If you find 30 potential suppliers that all seem capable of making the product you want, how to pick the best one? With B2B platforms like Alibaba and Global Sources, many buyers ask themselves that question. And an easy answer is "I will ask for free samples and see who says yes and makes good-looking samples". … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, Part 7: Pre-Production: Describing What You Want
I have stated several times that you need to describe your product in detail. I know this is obvious, but most buyers don’t do is well… and often regret it later. There are two ways of formalizing your requirements: A written specification sheet, which contains all your expectations regarding the product and its packaging. Pre-production samples, which are supposed to represent what cannot easily be described in written form: the look & feel, the quality of the finishing, etc. … [Read more...]