Simple Ways to Make your China Procurement Smooth

Experienced Chinese sourcing agents always advise business owners to have some Chinese language knowledge and a basic understanding of how the business registration system works in China. You don’t need to be an expert in Chinese language, but having functional knowledge over the language could prove to be an added advantage.

When you are first looking for suppliers, you want to try and go with someone who is a bit smaller because they will be hungrier for your business and might be more open to doing something a bit different. A big part of sourcing products from China is negotiating for them, and we don’t just mean about the price. Negotiate on the quality, negotiate on the terms, and negotiate on the type of relationship you have. Tailor your vendor inquiries for specific product categories.

According to the market experts, it is paramount to identify and understand what kind of product you want to source and then select a supplier accordingly. It will help you to narrow down your choices and the selection process will be much faster and easier. Properly categorizing the suppliers will help you understand what you need. For example, if you need to import products in a narrow range, you may choose a manufacturer other than a third-party supplier.

Compile a list of incumbent wholesale Chinese supplier and potential alternative suppliers. Ideally, these are “best in class” suppliers within the market who you know have a good quality and service reputation. If you are unsure which Chinese suppliers are potential best fits, we suggest to go for a survey and/or meeting with each to review all critical requirements.

Prominent Chinese sourcing houses have extensive knowledge of the local area, law and top-officials of that particular place. They also have category and sourcing process experience. A sourcing agent acts on your behalf to ensure smooth procurement of products ordered.