Sourcing in China for Christmas

The holidays are upon us and as consumers, we are making our plans for the holiday shopping season – Black Friday is coming! But importers from all over the country have already been preparing for this for months.

Back in 2011, we published a blog, “Made in China” for Christmas. And it inspired us to revisit this topic – How do importers prepare to source from China for Christmas? And why is this season so important?

Most importers do most of their business during the holiday peak season. Consumers are getting ready to buy gifts for the holiday season. Importers who source many of these gifts from China must also be ready. They need to fill their warehouses with stock to anticipate the floods of orders and buyers from everywhere.

Here are a few tips and tricks used by importers to prepare for the holiday season:

Test Shipments: While the rest of us were enjoying the end of winter and beginning of spring, importers were already preparing for the next holiday season by developing new products and by testing and benchmarking factories all over China. This process ensures that the quality and price they are looking for will be in place in advance and the shipments while arrive well before the holiday season. Getting samples and testing shipments early will help to avoid factories that are not qualified and will enable importers to test the market and get a better read of inventory volume needed to satisfy demand.

Shipping Rates: Just as we see prices go up domestically for shipping from state to state from carriers like UPS and Fedex that add that extra fee during the busy seasons like the holidays, international logistic companies will do the same. Shipping cargo early without rush, helps avoid higher rates and increase peace of mind.

Logistics & Transit Times: It’ll usually take about 30 days, give or take a few days, for your goods to arrive in the US from China.  The quicker you need the goods, the more expensive transport will be.  Planning early gives importers the advantage and the flexibility of several shipping options, and avoid congestion and delays on cargo.

Importers prepare all year for the holiday surge of sales that holidays and discounts provide to attract customers. Using these tips and tricks will ensure that this shopping season goes as smoothly as possible, with as little hiccups along the way as possible.

How do you prepare for the holiday season? What tips and tricks have become fundamental for your China sourcing operation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

By Jocelyn Trigueros