As I talk with clients, I keep stressing one thing: working with the right Chinese suppliers is the single most important success factor for importers. And yet, many buyers 'get in bed' with the wrong people. Choosing the wrong partner … [Read more...]
The Danger of Choosing a “Cheap” Chinese Factory
One of the biggest mistakes importers make is to work with a "cheap" factory. The price is good, but you need to revise your expectations way, way down. Instead of "cheap" or "expensive" factories, I like to talk about "high-volume, … [Read more...]
The Evolution of Hong Kong Trade Shows
Last weekend I visited the Hong Kong Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui East. I love to look at old photos and try to imagine how things were back then. Here is what the Hong Kong trade show looked like in the late 1960s (there were … [Read more...]
Should Free Trade Agreements Guide Your Sourcing Strategy?
Two weeks ago I attended the always interesting Made In Asia conference. Two speakers touched on the upcoming changes due to the TPP and the AGOA trade agreements. A representative of TAL Apparel shared this slide with us and I thought … [Read more...]
4 Powerful Tools for China Supplier Verification
It came again to my attention recently that most SMEs buying from China are not aware of methods to collect information about potential suppliers. And, since the suppliers are not verified in any manner, scammers have multiplied and are … [Read more...]
Alibaba Purchasing Agents: Too Good To Be True?
We recently discovered that Alibaba shows a list of "purchasing agents". We thought "Wow really? How are they verified?" They list more than 2,000 individuals at your service. It looks like the upwork.com or the freelancer.com of … [Read more...]
How Much Does a Sourcing Employee in Shenzhen Cost?
Small importers -- many of them Amazon sellers -- want to focus on product development and marketing. They want someone in China to take care of production, and that includes finding the right suppliers and managing them on a daily … [Read more...]
THE Guide on China Company Investigation
Last year, Jeremy Gordon from China Business Services mentioned he was collecting information for a book. He asked me a few questions about factory audits. Well, the book came out recently and is called Risky Business in China. It is a … [Read more...]
Do You Have a Full Business Model when Sourcing from China?
Many companies have decided to transfer production to China based on a difference in unit product price. But they haven't thought of a full business model. In this article we go over the basics of what should be included in the business … [Read more...]
What is the Real Total Cost of the Products you Buy in China?
For most importers, reducing the cost of the products they purchase in China means negotiating with suppliers and pushing them to accept lower margins. Does it make sense? In many cases it certainly does. Some suppliers send quotations … [Read more...]
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