Christophe Roussel, EVP, Global Supply Chain: Global Sourcing and Product Operations at Gap Inc., was kind enough to share some of the tactics his company adopted at the Made in Asia conference. The typical lead time to get a new garment from design to store is 22 to 25 weeks. That's a serious challenge for designers and merchandisers who need to match market demand when and where it exists. The Gap has been able to cut that lead time down to between 4 and 14 weeks for their more … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, Part 5: Negotiating With Chinese Suppliers: The Terms you Need to Discuss
Chinese suppliers are good at detecting which purchaser is inexperienced. If that's the case, and if you are dealing with dishonest suppliers, they could think that they will be able to take advantage of you. Therefore, it is important that you come across as someone who is fully prepared. You need to know what to ask, and how to respond when a supplier is being unreasonable. Let’s have a look at the main terms you will need to discuss when negotiating with Chinese suppliers who you are … [Read more...]