Short answer: for a first toy order from China of one mixed container or less, a Chenghai-based trading company is usually the cheapest total-cost option, because it consolidates several factories into one shipment, one invoice and one set of test reports. A factory is the right choice once one design alone reaches the factory’s minimum (typically 3,000–10,000 pieces) or you need custom tooling. A sourcing agent makes sense when you want your own supplier relationships and are willing to pay a service fee (commonly 3–10% of order value) for someone to manage them.
| Factor | Toy factory | Trading company (Chenghai) | Sourcing agent |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Unit price only | Unit price incl. margin (often 5–15%) | Unit price + service fee (3–10%) |
| Typical MOQ per design | 3,000–10,000 pcs | 1–5 cartons (120–600 pcs) | Factory MOQ, sometimes negotiated down |
| Product range | One factory’s moulds | Hundreds of factories in one district | Whatever the agent can find |
| Mixed container | Rarely | Standard | Possible, agent consolidates |
| Testing (EN71 / ASTM F963 / CPC) | You arrange or factory arranges per SKU | Arranged per order, one lab, one invoice | Agent arranges, you pay lab directly |
| OEM tooling | Best | Through partner factories | Through partner factories |
| Who owns the supplier relationship | You | The trading company | You (agent introduces) |
| Best for | Large single-SKU orders, private label | Assortments, first orders, seasonal programs | Buyers building a long-term China base |
Go direct when one design will fill most of a container on its own, when you need custom moulds or a private-label box, or when you already have a QC team in Guangdong. Factory pricing looks lower on paper, but add the parts a trading company normally absorbs: separate test reports per factory, separate bookings if you buy from more than one, and someone to chase production. For a 40HQ of one plush line, a factory wins. For a 40HQ of dolls, RC cars, bubble machines and squishies, it usually does not.
A Chenghai trading company sits inside the district that produces roughly one third of the world’s plastic toys, so it can source dolls from one factory, RC cars from a second and inflatables from a third, then load them together. You get per-design minimums of 1–5 cartons instead of thousands of pieces, one set of documents, and a single contact who checks production and books the container. The trade-off is margin: expect the trading company to earn 5–15% on top of factory cost. For assortment buyers that margin is usually smaller than the freight, testing and management cost of dealing with five factories.
An agent works for you, not for the factory. If you plan to buy the same lines for years and want the factory relationship in your own name, an agent who audits suppliers, negotiates and inspects for a fee is worth it. Watch for two things: agents who take hidden commissions from factories on top of your fee, and agents without toy-specific compliance knowledge. Toy testing is the step that most often delays a first order, so ask any agent which labs they use and to show a recent CPC or EN71 report they arranged.
LeTin Toys is a trading company in Chenghai, Shantou, and says so on every quote. If your order is a single-design private-label run, we will tell you that a factory is the better route.
Per unit, usually 5–15% more. Per order, often less, because you avoid separate testing, separate shipments and a QC trip for each factory. The break-even is normally around one container of a single design.
Yes. Reputable Chenghai trading companies arrange factory visits and showroom tours; the district is 40 minutes from Shantou Jieyang Airport.
Most charge 3–10% of order value; some offer flat fees per shipment for larger buyers. Confirm in writing that no factory-side commission is taken.
The importer is legally responsible in the destination market, whichever model you use. What changes is who organises the lab work: the factory, the trading company or the agent.
Send us a product list and we quote FOB Shantou prices, cartons, CBM and testing within one business day. Related reading: China toy sourcing agent service, how to import toys from China.