Four ways to import from China

When you decide to import from China, you will encounter this problem. Shall I manage it or find an agent? In fact, you have four choices.

1. Direct purchase
That's what 80% of importers are trying to do. They want to control the process and avoid paying commissions to any middleman or agent.
If your organization to manage suppliers (you'll learn in this series under an E-mail), and if you can meet the minimum order quantity (behind MOQ) of the supplier, this may be the best choice for you.
2.Use a proxy
Thousands of Chinese are making a living by providing this service. If they come from the right industry, they can use their networks and save a lot of time. They can also represent your country.
Buy from a trading company
This is a good option if you can't meet minimum order quantity. Trading companies can place production in small factories that accept small orders.

3. Use service companies
Some agents provide services and charge fees. Everything is transparent (supplier name, process compliance... ). This will be an investment for your company before production starts, but if you anticipate a large number of orders, this is a good option.
These agents used to be very rare, but I believe they will become more and more common. The best people often work like procurement offices and are well organized.
4.Qualified agent
Before you hire, you need to consult the purchasing agent for several questions:
How and by whom will they be paid?
Can you visit the factory before/during production?
Can they provide recommendations or recommendations from satisfied customers? Do they use his services and buy the same type of products as you? Make sure you contact two of them and get confirmation.
Do they conduct their own quality inspection? Or do they resort to special third parties? Do you get a report every time?
Will you update the production status every week?
Can they share their management system with you? You need to make sure they have proper procedures. Most agents do not follow any established procedures.
What guarantees do they provide in case the supplier cheats you? What if shipments lag behind schedule? If you get junk in the warehouse?
Are they located in your product purchasing area? (a quick search on globalsources.com will show you the main areas of your product category.)
If you keep ordering the same product from the same source, will you pay less for his service after the first order?