I wanted to learn about the processes involved with sourcing in China and the kinds of challenges buyers might face trying to find a quality supplier. To that end, I sat down with Sourcing Specialist Terry Zheng of InTouch for a manufacturing podcast interview where he gave me an insider's view of what it's like to search for a quality supplier in China. The following is a transcript of that interview:
Topics: Sourcing
If you've yet to be involved with a factory in China that has abruptly shut its doors for good, then consider yourself lucky. More and more factories in China are shutting their doors. Your factory could close at any time without refunding your order deposit or shipping your goods.
Topics: Sourcing
Why would anyone want to buy through a trading company when they can cut out the middleman? Can’t I save money by going factory direct?
Topics: Sourcing
Topics: Sourcing
Topics: Sourcing
Topics: Sourcing
Importers often insist on working directly with the factories that manufacture their products. There are many reasons why: factory-direct pricing, having a direct line of communication to the factory itself, and other benefits generally associated with “cutting out the middleman.”
Topics: Sourcing
Bangladesh continues to make headlines as new revelations about the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse come to light. This publicity is causing importers and international analysts to wonder about the pros and cons of sourcing products from a center for ultra-cheap labor such as Bangladesh in comparison to other options, notably China.
Topics: Sourcing
Even with the advent of websites like Alibaba.com and MadeInChina.com, sourcing products from China can be a daunting task. This is a major reason why many buyers forgo sourcing altogether and rely on agents or trading companies to do the legwork.
Topics: Sourcing
Have you ever struggled with the question of when to buy factory direct and when to go through a vendor or trading company? Importers are often highly motivated to secure the lowest per-unit cost possible for the items they purchase from China. The old maxim of “cutting out the middleman” leads many buyers to reason that purchasing factory-direct is the only way to get the lowest cost of goods sold, and is thus the only smart option for buying from China.
Topics: Sourcing
