Your China supply
chain has a
loyalty problem.

Commission agents work for the factory. Trading companies pocket the margin. Alibaba can't visit, vet, or negotiate for you. I'm Mara — I charge a flat fee paid by you, and every cent I negotiate goes directly into your pocket. Ten years on China's factory floors. $500M+ managed. 100% job success on Upwork.

Send product photos, supplier screenshots, or quote sheets directly.

No pitch — No commitment — Walk away with clarity.

Zero
Factory
commissions
$500M+
Supply chain
managed
Top 10%
Upwork
Top Rated
10yrs
On factory floors
in China
Situation 01
You already have
a sourcing agent.

Ask yourself: does your agent charge the factory or you? If it's the factory, their income goes up every time your price goes up. Every recommendation they make — which supplier, which price, which quality call — happens in the shadow of that financial relationship.

"I charge a flat fee paid by you. Factories never pay me. That's not a policy — it's how the business model works."
Situation 02
You use a supply chain
agency or trading company.

Trading companies buy from the factory and sell to you. The margin in between — 20 to 40% on top of the real ex-factory price — is theirs. You never see the actual cost. And when something goes wrong, the person who picks up the phone is whoever's account manager that week.

"You pay one flat fee. I show you the factory invoice. One person accountable — me, in person."
Situation 03
You source directly
from Alibaba.

Alibaba is a directory. It lists factories — it doesn't vet them, visit their production floor, test their real capacity, or negotiate for you in Mandarin. You're making decisions based on profile photos and chat transcripts, 8 time zones away, with no way to know what the factory looks like on a normal Tuesday.

"I visit. I film. I negotiate in person. You get a report with my name on it — not a chat log you can't verify."
Tell me your situation — free call

Your factory is overcharging you right now. The only question is by how much.

Book a free call now
15–30%
Factory markup above ex-factory price when no one is negotiating on your behalf
1 in 3
Shipments with a significant quality issue when there's no independent inspection before the container leaves
6–12 wks
Average launch delay caused by poor supplier selection and communication breakdowns
$0
Cost of the discovery call where you find out exactly what's possible — and what it's actually costing you now
What you need Commission agent Trading company Alibaba DIY Ulinko
Zero factory commissions N/A
You see the real factory price Rarely
On-site factory visits Sometimes Rarely
Independent quality inspection Conflict of interest In-house only
One person, personally accountable Varies N/A
Negotiates in Mandarin, in person Sometimes Yes (for them)
Flat fee, no hidden margins N/A
Mara Zhang — China sourcing agent, Hangzhou
Jie "Mara" Zhang · Hangzhou, China

I built Ulinko because I watched brands get robbed by the people who were supposed to help them.

I've stood on factory floors across Guangdong, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangsu for over ten years. The same thing happens every time: a brand hires a sourcing agent, the agent takes a cut from the factory on every order, and the brand pays 15–30% above the real price for goods they never fully inspect. Every agent I knew worked both sides of the table. I didn't.

Factories never pay me — not a commission, not a kickback, not a red envelope. You pay a flat fee. Every supplier I recommend, every price I fight for, every quality call I make goes in your direction, not the factory's. Ten years. Hundreds of projects. 100% job success on Upwork. Top 10% worldwide. Not because the jobs were easy — because I only take jobs I know I can win.

Track record
100% Job Success · Top 10% worldwide on Upwork
Years on the ground
10+ years · Guangdong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangsu
Languages
English, Mandarin, Spanish
Education
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Discovery call always free · Flat fee, scoped to your project · Get a scope →

01
Product sourcing
Best for: Brands launching a new product or without a China supplier yet
Deep supplier discovery across my on-the-ground network in China. I shortlist factories based on your exact needs: target price, quality tier, required certifications, MOQ and production capacity. Every factory on the shortlist is pre-qualified against your brief — not just found on Alibaba.
Factory longlistCapability mappingBenchmark quotes
Shortlist in 5–10 days
02
Factory vetting
Best for: Brands with a supplier in mind who need to verify quality, capacity or compliance before committing
I visit the factory in person, film the production floor, interview the quality manager and assess real capacity. I resolve urgent on-site issues when needed and deliver a full video report with a plain-English go/no-go recommendation — so you know what you're walking into before you sign anything.
On-site visitVideo reportCompliance checkIssue resolution
Video report included
03
Sampling & negotiation
Best for: Brands developing a new product or refining an existing one
I coordinate samples from your tech pack or CAD files, working directly with designers and engineers in China. I manage every revision cycle, negotiate unit price, MOQ, tooling and IP protections in Mandarin, and bridge the gap between your team and the factory — translating context, not just words.
Tech-pack routingCAD coordinationRevision cyclesMOQ + terms
Sketch to golden sample
04
Quality inspection
Best for: Brands with production underway or approaching shipment
I inspect personally. During-production and pre-shipment checks, hands-on product testing, and samples sent to certified labs for exact material composition analysis. You get a full photo-documented report before the container leaves China — not after it lands at your door.
AQL 2.5 / 1.0Lab material testingPre-shipment holdDefect log
Before it ships
05
Logistics & customs
Best for: Brands ready to ship who need end-to-end freight and customs managed
Forwarder selection, consolidation, HS coding, certificates of origin, customs documentation and door-to-door tracking. Every shipment is priced against three forwarders so you get the best rate — and I manage the entire chain from factory gate to your warehouse. Sea, air, express or rail.
FOB / DDPConsolidationCustoms docs3-forwarder pricing
Sea · Air · Express
06
Full procurement
Best for: Growing brands with ongoing China production needs and multiple SKUs
Retained engagement. I become your procurement team in China — managing POs, suppliers, calendars, cost-downs and risk across your entire catalog. Weekly syncs, monthly reporting, one person accountable for everything. No internal hire, no agency markup.
Retained monthlyMulti-SKUExec reporting
Monthly retainer
07
Trade show sourcing
Best for: Brands looking to discover new suppliers or enter a new product category
I attend Canton Fair, industry trade shows and wholesale markets across China on your behalf. I scout suppliers, collect samples, document capabilities and deliver a curated shortlist with photos, quotes and my personal assessment — so you get the intelligence without the flight.
Canton FairMarket visitsNew category discovery
On-the-ground intel
08
Compliance & certification
Best for: Brands importing to regulated markets such as the EU, US, UK or Australia
I coordinate testing and certification with accredited labs in China. From CE and FCC to RoHS, REACH and OEKO-TEX, I manage lab submissions, follow up on results and make sure your products meet import requirements before they leave China — not after customs holds them.
CE / FCC / RoHSLab coordinationImport compliance
Market-ready products
How we work together

Same start,
every time.

Every engagement starts the same way, regardless of scope. No surprises, no sales calls, no handoffs to someone you've never met.

01
Discovery call

We talk for as long as you need. You tell me what you're sourcing and I give you an honest read on feasibility, timeline and likely costs — whether or not you hire me.

Free · No commitment
02
Scope & proposal

If we're a fit, I send a written scope of work with a fixed flat fee. No hourly billing, no surprises mid-project. A standard NDA covers everything from day one.

24–48 hrs · Flat fee
03
On the ground in China

I handle everything in China. You get clear, regular updates and can reach me directly whenever you need. No handoffs, no account managers, no one you've never spoken to.

On the ground · China
04
Delivery & debrief

Every engagement ends with a concrete deliverable: a report, a shortlist, a video, a shipped order. I debrief you on what was found and what comes next.

On time · In writing

Ten years of work,
every job visible on Upwork.

Every engagement I've completed — client reviews, project descriptions, ratings and outcomes — is publicly visible on my Upwork profile. No curated case studies. No cherry-picked wins. The full record, unfiltered, going back to day one.

View full work history
10+
Industries
sourced
100%
Job success
score
Top 10%
Upwork
Top Rated
5.0
Average
rating
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Zhang was very professional, available and exceeded my expectations. She found us a shortlist of vetted factories in under a week and caught a pricing discrepancy that would have cost us thousands. I would recommend her to anyone."

Verified Upwork client · Apparel brand
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Mara did a pre-shipment inspection that identified defects our previous supplier had signed off on. The shipment was held, reworked and delivered correctly. She saved us from a full returns disaster."

Verified Upwork client · DTC outdoor brand
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Very efficient, responsible, and genuinely considerate of the client's needs. Delivered faster than expected, negotiated our MOQ down by 40%, and was reachable at every step."

Verified Upwork client · Consumer goods
The question is simple: does your agent charge the factory or you? If it's the factory, their income goes up every time your unit cost goes up. That's not a judgement of character — it's a structural conflict of interest built into the commission model. I charge you a flat fee. Factories never pay me, ever. So every recommendation I make — which supplier, which price, which quality call — is made without a financial stake in the factory's direction.

Book a free call to discuss your situation
A supply chain agency — or trading company — buys from the factory and sells to you, pocketing the margin in between. You never see the real ex-factory price. That margin is typically 20–40% on top of what the factory actually charges. I work for a flat fee paid by you. You get the direct factory invoice, direct factory pricing, and one person — me — who is personally accountable for every decision. No account managers, no handoffs.
Alibaba is a directory. It lists factories — it doesn't vet them, visit their production floor, assess their real capacity, or negotiate for you in Mandarin. You're making decisions based on chat transcripts and profile photos, from 8 time zones away, with no way to see what that factory looks like on a normal Tuesday. I visit. I film. I negotiate in person. You get a report with my name on it — not a chat log you can't verify.
A free discovery call with me directly — no time limit, no commitment. If we're a fit, the most common next step is a Supplier Shortlist: vetted factories, benchmark quotes, and my personal recommendation.

Book that free call now
Yes. You don't need to change everything to work with me. If you have an existing supplier and want an independent quality inspection before a shipment, I can do that as a standalone engagement. Same for factory audits, compliance checks, or negotiation support. Many clients start with one specific need and expand from there.
Mara, personally, on every client. For site visits when schedules conflict, I use vetted contract inspectors in-region — people I've worked with for years. You will never be handed off to a team you've never met.
Book a call

Tell me what you're sourcing.

30 minutes with me directly — no sales rep, no assistant, no pitch. I'll tell you exactly what's possible, what it will cost, and whether I'm the right person for the job — even if I'm not.

Usually back within 4 hours

Prefer email? Marazhang@ulinkollc.com

Direct line
Message Mara on WhatsApp

For product photos, supplier screenshots, urgent quote questions, or a faster first touch.

Open WhatsApp
Private advisory

Confidential sourcing review. NDA-ready. No factory commissions.

Discovery call No time limit · No commitment Free
Supplier shortlist 5–10 days · 3 vetted factories Flat fee
Factory audit On-site · Video + report
Full procurement Retained · Monthly
Before you pay a factory

Mara can verify: factory legitimacy, quote realism, MOQ risk, and quality control gaps.

InquiryNDA-ready