At Cosmo Sourcing, each project focuses on a single product category: a group of items that can be made by the same type of factory. If your products require different factories, we treat them as separate projects.

1. Initial Contact & Discovery Call: We begin with a free consultation to understand your product needs, target pricing, and ideal supplier profile.
2. Onboarding & Payment: Once you're ready, you submit product details and make the initial payment to kick off sourcing.
3. Supplier Matching & Vetting: We match you with vetted manufacturers from our extensive network, then present quotes, lead times, MOQs, and background info.
4. Validation & Sampling: We help you review samples, confirm factory capabilities, and refine specs as needed.
5. Factory Introduction: You get full contact details and direct access to your selected factory. We can also assist in contract negotiation, quality checks, and production follow-up.

Learn more on our Services page.

We offer three main services, all flat-fee with no commissions or markups:

Book a free call to get specific pricing for your project.

Core Deliverables

• Original Quotes: Directly from the manufacturers with no markup or commission.
• Sourcing Report: A comprehensive report with all supplier information, quotes, and critical data.
• Contact Information: Full contact details for each supplier so you can connect directly.
• Direct Introductions: We facilitate direct introductions with your chosen suppliers.

Optional Add-Ons

• Confidentiality Agreements: Signed NNN/NDAs with each supplier.
• Certification Documentation: Verification of supplier certifications (BSCI, FSC, Sedex, etc.).
• Rush Projects: Expedited sourcing completed in under four weeks.
• Landed Costs: Total cost breakdown including shipping, customs, taxes, and tariffs. You can also estimate these using our Tariff Calculator.
• Complex Projects: Additional sourcing effort for highly engineered items, shoes, children's products, or medical-grade goods.
• Virtual Factory Visits: Remote factory tours with live video and documentation.
• Guided Factory Visits: In-person tours with bilingual guides and private transportation.

No. We charge a flat service fee and do not take a cut of your orders. You get original quotes directly from factories, including full contact information. This transparency ensures you can work directly with the manufacturer after our introduction. There are no commissions, no markups, and no hidden fees.

You'll submit your product details via our intake form or email. We'll schedule a discovery call to align expectations and walk you through the process. Once we receive your product information and initial payment, sourcing begins.

Yes. We offer a range of post-sourcing services including sample management, production monitoring, logistics coordination, and quality control inspections, available as add-ons depending on your needs. And because you own the factory relationship directly, you're never locked in. You can continue working with the factory on your own, come back for add-on support, or start a new project with us anytime.

We primarily source from Vietnam, Mexico, China, Thailand, and Indonesia, but depending on your product needs, we can also source from across Southeast and East Asia.

Each location has its strengths. Vietnam excels in textiles, furniture, and footwear. Mexico is ideal for ceramics, glassware, and heavier goods due to its proximity to the U.S. China remains strong in electronics and high-volume manufacturing. Thailand and Indonesia offer competitive options in packaging, wood products, and home goods.

Let us know your product category, and we can recommend the most strategic sourcing location. Book a call to discuss your options, or explore our Vietnam Sourcing guide and blog for country-specific content.

Timelines vary depending on the complexity of your product, but most sourcing projects are completed in 4 to 6 weeks. This covers supplier identification, vetting, quote collection, and introductions. Rush projects can be completed faster with the Rush add-on. Once we connect you with the factory, sample development and production timelines depend on the manufacturer (see lead times below).

It depends on your experience, time, and risk tolerance. If you already have established factory relationships and deep knowledge of manufacturing in your target country, you may be able to manage sourcing on your own.

However, most buyers, especially those sourcing overseas for the first time or entering a new market, benefit significantly from working with a sourcing company. The main advantages include access to vetted factory networks (built over years of on-the-ground work), local language capabilities, the ability to verify certifications and audit factories in person, and professional negotiation on pricing, MOQs, and payment terms.

The cost of a sourcing project is typically a fraction of what a bad factory choice, quality failure, or IP issue would cost. If you're unsure, schedule a free consultation and we'll give you an honest assessment.

Minimum Order Quantities depend heavily on the product category, materials, and level of customization. Apparel may start at 300 units per style, while electronics or metal products may require 1,000 units or more. We can often find suppliers open to smaller test orders, particularly in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Yes. If you don't have a tech pack, send a sample or as much detail as possible. We often work with factories that can reverse-engineer or help refine your product specifications. Photos, sketches, competitor product links, and material preferences all help us match you with the right manufacturer.

Absolutely. We've sourced everything from handmade ceramics and eco-friendly textiles to precision-machined metal parts. We also help find suppliers with certifications such as GOTS, ISO, and FSC, among others. With thousands of clients and over 10,000 unique products sourced since 2012, we've built deep networks across a wide range of categories.

We vet factories based on track record, client feedback, certifications, and third-party audits. We can also coordinate on-site inspections, laboratory tests, and pre-shipment checks with third-party quality control partners. Our team in Vietnam can visit factories directly for visual inspections and production monitoring.

Every factory we recommend goes through a multi-step vetting process. We verify business licenses, production capabilities, export history, and certifications. Where possible, our local team visits the factory in person to confirm operations match what's been represented.

We also cross-reference manufacturers against export records and customs data, and we check for previous client feedback and compliance history. When you receive your sourcing report, it includes background information on each supplier so you can evaluate them alongside the quotes. For added protection, we can arrange NNN agreements (non-disclosure, non-use, non-circumvention) between you and the factory before any proprietary information is shared.

Tariff rates can significantly impact your total landed cost, and they change frequently due to shifting trade policies and regulations. Rather than quoting specific rates here (which can become outdated quickly), we recommend using our Tariff Calculator for the most current estimates based on your product and country of origin.

What we can say is that some countries benefit from trade agreements that reduce or eliminate duties on certain goods. Vietnam and several other Southeast Asian countries have favorable trade relationships with major import markets, and Mexico's proximity to the U.S. combined with trade agreements can offer duty advantages for qualifying products.

Our team monitors tariff developments and will provide you with up-to-date information specific to your product during the sourcing process. We help you assess not just unit price, but the full landed cost, including duties, freight, and compliance factors, to ensure accurate budgeting.

Yes. We provide detailed quote sheets from vetted factories, including minimum order quantities, production lead times, unit pricing, and payment terms. We also issue service agreements that clearly outline our deliverables. For larger clients, we're open to customizing agreement clauses to align with internal legal or procurement policies.

Most manufacturers offer tiered pricing based on order quantity. Larger orders (such as 2,000 units compared to 500) can often yield 10% to 30% savings. If you have specific target price points or scaling plans, we'll request quotes at multiple volume levels to help you plan for both initial and future production runs.

We take intellectual property protection seriously. We sign non-disclosure, non-use, and non-circumvention (NNN) agreements with our clients and factories. These are more comprehensive than standard NDAs and are specifically designed for international manufacturing relationships.

Whenever possible, we draft NNN agreements in both English and the local language (e.g., Vietnamese, Chinese, Spanish) to ensure enforceability in the supplier's jurisdiction. We only share proprietary designs or information with vetted factories on a need-to-know basis.

We can also assist in drafting or reviewing manufacturing contracts that include IP protection clauses, and we recommend registering your designs or trademarks in the country of production when applicable.

Yes, and this is one of the biggest advantages of working with Cosmo Sourcing. Unlike commission-based agents who stay in the middle of every transaction, we give you the factory's full contact information as part of our deliverables. Once the introduction is made, you own that relationship entirely.

Many of our clients place their first order through the factory contact we provide, then continue reordering directly for years. There's no ongoing fee, no commission on future orders, and no obligation to use Cosmo for reorders. If you do need help down the line (quality issues, scaling to a new product, adding a second supplier), we're always here.

We arrange factory visits in Vietnam and several other countries. Our team provides a bilingual guide and private transportation, allowing you to meet with suppliers, tour manufacturing facilities, and review product samples on-site. These visits help build trust and ensure your production standards are communicated clearly. Contact us to schedule a visit.

Yes. While we are not a freight forwarder, we work closely with trusted logistics partners to coordinate the entire shipping process, from factory pickup and export paperwork to customs clearance and final delivery. We've successfully shipped products to the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, the EU, and many other international destinations. To date, we have worked with clients and shipped products to over 50 countries.

Lead times depend on product complexity, order volume, and factory capacity. As a general guideline:

We always confirm estimated timelines with suppliers during the vetting stage and keep you updated throughout the process.

Samples can be shipped directly to you or routed through our Vietnam office for consolidation. We handle communication with suppliers, verify packaging, and can combine multiple samples into one shipment to reduce freight costs. For customs, we recommend declaring items as "non-commercial samples" with a declared value under $50 to avoid unnecessary duties.

We typically recommend DHL and FedEx for sample shipments due to their reliability, tracking capabilities, and fast customs clearance. In Vietnam, DHL often processes packages more efficiently. Always mark shipments clearly as "samples" and provide accurate customs documentation.

If any quality or communication issues arise during your project, we act as an intermediary to resolve them quickly and professionally. We work directly with the supplier to push for corrective action and ensure accountability. If the issues persist or can't be resolved to your satisfaction, we will source alternative, vetted manufacturers to avoid delays.

Our vetting process is highly rigorous. We typically provide 2 to 6 quotes from thoroughly vetted suppliers, each evaluated based on quality, capacity, compliance, communication, and pricing. While it's rare that none of the presented factories meet your requirements, it can happen in cases of highly specialized products or unusually low MOQs.

In those instances, we'll continue the search and provide additional qualified options. Our priority is to ensure that you are matched with at least one reliable and capable supplier. If needed, we'll revisit your sourcing criteria, refine the product scope, or suggest strategic adjustments to improve the match.

You may cancel at any time. The initial fee becomes non-refundable once we begin factory outreach; however, in many cases we can apply part of it as a credit toward a future project. If your scope changes (such as updating specs, switching product categories, or changing destination countries), we'll revise timelines and deliverables and keep you informed every step of the way.