your door or installed.
15. Who handles a claim for damage or a mismatch? The same team says its buyer agreement promises to resolve mismatches, transit damage and after-sales problems. Ask to read that clause before you sign.

Our own answers are set out in our service commitments.

How Source Foshan handles it