Canton Fair Sourcing Guide for U.S. Buyers: Brief to Follow-Up
Prepare a comparable RFQ, record supplier conversations and qualify candidates after the Canton Fair. Includes a downloadable meeting worksheet.
Prepare for Canton Fair by defining the products and requirements you want to discuss, selecting relevant exhibitors, and taking the same RFQ and evidence questions to each meeting. After the fair, compare written responses, verify business identities and review samples before ordering. A productive meeting creates a next decision and evidence request; it does not by itself qualify a supplier.
This is a preparation guide, not a report of Sourcing Lab USA attending the fair. No attendance, supplier visit or relationship is claimed. For current registration, event dates and categories, use the official Canton Fair buyer guide and official overseas-buyer attendance information. Confirm the edition and relevant phase before making travel commitments.
What should you prepare before visiting?
Create a one-page summary for each product and keep the detailed specification available separately. Include the product's intended use, essential materials and dimensions, branding, estimated quantity by variant, target market and sample questions. Mark which details may change if they affect feasibility or cost.
Give every brief a reference and revision. Use the same version in comparable conversations. For packaging, include product dimensions and component requirements; for clothing, include the tech pack or a clear statement of which details still need development. Start with the product sourcing brief template.
Which questions should you ask at a supplier meeting?
Ask how the displayed product relates to the version you need. A display sample may demonstrate a finish without representing your material, dimensions or quantity. Record the answer and the evidence promised, rather than turning the conversation into a confirmed capability claim.
| Question | Record at the meeting | Follow-up evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Which company would quote and supply this product? | Legal name and contact | Company details and written quotation |
| Which production steps do you perform? | Process and site described | Relevant capability evidence |
| What would change for our specification? | Proposed differences | Written response to the brief |
| What sets MOQ for this version? | Quantity and variant assumptions | Price breaks and setup costs |
| What would a sample demonstrate? | Material, structure and finish scope | Sample proposal and approval basis |
| Which product documents are available? | Document names and claimed scope | Copies for appropriate review |
| What is the next decision? | Named contact, action and target date | Written follow-up |
Download the Canton Fair meeting worksheet. It includes a field for what you observed yourself versus what a supplier told you.
How should you compare suppliers after the fair?
Group candidates by product and brief revision. Request written confirmation of the meeting notes before treating them as a quotation. Use the supplier evidence matrix to separate identity, production fit, samples and order terms. Compare quotations only after material, quantity, components and delivery assumptions are aligned.
A useful follow-up sequence is: confirm contact and company identity; send the dated brief; record the response and deviations; resolve the highest-impact gaps; then agree the next sampling decision. Do not send a deposit simply because a booth sample looked suitable. Payment and contracting details require their own review.
Canton Fair or online sourcing: how do you decide?
In-person meetings can support direct product discussions and observation of display samples. Online research can help prepare a shortlist and collect documents before or after a meeting. Both routes still require written specifications, qualification and agreed order terms. Use the direct sourcing versus partner comparison to decide who will perform those tasks.
The fair should be one source of candidate information within the procurement process. A large number of business cards is not the same as a set of comparable, qualified proposals.
What should a factory visit add?
Start with questions a visit can actually answer, such as the production steps relevant to your product, how material and order records are handled, and where your unresolved technical questions can be reviewed. Record the date, location, participants and scope of observation. A hosted visit is not automatically an independent factory audit or proof of future performance.
Where a formal audit is required, appoint an appropriate provider and agree its scope. For subsequent production decisions, prepare the quality checkpoint plan.
How should genuine field observations be documented?
Keep original photographs with dates, permissions and captions explaining what they show. Distinguish observations from supplier claims, and state the limits of a small set of conversations. Avoid presenting a few display products as an industry-wide trend. Obtain permission before publishing identifiable people, supplier details or confidential specifications.
Sourcing Lab USA can publish field reports when there is actual activity and supporting evidence. Until then, use this preparation workflow and submit a product brief for a project-specific sourcing discussion. Official event resources checked September 14, 2026; verify current event arrangements with the organizer.