How to Order Wholesale Bags from a Factory in China: Step-by-Step Guide

Ordering from a wholesale bags supplier in China is not complicated, but the orders that go wrong usually fail at predictable points: a vague inquiry, a quote that was never read closely, or a sample step that got skipped. This guide walks through the full process of working with a bag factory — from choosing styles to the day the cartons leave — so you know what to send, what to check, and what each stage costs in time.

Step 1: Choose styles that fit your market

Start from your customers, not from the catalogue. A wholesale bags supplier will typically carry men's bags, women's bags and backpacks, and each category behaves differently: backpacks are volume-driven school and travel products, women's bags turn on colour and finish, and men's bags sell on function and material feel.

Before you order bags in bulk, narrow your selection down to a shortlist and note, for each style:

The colours you want (most factory styles offer several, and colours can usually be mixed within one style order)
The quantity per style you can realistically sell through
Whether you need your own logo on the product, or the factory's standard version

A focused shortlist of five to ten styles is easier to quote, sample and manage than a scattered list of thirty.

Step 2: Send a clear inquiry

A good inquiry saves several rounds of messages. For each style, give the supplier the style reference (SKU or a product link), the colours, and the quantity per colour. Add your destination country and city, because packaging and shipping arrangements depend on it, and say whether you need logo customisation.

At Bagevo the flow runs through the site: browse the catalogue, add styles to the inquiry basket, and submit. The quote is then prepared and confirmed by a person rather than generated automatically, which is the right moment to raise any questions about materials, dimensions or packing.

Step 3: Read the quotation carefully

When the quote comes back, check more than the unit price:

Price basis. Factory quotes are normally EXW (ex-works): the price covers the goods at the factory gate. Freight, taxes and duties are separate.
Quantity tiers. Prices are usually tiered — at our factory, 100, 500 and 1,000 pieces per style — and the unit price drops as the tier rises. Compare quotes at the same tier.
Validity. A quote is normally valid for a limited window (ours is 7 days), because material and exchange costs move.
What is included. Confirm the minimum order quantity per style (100 pieces at Bagevo, colours can be mixed), whether logo printing is charged, and what the sample fee is.

If two quotes look far apart, they are usually not quoting the same material grade, size or tier. Ask what differs before deciding.

Step 4: Approve a sample before production

Never skip the sample on a new style or a new supplier. A pre-production sample shows you the actual material, stitching, zips, lining and colour — none of which a photo can fully prove.

Our sample fee is USD 50 per style, the sample itself takes 3–7 days to prepare, and the fee is credited against your order once you place it. Check the sample against your requirements and confirm changes in writing before bulk production starts; changes are cheap at this stage and expensive later.

Step 5: Deposit, production and timelines

Once the sample and final quote are confirmed, production starts against a deposit. Our standard terms are T/T with 30% deposit to start and the balance paid before shipment.

Realistic lead times, from deposit:

Stock styles: 7–15 days
Styles with your logo added: 20–25 days
Fully customised styles (your own design): 25–30 days, after a 3–7 day sampling stage

Fully customised styles also carry a higher minimum (1,000 pieces per style) and a 60% deposit, because materials are bought in for that order alone. Build these timelines into your own selling season — order for back-to-school or holiday ranges backwards from the date you need stock in your warehouse.

Step 6: Final check, balance and shipping

Before the balance is paid, ask for photos or a short video of the finished goods and the packed cartons. Confirm the carton count, gross weight and volume — your freight forwarder will ask for exactly these numbers.

On shipping terms, be clear about what the factory price does not include. Our prices are EXW: shipping is not free, taxes are not included, and we do not offer DDP. Freight is calculated separately based on quantity and destination, and most buyers either use their own forwarder or ask the factory to arrange carriage to a named port. Agree on who handles which leg before the goods are ready, not after.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Skipping the sample to save a week, then discovering a material or colour problem on 1,000 pieces.
Comparing prices across different tiers or materials and choosing the quote that was never like-for-like.
Vague logo files. Send vector artwork (AI, EPS or PDF) and state the size and position; a low-resolution screenshot will delay sampling.
Ordering against an expired quote. Prices are held for days, not months — re-confirm if time has passed.
Assuming freight is included. EXW means it is not; budget for shipping from the start.

Work with Bagevo

Bagevo is a bag factory in the Baigou producing area of Hebei, China, supplying men's bags, women's bags and backpacks direct to wholesale buyers — 100 pieces per style to start, colours mixable, custom logos from 500 pieces. Browse the ranges on our men's bags, women's bags and backpacks pages, or go straight to the full catalogue and send an inquiry basket for a confirmed quote.