One common dilemma importers often face is the decision of whether to hire a China sourcing agent or a China sourcing agency. You hire people to get results. But hiring is a big investment of time and resources. To get a good return on that investment, you need to find...
When sourcing from China, to maximize your profits, ensure predictability and reliability, and make sure your interests are protected, you need to have a good team. Many companies get a “sourcing team” either by hiring agents or independent contractors. But for some companies, this means opening their own China sourcing...
We’ve all heard the saying, “The greater the risk, the greater the reward.” Although the risk/reward concept makes sense in most cases, let us not exaggerate. Sourcing and procurement is a risky and complex process in and of itself. If you want to reap rewards from buying directly from China,...
“Oh my gosh! These are not what I ordered! This is terrible!” Such things are often heard when some importers who buy direct from China receive their goods in their warehouses. How do such things happen? It is likely because they did not have clear quality specifications in place. A...
American-made vs China-bought has been a hot topic as of late. With the recent political climate, the trade war, and tariffs, more and more importers are looking to move their supply chain management in China home. But is that really in their best interest? Should importers Buy direct from China...
It goes without saying – when you buy direct from China, you must have an excellent support system. Many companies secure this support by hiring a China sourcing agent or a China sourcing company. But for some companies, opening their own sourcing office makes the most sense. This requires an...
Napoleon said, “If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.” So why delegate? Does it even make sense? We know that managers (even Napoleon) delegate. That is pretty much a definition of management. But why? And how? We previously wrote a blog about Hiring Teams vs. Individuals and...
All three must be controlled or the results could be unfortunate. Importers sourcing from China do so because they are looking for ways to save. They want to outsmart the competition and get their product to market at an unbeatable price. More than just buying a product at the right...
