FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions.

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.

Our process is designed to be transparent, efficient, and client-friendly

Here’s how the process works:

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.

We offer four main services:

• Simple Sourcing Lite—$1,999// Private label from China only. Split into two payments: $749 to start and $1,299 upon delivery of final supplier quotes.

• Simple Sourcing – $2,999 // One country, one product category. Split into two payments: $999 to start and $1,999 upon delivery of final supplier quotes and introductions.

• Anywhere But China Sourcing – $3,999 // Multiple countries, one product category. Split into two payments: $1,499 to start and $2,499 upon delivery of final supplier quotes and introductions.

• Global Sourcing – $4,999 // One product category, anywhere in the world. Split into two payments: $1,999 to start and $2,999 upon delivery of final supplier quotes and introductions.

Deliverables

• Original Quotes // You’ll receive original quotes directly from the manufacturers with no markup or commission added.

• Sourcing Report // A comprehensive report containing all supplier information, quotes, and other critical data.

• Contact Information // Full contact details for each supplier are provided, allowing you to connect with them directly.

• Direct Introductions // We facilitate direct introductions, enabling you to communicate with your chosen suppliers.

Optional Add-Ons

• Confidentiality Agreements // Copies of signed NNN/NDAs with each supplier.

• Certification Documentation // Verification documents confirming each supplier’s certifications (e.g., BSCI, FSC, Sedex) and compliance with ethical and environmental standards.

• Rush Projects // Expedited sourcing services for projects completed in under four weeks.

• Landed Costs // A detailed breakdown of the total cost to manufacture your product, including shipping, customs, taxes, and tariffs.

• Complex Projects // For highly engineered items, shoes, children’s products, medical-grade goods, or other complex products requiring additional sourcing effort.

• Virtual Factory Visits // Our team can visit the factory on your behalf and provide detailed documentation, live video.

• Guided Factory Visits // If you plan to visit, we’ll coordinate multiple factory tours, arrange transportation, and accompany you with a bilingual team member.

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.

You'll submit your product details via our intake form or email. We’ll schedule a 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.

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. For example, 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; while 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 for your needs.

Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) 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.

We primarily source from Vietnam, Mexico, China, Thailand, and Indonesia. Each location has strengths in different product types. For example, Vietnam excels in textiles and furniture, while Mexico is strong in ceramics, glassware, and heavier goods for U.S. imports.

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.

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.

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.

Tariff rates can significantly impact your total landed cost, and they are constantly evolving due to shifting trade policies and regulations. Vietnam currently enjoys a favorable trade status with the U.S., with most products subject to import duties ranging from 0% to 10%. Mexico, under the USMCA agreement, allows many goods to enter the U.S. duty-free.

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

Yes. We provide detailed quote sheets from vetted factories, including minimum order quantities (MOQs), 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 the quantity of orders. 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 (IP) protection seriously and implement multiple layers of safeguards throughout the sourcing process. 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 your proprietary designs or information with vetted factories on a need-to-know basis.

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

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.

Description tYes. 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 several other international destinations.ext goes here

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

• Sample Development: 2–4 weeks

• Mass Production: 30–60 days

• Shipping & Delivery: 2–5 weeks, depending on whether air or sea freight is used

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

Cosmo Sourcing has helped clients ship products to a wide range of destinations including:

• United States

• Canada

• Australia

• United Kingdom

• Germany

• Netherlands

• France

• Japan

• South Korea

• Singapore

• UAE

• Suadi Arabia

To date we have worked with clients and shipped products to over 50 countries! 

f 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.