How To Import From China

While China quality control is no longer a nightmare, there is still a lot of “hand holding” required to ensure suppliers fully understand your specs and have the ability to maintain quality. Only through physical inspection of the facilities and review of actual production samples will you gain a true understanding of your supplier’s ability. If you are unable to make the trip yourself, there are independent QC agents that can assist with this qualification and analysis process. Always see an actual production sample from the actual supplier. It may sound simple, but you would be surprised at the number of so-called suppliers who actual trading companies that farm things out to sub-suppliers without full disclosure to the buyer. This creates an additional level of margins. More importantly, should a problem in quality arise, the lines of communication are complicated by middlemen. Ask the supplier to provide their internal QC documentation. For…

The most important factor in determining the success or failure of your sourcing program will be finding the right supplier. It sounds obvious, but making detailed comparisons and verifications of vendors at a professional level can be daunting. By following below procedures, things may turn easier. Your sourcing feasibility study and supplier identification research should have a clear methodology for defining and measuring the desired attributes of the ideal supplier. Step One “Defining”: The “right supplier” is unique to each buyer, as the relative weight placed on price, quality, lead time and other attributes differs from project to project. Step Two “Measuring”: Focus on those factories that can clearly show production experience with your particular product or production method. Be aware that polished English skills do not reflect production skills. Often the most polished websites are set up by trading companies. Review the candidates’ websites and brochures against your desired attribute…

Whether you’re new to the game or have a bit of experience, working with a Chinese factory to manufacture the product you need for a reasonable price can seem like a daunting task. It’s hard enough to manage an import business without the communication challenges and cultural barriers that come with dealing with a Chinese partner. So where do you start? It helps to get advice from someone who has experience with Chinese factories in the past. I’ve personally dealt with hundreds of Chinese factories, not only directly on the manufacturing side, but also working with other importers to manage quality control of their products. In all my experience, these five tips have proven to be especially relevant to successful negotiating: 1. Be realistic about your upcoming order volume Some importers make the mistake of overpromising or overstating their order volume when initially working with a Chinese factory. Typically, they…

Many people have learned a lot from magazines offering advice or a commentary about the do’s and don’ts of sourcing products from China. Some of them are effective, some of them are simply based on generalizations that may or may not be true across the board. As a Chinese working with different factories and with importing companies around the world, I’d like to share some inputs based on my real experience on solving problems for both suppliers and customers. I believe it’s quite useful no matter you’re a China sourcing veteran or a freshman. Step 1- Search from the internet, sourcing magazines or trade fairs There are many potential suppliers from the biggest search engines such as Google. You can also get good resources from the sourcing platforms like Alibaba, Global Sources, Made-in-China, etc. Short list a few suppliers for the items you’re going to source. There are so many big international…

If you have ever requested for quotes for your enquiries from Chinese suppliers, you have probably guessed why they often give you wrong or unreasonable prices. Here are 4 simple reasons: 1. They don’t read your emails carefully Often we see suppliers that reply half of client’s questions and most of the time they answer something completely different than what it’s asked. Language barriers help to develop even more misunderstandings as I have seen people using Google translating to know what’s that email about. This happens more often than you think. Therefore, there will be misleading in price and production as well. Usually people go quickly through your email and think they got it all correct because they think this is just another enquiry of the product they deal everyday. Action point: if you don’t have someone in China taking care of your order, when selecting the suppliers, you can try…

If you have been considering purchasing your products from China, you may also be thinking about whether or not it makes sense to travel to China to visit suppliers, attend a trade show or discover new products. For most traders, it’s a big decision. Travel is costly, the country is huge and maybe a bit intimidating, the language and habits of the Chinese people are sometimes different to those of most US and European buyers. Is it worth it?  1. To Go or Not to Go, That’s The QuestionOpinions are all over the board about whether or not it’s necessary or prudent to go to China. In general, unless you are intending to invest in large purchases, it’s simply not worth the money. You should not spend money going to China just to “kick the tires.” Good advice: Before you decide that you will buy from China, take a good look at the…

Many buyers are still guarded about buying from China – which is understandable, since many of the country’s business practices lag behind those in more developed nations. However, your risks can be minimized by working only with qualified, above-board suppliers and by understanding all aspects of your import arrangement beforehand. If you can, visiting China is a good starting point for doing business there. If you can’t visit first, there are many online sources to help you find quality products and suppliers and minimize the risk of doing business there.  Understanding the market  Before deciding what to import, get as much information as possible about the demand for that product in your local market. Then learn as much as you can about the manufacturers of that product in China. Be vigilant and ask every detail you need to know. Finding a trustworthy supplier  This is perhaps the most important step in your…

In this post I’ll focus on product categories that are a bit more suitable for startups and beginners looking for what to import from China. I begin by explaining what you shouldn’t do： Avoid OEM / Customized Products Products that are highly customized require higher MOQ requirements. This is simply because the supplier has to purchase components and materials from a larger number of subcontractors. Each subcontractor has its own MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) requirements and this can quickly add up to an MOQ that you cannot reach. Instead of importing an OEM product (custom designed) you can purchase a “standard product” and achieve customization through branding, such as the following; Logo printCustom colourCustom product packingAdd extra accessoriesUpgrade the quality of the product (use better and more expensive materials and components) Avoid products with certification requirements Toys, electronics, food and chemical products are regulated and require product certification. Far from all Chinese suppliers…