Build in-house when
- Sourcing is central to how you compete
- Your spend in each country can fund a local team
- You need a buyer in your office every day
- Your supplier base is stable and mature
Compare · build or partner
In-house sourcing team or managed sourcing?
An in-house team gives you full control and knowledge that stays in the business, at the cost of fixed salaries, travel and time to build. Managed sourcing gives you a team already on the ground in India and China for a monthly or percentage fee. Many brands start managed and bring sourcing in-house once volumes justify it.
At a glance · best for
- In-house teamBrands where sourcing is a core, funded function
- Managed sourcing (SourceSquid)Brands entering India or adding China + 1
7 criteria · no brand names · prices published
Side by side
The 7 things that decide it.
The same criteria for every option: how you pay, who answers for the result, how fast it moves, what can go wrong, who holds the supplier, what evidence you get and what tends to cost extra.
| Criterion | AIn-house team | BManaged sourcing (SourceSquid) |
|---|---|---|
| 01Cost model | Salaries, benefits, recruitment, travel and tools. A fixed cost whether you place orders or not. | Sourcing program from USD 990 per month, or 7% of order value. Fractional Head of Sourcing from USD 3,500 per month, up to 6 days a month. |
| 02Accountability | Direct: your people, your targets, your management. | A written scope and a named principal, with the scope reviewed with you every quarter. |
| 03Speed | Months to recruit and to build supplier networks in a new country. | Starts with a free teardown in 48 hours. A China + 1 second source typically takes 12 to 20 weeks to first shipment. |
| 04Risk | Key-person risk: knowledge leaves when people do. Hard to cover several countries at once. | Less day-to-day control, and you rely on our team’s depth in your category. Clear scope and regular reporting manage this. |
| 05Supplier relationships | Owned by you completely. | Named manufacturers, shared with you. You pay us directly, never through factory commissions. |
| 06Compliance evidence | As strong as the systems you build: audits, inspections and supplier files. | Verifiable inspection and audit reports, plus declarations and certificates for PPWR, CBAM and EUDR collected while production runs. |
| 07Typical hidden costs | Travel, visas, translators, subcontracted inspections, staff turnover and re-hiring. | Items outside the agreed scope, such as samples, courier and laboratory tests, confirmed with you before they are booked. |
When each option is right
Pick the option that fits the job.
Every option here is the right answer for someone. Match it to your product, your volumes and the people you already have.
Choose managed sourcing when
- You are entering India or adding China + 1 with no people there
- Volume does not yet justify a full-time hire per country
- You want sourcing, inspection and compliance in one team
- You need a senior lead quickly, even part-time
Combine both when
- Your in-house buyer owns commercial decisions
- A managed team covers the factory floor and inspections
- You want cover for a new country while you hire
- You plan to bring the work in-house later
When SourceSquid is not the right choice
- You already have a strong team in India and China and need occasional extra hands. Book inspections or audits instead.
- Your suppliers are mainly outside Asia.
- You want an employee under your direct day-to-day management.
We would rather say so now. If one of these fits, we will point you to a better route.
Before you sign
Questions to ask, whichever you choose.
- What is our spend per country?Compare the fully loaded cost of a local hire with a managed fee at your real volumes.
- How many new suppliers do we need?Qualifying new factories is the most time-consuming part of sourcing.
- Who visits factories, and how often?Plan audits, in-line checks and pre-shipment inspections for each supplier.
- Where do supplier files live?Make sure audits, certificates and contacts stay with the business if people leave.
- Who owns EU and US compliance evidence?PPWR, CBAM, EUDR and UFLPA files need an owner and a supplier-level record.
SourceSquid prices
All prices Published, fixed and in USD.
- Sourcing programFrom USD 990per month, or 7% of order value
- Fractional Head of SourcingFrom USD 3,500per month, up to 6 days a month
- Supplier shortlistUSD 390named manufacturers, checked by calls; USD 890 with 2 factory visits
- InspectionsFrom USD 229per person-day, travel included within main clusters
Prices exclude local taxes. Every invoice matches the fixed quote you approved. The 48-hour sourcing teardown is free.
Questions buyers ask
Straight answers.
Anything else, ask us directly. A principal replies, not a bot.
[email protected]When does it make sense to bring sourcing in-house?
When sourcing is central to your product advantage, your spend in a country can fund dedicated local people, and your supplier base is stable enough to manage directly. Until then, a managed team gives you coverage without fixed headcount.
How much does managed sourcing cost at SourceSquid?
A sourcing program costs from USD 990 per month, or 7% of order value, whichever suits your volumes. A Fractional Head of Sourcing costs from USD 3,500 per month for up to 6 days a month. Inspections start from USD 229 per person-day.
Can SourceSquid work alongside my in-house team?
Yes. A common split is to keep commercial decisions in-house and use us for the factory floor: supplier qualification, inspections, audits and compliance evidence in India and China.
Will I lose control of my suppliers?
No. Every manufacturer is named and shared with you, reports carry a verify code, and clients pay us directly rather than through factory commissions.
What is a Fractional Head of Sourcing?
A named senior sourcing lead who works for your brand part-time, up to 6 days a month, from USD 3,500 per month. It suits brands that need senior judgement before they can justify a full-time hire.
More comparisons
Compare other options.
Still deciding?
Send one part. See how we would source it.
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