Archive of Category: Sourcing Tips

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Main Areas of Shoe Production in China

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Main Areas of Shoe Production in China The changing landscape of shoe manufacturing has led many companies from around the world to source their shoes from China. Let's clarify the different areas of shoe production and purchasing in China and explain what makes each area unique. The Four Central Areas...

China Sourcing: Culture, Knowledge, & Details

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Why is it so important to have a great China sourcing agency? Because great sourcing is all about details. And details have a lot to do with culture and local knowledge. Your China team can help ensure that everyone in your Western office is on the same wavelength as your...

Sourcing From China: How long does it take?

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Many new importers find that they only have a very vague idea of how long it really takes to receive their product when purchasing in China. This is because many of them have experience buying from distributors or wholesalers here in the US, so the timeline is rarely clear. In...

China Sourcing How-To: Qualifying Suppliers

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We are the age of information. All of it is readily available at your fingertips. And for many, the problem is no longer finding suppliers, but rather, qualifying suppliers. We previously wrote about how to verify factories (see China sourcing: How to verify factories). Since this blog, new importers continue to ask...

Supply Chain Planning for Omnichannel Retail

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For years, many retail companies have been moving towards online stores and shopping, and the pandemic served to accelerate this trend. Being the end user, this meant new choices and new experiences, real multiple channels to buy merchandise. For businesses supplying these end users, omnichannel retail has become a hot...

How to Identify the “Best Fit” Chinese Supplier/Manufacturer

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In this highly competitive world, there are many possible Chinese suppliers and manufacturers for your goods. It can be difficult to identify the “best fit” to meet specific needs and requirements when you buy direct from China. In an April 2019 blog, we addressed a similar issue: How-to of Qualifying...

5 Things I wish I Could have Known Before Establishing a China Supply Chain

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We were all new importers at one time even if some of us (not me!) are now wise and savvy with our years of experience. We all remember things we wish we had known when we first started China sourcing company  Today, we see new importers popping up everywhere, they...

How to Get an Accurate Quote from Chinese Suppliers

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How you establish the terms for a working relationship with a factory, especially in the context of China direct buying, can really set the tone for the remainder of the production process. The Request For Quotation (RFQ) is thus a crucial step in your China sourcing program to ensure the...

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