China Buying Assistance for South Africa

Your starting point

You already have a supplier

Share the quotation, order reference and specifications. We can discuss the buying support and receiving stages you still need.

You have links or photographs

Add the model, material, colour, size and quantity. A product listing is a starting reference, not a complete order specification.

You need a sample first

Keep sample purchase and approval separate from the larger order. Identify which features matter before production or further purchases are approved.

Purchase scope and approval

A useful purchase brief connects the chosen goods with their supplier, price and buying role. The written proposal identifies who purchases the goods, receives payment and invoices you.

Part of the purchase	Details to establish
Goods	Model, material, size, colour, quantities, packaging and any permitted substitutions.
Supplier	Supplier name, quotation and original invoice references, plus domestic delivery arrangements.
Buying role	Buying assistance, an agency arrangement or a resale, as applicable to the order.
Costs	Goods amount, service charge, domestic freight, currency and exchange-rate basis.
Approval	Chosen specification, check scope and the event authorising the next payment or action.

Goods

Details to establish: Model, material, size, colour, quantities, packaging and any permitted substitutions.

Supplier

Details to establish: Supplier name, quotation and original invoice references, plus domestic delivery arrangements.

Buying role

Details to establish: Buying assistance, an agency arrangement or a resale, as applicable to the order.

Costs

Details to establish: Goods amount, service charge, domestic freight, currency and exchange-rate basis.

Approval

Details to establish: Chosen specification, check scope and the event authorising the next payment or action.

Payment stages and additional costs

Before the order

Review product specifications, payee, goods amount and service scope. A supplier’s MOQ, a service minimum and a freight minimum are different conditions.

Before additional work

Agree sample purchases, inspections, packaging or other optional work and its charging basis. A change in specification needs its own approval.

Before dispatch

Review final packing measurements and the freight proposal. Supplier refunds, cancelled quantities, bank charges and exchange differences need a recorded reconciliation.

Payment stages and refund terms are set for the proposed purchase. The website does not provide a payment wallet or escrow service.

Inspection options and limits

Check	What its scope can cover	What it does not establish
Carton receipt	Outer carton count and visible packaging condition.	Every item’s quantity, quality or function.
Item or sample check	Agreed quantity, visible model, colour, size or finish; full count or sampling specified.	Unexamined features or all units passing an unstated test.
Functional or specialist work	A separately agreed test method, sample size and responsible provider.	Regulatory approval or laboratory certification unless specifically established.

Carton receipt

What its scope can cover: Outer carton count and visible packaging condition.
What it does not establish: Every item’s quantity, quality or function.

Item or sample check

What its scope can cover: Agreed quantity, visible model, colour, size or finish; full count or sampling specified.
What it does not establish: Unexamined features or all units passing an unstated test.

Functional or specialist work

What its scope can cover: A separately agreed test method, sample size and responsible provider.
What it does not establish: Regulatory approval or laboratory certification unless specifically established.

Photographs document what was visible. They do not by themselves certify performance, authenticity or South African compliance.

Changes, shortages and supplier delays

An item is unavailable

Decide whether to cancel that quantity, wait or approve a specific alternative. A similar product is not automatically an approved substitute.

A check finds a difference

Keep the supplier and order reference with the issue. Acceptance, replacement and a supplier return have different costs and depend on the actual purchase terms.

One supplier is late

Compare waiting for all orders with sending ready goods separately. Storage, packing and transport can change when a purchase is split.

Purchase and carton records

Combining goods should preserve the connection between the purchase and the shipment. These are the information groups to include in the agreed record.

Illustrative structure

Record group	Useful information
Purchase reference	Buyer, supplier, order or invoice reference, product specification and approved quantity.
Receiving and checks	Arrival reference, carton count, agreed inspection scope, photo references and unresolved differences.
Outbound packing	Supplier orders in each final carton, quantities, gross weight and dimensions.

Purchase reference

Useful information: Buyer, supplier, order or invoice reference, product specification and approved quantity.

Receiving and checks

Useful information: Arrival reference, carton count, agreed inspection scope, photo references and unresolved differences.

Outbound packing

Useful information: Supplier orders in each final carton, quantities, gross weight and dimensions.

Illustrative record fields. Your proposal confirms which purchase and packing records are included.

Product checks before purchase

Batteries, liquids, wireless functions, brands, used goods and other special characteristics can affect transport acceptance and import requirements. Share these details before committing to a purchase. A product listing or receiving photograph is not an import approval.

Start with product links or a description, quantity and your South African city or postcode.
Add an existing supplier quotation and important specifications if available.
Business buyers can also identify the intended importer and the customs or tax records they need.

Reference library

Sources and reference material

01SARS: commercial invoice requirementssars.gov.za 02SARS: importing goodssars.gov.za

Reviewed 27 October 2026

China sourcing and buying assistance