How to start a sourcing project with Wisewood

If you have never run a sourcing project before, the hardest moment is the first one. You have a product idea — or a vendor problem — and you do not know whether you are about to spend three weeks negotiating with the wrong factory, or three months on a tooling investment that should have been a stock buy. This guide is a short primer on how to start a project with us, what we need from you, and which of two paths through Wisewood is the right one for your case.

The two entry points

We run two parallel paths into the same operations team. One is fast — the WitAI catalogue, where ready-made products in our highest-velocity categories can be customised with your branding without clearing factory MOQs. The other is full-service custom — where any product, any category, any origin gets sourced from scratch with all-inclusive pricing. Both paths land in the same project management, the same QC standards, and the same logistics network.

Path A — the WitAI catalogue (fastest)

The WitAI platform exposes a curated catalogue of products we already source at scale: promotional goods, merchandising, gadgets, event uniforms, technical textiles, and a growing library of category-leading items in adjacent verticals. You pick a product, customise it with your branding, set the volume, and we ship. No factory MOQ to clear because we hold the inventory commitment. No tooling cost because the products already exist. This path is the fastest way to launch and the right answer for at least one of the following: a tight event timeline, a first-time buyer who wants to test the relationship before committing to bespoke production, or a marketing team who needs a branded run without engineering specifications.

Path B — full-service custom (any category, any origin)

Path B is the rest of the universe. Furniture, hospitality fit-outs, consumer electronics, custom retail packaging, industrial hardware, automotive parts, OEM components, private-label products with your own engineering specs — anything that is not already in the WitAI catalogue runs through the full-service path. We source factories, manage prototyping, run quality control, handle logistics and customs, and deliver to your warehouse. One quote, one team, one accountable contact.

What we need from you to start

• Product category: what are you sourcing? A reference photo, a competitor link, or a sketch is enough — we do not need engineering drawings to begin.
• Target volume: a number, a range, or a per-month commitment. We will recommend MOQ approaches based on what you tell us.
• Budget range: rough is fine. Knowing the price ceiling helps us recommend the right origin and the right factory tier on the first quote.
• Timeline: when do you need the first sample, and when do you need full delivery? Tight timelines are normal — we just want to plan around them, not discover them late.
• Compliance or certification needs: CE, REACH, RoHS, organic, fair-trade, halal, anything specific to your category or destination market.
• Branding assets: if you are going down Path A or running a private-label project, the artwork or brand guidelines as soon as you have them.

If you only have half of this, send what you have. We respond to incomplete briefs with the right follow-up questions; we do not refuse to engage until you have the full deck. Our intake is built to absorb messy briefs and turn them into structured sourcing plans.

What happens after you send the brief

Step 1 — Origin and supplier recommendation

We do not push China by default. Once we understand your product, volume, and timeline, we recommend the right origin: Asia for the largest share of categories, Europe (including Italy) for premium and made-in-Europe positioning, Africa where the category and tariff structure aligns. The recommendation comes with the rationale — why this country, why this factory tier, what trade-offs we are making on cost vs lead time vs quality.

Step 2 — All-inclusive quote

You receive one quote that bundles factory production, certifications, customs clearance, ocean freight, last-mile delivery, project management, and quality control. No add-ons later. No surprises on duties or freight. The quote is the price you pay.

Step 3 — Sample round

We strongly recommend at least one sampling round before scaling. The cost is small relative to the cost of catching a defect on a 5,000-unit shipment that has already crossed an ocean. Samples typically take one to four weeks depending on category and origin.

Step 4 — Production, QC, shipment

Once samples are approved, we book the production line, run during-production and pre-shipment inspections, consolidate cargo, clear customs, and deliver to your warehouse. You get progress updates at each milestone, plus the QC reports for your records.

How to actually send a brief

Email info@wisewoodint.com or use the contact form on this site. The fastest path is the WitAI platform — AI parses your brief and returns a sourcing approach in minutes. Otherwise we respond within one business day. Either path lands you with the same operations team and the same all-inclusive pricing model.