When I meet someone who has recently started working with Chinese companies, I often urge them not to make any assumptions. One of the most common 'discoveries' buyers make is... that they haven't been working with a factory directly when they thought they were. … [Read more...]
Sourcing From China 101: The 15-Part Guide for New Buyers
I have recently published the 15-part 'Sourcing From China 101' series for new buyers who are starting to work with Chinese suppliers (and for more experienced people who want to double-check whether they are working in a smart way). The 15 articles are listed below: Do You Need a Sourcing Agent? How to Identify Potential Suppliers? How to Verify a Manufacturer Second Choices vs. “Never Again” Negotiating With Chinese Suppliers: The Terms you Need to Discuss How To Keep … [Read more...]
KPIs and IT Tools of Purchasing Departments (Expert Q&A)
I had the opportunity to ask a few questions to Alexandre Godvin, who has a particular perspective on the KPIs and IT tools of purchasing departments. Alexandre is the founder and CEO of Winddle, a turnkey, modern, and collaborative solution to manage product development and sourcing operations for the retail and consumer goods industries. … [Read more...]
Selection of Sourcing Countries Beyond China
I am reading The Rise Of The New East: Business Strategies For An Increasingly Complex World by Ben Simpfendorfer, a consultant and economist based in Hong Kong. This book explores the region’s growing commercial opportunities and complexities. It deals with "the East", a wide area starting in Egypt and ending in China. I thought it might be interesting to reproduce some comments by Richard Thomas, head of sourcing for the Far East region at Marks & Spencer. He explains what drives his … [Read more...]