How to Use Sure Imports: Buying, Sourcing and Shipping

Many importers know they want to buy from China but are not sure which Sure Imports path fits their situation. Some people already have product links. Some need a supplier found. Some already paid a supplier and only need shipping. Some need to pay in RMB. Some are corporate buyers who need documentation and accountability. The right path depends on the stage of the order.

This guide explains how to use Sure Imports without forcing every request into the same service. It should be read after the main pillar on Import From China to Nigeria and the website buying guide on How To Buy From Chinese Websites in Nigeria.

Use Buy From Chinese Websites when you have links

If you already found products on 1688, Taobao, Alibaba, Pinduoduo, DHGate or another Chinese website, use Buy From Chinese Websites. Submit exact links, quantity, colour, size, grade, variant and any instruction that affects the purchase.

This is best for simpler orders where the supplier risk is acceptable and the main job is buying the correct item. If the product is technical, high-value, custom or corporate, link buying may not be enough.

Use Corporate Sourcing when the supplier decision matters

Use product sourcing through LineScout when you need supplier search, comparison, negotiation, samples, specification control or procurement documentation. This is the better path for companies, schools, NGOs, churches, retailers, branded products, laptops, equipment and repeat supply.

Corporate sourcing is not only for large companies. It is for any order where the cost of choosing wrong is high. Read Corporate Sourcing From China to Nigeria for the full framework.

Use Ship With Us when goods are already with a supplier

If your supplier already has the goods or you have already purchased, use Ship With Us. You need supplier details, product description, carton count, tracking information, gross weight and carton dimensions where available.

Before choosing air or sea, use the Air vs Sea Calculator and CBM Calculator. Read China to Nigeria Shipping, Customs and Landed Cost to understand the wider logistics decision.

Use Pay Supplier after supplier clarity

If you need to pay a Chinese supplier in RMB, sign in and use Pay Supplier. But payment should come after product, supplier, amount and terms are clear. Payment ability is not supplier verification.

Before payment, use How Nigerian Importers Should Pay Chinese Suppliers in RMB Without Losing Control and China Supplier Verification Checklist.

Use the shop when available products fit

For phones, laptops and some gadgets, check the Sure Imports shop. For business laptop needs, use laptops for businesses. The shop can be useful when you prefer available or managed options instead of starting from a product link.

Use the tools before committing money

The tools are not decorative. They help you avoid bad decisions. Use the Landed Cost Estimator, CBM Calculator, Air vs Sea Calculator and Retail Price Builder before supplier payment or shipment approval.

Compliance check before payment

Before paying for regulated, sensitive or unfamiliar products, check the Nigeria Customs import prohibition list. For food-related products, cosmetics, health products, chemicals, electronics and standards-sensitive categories, review official guidance from NAFDAC and SON.

This check should happen before goods leave China. Compliance issues after shipment can cause delay, extra cost, seizure risk and cash-flow pressure. Read SONCAP, NAFDAC and Customs Requirements and China to Nigeria Shipping, Customs and Landed Cost when the category is not straightforward.

Prepare one brief for the stage you have reached

Prices, timelines and included services should come from the current written response for your order. This guide does not create a fixed inspection package, delivery guarantee or refund promise. If the response does not cover a required task, ask for it to be added or explain who will handle it before you proceed.

Example: a link purchase becomes a sourcing request

Suppose you find an unbranded bottle on a marketplace but also need a custom pump, printed artwork and a repeatable colour. The link identifies a starting product; it does not settle the custom specification. Submit the link together with the intended fill volume, material requirements, closure details, artwork and quantity. Establish whether a sample and production approval are needed before treating the order as ready to buy.

If you already paid a supplier, provide the invoice and the current production status when requesting shipping. A forwarder cannot calculate a dependable freight quote from the product's retail photograph alone. Request packed measurements from the supplier and state whether the goods include batteries, liquids, magnets or other features that may affect acceptance.

Keep the handover between services explicit

Record who approves the product, who pays the supplier, who receives the cartons and who authorises international shipment. Shipping confirmation is not automatically approval of product quality. Likewise, payment confirmation does not establish that the supplier has completed production. Keep each milestone attached to its own evidence.

Use your order reference consistently when sending updates. If a colour, quantity or delivery address changes, identify the old instruction and the replacement in one message. Avoid sending contradictory instructions across several channels. Ask for acknowledgement of a material change before assuming it has reached the person managing the order.

Check the final quotation before authorising work

Reconcile quantity, selected variants, service scope, destination, payment schedule and any unconfirmed costs. Keep copies of the accepted quotation, invoice, approval evidence and receipt. If the order is for an organisation, nominate one person to approve changes. This makes the service useful as a managed buying process and gives you a clear record if a discrepancy needs to be resolved.