Elksourcing

Due to the language barrier, cultural different, time zone difference, unfamiliarity with Chinese business manner, many buyers find it very difficult to get a reply to your inquiry. In many cases, you find a supplier online, you send an email or submit an inquiry form online, you wait for weeks but get no reply, then you call them, surprisingly, you found it is difficult to understand their English, or they don’t speak English at all. So how should we do to get prompt answer from the supplier when you contact them and how to communicate with them smoothly? Here are a few tips we want to share. How to write a good email that makes sure the Chinese suppliers give you a proper answer? – Use company email account. Don’t use email account from free email provider like yahoo mail, hotmail, aol mail. Using free email account will harm your company image and is considered…

New importers sometimes may be puzzled by so many certifications, such as UL, CE, FCC etc. You may wonder: what are these product certification standards? Which countries and product categories they apply to? In this article, we will give you a complete guide of the major products certifications. CE The CE marking (also known as CE mark) is a mandatory conformity mark on many products placed on the single market in the European Economic Area (EEA). The CE marking certifies that a product has met EU consumer safety, health or environmental requirements. Countries that adopt UL certification: EU countries. Which product categories UL apply to: Examples of European Directives requiring CE marking include toy safety, machinery, low-voltage equipment, terminal equipment and electromagnetic compatibility. There are about 25 directives requiring CE marking, the link of the 25 directives is http://www.newapproach.org/Directives/DirectiveList.aspOfficial CE website: www.ce-marking.org UL Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is a U.S. privately owned and…

Managing the relationship with Chinese suppliers is not easy, the cultural difference, the language issue, the communication problem, China has another social system, different business culture and practice. Managing the relationship with Chinese suppliers is not that difficult at all, if you can answer one question: How do you define the relationship with Chinese supplier? Do you think your relationship with the supplier is equal? Do you think your order is a blessing or giving to the supplier? Do you often threat the supplier that if they don’t do this or don’t do that, you will change the supplier, as you said there were handful of qualified suppliers lining up for your order? The relationship should be equal We recently read a story on the leading international trade forum fobshanghai.com, a Chinese supplier complained how their big buyer (Target) behave arrogantly and how Target was indifferent to the benefit of their suppliers, Target…

This article is for new importers. As a sourcing agent in China, we would like to share our years of experience of helping overseas buyers to import from China. 1. Feasibility StudyBefore you start to import, you need to research the feasibility of your sourcing project. You need to set up a goal, decide the budget, make the plan, consult the import expert, research the market, learn the import process, and calculate cost. In the end, you should come up with an enforceable plan, which should include the following: the products, the market, the process, the people, the cost, the margin, and the marketing. 2. Products IdeasWhat products you will buy from China? If you don’t have any clue, you could check ecommerce websites like alibaba, ebay, amazon, see what products are highlighted on homepage. Every product from missile to toilet paper has its own market, so do something you are…

There are totally 11 shipping terms (Incoterms), which define the various responsibilities, costs, and risks that are borne by the buyer and seller when goods are traded internationally. I am not going to go through all 11 but I will give a brief overview of the most common: EXW = Ex-Works: This is where the seller of the goods is not involved at all with the transportation costs or risks (i.e. damage in transit). They simply make the goods available to the buyer for collection at their site. It is then the buyer’s responsibility to collect the goods from the seller and get them back to the Europe, the buyer also bears all the risks from the moment the goods are collected so insurance is advisable.  FOB = Free On Board: This is where the seller is responsible for the costs and risks of getting the goods on board the ship. Once…

It is a trend that not only big buyers, but small buyers (such as retailers, eBay sellers, small businesses owners) are starting to directly buy for Chinese factories. The benefit of drop shipping is that you don’t have to keep inventory, you don’t have to rent warehouses, you don’t even need to have stores, you find the right suppliers to get good products at good price, advertise and sell the goods to the buyers in your country, have the Chinese supplier to drop ship the products directly to your buyers, and earn decent profit. One question you have to address is that what products you can dropship from China (or are suitable to be drop shipped from China), where to get the product ideas? What items are suitable for dropshipping? Generally, products that have high value and light weight are ideal for dropshipping, for small quantity dropshipping business, international shipping fee…

Importers who do not have the expertise, manpower or the time to procure and manage supplies from China will often turn to the services of a China sourcing agent. However, it is not that easy to find a sourcing agent you can trust, and trust is very important in this kind of requirement. You need someone who is trustworthy and not someone who works for hidden commissions. Below are some do’s and don’ts to help you in evaluating sourcing agents in China: Do clarify the sourcing agent’s tasks and responsibilities. This is very important when using third-party service providers. Do you want them to handle everything from procurement to quality control? Or do you only require them to perform tasks that you cannot handle? You have to be clear with their responsibilities so you will know who should be accountable in case of problems. Don’t forget to consider the sourcing agent’s…

China is considered as the second biggest economy in the world. It is not surprising that many companies want to make business with Chinese firms and suppliers.  Despite misconceptions by the general public about the quality of products from China, seasoned capitalists continue to source products from the country because of specific reasons. Product sourcing China is buoyed by the country’s expansive supplier base, sophisticated manufacturing and competitive costs. Rich supplier baseTo say that China’s supplier base is rich is an understatement. It is estimated that one-fifth of the world’s manufacturing is done in China. Here, almost everything imaginable is manufactured- from appliances, food, textiles, furniture, consumer electronics, cars, toys, household items to apparels.  Although many of the sub-components and materials are exported from other countries, assembly work is performed in countless factories across China. Factories are also surrounded by supporting plants where materials are sourced or sub-assembly is made. The sheer…