| I would like to emphasize the importance of | | | | to maximize your profit from importing, they will |
| personally visiting your suppliers in China. You may | | | | probably be your best partners. |
| have heard that some consultants do not see the | | | | By visiting your preselected factories, you can make |
| necessity to go to China at all. They suggest their | | | | your decisions about whom you want to strike a deal |
| clients order samples and place orders based on the | | | | with after concluding your negotiations. |
| results of their sample evaluation. | | | | During your factory visits, you will be in for many |
| I strongly advise you against this and will explain why. | | | | surprises and you may have to revise the first |
| My more than 25 years experience of importing | | | | judgment you arrived at from previous |
| goods from China has taught me otherwise. | | | | communication with some of the factories. You will |
| Why Make the Trip? | | | | find that some factories are smaller than expected |
| There are of course some very large manufacturers | | | | and have only a limited production capacity available |
| in China with quality assurance organizations to | | | | on their own premises. They do not want to miss |
| guarantee a relatively consistent quality of products. | | | | out on your orders and hire a subcontractor to |
| With them, you can be more easygoing but chances | | | | produce for them instead. |
| are they cannot offer you the most competitive | | | | This is totally unacceptable because these |
| prices because of their bigger organization costs | | | | subcontractors are usually inferior in quality |
| money. Often they have distribution channels in your | | | | management and care less about your orders |
| home country making it less desirable to buy from | | | | because you are not their direct customer. If a |
| them. | | | | factory has this policy, simply don't work with them if |
| You will usually deal with smaller or medium size | | | | you want to stay out of trouble. |
| factories which need clear instructions from you and | | | | The Importing Consultant |
| this is best done by meeting face-to-face. One of | | | | Another way you can achieve superior results is by |
| the issues working with a middleman or agency is | | | | employing a neutral company as your personal |
| that they may be knowledgeable about a variety of | | | | consultant. They have gained the needed |
| products, but not necessarily sufficiently experienced | | | | understanding and knowledge to effectively deal with |
| in any of them. In the end, there is no way of | | | | Chinese manufacturers and provide their service at |
| getting around the fact that the Chinese mentality | | | | an affordable cost. Simply send your requirements to |
| favors frequent personal contact with overseas | | | | them and they will have them executed in the best |
| trading partners and visiting their factory is the way | | | | possible way. You also do not need to worry about |
| to go. | | | | inferior factories because they have ways avoiding |
| Be Prepared for Surprises | | | | them. You have to make sure that they have no |
| The smaller or medium size factories can usually offer | | | | special relationship with any factory to be sure that |
| you the most competitive prices and since you want | | | | they will strictly follow only your instructions. |