Sourcing LED lighting with our team in China
Four agents employed by Transcont work for you in China, and we have our own warehouses in Yiwu and Ningbo. We source lighting in two ways:
- A specific model with clear specifications. Our agents collect offers from factories against the same requirements, and we compare the price, the specifications and the lead time. Read more on the page sourcing agents in China.
- A wide range. Our strongest operational presence is in Yiwu, where electrical goods are in District 2 of the market, with hardware and tools. For a mixed order with many items you choose in person: we organise a Yiwu buying trip on which our agent goes through the district with you, translates and records the orders.
Electrical shops, installers and distributors in the region mostly buy LED bulbs and tubes, panels and downlights, LED strips with drivers and controllers, floodlights and street lighting, solar garden lights, decorative lighting and string lights, extension cords, plugs and sockets. Some lighting factories are outside Yiwu and Ningbo, and the agent travels to where the goods are.
What we check on lighting
Before loading we check quantity and quality. With lighting we look in particular at:
- Voltage and plug. The goods must be for a 230 V supply and have a European plug (Type C/F).
- Wattage and lumens. "10 W like a 100 W bulb" is a claim printed on the box. Luminous flux is measured by a laboratory, so we ask for a test report for the model.
- Driver. A cheap driver causes flicker, heat and early failure. We establish which driver is fitted and ask for the same one in mass production.
- Function. We test samples from different cartons for dead or flickering units.
- IP protection. Outdoor floodlights need suitable protection against water. We check the rubber seals and the cable gland.
- Label and documents. Voltage, wattage, CE mark and manufacturer's details, on the product and on the box. The model numbers in the test reports are compared with the goods.
- Match with the sample. Light colour, LED chip, housing and cable length.
Consolidated shipments and goods from Yiwu are checked in our warehouse. For a full container at a factory in another city, the agent carries out the check at the factory, anywhere in China, without the goods being moved and loaded a second time. In both cases you receive a photo and video report. The check does not replace laboratory testing. Read more on the page quality control in China.
Documents: LVD, EMC, RoHS
Three directives apply to electrical equipment, transposed into national law in the region:
- Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU: electrical safety;
- EMC Directive 2014/30/EU: electromagnetic compatibility;
- RoHS 2011/65/EU: restriction of hazardous substances.
For each model we ask the supplier for the test reports and a declaration of conformity, before the deposit is paid. A CE sticker alone does not prove conformity. Goods with weak or false documents can be stopped by market inspection, and the importer is responsible.
In Macedonia the State Market Inspectorate enforces the rules that transpose these directives. Serbia applies its own conformity mark by default and accepts CE-based documents only where foreign documents are recognised (more on shipping from China to Serbia). In Bosnia and Herzegovina some rules are set at entity level. Confirm the requirements for your product and market before importing.
Packing and cartons
- Panels. Corners crack if the carton is soft, so we ask for corner protectors.
- Bulbs. Individual boxes in a divided carton.
- Covers. Glass and acrylic covers need inner protection, which we write into the order.
- Moisture. Electronics are damaged by moisture, so we ask for silica gel in every carton.
Example: a mixed order for an electrical shop
The dimensions are taken from the packing lists.
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| Item | Carton (cm) | CBM per carton | Cartons | Total CBM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED bulbs | 50 × 40 × 35 | 0.07 | 100 | 7 |
| LED panels 60 × 60 | 65 × 65 × 25 | 0.106 | 150 | 15.84 |
| LED strips and drivers | 45 × 35 × 30 | 0.047 | 40 | 1.89 |
| Outdoor floodlights | 40 × 35 × 30 | 0.042 | 80 | 3.36 |
| Total | 370 | about 28.1 |
The order is just under the practical capacity of a 20' container (about 30 CBM), with about 1.9 CBM to spare. We check the carton layout and the weight before loading. For a larger order the next size is a 40' HQ (about 70 CBM). You can work out your own list in the CBM calculator.
Lead times and season
Lighting sells all year, with a peak in the building season, in spring and summer. Once the goods are ready in China, allow 60 to 75 days via Suez or 70 to 90 days around Africa for delivery to your warehouse. Transit times are approximate. We confirm the exact time and route for each shipment, based on the current situation on the sea lanes.
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| Goods in your warehouse | Order deadline (via Suez) | Order deadline (around Africa) |
|---|---|---|
| early May | early January | mid-December |
| early October | early June | mid-May |
The deadlines assume 45 days of production. Orders that overlap with the Chinese New Year closure are confirmed earlier. Avoid buying trips around that holiday and from 1 to 8 October, China's National Day holiday (Golden Week).
Tariff number and customs
LED lamps (heading 8539), cables and extension cords (8544), plugs, sockets and switches (8536) and small appliances (8516, 8509) are in chapter 85. Luminaires and string lights are in chapter 94 (heading 9405). This is a guide, and the forwarder confirms the code for each item. For Serbia, some electrical goods carry a lower duty under the China-Serbia free trade agreement, with a valid proof of origin. The forwarder confirms whether it applies.
We do not carry out customs clearance. A forwarder handles clearance, duty and VAT, your own or one we recommend. We deliver the goods to the customs warehouse and hand over the documents. Read more in the guide customs duty and VAT on goods from China.
How we work together
We collect goods for consolidated shipments in our warehouse and ship them from Ningbo. A full container leaves from the Chinese port nearest the goods. The method of payment is agreed for each order.
Send us the specifications, a link or a photo of the product, the quantity, the supplier's location (if you have one) and the destination.
