Our client, the largest specialist in maternity wear, newborn, and kids’ wear in the Netherlands, operates multiple megastores, city stores, boutiques, and an online shop. The project’s primary goal was to identify and recommend potential suppliers of knit and woven garments for their extensive product line.
Project Objectives
We tasked Dragon Sourcing with sourcing high-quality suppliers for baby, kids, and maternity wear across eight countries: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Turkey, Serbia, and North Macedonia. Our deliverables included a comprehensive supplier database, RFI-RFQ templates, analysis reports, supplier profiles with rankings, and actionable recommendations.
Sourcing Approach
We separated our strategy into two main stages:
Stage 1: Supplier Pre-Qualification
- Demand Analysis: Collaborated with the client to define product specifications, volumes, and material requirements.
- Supply Market Analysis: identified 295 potential suppliers using B2B websites, our DS database, fair catalogs, and network references.
- Telephone Pre-Screening: We shortlisted 118 suppliers based on capability and certifications.
- RFI/RFQ Development: Prepared documents to evaluate suppliers’ competitiveness and capabilities.
- RFI/RFQ Administration: Distributed RFI/RFQ to 118 suppliers, with 56 suppliers responding.
- Supplier Scoring: evaluated and ranked suppliers based on a balanced scorecard.
Stage 2 (Optional):
- Sample Development
- On-site audits of short-listed suppliers
- Negotiation and contracting
Results
The project identified 295 potential suppliers, with 118 passing the pre-screening stage. From these, 56 suppliers responded to the RFI-RFQ process. Our analysis helped the client shortlist the most promising suppliers, taking into account factors such as minimum order quantities, social compliance, and in-house production capabilities. The client initiated the sampling process with the top-ranked suppliers, leading to substantial potential savings and the selection of reliable partners.
The RFI-RFQ process revealed that 56 suppliers were willing to respond, with 48 providing both RFI and RFQ and 8 providing only RFI. We evaluated the suppliers using a comprehensive scoring and ranking system, identifying the top performers. For instance, Supplier 1 from India achieved the highest score of 87 and offered 16 SKUs, demonstrating exceptional capability and competitiveness.
Dragon Sourcing’s methodical approach enabled the client to streamline their procurement process. This ensured they partnered with the most capable and compliant suppliers from the target regions. This project not only enhanced the client’s supply chain efficiency but also provided a strategic advantage in the competitive market. The entire sourcing project was completed in just nine weeks, showcasing Dragon Sourcing’s efficiency and expertise in delivering timely results.