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What you need to know about China suppliers, and how they can help your business
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Suppose you come up with a product idea or think you have market channels for certain products, and you want to find a supplier in China because of the low product development cost and low production cost there. If you Google the product name or concept, you will find tons of China suppliers/manufacturers. However, you still think you have not got one, because you want to find a capable and reliable one that would satisfy your specific needs and have a strong desire to do business with you. Many people get frustrated because they have been communicating with suppliers in China for months, but fail to move forward. The reason, most likely, is that they did not find the suitable one at the beginning. To successfully find a suitable China supplier, you need a strategy. This strategy will consist of awareness, knowledge and a good amount of homework. Below are some practical steps to find a suitable Chinese supplier for you.
Steps
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I find a sunglasses supplier in china?Community AnswerSearch Alibaba.com for key words like sunglasses. Ignore any supplier with less than 3 years Gold supplier. The higher the number the better. I like 4+ (less chance of scammers). On their page, it will say if they are a manufacturer or trader. Have a well-written introduction of what you are looking for. E-mail it to as many of them as you have time for. Most won't reply. Keep track of who you email and notes about what you/they said in a Word doc or Excel. Sort them in alphabet order so you don't send the same thing over and over again. Do background checks on them before sending money.
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QuestionHow can I find a ladies' handbag supplier?Yuan YulinCommunity AnswerIf your order is small, you can search the suppliers on Alibaba or Amazon. If your order is very big, you can source a qualified factory in China via STIN sourcing service, you will find lots of qualified factories in China.
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QuestionHow do I find reliable cellphone suppliers in China?Community AnswerAsk around from credible people, and also read reviews. Search for the suppliers' nameonline, and check if they are reputable, with lots of information and reviews.
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Tips
- A visit to your supplier production site in China is the only reliable way to truly know its capabilities, to check that the data you have collected on the company is 100% correct, and that ISO & Quality principles are applied: [3] X Research source Check the factory organization, its process flows, the quality of goods produced, the packaging, the workers' training level, the overall working conditions, equipment maintenance, etc. This will give you an indication of how the company is managed. A face-to-face meeting with the supplier's management team will also give you an idea of their experience and willingness to embark on your project. You will also be able to create a friendly relationship, which is crucial for your project!Thanks
- Be aware that while the decision-maker may not speak any English, establishing good relationship (guanxi) with the top management is crucial for long-term success.Thanks
- Email is good for exchanging product specifications, catalogue and price list. To establish a deeper relationship, a phone call is 10 times better than email. A personal meeting is 100 times better than a phone call. Many people want to start a business, so you have to show you are more serious. As long as your contact person uses English, you can just go ahead and give that person a phone call. It does not matter how much you and that person can understand each other; you can always follow up with an email.Thanks
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Warnings
- Beware of cheap electronic products sellers from China. Many online sellers of electronic products in China are fraudulent sellers. Unless you are buying in bulk and the products are shipped legally passing through custom checks, then most likely you are buying the product from retailer or wholesaler who do not have export license. This means there is no way to know whether the product is Real or Imitation unless you are an expert. Famous brands will not allow their supplier to sell below their normal selling cost, therefore the suppliers are either selling illegally or it is actually an imitation.Thanks
- Be careful with suppliers sub-contracting your order! When facing a backlog of deliveries, Chinese suppliers usually sub-contract them partially or in full, without taking the precaution to inform their clients! Most of the times this leads to sub-standard deliveriesThanks
- If you send out inquiries you will get tons of replies from suppliers of all kinds. Some guys may continuously send you product info for years, and are able to pass through all sorts spam protection. You may not want to use your primary email account to register with these sites.Contact a reliable outsourcing company.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.salehoo.com/blog/finding-suppliers-from-china
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/greenbrandon/2016/12/12/how-to-find-chinese-manufacturers-if-you-dont-know-anyone-in-china/#3465ca673d3b
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/greenbrandon/2016/12/12/how-to-find-chinese-manufacturers-if-you-dont-know-anyone-in-china/#3465ca673d3b
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Reader Success Stories
- "The warnings of what to look out for, who to contact and how to establish a good rapport with your supplier."
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"The warnings of what to look out for, who to contact and how to establish a good rapport with your supplier."
"The way thing were made encouraged me so much. I've learned a lot of things, and I'll use it as my guide."
"I'm doing a presentation on how to choose a supplier in China, and this helped a bunch!"
"I didn't know where to start and this gave very specific instructions. Thanks a bunch!"
"The list of suppliers recommended is exactly what I needed! Great step-by-steps!"
