A good commercial question is narrow. “Should we enter China?” is a project. “Should we give this distributor exclusivity for Zhejiang for three years?” is a letter.
Questions clients bring us
- A distribution, agency, licensing or cooperation proposal from a Chinese company: does it make commercial sense, and on what terms?
- The price, deposit and payment structure for a new contract with a Chinese counterpart.
- Choosing between routes into the market, such as cross-border e-commerce, a distributor or your own company.
- How to respond to a request to change terms, extend exclusivity or renew an agreement.
- What to ask for, and what you can afford to concede, before a negotiation.
- A commercial disagreement with a counterpart: the options for resolving it commercially, before or alongside a lawyer.
What the letter contains
The question and the facts
The question as agreed with you, and the documents and information the advice rests on, so anyone reading the letter later knows its basis.
The options, compared
The realistic courses open to you, with what each costs, what it commits you to and how it plays with a Chinese counterpart.
Our recommendation
What we would do and why, stated plainly, including when the answer is to wait or to walk away.
Next steps
What to do, in what order, and any points to take to a licensed lawyer or accountant before you act.
How it runs
- The question. Tell us the decision in front of you and send the documents behind it.
- Scope and fixed fee. We agree the exact question, the fee and the delivery date in writing.
- Review. We work through the documents, including any in Chinese, and call you if a commercial point needs clarifying.
- The letter. Delivered signed and dated, with a call to walk you through it.
Indicative pricing
| Item | Typical basis |
|---|---|
| One commercial question | from US$1,000, fixed fee |
| A contract read line by line, with a letter | See Contract Commercial Review, from US$1,500 |
| Several related questions, or a paper for a board | Quoted on scope |
| Follow-up advice on the same matter | Quoted before it starts |
Common questions
- What kind of question does a letter answer?
- A commercial one, framed narrowly enough to answer well: should we accept this distributor’s exclusivity request, is this payment structure reasonable for a first contract, which route into the market fits our numbers, what should we ask for before renewing, how should we respond when a counterpart changes its terms. If a question is really three questions, we say so before quoting.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. The letter gives commercial advice: what the proposal or terms mean for your business, the options open to you and the course we recommend. Whether a term is valid or enforceable, and what any law requires, are questions for a qualified lawyer, and the letter names them where they arise so you can take them to one.
- What do you need from us?
- The question, the documents behind it (the proposal, correspondence, draft terms and your own numbers) and a short call so we understand what you are trying to achieve. The letter records what we relied on.
- Who issues the letter?
- Wenzhou Yimi Information Consulting Co., Ltd., in its own name. The letter is dated and addressed to you, and you can share it with your board, your investors or your lawyer.
Commercial advice based on the documents and information you provide. It is not legal, tax or investment advice, and it does not assess the legal validity or enforceability of any term.
