To import from China in 2026, define the product and destination requirements, verify the supplier, approve samples, compare the full landed cost, and agree the order before paying a deposit. Then follow production, inspect the goods, confirm packing and freight, clear customs, and check the shipment at your warehouse.
This guide follows that process for commercial buyers, with sintered stone examples for distributors, fabricators and project teams. For Funtek production orders, the usual production period is 25–35 days, with 30% deposit on order confirmation and 70% before shipment. Sample approval, transport, customs clearance and inland delivery need their own time and budget.
1. Define the product, buyer and destination before sourcing
Start with a product you can describe and a customer you expect to sell it to. A distributor building warehouse stock needs a repeatable range; a contractor buying for one building needs the approved specification and delivery sequence. Those two orders may use the same slab but require different quantities, packaging and production arrangements.
For sintered stone, put the application, design reference, size, thickness, finish and quantity on one brief. State whether you are buying full slabs for local fabrication or finished components made to drawings. “White stone for kitchens” leaves too many choices open for suppliers to price the same thing.
Next, identify the importing business, destination country, port and final delivery address. Ask a customs broker to review the product description, proposed classification, import registration, restrictions and required documents before the order becomes a financial commitment. A material sold under one trade name may need a more precise composition or manufacturing description for customs.
For a Malaysia-bound slab order, the guide to choosing a sintered stone supplier for Malaysia develops the supplier, sample and delivery checks for that destination. Local import requirements still need confirmation for the actual order.
Separate border clearance from permission to use the product. A shipment clearing customs does not settle whether its documentation supports a particular floor, facade or other construction application. For slab projects, use the sintered stone standards and document guide to identify the evidence your specifier needs.
If you are opening a new stone distribution business, agree the core assortment before filling a container. Our first-order guide develops the color, thickness and quantity decision. Here, the next task is to turn that shortlist into an importable order.
2. Find suppliers and verify who will fulfil the order
Use trade fairs, manufacturer websites, B2B marketplaces and referrals to build a shortlist. Send the same brief to each candidate. Ask who manufactures the goods, who signs the contract, who receives payment and who exports the shipment. A trading company can help coordinate a mixed order, but you should know which factory makes each product and which company handles a claim.
Use the China manufacturer shortlist to build an initial named shortlist, then apply the same verification questions to each candidate.
Request the legal company name, business registration details, production address and bank beneficiary information. Reconcile them with the quotation and contract. If a separate export company or payment beneficiary is involved, obtain a documented explanation and verify it through an established contact before transferring funds. Treat a last-minute bank change as a reason to stop and call a known number.
A factory tour should answer order-specific questions. Can this line make your selected size and finish? Is fabrication performed there or elsewhere? Who keeps the approved sample, records the batch and signs off packing? Ask to see the relevant process and records rather than accepting a tour of unrelated equipment.
Funtek's manufacturing base in Zhaoqing, Guangdong supports slab production and order preparation; the Shanghai team handles enquiries, samples, quotations and export follow-up. Our factory page shows the production and fabrication facilities. Use the manufacturer evaluation guide for the deeper qualification questions before choosing a supplier.
3. Approve samples and a written specification
A sample gives both sides something tangible to discuss. For a slab order, compare the surface under the lighting where it will be selected or used, feel the finish, and examine the exposed edge when edge appearance matters. Record the product code and finish on the approval. A polished sample cannot approve a matte order.
Then ask for full-slab photographs or video. A small piece of a white veined surface might contain only the background; the full slab may contain a large dark vein exactly where a sink or joint is planned. For a project order, mark the proposed finished pieces on the full-slab view and have the fabricator review the cutting layout.
Keep the approved reference with its date and revision. The purchase specification should identify dimensions and agreed tolerances, surface and batch expectations, acceptable defects, inspection method, packaging and marking. For fabricated pieces, attach the approved drawings, cutouts, edge profiles and piece labels.
Funtek can arrange physical samples, product identification, protective sample packing and dispatch tracking. Confirm the chosen pieces and courier charges when requesting them. The sample approval guide explains how to connect a small sample, full-slab view and shipment-batch review.
4. Compare quotes using landed and usable cost
Ask each supplier to state the currency, quantity unit, product specification, included packing, processing, named Incoterm location, production period, payment terms and quotation validity. Check whether prices are per slab, per square metre or per finished piece. A low price for raw material cannot be compared directly with a price that includes cutting, crates and port delivery.
Build the budget from the handover point in that quote. Add only costs not already included: samples and testing, inspection, origin handling, freight, insurance, destination charges, broker fees, duties, non-recoverable taxes and delivery to your warehouse. Track potentially recoverable import VAT or GST separately because it may still require cash before recovery.
A worked 175-slab purchase
Funtek's 20GP loading reference lists 1600 × 3200 × 12 mm slabs at 25 slabs per pallet and seven pallets per container. That is 175 slabs × 5.12 m² = 896 m². The actual order still requires confirmation of packing, product availability, weight and route limits.
Suppose the agreed goods-and-packing amount is US$20,000. Your draft budget assigns US$500 to inspection, US$3,000 to freight and insurance, US$1,200 to destination handling and delivery, and US$2,000 to duties and non-recoverable charges. These are assumed inputs for the calculation; replace each with your supplier, forwarder and broker figures.
Budgeted landed amount: $20,000 + $500 + $3,000 + $1,200 + $2,000 = $26,700.
Cost per ordered square metre: $26,700 ÷ 896 = $29.80/m².
Cost per accepted square metre at an assumed 98% acceptance: $26,700 ÷ (896 × 0.98) = $30.41/m².
The 98% scenario is a sensitivity test, not an expected Funtek defect rate. It shows why the denominator matters. A fabricator should also account for the cutting layout: accepted slab area and usable finished countertop area are different quantities. Do not count the same loss twice.
At the confirmed 30/70 payment split, a US$20,000 goods order requires US$6,000 deposit and US$14,000 balance. The remaining import costs have separate payment dates. Keep cash available for freight, border charges and delivery even after the supplier has been paid.
Stress-test the budget before accepting it. Another US$1,000 of freight or port charges adds about US$1.12 per ordered square metre in this example. If that removes your margin, reconsider the selling price, order mix or shipment plan before paying the deposit.
5. Agree the contract, Incoterm and payment milestones
Bring the approved specification, quote and commercial terms into one consistent order record. If the buyer issues a purchase order and the seller issues a proforma invoice, resolve differences before payment. State who can approve a change, how an inspection failure will be corrected, how delivery changes are communicated, and what records are required for a shortage or damage claim.
Use a named place with the Incoterm
Write the term with the location and version, such as “FCA [agreed terminal], Incoterms® 2020.” The ICC selection guide recommends considering FCA for containerized cargo handed to a carrier or terminal. Select the rule that matches the actual handover.
- EXW: puts substantial collection and export responsibility on the buyer; confirm how export formalities will be handled.
- FCA: works with a named carrier handover point and seller export clearance.
- FOB: applies to sea or inland-waterway shipment with delivery on board at the named port.
- CIF: includes sea freight and specified insurance, but transport payment and risk transfer occur at different points. Destination costs still need review.
- DAP / DDP: require a precise destination. DAP leaves import clearance with the buyer; DDP allocates it to the seller, whose ability to perform that role must be confirmed.
For a door-delivery quote, ask whether duties, taxes, customs brokerage, terminal charges, storage and unloading are included. Get the importing entity and access to customs records clear. “All included” does not tell your receiving team who supplies the crane or pays when a truck cannot enter the site.
Connect payment to agreed evidence
Funtek's payment terms are 30% deposit upon order confirmation and 70% balance before shipment. Agree the pre-shipment review and any third-party inspection early enough to complete them before the balance and dispatch. Retain the invoice, payment confirmation and approved order revision together.
If you require a different payment method, discuss it before signing. Confirm bank charges, currency conversion and the document requirements with the parties involved. For a platform purchase, check the platform's actual protection terms and keep the order specification and payment within the eligible process.
6. Plan production and delivery as separate stages
Funtek's usual production period is 25–35 days. Confirm the production start after the order details and deposit are in place, and record the expected completion date for the actual product mix. Complexity and factory scheduling can change the plan. Available stock and custom-fabricated components need their own confirmation.
Compare the three order routes below. Swipe horizontally on a phone.
| Order route | What must happen | Evidence before dispatch |
|---|---|---|
 Available stock
|
Reserve the exact products and quantities; check batch, inspect and pack. | A confirmed allocation and ready date. A warehouse photograph alone does not reserve stock. |
 Production order
|
Confirm specifications, deposit and production slot; allow the agreed 25–35-day production period. | Order-linked progress, batch details, completion and inspection records. |
 Fabricated components
|
Approve drawings and trial details before cutting, finishing and custom packing. | Piece-by-piece identification, dimensional checks and a separate fabrication schedule. |
Ask for updates that state what is complete, what comes next and whether the ready date has changed. For slabs, this can include production progress, batch allocation, inspection readiness and packing status. Funtek's production process follows the material from preparation through firing, finishing and dispatch.
Build a complete order-to-warehouse schedule
Add approval time, production, inspection and corrections, packing and origin handling, main transport, customs and local delivery. Keep any stages that overlap explicit. Ask the supplier whether “production complete” includes packing, and ask the forwarder whether the transit quote is port-to-port or door-to-door.
For example, a schedule using 7 days for approvals, 30 for production, 5 for inspection and origin preparation, 30 for main transport and 7 for clearance and delivery totals 79 days when those stages run consecutively. A 10-day project buffer makes the planning window 89 days. The transport and clearance values here are chosen assumptions; replace them with route-specific estimates and confirmed cutoffs.
Check factory holiday closures and reopening dates, port cutoffs, vessel schedules and the latest acceptable delivery date. If a stage slips, recalculate the whole arrival plan. The order lead-time guide explains how to work backward from a fabrication or installation deadline.
7. Inspect the finished order before shipment
Factory quality control follows the manufacturing process. A buyer's pre-shipment inspection checks whether the identified order is ready for acceptance against the agreed specification. Both have a role: automated production can support consistency, but the buyer still needs confirmation of product identity, quantity, finish, dimensions, condition and packing for this shipment.
For a sintered stone order, ask for records showing the selected product and batch, slab count, dimensions and thickness checks, face and edge condition, and the agreed packing. For cut pieces, add drawing revision, piece labels, cutout position and edge finish. Set the sample size, defect categories and acceptance criteria before inspection; a number such as “AQL 2.5” alone does not describe a complete inspection plan.
Arranging SGS, Bureau Veritas or another independent inspector
If you need independent inspection, tell Funtek before the order reaches its final packing stage. Third-party inspection can be arranged with advance agreement on the scope, timing, costs and factory access. You may nominate an agency such as SGS or Bureau Veritas and obtain its quotation for the work required.
Send the agency the product description, order quantity, factory location, approved specification, packing requirements and requested inspection date. Ask whether its fee includes travel, inspector days, report preparation, sampling, laboratory tests and any reinspection. A factory audit, shipment inspection and laboratory test are different services and should be priced separately.
SGS describes pre-shipment inspection as covering quality, quantity, marking, packing and loading, with checks selected for the contract. Use that scope to decide what you need inspected. The fee is part of your purchasing budget, and its value depends on the exposure: a first supplier, a new finish, custom fabrication or a difficult-to-replace project batch may justify more scrutiny.
Agree who reviews the report and who authorizes release. If the result fails the agreed criteria, identify the affected quantity, require a correction plan, and decide whether reinspection is needed before dispatch. Photographs of a corrected item should identify that item and the order; a general workshop photo cannot close the finding.
Book inspection before the shipment is closed up. If the goods are already inaccessible inside packed frames, the agreed checks may require unpacking, extra handling and another appointment.
8. Confirm export packing, freight and insurance
Choose transport around the packed cargo. Courier or air service may suit samples and urgent small pieces. Large, heavy slab orders need a freight plan that accepts their frame dimensions, weight and handling requirements. Compare full-container and less-than-container options using complete origin and destination charges, plus the extra handling involved in consolidation.
Full slabs and fabricated worktops need different support. Agree the frame or crate, interlayers, edge protection, restraint and identification. The receiving team should review package weights and lifting requirements before the container is booked. For solid-wood packing, have the exporter and broker check destination treatment and marking requirements; Australia's ISPM 15 guidance distinguishes raw-wood packaging from wholly processed materials such as plywood.
Check the entire transport route's weight limits
The 175-slab example uses a published cargo-plus-packing range of 22.4–23.8 tonnes. Adding an assumed 2.23-tonne container tare gives 24.63–26.03 tonnes. These reference weights are for planning; the actual batch, frames and assigned container must be verified. A carrier's acceptance does not establish that the destination truck and road route can carry the same load.
The IMO container-weight rules require the shipper to provide verified gross mass in time for vessel planning. Name the party arranging the weighing, the method and the submission cutoff. Keep container tare, cargo weight and packed-container gross mass distinct.
Ask the forwarder for the route, transshipment points, ready-date requirement, booking cutoff, freight validity, surcharges, destination charges, free time and final delivery arrangements. Funtek's global sourcing and shipping process explains the order, packing and document coordination available for slab enquiries.
For insurance, identify the covered journey, exclusions, deductible, insured value, claimant and notification procedure. The ICC explains that CIF and CIP have different default insurance levels. Ask specifically about fragile slab damage and inadequate-packing exclusions; an insured shipment still needs suitable packing and evidence.
9. Reconcile shipping documents before departure
Send draft documents to the buyer and customs broker while corrections are still practical. Use one agreed product description and a consistent set of company names, quantities and package identifiers. A commercial invoice carries values; a packing list identifies the physical contents. Their information should reconcile even though they serve different jobs.
- Commercial invoice: seller, buyer, goods description, quantity, unit and total values, currency and commercial terms.
- Packing list: package marks, slab or piece counts, net and gross weights, and package dimensions.
- Transport document: bill of lading or waybill with the correct consignee, notify party, route and package data.
- Conditional documents: origin evidence, product conformity records, import permits, inspection certificates and wood-packing documents required for the actual destination and goods.
- Shipment evidence: final inspection record, loading photographs, container and seal numbers, and the agreed insurance documentation.
For a negotiable bill of lading, agree how originals or an authorized release will be handled. A sea waybill follows a different release process. Check the arrangement with the carrier and broker rather than assuming an emailed scan will release the goods.
Confirm advance-filing obligations before loading. For U.S. ocean cargo, CBP's ISF guidance requires eight data elements no later than 24 hours before the cargo is loaded aboard the U.S.-bound vessel; additional elements have their own timing rules. Have the broker set the exact filing schedule for the shipment. Do not wait until the vessel has sailed to send the data.
10. Check destination duties and clearance requirements for 2026
There is no single “China import tax” that can price every order. The destination, national tariff code, origin, customs value, entry date and applicable trade measures determine the assessment. Have the broker document the calculation and its date, then recheck time-sensitive measures before shipment and entry.
For sintered stone, supply the composition, manufacturing description, physical format, dimensions, finish and intended use needed for classification. Do not copy a supplier's China export code directly into a destination declaration without review. If classification materially changes the economics, resolve it through the destination's available ruling or advice process before ordering.
United States
Use the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule with your broker. Ask for the national classification, ordinary duty, applicable additional Chapter 99 provisions and any anti-dumping or countervailing-duty scope review. Confirm importer setup, bond requirements and the ocean ISF process for the entry. Retain the classification basis and entry records.
European Union
Arrange the applicable EORI registration. Check TARIC for the commodity code, origin and applicable customs measures. Budget import VAT through the importing member state's rules; TARIC does not provide national VAT rates. Construction-product requirements also need review for the specific product and use.
United Kingdom
The UK import workflow covers business readiness, commodity code, valuation, declarations and records. Great Britain imports require the relevant GB EORI; Northern Ireland arrangements can differ. Ask the broker to calculate duty and import VAT using the applicable valuation rules and confirm the declaration route.
Australia and other destinations
Use the Australian Border Force import guidance for Australian entries and check biosecurity requirements separately. For other markets, obtain the same five answers from the local broker: who imports, which code applies, which documents are needed, how taxes are calculated, and who pays each destination charge.
Buyers specifying benchtops in Australia can use the Australian benchtop buying guide to separate material identity, local rules and purchasing checks.
When goods are held, ask the broker for the specific missing document, classification question or inspection requirement. Correct the underlying issue through the declared process. Changing an invoice description merely to reduce duty can create a much larger problem than a delayed delivery.
11. Receive, inspect and record the shipment
Book the receiving slot, qualified handling team and equipment against the actual package weights and access conditions. Confirm the storage area is ready, the delivery vehicle can reach it and the container return deadline is known. The carrier delivering the container does not automatically provide the equipment or people needed to unload slabs.
Before opening or unloading, record the container and seal numbers and visible external condition. Let trained personnel assess any shifted or damaged load. Photograph packages and marks before removing protection, then record shortages or damage against the packing list and slab or piece identifiers.
Notify the supplier, carrier and insurer promptly under the applicable claim terms. Preserve packing, photographs and relevant documents; obtain instructions before disposal or repair when a survey may be needed. A useful damage report connects a particular piece to a package, location, date and observed condition.
The slab shipping and receiving guide develops the handling and evidence sequence. Close the import record only after the quantities, condition, customs release and delivery costs have been reconciled.
12. Use the first shipment to improve the next order
Compare the actual landed amount with the budget and record the reason for each difference. Separate a one-off sampling or setup cost from recurring freight, inspection and delivery costs. Update the cost per accepted slab or square metre after you know the received quantity.
For distributors, track which designs sell, which thicknesses customers request and which items remain in stock. Reorder from demand and the replenishment gap. A container that arrives cheaply but sits unsold still ties up working capital.
Keep the successful specification, approved sample reference, batch records, packing plan and receiving findings together. On a repeat order, confirm availability and batch appearance again, and change only the items that need correction. This gives the next supplier discussion a concrete starting point.
A first enquiry you can send to Funtek
We plan to import sintered stone to [country, port and delivery postcode] for [distribution / fabrication / project]. We are considering [design references], [sizes], [thicknesses] and [finishes], with approximately [slabs or m²] per item.
Please confirm sample arrangements, availability or production schedule, packing and load quantities, quotation terms, the 30/70 payment milestones, inspection options and the documents you can prepare. Our required warehouse date is [date]. Fabrication drawings and special packing or inspection requirements are [attached / to follow].
You can begin with less information: send a product reference, application, estimated quantity or destination, and Funtek can help identify the next details to confirm. The final order should settle those details before production and shipping commitments are made.
Plan your sintered stone import with Funtek
Share your slab references, estimated quantity and destination. We can review samples, specifications, production timing, packing and the quotation scope for your order.