When you’re looking to find the right sourcing agent in China, there are several key things you should keep an eye out for during your search. These four things will tell you if they’re the right one for you or not. Plus, they’ll keep your long-term business goals on track, which means you can trust that your supplier will consistently meet your quality and time requirements so your business can grow at a steady pace without hassle and waste of time and money. Here are the four things to notice when looking for a sourcing agent in China.
Language
The best sourcing agents will have at least one native Chinese speaker on staff. This is an important part of your team, as Chinese-language skills are absolutely essential when working with factories in China. While English is spoken by many factory owners and employees, misunderstandings can still arise, and having someone on your team who’s fluent will save you time, effort and money. Sometimes you can even aim for one more other than English – some sourcing agents are fluent not only in Mandarin Chinese and English, but also at least one other major language like Spanish or French. In any case, it’s always better to have too much translation help than too little.
Once you’ve hired your team, have them send all correspondence to you first. This is your best chance at getting an accurate translation of any issues. They may think they’re being helpful by explaining everything as it’s happening, but if there are translation problems later on down the line, that information can backfire and only confuse matters further. Simply tell them to speak only with you when they want to relay anything important so that everyone stays on track.
Location
While it’s possible to work with China sourcing agents from around the world, most Chinese agents have their offices in Guangdong Province, especially when your product is in the electronic sector as Guangdong hosts the largest electronic manufacturing hub in the world. It’s unrealistic to visit them now given the heavy travel restriction, but you can at least conduct all your negotiations by phone or Skype, so you can judge their level of professionalism, size of operation and business ethic. Agents based in China will be able to access local suppliers while those located elsewhere may not. This isn’t necessarily an issue, however, since China has become increasingly globalized over recent years. Many companies are happy to work with foreign buyers directly these days; after all, they’re doing it themselves. But if you do decide to use an agent based in China, make sure to be well informed of the distance between their office and the factory, or just work with one with their own production facility. After all, when emergency arises, it’ll be much easier to get to the scene and fix.
Also, different regions have their own specialties when it comes to manufacturing. Shenzhen is an example we just presented. When you are looking to source for small commodities, many cities in the Yangtze River Delta should be your go-to options as they have the world’s largest small commodities trade market and countless factories that make them. Do some research on what each region is good at and that can save your many troubles in advance.
Industry Expertise
It’s crucial that you find an agent who knows your industry inside and out. The agent should be able to not only speak at length about your product category, but also recommend alternative sourcing options based on what would work best with your product line. For example, while one company may manufacture rubber duckies, they may not have as much experience in toys; another company could source plush stuffed animals with ease because of their knowledge of stuffing manufacturing. If you’re looking for an effective China sourcing agent, make sure he or she has experience working within your specific product niche.
This is especially important if you’re new to importing products from China. The agent should be able to provide insight into manufacturing options, materials, and even shipping and logistics—all of which can make or break your business. Make sure your China sourcing agent has experience working with companies that are similar to yours; it will help ensure that he or she can give you valuable information about manufacturing, shipping, and other factors. You can also ask them to provide any relevant credentials or past testimonials for reference.
Network of Suppliers
Every sourcing agent claims they have the best network of suppliers. But when you start talking numbers, it becomes more obvious who’s telling the truth. It is important to know just how many suppliers an agent can offer you. Not only can it determine what types of products and services you can purchase, but it will also give you an idea of their experience and expertise. That’s why it’s vital that before signing with any supplier or manufacturer, be sure you ask for what type of suppliers they have stable partnerships with and the amount.
Some agents might try to hide behind some vague number or claim there are no limitations. This could be because they don’t want you to compare them with other agents or because they simply don’t have enough connections at their disposal. To get around this problem, talk about both large and small quantities. Then look at how long it would take for your agent to make connections on your behalf—or if he can make them at all—and what kind of lead time that would entail.
To learn more about how you can find the right agent to work with, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!
