Visiting factories in Vietnam is the single best way to verify a supplier, build trust, and make confident sourcing decisions. A well-planned trip typically takes three to five days in-country, during which you can tour four to six factories, meet management teams, and see production firsthand. This guide covers everything you need to plan that trip: visas, transport, accommodation, what to evaluate on the factory floor, and how to make the right supplier decision afterward.

I have been based in Vietnam since 2014 and have personally accompanied hundreds of clients on factory visits across Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and beyond. The advice in this guide comes from years of doing this work on the ground.

Landed cost is the total cost to manufacture, ship, and deliver your product to its final destination, whether that is your own warehouse, an Amazon fulfillment center, a third-party logistics provider (3PL), or a retail distribution center. It includes the unit manufacturing price, shipping, packaging, insurance, customs duties, and any other fees between the factory and your door.

The formula:

Landed Cost = Manufacturing Cost + Tooling/Fixed Costs + Packaging + Shipping + Insurance + Duties and Taxes + Customs Brokerage + Fulfillment Prep

Are you looking to source products from Vietnam? Not sure who you can trust? Need a Vietnam Sourcing Company to help you out?
Vietnam Manufacturing is booming, and finding the right supplier is getting more accessible, but it’s not as easy as in China, and there are still several challenges. One of the most significant issues with finding suppliers is that the business landscape of Vietnam is fragmented. While Vietnam is the third fastest growing economy globally, the country is still experiencing growing pains. As a result, finding a supplier sometimes feels like the wild west, and information can be hard to come by without actually being there. Despite this, there are still several resources to help you out. This guide compiles the best ways to find a supplier in Vietnam.

What is an RFQ? The RFQ will be the first thing that a supplier reads from you. A good RFQ must introduce your product and yourself so that a supplier will want to do business with you. Therefore, a good RFQ should be simple and easy to read while covering all essential details.

If you can imagine a product, then there is probably a factory that can build it. China and Vietnam have a seemingly endless number of manufacturers that can make various products. But how do you know that the supplier makes your product exactly as you want? With a well-written product specification sheet. While it takes several steps to make your idea into a product, one of the first things you need to do is create a product specification sheet. Cosmo Sourcing has simplified this process into our simple sourcing, which has four steps: Plan, find, make, and ship.

Are you unsure about the trade terms of Alibaba or Chinese suppliers? Don’t know what the three letters that came with your quote mean? Cosmo has defined the 2010 Incoterms abbreviations, such as FOB, CFR, and DAP, for international trade. Incoterms are international contracts of sale, often called trade terms or shipping terms. Incoterms is short for International Commercial Terms. EXW and FOB are far and away the two most common incoterms. Incoterms are published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which holds the copyright.

Don’t know what to ask suppliers? What should you know from suppliers before you buy from them? If you’re reading this, we assume you have found suppliers on Alibaba or another website like Global Sources and are now ready to reach out to them. By this point, you should have an extensive list of suppliers. Once you have the suppliers, Now comes the hard part-- talking to them. You must be polite, professional, thorough, and assertive when asking suppliers questions.

Are you looking to source products from Vietnam? Not sure who you can trust? Need a Vietnam Sourcing Company to help you out? Please read our guide to learn how!
Vietnam Manufacturing is booming, and finding the right supplier is getting more accessible, but it's not as easy as in China, and there are still several challenges.

Vietnam manufactures clothing, footwear, furniture, electronics, plastics, steel, bamboo products, coffee, packaging, and dozens of other product categories. The country is the world's third-largest garment exporter, second-largest footwear exporter, and second-largest furniture exporter. If your product can be made in Vietnam, it will likely be cheaper or of higher quality than the identical product from China. Often both.

I've been sourcing products from Vietnam since 2014. Over that time, I've visited hundreds of factories, worked with over 4,000 clients, and helped source more than 10,000 products. This guide covers every major product category manufactured in Vietnam based on what I've seen on the ground.

Are you tired of Sourcing from Alibaba for your FBA Business? If you're sourcing products for Amazon, use this guide to find alternatives to Alibaba for FBA product Sourcing.
Sourcing Alibaba has long been the standard for finding suppliers in China, but that doesn't mean it's the only resource for sourcing products for FBA. When sourcing products, dozens of other websites provide a searchable database of manufacturers and suppliers worldwide.

Are you unsure about the trade terms of Alibaba or Chinese suppliers? Don't know what the three letters that came with your quote mean? Cosmo has defined the 2010 Incoterms abbreviations, such as FOB, CFR, and DAP, for international trade.

Vietnam is one of the best countries in the world to source manufactured products outside of China. It exported over $405 billion in goods in 2024, has 15+ active free trade agreements, and is home to production for brands like Nike, Samsung, IKEA, and Patagonia. If you are looking for a reliable, cost-competitive manufacturing base, Vietnam should be near the top of your list.

I have been sourcing products from Vietnam since 2014, when we opened Cosmo Sourcing's first office in Ho Chi Minh City. Since then, we have helped thousands of clients source products across dozens of categories. This guide covers what I have learned about what works, what does not, and how to get started.

If you've been looking at starting an FBA business, you almost certainly have come across Alibaba. Alibaba is a massive Chinese marketplace with millions of sellers and millions of products for sale in any quantity. Sourcing a product on Alibaba and selling it on Amazon is one of the most popular methods to do FBA, and it's a great place to start as a beginner. Check out our low-risk, step-by-step guide to help you get started and save time and money.

So you’ve found a supplier–now how will you pay them?
Sending thousands of dollars overseas to someone you’ve probably never met can be a scary, if not downright, sketchy step. Though most suppliers in China prefer direct transfers, this is not the safest way. Not to mention, even if you have a trustworthy supplier, you’re likely to drown in fees. Lucky for you, we’ve made hundreds of transactions and tested a dozen different services to determine the best way to save you thousands of dollars on your next purchase.

A Sourcing Company or a sourcing agent helps a company find sources for products and supplies at a low cost and of a certain quality or attributes. Some may represent a few select factories or serve multiple companies. For example, at Cosmo, we have no exclusive contracts and search for the best factories for a company.