中国供应商鱼龙混杂，鬼佬采购胆战心惊！阿里前CEO卫哲为了golden supplier丑闻黯然离职，可见问题有多么严重。在美国著名的采购经理人论坛MT的讨论中，Patricia M分享了“关于找到可靠的中国工厂”的10个贴士，反响热烈。联盟现在分享Patricia的观点 - 中国供应商需要换位思考，看看自己的way of doing things能否取得海外采购商的信任！
以下是PART I，我们计划用10次分享完她的tips！外贸人都是英语高手，那就一起研究下原汁原味的老外采购如何看待中国工厂 - 可悲的是，人家如同防贼一样.....
Finding a supplier in China can be a highly intimidating and grueling process. You may have heard horror stories or perhaps you have simply conjured them up in your mind. Yes, bad things can happen; however, manipulative and unethical suppliers exist in every country. Continue reading to eliminate much of the risk that istraditionally involved in seeking out a reliable and trustworthy supplier in China to secure long-term success and prosperity for your business.
1.Evaluate Your Business Needs Before You Begin
One ofthe greatest challenges in finding a reliable Chinese supplier is simply that most businesses wish to keep their trusted sourcing channels to themselves.These businesses want to maintain their competitive advantage and not share it with everyone else nor do they wish to risk having to increase lead times or face shortages and missed completion dates due to their supplier’s increased workload from additional customers. It does make good business sense for businesses, however it is not an ideal business strategy for you. Do not fret.As long as you are willing to put in a bit of work, learn to know what to look for, and have a plan of attack, you will find your ideal Chinese sourcing partner.
Before you begin your search you should evaluate your business needs. Think of this like creating a business plan for your supply chain. The following are just a few items you should consider before you begin:
What is your budget?
When do you wish to begin sourcing?
Do you have any local contacts in your network?
Are you seeking a custom-built product or a mass produced finished good?
How will you manage the process internally and on-site?
Who will create your labels?
Will ou supply the packaging?
Is the location of the facility a concern?
Do you want to be responsible for shipping?
As you can see, you must consider many aspects before you even begin your supplier search. The greater your understanding of your business needs before you begin the easier the process will be to find your ideal partner.
Consider your commodities and production needs as not all suppliers specialize in every industry and product type. Also, determine whether or not you want customized products made from raw materials or if you are seeking mass-produced finished goods that you can label and package for your own needs. This will greatly influence the type of supplier you seek such as a third-party supplier or a family-run business and manufacturing methodologies or an assembly process.
You should also consider the experience of a supplier. Yes, it is crucial to find a supplier with proven experience and reputable feedback; however, it is not necessarily essential that the supplier has previous experience in your exact product line. It would be advantageous if they had such experience, and they should have relatable experience, however it is far more important to evaluatewhether or not they have the capacity and capability to supply you with exactly what you need and want whether it be a sophisticated technology component or ageneric product that you are able to customize in-house. Keep in mind that all products in China are produced regionally. This means that certain regions in the country are dedicated for producing specific items. For example, technology products are produced in one region in China; whereas, clothes are produced in another.
Perhaps most importantly, if you have any intellectual property (IP) concerns, you should register them in China prior to beginning your search. Do not contactany supplier until you have completed this step. If you are able to, register your IP in a number of categories to cover your basis and to prevent competition. And, before you begin, be prepared for cultural differences.
