Even when the Internet is flooded with several sourcing websites that help organizations source products from Asian countries, the owners of such organizations keep facing challenges when they source their products to Asian countries. As every project is unique, there are individual pitfalls for each one of them that Asia sourcing contractors need to take care of. In recent times, buyers are facing certain challenges regarding delays in delivery, money loss, scams, and poor-quality products. This is the main reason why most of the recent buyers are forgoing sourcing contracts from Asian countries as a means of avoiding scams. But, sourcing out services to foreign locations is also considered the cheapest and profitable way of running a business. So, how buyers can spot the red flag and shield themselves potentially from jeopardize.
This post is all about pointing out the several sourcing mistakes and describing the ways to avoid them.
Be Mindful Of Quality When You Are Sourcing To Asian Countries
It may seem impractical to you to force quality-control measures, specifically when you are sourcing services to some of the top-rated sourcing destinations. But, you are highly recommended to be counter-intuitive when sourcing out your services to avoid being fooled. You should pile up a list of expectations on the qualities you want to have in your products. Setting your expectations before you start shortlisting the suppliers and identifying them should be considered as the most important step.
When you set your anticipations, you actually do your homework as an efficient business employee. You can save yourself a lot of time and also from the hassle of not receiving the expected quality of products. You can also make your prospects clear in front of the suppliers, thereby making it convenient for them to do the research according to your expectations.
A better way to know what quality you will be receiving is by asking them to show you samples, which will be covered in the very next point.
Collect Samples Before You Trust
While most of the online factories need a dash of authentication before they post their factory profiles, it is not that easy for anyone to create a misleading factory profile. Be mindful of not getting swayed by the images of facilities provided by such fraudsters. And, if the images look like stock images, they just might be!
The best way to know if the Asia sourcing manufacturers are honest with their production and quality is to visit them in person or to examine the sample of products. If this is the first time you are sourcing your product to a foreign destination, then you would most likely have no experience in this field. In that case, the most feasible option is to collect the samples and then examine them. If the samples get approved in the early stage of examination, you can ask for the approved samples that should match the shipment products.
Forgoing Inspections
Even if you have implemented a number of factory audits and reviewed the samples countless times, you are recommended to carry out the inspections and should not stop until you are done with the complete project. It may sound a bit odd, but you need to check on the honesty of the factory even after you have got your hands on the sanctioned product samples. The hard fact is that in defiance of the assurance provided by the suppliers on the quality of products, the standard of the shipment product quality could vary from what was originally shown to you.
In fact, forgoing inspections is considered as the final line of defense you could draw against inferior quality products. If the final order is approved by the supplier, you should plan to schedule a meeting (either in person or virtually) to inspect the product quality before they finally leave the manufacturing factory. In this way, you can get chances to address the product quality before the order is shipped. Above all, keeping an eye on the suppliers is something you deserve to do as a buyer, not just because you value your money, but also because you value your customers. In this way, you can keep up with the trust of your target customers and assure them of returning to you every time.
Receiving No News Is A Bad News
If you have given the final word to your supplier and everything seems to be going smoothly, you are still recommended to maintain regular contact with them. When your suppliers know that you are constantly trying to hear from them, there are high chances that they look after your project personally as well as professionally, making it their priority as well. Keeping in touch with your suppliers is also a good indication that your manufacturing partner is reliable and honest with their job.
An indication of a trustworthy supplier acquires the following properties:
- Interested in answering your queries
- Does not get offended when you try to reach out to them
- Seeking your approval
- Keeping you in the loop
- Constantly asking you questions and replying to you as well
No Written Contract Between Buyer And Supplier
Lack of proper meetings and written contracts can lead to scams. If your suppliers are trying hard and sole to keep you assured with oral agreements, invoices, and promises, then it will never mean a strong word for protection. The suppliers, in case they are fraudsters, could not be held responsible if anything goes wrong. Therefore, it is always better to have a contract in their language and in your language as well. This is a safe and essential requirement for long-term cooperation.
Being a businessman, you will have to deal with more significant projects at some point in time in order to grow. You will require an increased number of products to serve the customers. Hiring experienced and reliable Asia sourcing contractors can prove to be the most valuable resource in such scenarios. With their professionalism and expertise, the consultants will not only source budget-friendly products for you but also take care of the fact that you get new and profitable clientele.