Sourcing Services: A Single Accountable Team From RFQ to Delivered Cargo
TL;DR: Sourcing services bundle supplier discovery, negotiation, inspection, and DDP logistics into one accountable team. Small World India has delivered managed sourcing services for Western buyers since 1994 — across 50+ categories and 15+ Indian manufacturing clusters.
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Tell us what you import. Our India team replies within one business day, in your time zone.
What Our Sourcing Services Include
Answer: End-to-end execution under your category strategy and approval limits.
End-to-end execution under your category strategy and approval limits.
Supplier discovery, qualification & factory audits
RFQ issuance, bid analysis, should-cost modeling
Negotiation in local language, contract execution
AQL 2.5 in-line and pre-shipment inspections
Export documentation & DDP shipping coordination
Quarterly business reviews & savings reporting
Sourcing Service Models
Match the engagement to your spend and category complexity.
Transactional: 5–10% commission on FOB (SMB & launches)
Retainer + commission: $3K–$8K/mo + 3–5% (mid-market)
Managed service + savings share: SLAs + % of validated savings (enterprise)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are sourcing services?
Sourcing services are managed procurement engagements where a third-party team handles supplier discovery, RFQ, negotiation, quality inspection, and logistics on behalf of the buyer.
How much do sourcing services cost?
Typical pricing ranges from 5–10% commission on FOB for SMB engagements to retainer-plus-commission ($3K–$8K/month + 3–5%) for enterprise programs. Most clients see 3–5x ROI within 12 months.
How do I get started with Small World India?
Send us your product specs or reference images via the contact form. Within 48 hours we shortlist 3 vetted factories with FOB pricing, MOQ, and lead times — at no cost.
What is the typical MOQ for sourcing from India?
MOQs range from 100 units (jewelry, handicrafts) to 5,000+ units (textiles, packaging). We negotiate flexible MOQs for first orders and combine SKUs across factories when needed.
How does Small World India ensure product quality?
Every order includes factory audit, mid-production inspection, and pre-shipment AQL 2.5 inspection by our in-house QC team. You receive photos, videos, and a full inspection report before shipment leaves the port.
Which countries do you ship to?
We export to 50+ countries with primary buyer concentration in the USA, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Australia, Canada, UAE, and Japan. We handle FOB, CIF, and DDP terms.
What are your fees?
Standard sourcing commission is 5–10% of FOB value, billed only after you confirm a PO. Inspections and freight are billed at cost with no markup.
Why source from India instead of China in 2026?
India offers FTA duty advantages with UK/AU/UAE/Japan, no Section 301 tariffs for US importers, English-speaking factories, lower IP risk, and competitive pricing in 25+ verticals including apparel, decor, jewelry, leather, and engineering.
Related Resources
Explore our guides and articles to help you source successfully from India.
Keep Reading: Answers, Glossary & Free Tools
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