Finding A Reliable Chinese Supplier

Suppose you come up with a product idea or think you have market channels for certain products, and you want to find a supplier in China because of the low product development cost and low production cost there.

To successfully find a suitable China supplier, you need a strategy. This strategy will consist of awareness, knowledge, and a good amount of homework. Below are some practical steps to find a suitable Chinese supplier for you. Understand what you need. You need to first know what is available and have a way to categorize the information.

Here are some categories to help you think about Chinese suppliers: manufacturer vs. 3rd-party supplier; Big corporation vs. small family-owned; 3rd-party supplier with in-house product development capability vs. 3rd-party supplier that just buys in and sells out; vertically integrated manufacturer vs. assembly-based manufacturer; etc.

Properly categorizing the suppliers will help you understand what you need. For example, if you need to import products in a narrow range, you may choose a manufacturer other than a 3rd-party supplier. If you are a small business and need dedicated attention, you may want to develop a good relationship with a small family-owned business. Do some preliminary Internet research to further develop your category system towards your specific
needs.

Create a data table to help you record the search result, so the job can be done more efficiently and effectively. The table should include columns like company name, contact information, business scale and scope, category checkboxes (important), and notes.

Use search engines to search for information related to your product name. The first 100 results would be the most relevant websites related to the product of your concern. You can also find your competitor’s information and develop a better sense of market segment and marketing channels. Use popular business directory websites to obtain very structured information for Chinese suppliers.

The directory websites are also excellent resources to obtain industrial knowledge. Narrow down the list of suppliers you want to work with to a manageable amount. At this stage, you may already know what your real needs are and what is available. Initiate contact with the suppliers you want to work with, and further develop relationships with them. Eventually, you will find the one.

The process can be fun and a friendly experience. Find a Chinese local business to help you. The local man knows how to check the supplier, some special business manner is unknown by the foreign ones, once you have a local guide, all your business work will be easy.

Trade Shows

MIDDLE EAST ELECTRICITY 2013
Related Industries: Energy Production Transportation Description: Electrical Electrotechnical Engineering, Power Electricity Exhibition Next Dates: Feb. 17 – 19, 2013 – in Dubai

(UAE – United Arab Emirates – Africa – Middle East) – Dubai International Exhibition Centre

Venue: Dubai International Exhibition Centre (Dubai)
Dubai International Exhibition Centre, Sheik Zayed Road, Convention Gate, Dubai, UAE – United Arab
Emirates. Tel: +971-4-3321000, +971-4-3312173, website: www.dicec.ae, email: [email protected]
ARCO MADRID 2013
Related Industries: Art and Antiques
Description: International Contemporary Art Fair
Next Dates: Feb. 13 – 17, 2013 – in Madrid (Spain – Europe) – Ifema – Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I
Venue: Ifema – Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I (Madrid), Feria de Madrid, 28042 Madrid, Spain. Tel: +34 91
722 30 00, +34 91 722 58 01. Website: www.ifema.es, email: [email protected]
RETROMOBILE 2013
Related Industries: Collectors – Hobby
Description: General Automobile, Bikes – Motorcycles, Antique Cars and Motorcycles Show
Next Dates: Feb. 06 – 10, 2013 – in Paris (France – Europe) – Paris Expo Porte de Versailles
Venue: Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (Paris) – 1 place de la Porte de Versailles, 75015 Paris, France. Tel:
+33 (0)1 40 68 22 22, +33 (0)1 40 68 20 06. Website: www.viparis.com, email: [email protected].