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How sourcing works

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Sourcing through Cheery Supply Chain is a six-step process: specification, factory matching, a written quotation, samples, production with checkpoints, and pre-shipment inspection. Commercial terms are agreed in writing before production starts. A repeat order on existing tooling takes about 7 to 9 weeks from order to goods landed; a first order with new tooling takes 10 to 14 weeks. You can stop after the quotation or after the sample without committing to production. The process covers fishing tackle only.

Key facts

  1. You can stop after the quotation or after the sample without committing to production.
  2. The quotation states the price basis, MOQ, lead time, tooling and validity in writing.
  3. Tooling ownership is agreed up front — it decides whether you can move the programme later.
  4. Inspection measures the colourway, hardware and buoyancy against the approved sample, not against a description.

Buyers do not need a longer brochure. They need to know what happens after they send a specification, what it costs to stop, and what could go wrong. This is the whole process, including the money.

What are the six steps?

  1. Specification. You send the product, quantity, the parameters that drive cost, the colourway reference, packaging and destination market. You need to send: a specification and a quantity. Typical time: same day. Stop point: free — nothing is committed.
  2. Matching. We check the specification against verified factory records and tell you which factories can genuinely make it — including when none can. Typical time: 1–2 business days.
  3. Quotation. A written quotation per factory stating the price basis (FOB port or EXW factory), MOQ, lead time, tooling, what is included and the validity period. Typical time: 2–5 business days. Stop point: free — no order exists until you accept it in writing.
  4. Sample. We request samples against the quotation, coordinate consolidation if you want one shipment, and tell you what changed between the sample and the production build. Typical time: 7–15 days with existing tooling, 3–6 weeks with new tooling. Stop point: you carry sample and courier cost only.
  5. Order and production. The order is placed on the agreed terms, and we follow production against the approved sample at agreed checkpoints rather than only at the end. Typical time: per lead time.
  6. Inspection and shipping. Pre-shipment inspection against the approved sample, defect documentation, then shipping documents and the inspection report handed to you. Typical time: 2–5 business days.

What are the commercial terms?

These are the terms that decide whether a programme is safe to run. The defaults below are standard in Chinese export manufacturing; the terms that govern your order are the ones written in the quotation and the proforma invoice.

Confirm each of these in writing before production starts — not after.
TermCommon defaultWhat you must confirm in writing
PaymentDeposit on order, balance before shipment or against a B/L copyThe trigger for the balance, who bears bank charges, and what happens to the deposit if the order is cancelled before production starts
SamplingBuyer pays sample and courier costWhether the sample fee is credited against the first order
ToolingBuyer pays for new moulds and print platesOwnership — yours or the factory's — and whether it transfers or is bought out if you move the programme
InspectionThird-party pre-shipment inspection commissioned by the buyerThe sampling standard (AQL level) and who commissions the inspection
DefectsRework, credit or replacementThe remedy, and the deadline after delivery for raising a claim
CurrencyUSD, occasionally EURWho bears exchange movement between order and balance payment
ValidityQuotes are typically valid 15–30 daysWhat triggers a re-quote, usually material cost movement

The tooling question is the one buyers most often skip and most often regret: whoever holds the mould decides how easy it is for you to leave.

How long does it take end to end?

Working timeline for a tackle programme. Transit time depends on destination and mode.
StageExisting toolingNew tooling
Specification to quotation2–5 business days2–5 business days
Sample7–15 days3–6 weeks (mould making and first shot)
ProductionPer the factory's lead timePer lead time, plus first-article approval
Inspection and documents2–5 business days2–5 business days
Sea transit (Europe / US east coast)Roughly 30–40 daysRoughly 30–40 days
Order to goods landedAbout 7–9 weeksAbout 10–14 weeks

Tackle demand peaks in spring in the northern hemisphere, so capacity is booked early. A programme intended for a spring season normally has to be confirmed towards the end of the previous year — ask the factory for its peak-season cut-off before you commit to a delivery window.

What gets inspected on a tackle order?

Inspection measures against the approved sample, not against a description. This is the list we work to for tackle.
CheckHow it is measuredThe defect it catches
ColourwayAgainst the approved physical or measured standard, with the agreed toleranceColour drift between batches — the most common complaint on repeat orders
HardwareHook, split ring and swivel matched to the named specification: model, wire gauge, finishSilent substitution with a cheaper equivalent
Lure weight and lengthSampled across the run against toleranceMould wear and shot-weight variance
Buoyancy behaviourFloat, suspend or sink checked against the approved sampleA hard lure that no longer suspends after a mould or weighting change
CorrosionSalt-spray testing for saltwater programmesFreshwater-spec hardware sold into a saltwater market
Rod action and hardwareAction, guide alignment, reel-seat fit, grip dimensionsProduction rods that do not match the showroom sample
Packaging and marksPackaging format, labelling, barcodes, carton marksRetail rejection at the destination

What documents do you receive?

  1. Quotation — price basis, MOQ, lead time, tooling and validity, in writing.
  2. Sample approval record — a signed approval referencing the physical standard the production run will be measured against.
  3. Proforma invoice and order confirmation — the commercial terms that govern the order.
  4. Inspection report — issued to you whether or not the shipment proceeds.
  5. Shipping documents — commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading or telex release.
  6. Certificates and test reports — where the destination market requires them, requested from the factory rather than accepted as a statement.

What are the three ways to work with Cheery Supply Chain?

ModelWho contracts the factoryBest forWhat you pay for
Spot orderUs, as the trading partyA first trial order, or a one-off buyA margin on the goods
Programme sourcingYou, directlyRepeat production with your own quality standardA sourcing and QC fee
Verification onlyYouYou already have suppliers and want them checkedA fixed fee per verification

We agree which model applies before any order is placed, and it is stated in the quotation.

Where do sourcing programmes actually go wrong?

Four failure modes we plan around

  • Hardware substitution. A hook or guide swapped for the cheapest equivalent. We lock components by name or specification in the approved sample.
  • Colour drift. Screen colours are not a reference. We require a physical or measured standard with a stated tolerance.
  • Sample-to-production gap. Showroom samples are often hand-built. We ask for a production-line sample where the order justifies it.
  • Unstated basis. "Cheaper" quotes that omit inland freight, export clearance or duty. We normalise every quote to one Incoterm before comparing.

What we will not do

  • Quote a price we cannot trace to a factory and a basis.
  • Publish a supplier before all 4 verification gates pass.
  • Circumvent a platform's technical protections to obtain data.
  • Take an order we do not believe the factory can hold to specification.

Saying no early is cheaper for both sides than fixing it later.

Ready to start

Send a specification Apply for a trade account Download the sourcing guide
## How big is the Chinese fishing tackle export market?

How big is the Chinese fishing tackle export market?

China exports under HS heading 9507 — fishing rods, hooks, reels and artificial bait. Source: UN Comtrade reporter data for China, retrieved via the official API.
Measure20242023Change
All fishing tackle (HS 9507)US$1.93 bnUS$1.77 bn+9.0%
Fishing rods (HS 950710)US$0.66 bnUS$0.62 bn+6.5%
Fish hooks (HS 950720)US$0.11 bnUS$0.11 bnflat
Destination countries served196197-1
Largest single destinationUS$546 MUS$445 M+23%

Rods account for about 34% of the total and hooks about 6%. The largest single destination takes roughly 28% of the 2024 total — which is why the export markets already on a supplier record are worth reading before you ask for a price.

Who supplies the United States?

US imports under HS heading 9507 in 2024, by source country. Source: UN Comtrade reporter data for the United States, retrieved via the official API.
Source2024 import valueShare of total
ChinaUS$538 M59%
JapanUS$74 M8%
MalaysiaUS$53 M6%
Viet NamUS$42 M5%
All other sources (65 countries)US$199 M22%
Total US importsUS$906 M100%

The United States bought US$906 M of fishing tackle under HS 9507 in 2024 from 69 source countries. China supplied US$538 M of it — 59% of the total, and roughly 7 times the next largest source. That concentration is why specification discipline matters more than factory discovery: the factories are not hard to find, the comparable quotation is.

Figures retrieved from UN Comtrade (reporter China and United States, HS 9507, 2024) and aggregated across partner countries. They are historical customs values, not offers.

Related: the rules that decide whether a shipment clears customs — lead restrictions, packaging law, product-safety duties and country-of-origin marking — are set out on the fishing tackle compliance page.

To see these six steps next to verification, price bases and inspection in one route, read the China sourcing playbook.

Frequently asked questions

What payment terms are normal on a Chinese tackle order?

The common default is a deposit with the balance due before shipment or against a bill of lading copy, but the terms that govern your order are the ones written in the quotation and the proforma invoice. Confirm three things in writing: the trigger for the balance payment, who bears bank charges, and what happens to the deposit if the order is cancelled before production starts.

Who pays for samples and inspection?

Sample fees and courier costs are normally carried by the buyer, sometimes credited against the first order, and third-party pre-shipment inspection is normally commissioned and paid for by the buyer. Ask whether the sample fee is refundable on the order — it is a normal question and a normal answer either way.

Who owns the tooling if we pay for it?

This is decided by the paperwork, not by practice. State in writing whether the mould or plates are owned by you or by the factory, and whether they transfer or are bought out if you move the programme to another supplier. Buyers who skip this question sometimes discover the answer when they try to leave.

How long does a first fishing tackle order take?

With existing tooling, allow 3 to 5 weeks from confirmed order to shipment. With new tooling, allow 10 to 14 weeks including mould making and sample approval. Add transit time — roughly 30 to 40 days by sea to Europe or the US east coast — and confirm peak-season capacity before committing to a spring delivery date.

What is inspected on a tackle order before shipment?

The colourway is measured against the approved physical standard rather than judged by eye, hardware is matched to the named hook and ring specification, lure weight and length are sampled against tolerance, buoyancy behaviour is checked against the approved sample on hard lures, and salt-spray or corrosion testing applies to saltwater programmes. Rod programmes add action, guide alignment and reel-seat fit.

What happens if the goods fail inspection?

Production stops before shipment and the defect is documented against the approved sample. The factory then reworks or credits, and the balance is held until it is resolved. The inspection report is yours whether or not the shipment proceeds, which is what makes it useful in a claim.

When should a programme be placed for the northern-hemisphere season?

Tackle demand peaks in spring, so export programmes normally need confirming toward the end of the previous year to leave room for tooling, sampling and production. Ask the factory for its peak-season cut-off date before you commit to a delivery window.

Sources

Where to next

Product catalogue

Sample listings with price per unit

Verified directory

Factories that passed 4 verification gates

Price benchmark

Reference bands and MOQ tiers

Verification standard

What we check and refuse

Need a specification matched, not a list browsed?

Send the format, quantity, material and destination market. We answer against verified records — and tell you when the data is not good enough to answer with.

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