Guide: Printable one-page brief in the order of the Compass shortlist form
One-page China partner search brief
A printable one-page brief for a China distributor, Tmall Partner or Douyin Partner search, laid out in the same order as the Compass shortlist form.
Fill in this page before the first call with any partner. Send the same copy to every candidate, so the answers can be compared. The sections run in the same order as the Compass shortlist form, so what you write here can go straight into it.
Why each field matters, with example answers, is in How to write a China distributor search brief.
Category
Tick one: Beauty ____ Food and beverage ____ Fashion ____ Home ____ Wellness ____ Mother and baby ____ Pet ____ Supplements ____ Something else ____
Hero product, and the retail price a shopper in China would pay (RMB):
Cheapest product and its retail price (RMB): ____________________
A single cross-border retail order is capped at 5,000 RMB (Caiguanshui 2018 No. 49). Products above it (tick if any): ____
Where you are today
Tick one:
- Not in China yet, still choosing between a distributor, a TP and a DP ____
- Entering now, looking for a first distributor, TP or DP ____
- Already selling, replacing a distributor, TP or DP that isn’t delivering ____
- Already selling, adding a distributor, TP or DP for a new channel or region ____
What you are trying to solve
Channels wanted, in order (Tmall Global, JD Worldwide, Douyin, general-trade distribution, supermarkets and other offline shelves):
First: ____________________ Second: ____________________ Later: ____________________
Registrations held in China
| Item | Held (yes or no) | Number or class | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trademark, filed or registered in China | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Trademark registered in your home market | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Cosmetics registration or filing (NMPA) | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Overseas food manufacturer registration (GACC) | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Health food registration or filing | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Other license or certificate | ________ | ________ | ________ |
Budget for the first year (RMB): ____________
Includes (tick): platform deposits ____ stock ____ media ____ partner fees ____
What has been tried
| Partner, store or channel | Type (distributor, TP, DP, own store) | From | To | How it ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ____________ | ____________ | ________ | ________ | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | ________ | ________ | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | ________ | ________ | ____________ |
Exclusivity still running with anyone (who, until when): ____________________
Stock still held by a past partner (units, where): ____________________
Timing and who decides
Partner signed by: ____________ First sale by: ____________
Who decides, and who signs: ________________________________________
Who you are
Your name: ____________________ Work email: ____________________
Company: ____________________ Website: ____________________
How you heard about us
Tick one: Google or another search engine ____ An AI assistant ____ An exhibition or a trade show ____ A referral ____ Somewhere else ____
Which one (optional): ____________________
Send the finished page through the shortlist form. A Compass shortlist usually takes two to three weeks from the brief.