Steps for ordering goods from china suppliers
When you are importing from China, you will have to be aware of the steps in the import order process. First, you will have to do comprehensive research to find the China supplier who will manufacture your product and deliver it to you at the lowest prices. You can select 10 to 15 suppliers and then do a due diligence check on them. Typically, you will want to deal with a manufacturer and not an agent. When you want products in very small quantities, you can select an agent for the procurement. With large or bulk quantities, you will have to look at larger manufacturers.
When you have shortlisted a few good import from china to uk, you will have to ask them for samples. When you get these samples, you can compare them with each other and then select the best out of them. When you are comparing samples, it is recommended that you should do a thorough quality check on the samples. You may want to hire a professional tester if you don’t have the expertise to select the best quality product.
You should also see if the sample conforms to the standards set by the UK. There are many importers in the UK who have imported China toys and have lost a great deal of money because most of the toys were not conforming to the government standards. If you feel that low quality material is used in the manufacture of the sample, then you will have to discard the sample and the manufacturer who has made that sample.
Once the sample and the manufacturer are selected, a contract has to be made. It is always a good practice to make the contract on your own. You may have to take some legal help in preparing the contract. Do not copy paste or do not use templates from the internet to make the contracts. You should consider all the business aspects before your prepare a contract for the China sourcing company. After the contract is signed, you will have to place an order.
The manufacturing company or factory may ask for a deposit or an advance for the manufacture of the first lot of goods to be delivered. This is a standard practice and you will have to agree to it. However, there is a fixed amount that you should keep for the advance payment. Never give 50% of the payment as advance because there are several things that you may not know about the company. Once the products are finished, you can inspect them and then ask the China factory to deliver the entire consignment.
Although there is a huge price difference when you get your goods manufactured from China, you will have to still negotiate the price for production. China manufacturers are aware of the price difference hence they may not give you a good margin. There are several negotiation strategies that you can apply with the China suppliers. In addition to negotiation skills, you will also need good listening skills with the China suppliers.