The process
Clear steps. No guesswork. Full visibility from day one.
Every ARPUS engagement follows a structured process — so you always know where things stand, what happens next, and who is responsible. Here's exactly how it works.
From brief to delivery
What working with ARPUS looks like — step by step.
Discovery Call
We begin with a free 20-minute conversation to understand your product, your target market, your timeline, and your budget. No forms, no commitments — just a direct conversation with someone who knows sourcing.
What you receive: A product idea or category, rough target price, and intended destination market.
Requirement Brief
We translate your conversation into a structured sourcing document — product specifications, target pricing by quantity tier, quality standards, packaging requirements, and delivery timeline. This brief becomes the reference document for every supplier we approach.
What you receive: The written brief, before any factory engagement begins.
Supplier Search & Vetting
Our China-based team identifies, contacts, and vets manufacturers against your brief. Every supplier is confirmed as a genuine factory — not a trading company or reseller — before they are included in your shortlist.
What you receive: A supplier shortlist with factory profiles, capabilities, certifications, and preliminary pricing.
Price Negotiation & Quotation
We negotiate directly in Mandarin with shortlisted factories to secure the best price across your target quantity tiers. All quotes are presented at actual factory price — our fee is shown separately, in full, before anything is confirmed.
What you receive: A written quotation with all costs itemised, before any order is placed.
Sample Approval
Physical samples are procured and shipped directly to you for review. You approve the sample — or request revisions — before a single unit of bulk production is confirmed. No bulk order proceeds without your written sign-off.
What you receive: The physical sample, in your hands, before production begins.
Production & Quality Control
Once the bulk order is confirmed, we track production against agreed milestones. Our team conducts an on-site quality inspection prior to dispatch — checking against your approved sample and written spec sheet — and provides a full photographic report before anything ships.
What you receive: A written inspection report with photos, before your order ships.
Shipping, Customs & Delivery
We manage freight booking, documentation, customs clearance at origin and destination, and final delivery to your warehouse or fulfilment centre. You receive real-time status updates at every milestone from departure through to confirmed delivery.
What you receive: Confirmed delivery to your nominated address, with all shipping documentation provided.
Financials
Simple, transparent payment terms.
Order Confirmation
50% advance payment
Prior to Final Dispatch
Remaining 50% balance
Third-Party Costs
Passed through at actual cost — no markup (factory price, freight, duties, delivery)
ARPUS Service Fee
Agreed in writing before engagement begins — disclosed separately on all quotations
All payment terms are confirmed in writing in your Service Agreement before any work commences.
Paper trail
Nothing is agreed verbally and left unrecorded.
Brief
Written sourcing brief before any supplier engagement begins
Quotation
Signed quotation with all costs itemised before order placement
Sample Sign-off
Written sample approval before bulk production is confirmed
Inspection Report
Full photo report from on-site QC before dispatch
Service Agreement
Covering all terms, fees, responsibilities, and non-circumvention
Shipping Docs
Commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin
FAQ
Questions we get asked most.
How long does a full sourcing cycle take?
Typically 6–10 weeks from initial brief to warehouse delivery, depending on product complexity, sample revision cycles, and chosen freight mode. We provide a project timeline at the quotation stage.
Can I use ARPUS for just one part of the process?
Yes. Our services are fully modular. You can engage us for supplier discovery only, quality inspection only, or the full end-to-end cycle. See the Services page for the complete menu with pricing.
What if the quality doesn't match the approved sample?
Quality claims must be raised in writing within 7 days of delivery with supporting evidence. Where a genuine quality failure is confirmed against your approved spec, we work to resolve it with the factory directly.
Do you work with Amazon FBA sellers?
Yes. We regularly source and ship directly to Amazon fulfilment centres, including FBA prep, carton labelling, and shipment compliance.
Is there a minimum order size?
No fixed minimum — but we'll advise honestly at the discovery call if a product or quantity is unlikely to be commercially viable at the factory level.
Timeline overview
A typical full-cycle engagement — 6 to 10 weeks.
01
Discovery & Brief
Week 1
02
Supplier Search
Week 1–2
03
Quotes & Negotiation
Week 2–3
04
Sample Approval
Week 3–5
05
Production & QC
Week 4–8
06
Shipping & Delivery
Week 6–10
Next step
Ready to start?
Book a free discovery call and we'll walk through your product, your timeline, and exactly what working with ARPUS looks like for your specific situation.