How to Find a Proper Supplier in China

It goes without saying that when you need to find the right supplier wherever you are, you want it to be done with minimum effort, time and cost. When looking for the right supplier in China, you need to be sure that you know what kind of product you actually have.

There are basically three types of products. The first is the invention where you are looking at a completely new product possibly for a completely new market. For this, you will need to find a company that can make, assemble and package the product. This means defining the parts and materials needed as well as any additional parts that will need to be used.

The second type of product is a deviation on an existing product. For this an established manufacturer is best suited who can also help with distribution as well. Such a company can help you with the production and with such expertise you may not have to fully define everything and they can even help put you in touch with markets around the world that you may not be familiar with.

The third type of product is an existing product not an invention or a deviation on an existing product, so once again you will need to just find an established manufacturer.

So now that you understand the product you have and what type of supplier you need it is time to find the supplier. Step one is in finding the proper supplier is go to the internet and search sites like made in China.com, alibaba.com, globalsources.com and tradekey.com. Now these are not the only sites on the internet, but they are a very good start. Search by manufacturing operation for new inventions and product type for more established products. If it is an established product, then search by the name of the product I like to read.

The second is contact the suppliers you have found that show the best results. The way to determine the best suppliers is to review the company history, mission statement, inventory and even their website. You want to find and use suppliers with the best rating. Also, check the potential supplier to for response time and personality as well as how knowledgeable about the products you are interested in. The best response time, courteous service and knowledgeable staff are what you are looking for. Reviewing the supplier in person is always the best way to, but many factors are in play that can hinder such a move like the cost of flying and accommodations. Sometimes just trying to arranging a factory visit can be difficult when juggling an already busy schedule. The cost incurred by taking time away from your normal routine can also take a toll.

One of the best solutions to this is to use a third party. There are a number of third parties, proxy’s or agents you can use or an inspection company that is actually based in China. These thirds parties can easily be contacted by phone or internet. They will take your information and actually act on your behalf. Of course these services do cost, usually by the hour or by the day, but it is still minor when considering the time and headache it will save you. So once you have found the supplier, you will still need to test the company by viewing the production process as well as the final product. This is a thorough review on searching for a supplier in China, so with that said, good luck on your search and best wishes.

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