As we emerge from the Covid-19 supply chain nightmare and dust ourselves off, we note that some companies were able to react immediately to market opportunities. They placed orders and planned deliveries, secure in their knowledge that their supply chain will deliver. Those companies did really well when the market...
There is a photograph that remains etched in our minds. In it, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump are leaning toward one another, captured in a moment of apparent intimacy. They are smiling, their body language suggests a shared confidence, a moment of genuine human connection amidst the gilded backdrop of...
If you are sourcing products from China, the Alibaba ecosystem is almost impossible to avoid. However, many buyers unknowingly conflate very different platforms under the “Alibaba” name, leading to sourcing mistakes, misaligned expectations, and unnecessary risk. Alibaba Group operates dozens of platforms, but only two are directly relevant to international...
When tariff headlines fade, many importers breathe a sigh of relief and move on, but that reaction is increasingly expensive for those handling China sourcing services. Recent tariff threats tied to U.S.–Greenland negotiations offer a useful case study, not because of whether the tariffs ultimately happened (or will happen), but...
In Episode 6 of CPG’s podcast, The Supply Chain of Thought, CPG CEO Michael De Clercq and Business Director Laura Dow continue their walkthrough of An Advanced Guide to China Sourcing and Procurement, the upcoming e-book written by the CPG Sourcing team. In Episode 5, we introduced why we wrote...
We’re proud to share a closer look at the first two chapters of our upcoming e-book, "An Advanced Guide to China Sourcing and Procurement." Written by the CPG Sourcing team, this guide distills decades of hands-on experience into practical strategies for companies sourcing directly from Chinese manufacturers. Our goal in...
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...
Background: A South American industrial group with global operations engaged CPG’s China sourcing services in mid-2023 to improve cost efficiency and expand its supplier base across Asia. The company’s original objective was to tap into China’s vast manufacturing ecosystem and reduce costs across 8 master product categories, with an estimated...