How to find new suppliers for your Amazon business?
Last updated: 25 Nov 2025
Expand your Amazon sourcing strategy and protect your margins. Learn how to find, vet, and pay global suppliers smarter with WorldFirst.
Key takeaways
- Diversifying suppliers reduces lead times, tariffs, and operational risks
- China remains key, but sellers are increasingly sourcing from India, Vietnam, and Mexico
- Vet suppliers carefully with samples, audits, and clear contracts to ensure quality
- You can pay suppliers in a fast, reliable and easy way with a World Account
If you want to build a sustainable business on Amazon with repeat customers, your sourcing strategy can’t just be about finding the cheapest suppliers offering the lowest rates. You need to build a smarter, more resilient supply chain–and that involves finding the right suppliers.
China remains the global favourite for suppliers around the world. 71% of products listed on Amazon in 2024 were sourced from China (as per Jungle Scout’s State of the Amazon Seller Report). However, many sellers are now hedging their bets by exploring alternative sourcing regions due to the ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
And the strategy works: Businesses that diversify get reduced lead times, improved margins and fewer disruptions.
The same Jungle Scout report also shows that sellers are already branching out: 30% source from the US 14% from India, 5% from Vietnam, Japan and Mexico each and 4% from South Korea.
If you’re looking to scale, improve profitability, or find niche product advantages, it might be time to rethink your supplier mix.
Table of Contents
Why your next supplier may not be from China
For years, sourcing from China has been the default strategy for Amazon sellers and in many ways, it still makes sense. China offers access to advanced manufacturing at scale, deep supplier networks and competitive pricing.
But putting all your sourcing eggs into one basket can be a risky move, especially with tariffs and duties significantly impacting Chinese imports in the last few years.
While some tariffs have remained steady, others have spiked with little to no notice. Such unpredictability can shrink margins quickly and deeply impact businesses that have long lead times or bulk inventory models.
Apart from tariffs, sellers may also face other challenges such as:
- Delays due to factory shutdowns or port congestion
- Increased freight costs during peak seasons or geopolitical tensions
- Rising labor costs
- Copycat competition which occurs when suppliers launch near-identical products under different brands
Now, diversifying doesn’t mean dropping China altogether. If your current supplier is in China, that’s not necessarily a problem. But if your only supplier is in China, then that can be a problem.
Your sourcing strategy should be flexible enough to adapt, resilient enough to handle disruption and smart enough to protect your margins long-term.
China is still king
Even with global competition and increasing costs, China is still the global manufacturing hub and the preferred place to source products for the majority of Amazon sellers.
Top B2B marketplaces like 1688.com and Alibaba.com and offline events like the Canton Trade Fair offer access to millions of suppliers across every major product category. (Check our 1688 vs Alibaba comparison to learn more)
These platforms help you find suppliers in China, cut down research time and build a long-term network. Meeting suppliers in person at trade fairs or engaging them through platforms with built-in verification tools can give you an edge in negotiation, relationship building and easy access to new products.
Go through an in-depth vetting process for new suppliers
Finding suppliers is easy; the real work lies in vetting them and ensuring they are the right fit for your business.
- Always request samples to assess both product quality and turnaround time.
- Review business registrations, certifications and factory audits. You should also ask if they’ve worked with Amazon sellers before (This can be especially helpful if you want suppliers to ship product inventory directly to Amazon FBA warehouses)
- Assess how well the suppliers communicate with and how transparent they are with production timelines, capabilities and willingness to sign contracts
- Implement strict quality control processes by hiring a third-party inspection service or asking your supplier for pre-shipment QC reports. Catching defects early can save you from bad reviews and costly returns later.
Pay suppliers with your World Account to save more
Cross-border payments can be tricky, especially with tight margins and fluctuating FX rates. But with the right international payment provider, you can simplify the process.
World Account is a multi-currency business account that lets you pay suppliers in China like a local. Whether you’re sourcing online or at the Canton Fair, you can send fast, secure same-day or next-day payments (cut off timings apply) in CNH, USD, EUR, or HKD to suppliers in Mainland China and Hong Kong.
Here’s how WorldFirst helps growing businesses:
- It’s the only authorised payment solution for international buyers on 1688.com
- Pay directly in RMB or any other currency preferred by your suppliers
- Sending funds to another World Account in the same currency is completely free and you’ll enjoy competitive rates for all other bank transfers
- Lock in exchange rates for future payments to protect your business against unpredictable currency fluctuations
- Open 15+ local currency accounts and get paid like a local
- Pay suppliers, partners and staff worldwide in 100+ currencies
- Collect payments for free from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, Etsy, PayPal and Shopify
- Save with competitive exchange rates on currency conversions and transfers
- Lock in exchange rates for up to 24 months for cash flow certainty
Beyond China: Sourcing hotspots to watch
To hedge risks, Amazon sellers can also consider alternative markets that also offer low costs, easy logistics and IP protection.
Whether you’re looking for small-batch production, unique clothing, or electronics, the global sourcing landscape offers a lot of options.
The key is to match your product needs with each country’s strengths and understand the trade-offs in terms of lead times, MOQs and ease of doing business.
The top countries that are now emerging as sourcing hotspots include
- India
- Vietnam
- Thailand
- Bangladesh
- Turkey
- Mexico
How to vet and manage overseas suppliers
Regardless of location, vetting and managing overseas suppliers follow the same playbook:
- Do your due diligence: Factory audits, sample checks, online reviews
- Set expectations early: Written contracts, clear specifications, agreed lead times
- Build a quality control (QC) process: Inspect pre-shipment samples or work with third-party QC firms
Smarter sourcing is necessary for strong Amazon growth
The road to building a profitable and sustainable Amazon business starts with effective sourcing. Your supply chain is your moat. When you source smarter, you don’t just save on costs, you protect your margins, reduce risk and unlock faster, more scalable growth.
WorldFirst makes it easier to pay global suppliers quickly and securely, without the hidden fees. Open a World Account to save more.
Disclaimer: The information contained is general only and largely our views. Before acting on the information you should consider whether it is appropriate for you, in light of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Although information has been obtained from and is based upon multiple sources the author believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy and it may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions, estimates, mentioned products/services and referenced material constitute the author’s own judgement as of the date of the briefing and are subject to change without notice. WorldFirst shall not be responsible for any losses or damages arising from your reliance of such information.
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