How to Select a Professional Product Sourcing Specialist in China
There are a dime a dozen commission agents who state they can help you to liaise with factories in China. How are you to choose which agent or which sourcing company is right for you? I guess you will have to start doing some due diligence. Here are some tips for selecting your sourcing agent in China.
1. References
First and foremost, you must get references from them and what projects they have done with that client that they are giving you references of.
2. Vendor Profile
Ask for their profile and see if they have a presence in China as this is an important criterion in working with Chinese vendors.
3. Product Samples
See what products they have done in the past and if the product has synergy with yours. Does their sourcing agent have experience and know how to work on your product?
4. Payment Terms and Conditions
Ask for their payment terms and how they charge. Most Chinese sourcing agents will usually charge a commission on top of the unit price but some are flexible enough to give you a certain amount depending on the work load.
In order to feel comfortable, let the agent help you to source one product first and see how that pans out.
Other Tips You Need to Know About Sourcing Agents and Vendors
A sourcing agent’s or commission agent’s job is to help you to narrow down the top 3-5 vendors that can manufacture your product. They will then audit each of these vendors’ factories to see if they have the capability to work with you on your project.
In recent years labor laws in China have become very strict.
A major criteria change is that children under 16 are not allowed to work in a manufacturing plant. Another major change is requiring factories to have proper insurance in case of an accident. All these labor laws should be obeyed and addressed by the factory during the audit.
Also in recent years, the usage of toxic lead paint is disallowed in all countries so a lot of background checks have to be done with sorting out which Chinese factories are capable of holding to that standard.
There are many points in selecting the best sourcing agent however the most important point is language and frequent feedback on your inquiry.
A Chinese sourcing agent is your eyes, ears and mouth on Ground Zero so there also has to be a trust factor and that is developed along the way, but the most important thing is talking to your agent, and feeling them out.
Our sourcing agents would be happy to walk through the above criteria so you can get to know us better and have confidence that we can help fulfill your manufacturing needs in China.
Call Arcadia Sourcing International Ltd. at 1-888-659-1018!
