Canton Fair 2026 Buyer Checklist: What To Prepare Before You Visit

Planning to visit the 140th Canton Fair in Guangzhou to source steel or other products from China?

A successful trade fair visit starts before you arrive.

This buyer checklist covers what international buyers should prepare before the Canton Fair, what information to collect from suppliers, what questions to ask during meetings, and what to check before requesting a quotation or placing an order.

Canton Fair 2026 Buyer Checklist

Use the following checklist before your trip.

Before contacting suppliers, make sure you know what you need.

Example

Instead of asking:

"I need galvanized steel."

Prepare a specification such as:

Galvanized steel coil, DX51D+Z, 0.50 × 1250 mm, Z120, regular spangle, ASTM/EN equivalent, 100 MT.

The more specific your RFQ is, the easier it is for suppliers to provide comparable quotations.

A well-prepared RFQ can save considerable time during supplier meetings.

Your RFQ should include:

If you already have an Excel purchase list or technical specification, bring it with you or upload it when contacting suppliers.

Do not wait until you arrive in Guangzhou to start looking for suppliers.

Create a shortlist before the exhibition.

For each supplier, record:

A shortlist of 5–10 relevant suppliers can be more useful than collecting hundreds of business cards.

A supplier's booth, website, or catalog does not tell you everything you need to know.

During your meeting, ask questions that help you evaluate whether the supplier can actually handle your requirements.

Supplier Verification Checklist

For large or recurring orders, buyers may also consider conducting additional supplier verification and factory audits before placing an order.

Do not only ask:

"What's your price?"

A better supplier meeting should cover product, quality, production, logistics, and commercial terms.

The lowest quotation is not necessarily the lowest total purchasing cost.

When comparing suppliers, record the following information:

This makes it easier to compare quotations on an equivalent basis.

When comparing quotations, make sure suppliers are quoting the same specification.

For example, a PPGI quotation should not be compared only by price per ton.

Check:

• Steel grade
• Standard
• Thickness
• Width
• Zinc coating
• Paint system
• Top coating thickness
• Back coating
• Paint brand
• RAL color
• Surface finish
• Coil weight
• Inner diameter
• Packaging

A lower price may reflect a different specification.

For steel procurement, documentation is an important part of supplier evaluation.

Ask suppliers whether they can provide:

If your project requires a specific standard such as ASTM, EN, JIS, or GB, confirm the applicable standard before requesting a final quotation.

Before leaving the meeting, ask:

What is your MOQ for this specification?

What is the production lead time for this quantity?

What is the lead time for repeat orders?

Can you supply a trial order?

Can you reserve production capacity for regular orders?

This is particularly important when your initial order is small, but your long-term purchasing volume may be larger.

International buyers should provide their destination port whenever possible.

For example:

CIF Jebel Ali Port

or

CIF Dubai

Ask the supplier for:

Comparing FOB and CIF quotations can help you understand the actual landed purchasing cost.

For professional sourcing meetings, prepare a digital or printed procurement package.

Recommended Buyer Documents

If confidentiality is important, avoid sharing sensitive commercial information until the supplier relationship has been properly established.

Don't rely entirely on walking around the exhibition hall.

Prepare a meeting schedule.

Example

Leave enough time between meetings so you can visit additional suppliers and compare products.

Do not rely on business cards alone.

For every supplier, record:

Also take photos of product samples, catalogs, technical documents, and booth information where appropriate.

Your supplier evaluation should continue after the exhibition.

Within a few days after the fair:

The goal of the Canton Fair is not simply to collect business cards.

The goal is to identify suppliers that can move from conversation → quotation → sample → trial order → repeat order.

Steel Buyer Quick Checklist

If you are short on time, use this simplified checklist.

Canton Fair 2026: Steel Buyer FAQ

Download the Steel Buyer Checklist

Planning to visit the Canton Fair?

Use our Steel Buyer Checklist to prepare your supplier meetings and RFQs.

Looking for a Steel Supplier in China?

If you are sourcing steel from China, Promisteel can discuss your requirements before or during the Canton Fair.

You can send us your product specifications, quantity, and destination port to request a quotation.