Today, I’ll share two situations where it’s not worth traveling all the way to shop furniture in China or something else . But if you’re here for a vacation and want to buy a few things while exploring, that’s a different story! Let’s dive in!
I believe most people decide to come to China for furniture shopping because local prices for their favorite brands are way too high. By buying directly from factories, you can get what you like at a better price. After all, Foshan, China, is the world’s top furniture exporter. Many brands you see in your local market are made here. Here’s the 2022 global furniture export data — China ranks number one!
Here are two situations:
First Situation: If you’re buying only a small number of furniture pieces or products, traveling to China isn’t cost-effective. Flights, hotels, and other expenses add up quickly. In this case, you can find a reliable partner to help with online shopping. You can still participate by visit markets virtually in real-time. I can offer this service! Just schedule a time, and we can shop online together. You can also browse our online store or some E-commerce platforms like Alibaba . I can consolidate the shipping from different supplier including order placing and receiving goods to shipping arrangement . Many clients do this, like one shipment I recently sent to Australia !
container ship to australia
Second Situation: If you’re looking for very basic, low-end furniture in small quantities, buying locally might be a better choice. Shipping from China includes freight, customs duties, and other fees. For simple styles, local prices are often reasonable. Once you add taxes and shipping to goods from China, the total cost might not be much different from buying locally. In this case, importing doesn’t provide much of an advantage.
Summary
From our experience, most clients who come to China for sourcing have large needs, such as furnishing a new house or business. This includes buying furniture, building materials, sanitary ware, lighting, rugs, decorations, flooring, and even windows and doors. Others come for business needs like setting up restaurants, clubs, or vacation rentals. In these cases, sourcing directly from China can save you a huge amount of money. If you’re planning something similar, feel free to contact me!
