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Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.

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Hi Walter,
Thanks for all the great advice you have posted. I have learnt a huge amount from you firstly and others secondly.
I just received my first samples from China right now. As seen in the attachment They look better than the photos I saw but I need to check the quality over the next few days. My experience so far has been a good one. I received well written responses to my emails from 6 suppliers/manufacturers and prompt delivery at a reasonable cost, all the same ballpark costs for the samples. Maybe I got lucky but I did a lot of prior learning by reading this forum. Anyway I am hardly out the starting gates yet. Thanks again Walter.
 
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Walter Hay

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Hi Walter,
Thanks for all the great advice you have posted. I have learnt a huge amount from you firstly and others secondly.
I just received my first samples from China right now. As seen in the attachment They look better than the photos I saw but I need to check the quality over the next few days. My experience so far has been a good one. I received well written responses to my emails from 6 suppliers/manufacturers and prompt delivery at a reasonable cost, all the same ballpark costs for the samples. Maybe I got lucky but I did a lot of prior learning by reading this forum. Anyway I am hardly out the starting gates yet. Thanks again Walter.
I am pleased to know that the hints I provide in this thread have helped you.

I doubt that you will find here in this thread all the information necessary to ensure truly safe sourcing. I suggest that you have a look at my website to get some idea of what else you might need to know.

Walter
P.S. If you think it is worth investing $97 - don't! Check out my Marketplace offer first.
 

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@LPPC Yes, I have always moved as quickly as possible to request a catalog, whether printed or online.

One way you can get the information you want without annoying the suppliers is to do as much research as possible before you make your first contact with them. You should find out all you can about both the products and the supplier.

This will make it possible for you to come across as a serious buyer right from the beginning. They will appreciate that you know what you are talking about, and when you describe your preferences or specifications they will be more ready to listen.

You are right that suppliers might have multiple versions of the product, so asking for information about possible alternatives is a good idea. It will be much better received because you will have established your credentials in their eyes.

Let me know if you need more help.

Walter

Gold!!!! This is a very very good solution to know as much as possible about the product before contacting the supplier. It is also very doable, you can just for example look on Amazon for the variants.

Thank you so much! +rep!
 

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Hello Walter,

I hope you are doing well. I've got a little question and maybe you can help me again as you always do. I would appreciate that!

I am in touch with this, what seems to be, a real and good manufacturer ( I say this after doing my investigation ofcourse) of a lot of electronic products and they are willing to manufacture for me this particular product i am looking for (a different design than they usually manufacture of this produtc). I mistakenly did not follow the process in your book and thus made the mistake of asking whether I can order 120 units. The spokesman agreed to this (although i have to pay extra for starting the production process) and called this order a ''sample order'' himself.

Now I asked whether I can order a sample and he sends me a question asking whether I mean 1 pcs of sample or 120 pcs. I actually meant to order 1 unit to see whether I like the way they manufacture it. I asked for a different version than they usually produce (and was advertised for on the b2b site). I asked for example to put magnets in this product because most versions have this magnet in it, but the spokesman does not know exactly where the magnets should be put and we agreed that i would send a sample from another manufacturer to him to inspect. Also this manufacturer uses a different kind of wood than the rest. So it does not give much confidence upfront.

So I would preferably order 1 sample to inspect the product, because I am unsure whether they will manufacture it. My question is: is it okay to ask for only 1 sample of a product version they apparently do not usually produce? Or will they not take me seriously then?

Thank you!
 
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@LPPC If the changes you are requesting don't involve substantial setup charges, there should be no problem.

If they have to buy in some components specially for you, they possibly won't be able to buy just one or even a few. In that case they could be taking a big risk that you won't order the 120 pcs.

You could request that they deduct the EXW price (but not the sample freight) off the sample from your full order.

I think it is quite acceptable for you to say that you need to see one piece before the full order goes into production.

The only way out of this dilemma is to place the full order and pay for an inspection service to check that the products exactly meet your specifications. For this to be effective you would have to be very specific and give full details of what you require.

The cost of an inspection might be only a little more than the cost of a sample and freight.

Walter
 

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@LPPC If the changes you are requesting don't involve substantial setup charges, there should be no problem.

If they have to buy in some components specially for you, they possibly won't be able to buy just one or even a few. In that case they could be taking a big risk that you won't order the 120 pcs.

You could request that they deduct the EXW price (but not the sample freight) off the sample from your full order.

I think it is quite acceptable for you to say that you need to see one piece before the full order goes into production.

The only way out of this dilemma is to place the full order and pay for an inspection service to check that the products exactly meet your specifications. For this to be effective you would have to be very specific and give full details of what you require.

The cost of an inspection might be only a little more than the cost of a sample and freight.

Walter

Thank you for the prompt reply!

Well I have to pay 460 USD because my order would be less than 1000 pcs. I think that is what you mean with setup charges? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is a pretty substantial setup charge, no?

About the inspection service. Will this be done during the production or after the production? I have no idea how that process would go. Seems complicated, especially when it appears that they have started production and inspection comes to find out that it does not meet the requirements. It would make the situation difficult, I guess.

Maybe I should indeed just ask for 1pcs sample. It would be a bit crazy in my opinion to start production of 120 pieces minimum before having seen the sample. How do buyers and manufacturers usually do this? Buyers just blind buy whole inventory?
 

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Thank you for the prompt reply!

Well I have to pay 460 USD because my order would be less than 1000 pcs. I think that is what you mean with setup charges? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is a pretty substantial setup charge, no?

About the inspection service. Will this be done during the production or after the production? I have no idea how that process would go. Seems complicated, especially when it appears that they have started production and inspection comes to find out that it does not meet the requirements. It would make the situation difficult, I guess.

Maybe I should indeed just ask for 1pcs sample. It would be a bit crazy in my opinion to start production of 120 pieces minimum before having seen the sample. How do buyers and manufacturers usually do this? Buyers just blind buy whole inventory?
Many buyers do take the risk and buy blind. I would never do that.

The $460 setup charge is very substantial, and at this stage there is no way of knowing how it relates to their actual cost in setting up a small run. I prefer to offer to pay a surcharge for ordering less than the MOQ, and I would usually offer to pay $xx. What you offer really depends on how much you can afford, and what the unit price is.

It can sometimes cost you very little more to place an order for the MOQ than to pay a surcharge.

Some manufacturers in a few industries publish price lists that include a surcharge for orders less than ....Qty. In those cases it is easy to choose to buy 510 pcs instead of 500 because in total, 510 will cost less than 500.

My big question at this stage is have they quoted you a price for the sample including door to door freight? You need to know this so that you can properly weigh up your options.

Inspections can be done at any stage you choose. During production is common, but inspection prior to loading is most often chosen. If the inspection company rejects the product, whether during production or before shipment, the supplier has the option of manufacturing again, this time to specs, or refunding your deposit. They would rarely choose that option.

If they are reputable they will manufacture to specs the second time, but if they are not they will refuse to refund your deposit and simply thumb their noses at you.

It's worth noting that some importers tell their suppliers that they will arrange for an inspection, but they never do. The idea is that manufacturers don't like the idea of having a batch rejected, so they make sure the product meets specs.

Walter
P.S. Would you like me to check out the manufacturer's credentials? If so PM me.
 
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My big question at this stage is have they quoted you a price for the sample including door to door freight? You need to know this so that you can properly weigh up your options.

Walter
P.S. Would you like me to check out the manufacturer's credentials? If so PM me.

Do you mean the price for 1 piece of sample? They have not quoted me that. If that is what you meant, then I think cost of 1 sample could not get close to an order of 120 pieces, because 120 pieces would cost 1168 USD.

I reread my emails with the spokesman and I found out that the extra charge of 460 USD was not because of the different design per se, but because I wanted to order less than 1000 pieces. At first I thought it was because of the different design, but it does not seem to be so. So the extra cost does not necessarily relate to them having to buy materials for example just for this run.

Regarding my initial question as to whether it is wise to ask them for 1 piece of sample, I guess I will just have to ask them and also ask for the price.

It's worth noting that some importers tell their suppliers that they will arrange for an inspection, but they never do. The idea is that manufacturers don't like the idea of having a batch rejected, so they make sure the product meets specs.

That is very interesting. Wouldn't it damage the relationship with the supplier if you later on do not have the inspection when you have said that you would before?

P.S. Would you like me to check out the manufacturer's credentials? If so PM me.

Only if you promise not to spend too much time on it! I do not want to waste your time. I have PMed you.

Thank you!
 

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Hey Walter,

I recently came across a sourcing website called Tridge. I registered as a buyer and am currently submitting some purchase orders in order to survey the potential landscape for importing some food products. Have you ever heard of this website?
 

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@LPPC I appreciate your thoughtfulness regarding my time. The checking that I did was quick, and I hope that the information I PM'd was helpful
1 Do you mean the price for 1 piece of sample? They have not quoted me that. If that is what you meant, then I think cost of 1 sample could not get close to an order of 120 pieces, because 120 pieces would cost 1168 USD.

2 I reread my emails with the spokesman and I found out that the extra charge of 460 USD was not because of the different design per se, but because I wanted to order less than 1000 pieces. At first I thought it was because of the different design, but it does not seem to be so. So the extra cost does not necessarily relate to them having to buy materials for example just for this run.

3 Regarding my initial question as to whether it is wise to ask them for 1 piece of sample, I guess I will just have to ask them and also ask for the price.

4
That is very interesting. Wouldn't it damage the relationship with the supplier if you later on do not have the inspection when you have said that you would before?

5 Only if you promise not to spend too much time on it! I do not want to waste your time. I have PMed you.

Thank you!
Late reply because my laptop is dying a slow death.
1,2 It depends on the freight cost and also any setup charge they might impose to produce a single sample. It could be huge, and might easily be as much as you would pay for a pre-shipment inspection. In that situation I would place the larger order with precise specs that you incorporate in the order, and pass on to the Inspection Service. Request a 10% or 20% random check.

I think that setup charge of $460 is excessive just to change colors because from what you have told me privately, the manufacturer would undoubtedly have a range of colors in stock. I believe it is related to the fact that as middle men they have to appease their manufacturer.

3 Agreed.

4 You can always say after the shipment that you decided to cancel the inspection because you were satisfied that they produced good quality. That will avoid offense.

5 Because I do many searches I have become very quick at it, so time was not a problem. Besides, I am always willing to learn more.

Walter
 
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Walter Hay

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Hey Walter,

I recently came across a sourcing website called Tridge. I registered as a buyer and am currently submitting some purchase orders in order to survey the potential landscape for importing some food products. Have you ever heard of this website?
I haven't heard of them previously, but a quick check revealed that they are very similar to the thousands of sites publishing buy and sell offers on commodities.

Their big difference is that they only publish sell offers.

The prices they list for some commodities range from very high to very low. The exporters, usually only middle men, who offer the very low prices will invariably haggle, because they are unlikely to sell at the published prices.

If they do agree to sell at those prices you will almost certainly find an amazing range of extra charges you have to pay.

Commodity trading is quite a risky business even if you are experienced and educated on the subject.

If you are determined to buy and sell commodities, I suggest that rather than buying from middle men on sites like tridge you would do better by making a direct approach to substantial producers in order to buy, provided you have already found a likely buyer. That’s not easy to do until you can be positive that your buying price is set in concrete, and you know exactly what costs will be incurred to deliver to your buyer.

You will also need to know how to arrange secure payment, and also hedge for currency fluctuations.

Although I exported for 9 years on my own account and prior to that worked for years in the international shipping industry, I don’t teach exporting or commodity trading,but I wish you well.

My importing book might help you a little because much of the information on importing is also relevant for your venture.

Walter
 
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@LPPC I appreciate your thoughtfulness regarding my time. The checking that I did was quick, and I hope that the information I PM'd was helpful

Late reply because my laptop is dying a slow death.
1,2 It depends on the freight cost and also any setup charge they might impose to produce a single sample. It could be huge, and might easily be as much as you would pay for a pre-shipment inspection. In that situation I would place the larger order with precise specs that you incorporate in the order, and pass on to the Inspection Service. Request a 10% or 20% random check.

I think that setup charge of $460 is excessive just to change colors because from what you have told me privately, the manufacturer would undoubtedly have a range of colors in stock. I believe it is related to the fact that as middle men they have to appease their manufacturer.

3 Agreed.

4 You can always say after the shipment that you decided to cancel the inspection because you were satisfied that they produced good quality. That will avoid offense.

5 Because I do many searches I have become very quick at it, so time was not a problem. Besides, I am always willing to learn more.

Walter

Thank you Walter for the detailed response. +rep

One last little question. So if you say after the shipment that you have cancelled the inspection, it implies that the supplier does not know whether you have done the inspection or not.

I always thought that inspection before shipment took place at the supplier's location. Am I wrong? If it does take place at the supplier's location, then you have to tell them before shipment or else they will be wondering where the inspection is and not send the products?
 

Walter Hay

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Thank you Walter for the detailed response. +rep

One last little question. So if you say after the shipment that you have cancelled the inspection, it implies that the supplier does not know whether you have done the inspection or not.

I always thought that inspection before shipment took place at the supplier's location. Am I wrong? If it does take place at the supplier's location, then you have to tell them before shipment or else they will be wondering where the inspection is and not send the products?
Thanks for the rep transfer.

Yes, I made a mistake. :eek:The pre-shipment inspection does take place before the goods are loaded.

What I should have said was:
Once they notify you that the goods will be ready on ... date, you should tell them straight away that you have cancelled the inspection because you have confidence in them. Make sure you express your thanks to them.

Walter
 
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Thanks for the rep transfer.

Yes, I made a mistake. :eek:The pre-shipment inspection does take place before the goods are loaded.

What I should have said was:
Once they notify you that the goods will be ready on ... date, you should tell them straight away that you have cancelled the inspection because you have confidence in them. Make sure you express your thanks to them.

Walter

No problem! I understand now. That makes a lot of sense.

Do inspection companies also work on saturdays and sundays in China? Because my shipment will probably be finished by that date.

How many days beforehand do inspection companies usually need to know the exact date of when the shipment is ready to be inspected? This is an important question I think because if they need more than 1 days notice before, then you have to force the supplier to give a definitive answer to which date the inspection will be ready.

Thanks again!
 

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No problem! I understand now. That makes a lot of sense.

Do inspection companies also work on saturdays and sundays in China? Because my shipment will probably be finished by that date.

How many days beforehand do inspection companies usually need to know the exact date of when the shipment is ready to be inspected? This is an important question I think because if they need more than 1 days notice before, then you have to force the supplier to give a definitive answer to which date the inspection will be ready.

Thanks again!
Most inspection companies will require at east 3 days notice. Therein lies a small problem, because manufacturers often fail to have goods ready on the date they promise.

If they know that you are booking an inspection, they will usually try their best to have the goods ready by the inspection date.

Walter
 
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Most inspection companies will require at east 3 days notice. Therein lies a small problem, because manufacturers often fail to have goods ready on the date they promise.

If they know that you are booking an inspection, they will usually try their best to have the goods ready by the inspection date.

Walter

Perfect! Now I can get to work. Thank you!
 
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Hey Walter,

I reached out to a manufacturer that I found from researching the industry. They are the manufacture for the a few of the larger companies in the industry. When I reached out to them about private labeling one of their products they instructed me to go through their US dealer. Their US dealer is being very helpful as the middle man but the end price I am getting seems to be the same as the US dealers consumer price.

How can I approach this manufacturer in a way that would get them to work with me directly rather than through their dealer? They are a manufacturer from Taiwan if that helps.
 

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Hey Walter,

I reached out to a manufacturer that I found from researching the industry. They are the manufacture for the a few of the larger companies in the industry. When I reached out to them about private labeling one of their products they instructed me to go through their US dealer. Their US dealer is being very helpful as the middle man but the end price I am getting seems to be the same as the US dealers consumer price.

How can I approach this manufacturer in a way that would get them to work with me directly rather than through their dealer? They are a manufacturer from Taiwan if that helps.
This is an unusual situation. The most likely scenario is that the US dealer is a relative or otherwise known to the manufacturer, otherwise in normal circumstances a Taiwan manufacturer would be happy to add another string to their bow, and sell to you.

The only possible way to get a better price is to mention that their US dealer is quoting you about (or exactly?) the same as the usual retail price, and that you could not possibly sell the product for more, which means they will miss out on your business.

Walter
 

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Hi Walter, one thing came to my mind today....

When dealing with suppliers whom you get along with well, do you send them gifts during special occasions (for e.g: New Year/Xmas or the Chinese New Year/Golden Week) to further improve the relationship, and perhaps get even better rates from them?

In your book, I remember you wrote that Chinese suppliers would sometimes take the customer to restaurants or club. How about the other way around?

Thanks! :)
 
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This is an unusual situation. The most likely scenario is that the US dealer is a relative or otherwise known to the manufacturer, otherwise in normal circumstances a Taiwan manufacturer would be happy to add another string to their bow, and sell to you.

The only possible way to get a better price is to mention that their US dealer is quoting you about (or exactly?) the same as the usual retail price, and that you could not possibly sell the product for more, which means they will miss out on your business.

Walter
The dealer they referred me to is one of their 4 US dealers. They have many international dealers. I will do what you said though and mention to them what you said then go from there. Thanks Walter.
 

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Hi Walter, one thing came to my mind today....

When dealing with suppliers whom you get along with well, do you send them gifts during special occasions (for e.g: New Year/Xmas or the Chinese New Year/Golden Week) to further improve the relationship, and perhaps get even better rates from them?

In your book, I remember you wrote that Chinese suppliers would sometimes take the customer to restaurants or club. How about the other way around?

Thanks! :)
Sometimes it is appropriate to send gifts, such as when your contact gets married, or has a baby. Gifts should not be of high value - that is not expected.

Most times I simply made it a practice to send cards for Western New Year, Chinese New Year, and other important festivals.

Usually if you visit suppliers in China they will take take you out to dine, not the other way around.

If your suppliers are in Vietnam, as I wrote in my 2018 revision, there is a different protocol regarding hospitality.

Walter
 

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Sometimes it is appropriate to send gifts, such as when your contact gets married, or has a baby. Gifts should not be of high value - that is not expected.

Most times I simply made it a practice to send cards for Western New Year, Chinese New Year, and other important festivals.

Usually if you visit suppliers in China they will take take you out to dine, not the other way around.

If your suppliers are in Vietnam, as I wrote in my 2018 revision, there is a different protocol regarding hospitality.

Walter

Thanks, didn't know about the Vietnam part. Will check it up. I heard in terms of manufacturing, Vietnam is the new China.
 
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Thanks, didn't know about the Vietnam part. Will check it up. I heard in terms of manufacturing, Vietnam is the new China.
Yes, it is shaping up as the new China. That's why I have devoted 3 1/2 pages to Vietnam in my 2018 revision.

But there is better news to come. I am progressing well on my 2019 revision and once people see the huge scope it provides for sourcing worldwide, they might, and possibly should, forget about Vietnam and China.

I believe that with the 2019 edition I will be widening the horizons to enable entrepreneurs to escape from the chains binding them to Alibaba, and find products that they have never dreamed of, from countries that they never thought of as export sources.

Watch this space.

Walter
 

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Hello Walter,

I hope you don't mind me asking questions again.

So I asked some questions about this supplier that at first I thought was the manufacturer, but you found out it was just a trader. Apparently he is the middleman between me and the manufacturer.

It wants to manufacture this product for me, but it feels like a big risk to order with them. Some reasons for this:

1) Communication is very slow, unless I remind him via Skype that I am waiting for his email. And when I do remind him, he says that he will respond soon via email and usually he does. But I do need to remind him via skype first.
2) It seems like it is the first time that they are producing this model
3) I told the supplier (not the manufacturer) that I want the version that has magnets built inside it. It is a simple product. The manufacturer asked me where exactly the magnets should be put. He said I should send a sample so that they can see. Should I trust a supplier that can not even figure out such a simple thing? Is it normal to ask for customers how a product is built?
4) I also wanted a leather strap with it and a wooden peg included in the packaging as an accesoire. He said he (the supplier, not the manufacturer) will have to source it and it would be good if I went to search for these products myself too. So we both would be sourcing it. He asked me whether I can provide them the size of the leather strap and the wooden peg.
Is that something that should be asked from a non-supplier?
5) He showed me pictures of the leather strap he found and the wooden peg. It looks absolutely horrible and unprofessional!

It feels very scary to order inventory with such a supplier. For them it is a custom product it seems.

Is this normal or is it a sign that I should stay away? Currently I already have a good supplier of this product that we already ordered from, but they are a bit more expensive and are traders too.

Thank you very much. You really are a hero in these cases.
 
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Hello Walter,

I hope you don't mind me asking questions again.

So I asked some questions about this supplier that at first I thought was the manufacturer, but you found out it was just a trader. Apparently he is the middleman between me and the manufacturer.

It wants to manufacture this product for me, but it feels like a big risk to order with them. Some reasons for this:

1) Communication is very slow, unless I remind him via Skype that I am waiting for his email. And when I do remind him, he says that he will respond soon via email and usually he does. But I do need to remind him via skype first.
2) It seems like it is the first time that they are producing this model
3) I told the supplier (not the manufacturer) that I want the version that has magnets built inside it. It is a simple product. The manufacturer asked me where exactly the magnets should be put. He said I should send a sample so that they can see. Should I trust a supplier that can not even figure out such a simple thing? Is it normal to ask for customers how a product is built?
4) I also wanted a leather strap with it and a wooden peg included in the packaging as an accesoire. He said he (the supplier, not the manufacturer) will have to source it and it would be good if I went to search for these products myself too. So we both would be sourcing it. He asked me whether I can provide them the size of the leather strap and the wooden peg.
Is that something that should be asked from a non-supplier?
5) He showed me pictures of the leather strap he found and the wooden peg. It looks absolutely horrible and unprofessional!

It feels very scary to order inventory with such a supplier. For them it is a custom product it seems.

Is this normal or is it a sign that I should stay away? Currently I already have a good supplier of this product that we already ordered from, but they are a bit more expensive and are traders too.

Thank you very much. You really are a hero in these cases.
I would be concerned about dealing with this supplier. The situation you describe shows a very good reason why dealing with traders is generally not a good idea.

This one is like many sales people all over the world, not only in China. They are ignorant of how the product is made, and why it has certain features. Sales people in stores very often show that they don't know much about what they are selling.

If he worked for the manufacturer he would at least be able to ask his boss, or someone involved in production. It seems clear to me that his line of communication with the manufacturer is not good, so he can't get any help from them.

I know you have been struggling with this problem for a long time. I know what the product is, but a picture might help me source a manufacturer. PM a picture and I will try.

Walter
 
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LPPC

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I would be concerned about dealing with this supplier. The situation you describe shows a very good reason why dealing with traders is generally not a good idea.

This one is like many sales people all over the world, not only in China. They are ignorant of how the product is made, and why it has certain features. Sales people in stores very often show that they don't know much about what they are selling.

If he worked for the manufacturer he would at least be able to ask his boss, or someone involved in production. It seems clear to me that his line of communication with the manufacturer is not good, so he can't get any help from them.

I know you have been struggling with this problem for a long time. I know what the product is, but a picture might help me source a manufacturer. PM a picture and I will try.

Walter

Good day Walter,

+rep

I am actually glad that you confirmed my suspicion, this trader did not make it easy for me to make the order and now I am glad to be rid of it.

I really appreciate you willing to help me source a manufacturer. I will send you the picture in a couple of minutes.

Thank you sooo much!
 

Walter Hay

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Thanks for the rep transfer.

I won't be able to look for the source today as I will be out all day. I will PM results tomorrow.

Walter
 

Blackman

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Read this amazing thread start to finish, bought Walter's Proven China Sourcing ebook, read that as well and just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Walter and everyone else who participated in this thread - it's an absolute goldmine.

Contrary to Walter's recommendations, I've been using Alibaba lately to source some products (can't seem to find what I'm after on Walter's preferred website) and currently not having much luck.

I'm sending professional inquiries, presenting myself as a sales manager of an established company (which doesn't necessarily exist), so that's all well and good, and I'm getting good replies, but what I noticed is that the shipping costs can really eat into the potential profits, because I often end up paying for shipping as much as I pay for the actual product.

Just a recent example, nothing too heavy (11kg) or bulky (80x43x38) cost me $177 in shipping via Fedex IE to the UK, while I paid $200 for the product. Is that reasonable?

This was like a test order to check for quality, so I ordered more than just 1 unit, therefore I doubt the supplier tried to rip me off on postage costs. Quite obviously, if I go for a higher number of units, then the shipping cost will go up as well and possibly I'll have to look into air freight or sea freight, rather than using couriers?

Speaking of couriers, I've been getting quite a few quotes for using EMS shipping, which is always the cheapest option, but since it's a Chinese courier, I've always avoided it, as I wasn't sure whether they would clear all the importing charges before delivering my parcel?

I used Fedex a few times, who delivered my parcels without any prior contact and then just sent an invoice, showing what had to be paid (luckily all the duty costs were fine). So would EMS do the same thing, except with longer shipping time, as I would assume they are slower than the well-known couriers?

It seems like a waste of time and money to use air freight or sea freight for smallish parcels? Am I right thinking that air/sea freight should be used only for orders, which are heavy (100kg+) or so large that they have to go on a pallet?

Appreciate all your help.

Thanks

Stephan
 

Walter Hay

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@Blackman, Sorry I have been slow to answer. Personal reasons have led to me not being able to spend so much time on the forum lately.

Shipping costs are a constant problem, and I have always found the best way to handle the problem is to make sure that the prices I pay for the products will cover the high freight costs and still allow a good margin.

Still, the amount you have paid for that FedEx delivery seems excessive. I know that UK importers don’t seem to get the same rates as those in the USA, and there is a lot of room for bargaining.

To show how difficult it is to establish what is the best rate, I can tell you that the rate you have paid is about 44% of the rates published by FedEx in China. The rate published for deliveries to the US is in fact higher! To complicate matters further, the rates are slightly less if the shipment is sent from Guandong or Fujian provinces.

If you can ship in FedEx 10kg or 25 kg boxes, the rate is substantially lower, but the weight is strictly checked.

Since reading your post I have emailed a contact in China who might be able to provide better rates.

The FedeX practice of delivery without prior notice seems to be a UK FedEx thing, and I think is a good enough reason to use a different courier such as UPS.

Air freight is rarely a viable option for small shipments due to high port costs. It can work if you use a freight forwarder who can consolidate cargo, but never consider doing it by yourself.

Sea freight for small shipments will often cost a lot more than air courier rates.

EMS is actually a China Post service, and I have never found a problem with it.

I hope this helps. I will post again when I get a reply from my China contact.

Walter
 

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