Many people are unaware of the benefits of finding a sourcing agent and wonder if their help is needed or not. In reality, a mere internet search won’t be all; you need to commit at least 3 hours for each supplier on sourcing and management.
Nevertheless, it helps identify new suppliers, place your products at the right price and quality level, and enhance new product development. Furthermore, it will make it easy to lend your time to the supplier and management relationship, followed by communications and shipments to follow. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of finding a shenzhen sourcing agent.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Finding a Sourcing Agent
1.Purchase Direct
Most of the importers try to control the process by avoiding paying commissions. This is the best option for those who can satisfy the minimum order quantities. Through this, they can control the entire process and avoid paying commissions to middlemen agents.
Furthermore, the procedure helps the foreigners and Chinese communicate with manufacturers by adding samples and sending translators, which sourcing companies do.
2. Use a commissioned sourcing agent.
People nowadays have made sourcing agents an excellent career for living. If the right industry is formed, it can save a lot of time by using their vast network. Many of them also act as in-country representatives. It has been seen that due to problems in navigating through China, even old business people with a decade of experience need the help of a sourcing agent.
These gannets provide the best assistance in finding the factory for getting the products manufactured. However, it becomes difficult to determine their profiting as they handle all the aspects and benefit from logistics and company.
3. Purchase from a trading company
This option is best for the startups or placing an early order and cannot satisfy the MOQs.These trading companies help set up a small workshop for accepting orders, and one can avoid working with the middlemen.
These agents could be easily found on sites like Upwork and Elance, referrals, or through old contacts on social media. It proves to be a cushy job as one can work for foreign companies without going to the office or dealing with the boss. All they need to do is act as a freelancer by being a middleman. These sourcing companies also have their websites.
4. Use a service company.
Some sourcing agents provide service charges and fees but keep everything transparent from names or the process followed. It’s an excellent investment for the company before starting with production for forecasting larger orders. Although these agents are rare with time, this is becoming more common. The ones with well-organized offices tend to follow these practices.
Some of the standard rate commission ranges between 1 to 10% of the factory price, which they collect from a supplier and add into the client’s invoice. It’s best not to go with those you don’t have ideas of who they are working for. The ones with lower commissions rarely work in the best interest of the importer. This is known as blind makeup.
Conclusion
To proceed with, always search about the hidden cost and calculate it. It is also advised to do due diligence on suppliers and take your time to find the right one. The best ones would always welcome you to work with them and produce excellence in the export market. Make sure not to deposit a considerable amount to a new supplier. Always add three weeks of additional time as the shipped items are never on time.
If you face any problem, change the supplier. Always have that one member to test the quality of goods you are buying. Try placing the orders one after another without jumping at once to gain confidence.
