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7 Mistakes to Avoid When Sourcing Products from China | Yiwubazaar.com

China is undeniably one of the largest and richest hauls in the world where you could source products and services for your business. It has lots of traders and companies that offer the best of the best deals, quality commodities, and affordable services. If you're an importer from another country, you are probably considering China to be your main source of goods. I mean, who doesn’t?

Since importing products from here has been tried and tested by most retail companies from different countries, you may feel torn between going with the norm or quite feeling challenged with all the ideas from the internet that is bombarding you.

 

Well, sourcing products for your local business here in China can take your business to a good direction. However, in any business, it’s no brainer that there will be ups and downs, few bumps and steady roads. You might stumble upon sourcing problems along the process, which could be frustrating and overwhelming if not anticipated. Therefore, being equipped with the ideas and common pitfalls of trading business would be a big help! To help you further, we’ve listed common possible mistakes you can avoid when sourcing products from China.

 

1. Not doing thorough research

Relying solely on the internet to gather data about importing products from other countries can be very tricky. Thinking that the internet could answer all our inquiries, which is most of the time correct, for sure. But it is not applicable to rely entirely on something like the internet alone.
Get in touch with the prospect company/supplier, trim down your choices, be specific with your requirements, research the company’s background, and be cautious with any transaction you will make.

2. Sourcing without ordering product samples.

Before risking your capital for the products coming from China, one rule of thumb is to request product samples. The manufacturer or supplier should be willing to send you some of their samples so you could assess their quality and details, and then ask for revisions if possible. This is one of the common mistakes of many importers. They tend to order in bulk without requesting product samples. In the end, you are not only compromising your finances, but also the quality of your whole business.

 

3. Trusting products with not enough specifications.

The language barrier is one of the main concerns when sourcing products from China. But it is definitely a myth that Asian traders cannot speak English. They perhaps offer a Translation service. And these people are definitely knowledgeable about their industry.

 

Although sometimes, products tend to lack defined specifications, which could jumble ideas in your head at some point. Therefore, you might want to clearly communicate with the supplier before ordering anything from them. Remember that it's just fine to request their products' specifications or details then decide from there. Above anything else, communication is the key.

 

Typically, retailers often make two mistakes. One is failing to define what they really need such as requirements and expectations. The second is bombarding or pressuring the manufacturers with so much product information. Note that the key is to search for a credible and trusted supplier with the necessary and enough product information available.

 

4. Assuming that the supplier knows your requirements.

When sourcing your products from China, note that only you have the complete list of requirements and expectations. This includes the size, volume, and even the price you set. No manufacturer or supplier knows a few of your requirements and you should not assume it this way or else you'll fail to find the right supplier. The key is to look for the manufacturer that matches your expectations, requirements, and preferences, then communicate what you really need to them, confirm, and decide from there.

 

5. Not evaluating the supplier.

Once you know the products you want to source from China, the next thing you need to do is to find a credible supplier. At first, you surely have that typical adrenaline rush where you'll place an order on the very first seller you find. This is a common mistake you should avoid.

 

Placing your order and then paying for it on a supplier without evaluating its credibility and performance beforehand could mean a risk for your business. This could lead you to dangers like poor product quality, fraud, or even supplier bankruptcy. You can always conduct an informal background check on the seller or supplier so you could assess its quality and identity before paying for it.

  

6. Not hiring a sourcing agent.

If you are in an import-export business but don't know a bit about the process of sourcing products from China, the best thing you could do is to hire a sourcing agent. This is the most overlooked yet prominent mistake in sourcing supplies overseas. Hiring a sourcing agent or company can benefit you in so many ways. They could save your effort, time, money and can guarantee you quality products from credible suppliers.

 

If you're looking for a sourcing company to liaise with quality suppliers from China, Yiwu Bazaar is the perfect place to do it. Yiwu Bazaar guarantees you the skills and experience in transacting with Chinese suppliers because of the following reasons.

 

● We have gathered all the suppliers, manufacturers, and sellers in one place known as the Yiwu Small Commodities Marketplace.

 

● We do the whole process from finding the quality supplier for you to taking care of the logistics.

 

● We offer a wide array of products and services that you might need like translation services, product sourcing, logistics, and product management services.

 

● We ensure that the quality of products featured on our marketplace is all high quality.

 

7. Payment security

 

Sourcing from other countries gives us too many worries, we understand that coming from a customer’s perspective. You will be dealing with an international transaction which you have no idea whether you’ll get secured transactions or scammed payments.

Before you process a payment, it should be clear to both parties as to how you are going to get refunds when there is a dispute along the way. Or else, you may be putting yourself to some sort of recipe for disaster.

 

You can choose a protected payment method like escrow, bank lines given that you know the conditions you must do when you deal with refunds and anything regarding money.

 

You also have to set clear expectations with your supplier regarding quality, quantity, logistics, services, labels, etc. Therefore, both of you will be on the same page along your trading journey together. Surely, both of you are aiming for a successful transaction.

Takeaway

Sourcing your products and services from China could be overwhelming, especially if you're starting from scratch. However, you can save yourself from further problems by taking note of these mistakes and then avoiding it in the process. If this is still too much for you, try visiting our sourcing company, Yiwu Bazaar, and see for yourself what we can offer for your business.

Send us a message via info@yiwubazaar.com and we will be glad to give you 101% of our passion and transparency to give you the importing experience that no one can match.

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