How to source for suppliers in China : Our full guide

Take your time to find the best suppliers

The first step is more than important when you are looking for a new supplier in China or anywhere in the world. Firstly, you should know that there are different websites that allow you to contact directly a potential supplier. I advise you to avoid a simple search on the classic search engines.

During this first step, your goal is to find a manufacturer and not a reseller (it all depends on the goods you want to sell). There are a lot of manufacturers available on different platforms, that's why you have to take your time to find the one that best suits you with the best reviews. You have to keep in mind that reviews can be falsified, so be careful.

We can assure you that you will eventually find your ideal supplier, the only condition is to take your time and analyze carefully the different suppliers available in our portfolio or on different websites.

Perform several verifications with potential suppliers

Once you have analyzed the different suppliers on the different platforms and have identified your potential suppliers, you have to perform different checks.

Firstly, it is important to contact the ones that seem the most interesting, and it is essential to analyze it well to ensure that it respects some important criteria of a good supplier. 

For example, it is essential to know if your potential supplier has all the necessary expertise to meet your expectations. To do so, you can contact him directly. You need to know if he owns a factory because it is essential that he is not just a simple intermediary.

Moreover, you can start your research by analyzing the factory's registration records or even the different VAT invoices (value-added tax). This will give you a good analysis.

There are different numbers such as the commercial license number or the supplier registration number. If he has none, it is obvious that this potential supplier is to be avoided.

Finally, it is a good thing to ask directly to the customers if the supplier is honest and trustworthy.

Find a good price in accordance with the quality

As we mentioned before, sourcing in China has different advantages. One of them is that the costs are very attractive. Prices in the Chinese market are usually very low compared to the rest of the world. This is due to the low cost of production and labor in this country. This is why China is so interested in sourcing.

Our expert advises you to do different research on the average production cost and also take note of the market price. This will help you be more conscious of the price that a supplier can offer you. It is important to know that there is an average production cost among all suppliers.

It is still advisable to be careful, especially when you are offered a price below the market average. A price that is too low says a lot about the quality of the product.  It is therefore clearly recommended not to do business with a supplier who offers you a very low price. By knowing the market prices, you will easily realize the quality of the products that your potential supplier offers you.

Purchase directly from suppliers

To achieve this step, it is preferable to gather all the information you need, for that we advise you to communicate with your supplier as much as possible and to buy directly from him. Hence, it is more advantageous to pass directly by the supplier to receive your goods rather than having to call an intermediary or a third part company. That allows you to ensure a good follow-up and to have more control over the evolution of the manufacture.

Purchasing directly from the supplier prevents you from paying extra fees to the intermediary, but it also save you from problems issues due to delays or cancelation of your order for several reasons

This is a solution that should not be overlooked as it will reduce costs.

Communicate clearly with your suppliers 

Each company that wants to use a Chinese supplier can face different issues. Indeed, one of the major concerns is the language barrier and also intercultural differences.

There are solutions to overcome those different communication issues. You can call upon a translator, for example. This will prevent bad communication, which can lead to various complications, such as delivery difficulties, for example. Good communication is essential to ensure the timely delivery of your goods. It is important to maintain regular communication with the supplier to ensure that production is on time. There are also various elements that require good written communication, such as product specifications and technical requirements.

In conclusion, good communication is essential to prevent possible misunderstandings that could lead to delays or even a negative impact on your business.

Effectively negotiate with your supplier

Once you have determined which suppliers may be best for you. You should proceed with a good negotiation to get the best deal possible. This part is more than important. It is essential that at the end of the negotiation, both parties are winners. To do this, you must adopt the best method. You must be confident and convincing to give the supplier a good image of your company and your person and to let him trust you too.

Moreover, you must have with you all the necessary information to present your case. It is important to know and understand what you are saying and to be able to answer any questions. You can also think about preparing all the questions you want to ask.

Finally, if you do not have 100% confidence in your potential supplier or if he does not really correspond to your expectations, do not hesitate to refuse the offer and persist in your research.

Lead quality controls checks 

Then, once the production is launched, it is very important to carry out regular quality controls. It allows making sure that the production is done correctly, and it also allows the verification that the quality of the requested products is quite satisfying

It is also very useful to control the manufacturing process because when we realize that there is a problem, we must be able to intervene and bring in a solution at the right time. If you skip the quality control phase n you might end up with bad surprises when you receive your final products.

Don’t forget to request samples

During the sourcing process, once you have obtained different quotes from different suppliers, you will choose the one that best suits your budget.

To get a better idea about the final products you are going to receive from your different suppliers, and to avoid losing money on irrelevant products, you have the right to ask for some samples. This will prevent you from ordering a large quantity of the wrong product. It is recommended to be meticulous and analyze the different failures (if there are any), to look if each product is of the same quality. To do so, it is recommended to analyze at least five to ten products

In case of problems, DocShipper gives its clients the right to get samples from several suppliers, and we help them too with our quality control services.

Create a professional and trustworthy relationship with your supplier

If you order from your online supplier, there are different applications that are used in China, it is essential to use this kind of application. We can evoke WeChat. This last one will allow you to communicate with your Chinese supplier and to adapt to their mode of communication. It is important to create a good professional relationship with your supplier.

However, it is always a bonus to be able to go directly to China to place your order. But if it’s not possible, DocShipper have experts and agents located in China that may help you find the right supplier by facilitating communication with them

If the contact with your supplier is good, you may benefit from discounts on a potential future order. They can even share their contacts with you if you are looking for a new supplier for a new product.

Make use of a Sourcing Agent

During your supplier search, if you are able to spend extra money, you can use the service and count on the skills of a sourcing agent. 

This expert can be very useful if you can't go to China. He will take care of different tasks, like going to the factory to check the quality of the products. Moreover, a sourcing agent will prevent you from having any communication problems with your potential supplier thanks to his expertise and language skills. He will also negotiate on behalf of your company with the supplier. He will prevent any form of fraud because he will be on-site and will be able to inform you in case of various issues. The sourcing agent is a real bonus for you, thanks to him, if you are at a distance, he will ensure fluidity during the whole process.

Last thoughts

If you are a beginner, it is unthinkable for you to get scammed or be a victim of scamming. This could have big consequences for you and your business. That's why you should take all the information in this article to make sure you success in your sourcing process. The first step is essential and will determine the rest of the process, you must imperatively take your time to find the best Chinese suppliers that will fit you best. If you do follow all the needed steps, you will attain your objectives and get all the products you need while maintaining a very good relationship with your Chinese supplier

This is the infographic we have created for you to discover the steps you need to follow to source for suppliers in China.