What would fellow Fastlaners do in my situation?

[Xeon]

The lowdown:

-Found this supplier who can supply the products I need
-They have very low MOQs (awesome)
-They are not a gigantic conglomerate, but more like a medium size business that has an office in Europe, USA and some informal distributors in some countries. Since my warehouse is in US, I'm dealing with the US branch office.
-Their range is very diverse and price is 2 - 3x cheaper than fellow rivals even when your order quantity is low
-From my search, they are the only one of three in the world that can provide the stuff I need. (the other two either require insane MOQs or far higher pricing)
-They are polite and friendly

The Problem:

-In the beginning, they were responsive with my queries but everytime when it's time to nail down the total cost and send me the quotation, they become extremely laggy and slow. I have to send an additional email over a period of about 2 - 3 days to get them to reply to the previous email I sent.

-F*ck. It's been almost a week and still chasing them for the quotation. It's all stock products, nothing custom.
Maybe preparing a quotation is harder than building a nuclear submarine.
Maybe one has to use supercomputers and AI to calculate the quantum relatvity of the milky way before the quotation can be done.

-From the very beginning, they were already aware that my order quantity would be low (heck, I told them this twice).

Not sure what's the F*cking problem.

I am here, with my cash and credit card in hand, begging them to sell me the stuff. F*ck!

Imagine you walking into McDonald's or Starbucks, then kneeling down on the floor to beg the McDonald's/Starbucks staff to sell that McChicken or Frappe to you.

I'm considering to call them up to ask them to reply to my email, but I can't afford to offend them or be rude though.

I dunno man......maybe I should save up all my money to buy an air ticket to the US where these guys are based, and offer to give all their employees a blowjob to show my sincerity.

I guess I should continue to chase them and play the long waiting game.....

 

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[broswoodwork]

The lowdown:

-Found this supplier who can supply the products I need
-They have very low MOQs (awesome)
-They are not a gigantic conglomerate, but more like a medium size business that has an office in Europe, USA and some informal distributors in some countries. Since my warehouse is in US, I'm dealing with the US branch office.
-Their range is very diverse and price is 2 - 3x cheaper than fellow rivals even when your order quantity is low
-From my search, they are the only one of three in the world that can provide the stuff I need. (the other two either require insane MOQs or far higher pricing)
-They are polite and friendly

The Problem:

-In the beginning, they were responsive with my queries but everytime when it's time to nail down the total cost and send me the quotation, they become extremely laggy and slow. I have to send an additional email over a period of about 2 - 3 days to get them to reply to the previous email I sent.

-F*ck. It's been almost a week and still chasing them for the quotation. It's all stock products, nothing custom.
Maybe preparing a quotation is harder than building a nuclear submarine.
Maybe one has to use supercomputers and AI to calculate the quantum relatvity of the milky way before the quotation can be done.

-From the very beginning, they were already aware that my order quantity would be low (heck, I told them this twice).

Not sure what's the F*cking problem.

I am here, with my cash and credit card in hand, begging them to sell me the stuff. F*ck!

Imagine you walking into McDonald's or Starbucks, then kneeling down on the floor to beg the McDonald's/Starbucks staff to sell that McChicken or Frappe to you.

I'm considering to call them up to ask them to reply to my email, but I can't afford to offend them or be rude though.

I dunno man......maybe I should save up all my money to buy an air ticket to the US where these guys are based, and offer to give all their employees a blowjob to show my sincerity.

I guess I should continue to chase them and play the long waiting game.....

I'm sorry you're having trouble; hopefully they're just a bit jacked up because of the holidays and it'll all smooth out for you.

I was going to say schedule a visit, but it looks like you're international. Do you have any friends, associates, or family stateside that you could send by?

 

[SEBASTlAN]

Find another supplier or two

 

[Envision]

Youre dealing with a trading company and not a manufacturer. They are delaying pricing because they are seeking it from another manufacturer.

This is a common tell and common behavior when you're not dealing with a legit manufacturer.

 

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[inputchip]

Call them. Build the relationship. It's likely they are not taking you seriously if your order quantity is really low. You need them more than they need you.

Just have an open conversation with them about your business. Honesty goes a long way. If you can convince them of your vision for the business they will want to put the effort into building the relationship.

 

[MoreVolume]

-From the very beginning, they were already aware that my order quantity would be low (heck, I told them this twice).

Not sure what's the F*cking problem.

Lol thats probably the problem. There are probably bigger clients that they are talking to, and want to go after the larger sale

 

[Soulrize]

We have the same humor because I'm there dieing in laughter in my quite office . show patience, it's a much needed quality in moments like this, they hold what you want so exercise it.

 

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[Xeon]

Ok, good news finally. They sent me the quotation after all these while.

Youre dealing with a trading company and not a manufacturer. They are delaying pricing because they are seeking it from another manufacturer. This is a common tell and common behavior when you're not dealing with a legit manufacturer.

I don't think so. Their prices were already listed in the catalogue they sent me, and they gave me a brief estimate, but not the formal invoice. But all is well now.

 

[Jon L]

my experience with vendors is that the best service you will ever hope to get is during the sales process. Keep that in mind when its been 6 months and they still haven't delivered your order.

 

[biophase]

I don't think so. Their prices were already listed in the catalogue they sent me, and they gave me a brief estimate, but not the formal invoice. But all is well now.

How does any of the above information lead you to believe that they aren't just a middleman?

They had prices in the catalog.
They gave you an estimate.

This is probably what really happened.

You: Ok, send me a quote for 500 pcs
Them: Oh shit, he needs a real quote. Call around and see if factory A, B or C has 500 pcs available. They don't? Find out when their next large run of 5000 pcs will be, and let's try to piggyback out 500pc order with them. Oh it's on Dec 15th. Ok, cool, let's pencil in 500pcs and find out what price per piece they will give us. Ok cool. It's still lower than the price in our catalog. Go send him the quote.

These are your own words: " -In the beginning, they were responsive with my queries but everytime when it's time to nail down the total cost and send me the quotation, they become extremely laggy and slow. "

Why do you think that is? They just suddenly have no email access when the word "quote" is in their email?

 

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[Envision]

What bio said is right. I’ve working with probably 250 sellers on alibaba and of them 95% were trading companies 3-4% were factories that couldn’t do what I need and 1% are the ones I use.

what you described is what immediately makes me stop and move on in dealing with the 95% of those claiming to be a manufacturer.

the legit factories turn around pricing immediately, provide full catalogues, after some time and they realize I’m serious they tell me what USA companies they sell and their pricing is generally way lower than I thought it would be

 

[Walter Hay]

I have seen it all, and judging by the reply from @biophase, I think he has too. What I have read so far is a classic case of traders pretending to be manufacturers. So what has happened so far?

1. The OP has made the most common mistake of all. He has believed everything he read on Alibaba, or wherever he found them, and then everything the "US branch office" said. If that branch office exists, it is almost certainly owned by the trading company in China.
2. He has let them think he is desperate.
3. He has failed to recognize the obvious truth that @Jon L was able to recognize: "the best service you will ever hope to get is during the sales process."
4. In this age when people can copy official websites and con people, can you simply trust a catalog?

I also suspect that he probably asked what their MOQ is. If so, that tells them immediately that he is a newbie.

The people the OP is dealing with seem like opportunists who have only recently started in business. It is a simple matter for people in China to get a relative or acquaintance among the Chinese diaspora to act as their local contact.

I tried to attach a copy of Chapter 21 of my sourcing and importing book, which gives a brief summary of the way traders operate, but couldn't manage it, so here is a list taken from that chapter.

Here’s how they operate:

• They obtain product illustrations by various means such as from a manufacturer’s website, magazine advertisement, or a printed catalog.
• They advertise on sites such as Alibaba.
• They obtain a deposit.
• Next they contact the manufacturer.
• If successful in negotiating with the manufacturer they order and then ship to the reseller.
• If unsuccessful they offer alternative products and as a last resort they refund, unless they are operating a complete scam.

There is a lot more to learn if you really want to source with a high degree of safety, and get the best prices.

Don't engage in product sourcing while wearing a blindfold. Never trust anybody until they have earned it. I am pleased that the OP posted his question in time.

Walter

 

[Roli]

Maybe one has to use supercomputers and AI to calculate the quantum relatvity of the milky way before the quotation can be done.

Lol!! Yes! Didn't you know? You have to calculate the exact spin rate of the super massive black hole at the centre before you can give out a quote!!

Haha, but seriously chill, what time of year is it dude?

Yup. They have had a huge order from a very important client and they must get it done in time for Christmas/January sales.

You've found a great supplier, with a great attitude, cut them some slack, it's frustrating but they are prepared to come with you on your journey of growth. If I were you I would contact them and use that great sense of humour you have to start a dialogue.

Also, they have shown that they understand you, as in, small business that one day could be huge and doesn't have the buying power to reach insane MOQs. Show them that you understand them, sling them over an email saying something along the lines of; I understand that you have mega customers that could squash me like a cockroach, however I have some money that is burning a hole in my pocket, how about I just give you some and you tell me how much of it you want to keep!

Like I said, use your own words, wit, and charm. You're a nice guy, and they sound like a cool supplier so keep the relationship going, and remember these delays in the future so that you can factor them into your buying process.

 

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[minivanman]

Ok, I've given everyone else in the USA plenty of time and since no one else has made the deal... I will! If you're giving out blow jobs, I'm already here in the US, I'll go talk to them for you!

 

[Roli]

I have seen it all, and judging by the reply from @biophase, I think he has too. What I have read so far is a classic case of traders pretending to be manufacturers. So what has happened so far?

1. The OP has made the most common mistake of all. He has believed everything he read on Alibaba, or wherever he found them, and then everything the "US branch office" said. If that branch office exists, it is almost certainly owned by the trading company in China.
2. He has let them think he is desperate.
3. He has failed to recognize the obvious truth that @Jon L was able to recognize: "the best service you will ever hope to get is during the sales process."
4. In this age when people can copy official websites and con people, can you simply trust a catalog?

I also suspect that he probably asked what their MOQ is. If so, that tells them immediately that he is a newbie.

The people the OP is dealing with seem like opportunists who have only recently started in business. It is a simple matter for people in China to get a relative or acquaintance among the Chinese diaspora to act as their local contact.

I tried to attach a copy of Chapter 21 of my sourcing and importing book, which gives a brief summary of the way traders operate, but couldn't manage it, so here is a list taken from that chapter.

Here’s how they operate:

• They obtain product illustrations by various means such as from a manufacturer’s website, magazine advertisement, or a printed catalog.
• They advertise on sites such as Alibaba.
• They obtain a deposit.
• Next they contact the manufacturer.
• If successful in negotiating with the manufacturer they order and then ship to the reseller.
• If unsuccessful they offer alternative products and as a last resort they refund, unless they are operating a complete scam.

There is a lot more to learn if you really want to source with a high degree of safety, and get the best prices.

Don't engage in product sourcing while wearing a blindfold. Never trust anybody until they have earned it. I am pleased that the OP posted his question in time.

Walter

Ah, I didn't see this answer before giving mine. I bow to Walter's experience, he is more than likely spot on with this one.

 

[Xeon]

LOL ok appreciate the replies. Jokes aside, they've shipped my order last week and the stuff is in.

And in reply to Walter's post, I understand what you're referring to, you know, those trading companies and the like. I've even seen a few from China where they've an "office" in the US with a nice website etc, but this one here is from Europe. I wouldn't consider them a "trading company". They buy and source raw materials globally, then assemble it into a finished product on their end, then sell it to folks like me. Kind of similar to how an electronics manufacturer source the components and base materials elsewhere, then make it in their factory etc.

In any case, I'm not too concerned with whether they're a trading company or not as long as I can't find a better deal elsewhere (tbh, their prices are even cheaper than the ones in China). I guessed I was too jumpy and insecure previously (after all, I need them more than they need me; they're my oxygen!).

 

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[minivanman]

Damn, eerrr I mean that is great! Now you can get to work

On another note, 8 eggs + 1 basket = Trouble

 

[Xeon]

Damn, eerrr I mean that is great! Now you can get to work
On another note, 8 eggs + 1 basket = Trouble

Yes, which is why I'm looking to diversify as soon as possible. It's scary when your entire dream and hustle relies completely on 1 supplier. If they go down, I go down.

 

[Walter Hay]

I am pleased to see how things have worked out so far. Try hard to find a backup supplier.

Best wishes,
Walter

 

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