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Top 7 Fulfillment Centers in China and Hong Kong 2019

HK Fulfillment Centres

A Hong Kong or Mainland China-based fulfillment center can help you distribute products directly from the factory to customers all over the world.

In this article, we list the leading China-based fulfillment centers, including Floship, Easyship, Exchain, Shipwire, and others.

In addition, we also cover the following:

1. Potential tax issues with cross border e-commerce fulfillment

2. When does it make sense to use a fulfillment center in Hong Kong or Mainland China?

3. Should you select a fulfillment center in Hong Kong or Mainland China?

What is a fulfillment center?

Fulfillment center offers e-commerce merchants warehousing (storage) and shipping services, that allows online businesses to operate without owning their own warehouse or physical storage space.

Sellers or e-commerce merchants can directly send their inventory to the fulfillment center from where it is shipped to their customers.

Most fulfillment centers are integrated with e-commerce marketplaces and platforms like Amazon (which also operate their own fulfillment centers, Shopify, and eBay, making it easier for merchants to manage inventory and delivery products. Continue Reading →

List of Shipping Companies in Vietnam: Top 7 Forwarders

Vietnam forwarders

Exploring your options to shift production from China to Vietnam? You might find that your existing freight forwarder network doesn’t even operate in the latter. To make things a bit easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of shipping companies based in Vietnam. In addition, we also cover the following:

  • What should I look for when selecting a freight forwarder?
  • How do I get the cheapest freight rate from Vietnam?
  • I need to ship materials and components from China to Vietnam. How do I arrange that?

What should I look for when selecting a freight forwarder?

You don’t necessarily need to work with a forwarder that is headquartered in Vietnam, to import goods from the country. That said, far from all freight forwarders operate in Vietnam, which is, therefore, the primary selection criteria.

Keep in mind that most forwarders covering Vietnam don’t have their own offices or warehouses there, but work closely with local agencies. There’s nothing odd with this setup. It’s simply the way the logistics industry works. Once you’ve worked out whether your forwarder can manage shipments from Vietnam, I suggest you ask them the following questions:

  • Which ports in Vietnam are covered in your network?
  • Do they have their own offices in Vietnam, or do they work with third parties?
  • Do they offer land transport between Vietnam and China?
  • Do they offer domestic land transportation?
  • Do you handle both sea and air freight?
  • Do you offer LCL shipping?

Continue Reading →

Top 8 Sourcing Companies and Agents in China

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A Sourcing Company can be an invaluable partner when importing products from China. Or, they can be a useless middleman that offers nothing but delays and higher unit prices.

This is not a regulated industry, so anyone can claim qualifications to manage product and supplier sourcing.

In this article, you will learn what a sourcing company can do for you – and how much you should expect to pay them.

In addition, we also list some of the leading sourcing companies in Mainland China and Hong Kong S.A.R.

Why should I work with a Sourcing Company?

The core function of a sourcing company is to identify qualified suppliers, based on the customer’s needs and technical requirements.

There are no industry standards for how the supplier sourcing process is managed. Some Sourcing Companies have a more relationship-based approach, funneling customers to their existing supplier network.

This can be a win-win for both you and the sourcing companies, assuming they select suppliers based on the product’s technical specifications – rather than the size of the kickbacks they receive.

I’d say that most sourcing companies put kickbacks before selecting the supplier that is the most qualified to make a certain product.

Most sourcing companies can do a lot more than just, well, sourcing products.

For example, some can help you with factory audits, quality inspections, contracts, quality assurance and day to day administration.

As said, there are no set industry standards, so you need to discuss this with your Sourcing Company.

How do sourcing companies charge for their services?

Previously, most sourcing companies charged a commission based on the order value. However, in recent years, more and more sourcing companies have adopted fixed pricing.

Thus, they charge based on a per project or service basis, rather than a commission.

Of course, the final cost depends on what exactly you want the sourcing company to do for you. Continue Reading →

List of Sourcing Companies in the United Kingdom: Top 7 Agencies

UK sourcing agencies

Importing custom designed products from Asia doesn’t always require that you look overseas. In some cases, you can find the best partner closer to home. In this article, we list some of the UK’s leading Asia sourcing and product development companies.

What are the benefits of working with a UK based sourcing company?

If you’re looking to import goods from, for example, China, it’s natural to assume a Chinese sourcing agency know more about their own country – compared to one based outside. While that may be true to some extent, importing products from Asia involves a lot more than finding the right supplier.

In reality, most sourcing companies know little about UK safety standards, product labeling, VAT and customs procedures, which can have severe consequences for you as an importer.

A sourcing agency based in the UK, on the other hand, is far more likely to understand these requirements. Besides, sourcing agencies headquartered in the UK always have subsidiaries or other forms of representation in Asia. Continue Reading →

List of Sourcing Companies in Australia: Top 6 Agencies

australian sourcing companies

Sometimes it actually makes sense start looking for a sourcing agency closer to home, rather than trying to find the right partner in China, Vietnam or India. In this article, we list some of Australia’s leading sourcing companies.

You will also learn how you can benefit from working with a local sourcing company, rather than one that’s based overseas.

What are the benefits of working with an Australian sourcing company?

Most Importers may assume that a company that’s located in the manufacturing country is always superior to one that’s headquartered at home. That said, the opposite is more often the case.

While a sourcing company based in China or Vietnam can disappear with your product designs and supplier network by tomorrow, an Australian agency is far easier to hold accountable when something goes wrong.

Further, sourcing companies based in Australia, or those based in Asia but with Australian ownership, tend to have a better understanding of the following:

Further, all Australian sourcing companies have representation in Asia, be it through partners or a directly owned subsidiary or representative office. Continue Reading →

List of Sourcing Companies in India: Top 7 Agencies

India sourcing agency

While some Indian suppliers are listed on Alibaba.com and Globalsources.com, they are few and far in between compared to their Chinese competitors.

An India based sourcing agent can bridge this gap, as you can utilize their vast network of domestic manufacturers and wholesalers, that you’d otherwise have a hard time locating.

In this article, we list some of India’s leading sourcing companies in various industries:

  • Apparel and home textiles
  • Furniture
  • Hardware
  • Construction materials
  • Promotional products
  • Handicrafts

Continue Reading →

List of Sourcing Companies in Vietnam: Top 5 Agencies

vietnam sourcing company

Vietnam is quickly becoming a serious manufacturing alternative to China, especially for American importers vary of the ongoing US-China trade war. That said, Vietnamese suppliers are not as easy to find on Alibaba.com or Globalsources.com, compared to their Chinese counterparts.

As such, many importers turn to Vietnam based sourcing companies, with vast local supplier networks.

In this article, we list five of Vietnam’s leading sourcing agencies, all located in Asia’s fastest growing manufacturing hub – Ho Chi Minh City.

Do I need a sourcing company when importing from Vietnam?

You can of course attempt to source Vietnamese directly, using Alibaba.com or even a Google search. However, Vietnamese suppliers tend to have a rather small online footprint, making them harder to find.

Those that do have a larger online presence tend to be larger suppliers, which tend to have little interest in working with small buyers.

Vietnam based sourcing companies can bridge that gap, using their local network and expertise to match you with a qualified supplier.

I’d say that sourcing agents provide more value in Vietnam, compared to more developed manufacturing countries like China. Continue Reading →

Top 9 Air Courier Companies in China: DHL, FedEx, EMS & More

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Looking for a reliable and cheap air courier for your imported products? In this article, you’ll get a complete overview of the largest American, European and local air courier companies operating in China – including the following:

  • DHL
  • FedEx
  • UPS
  • TNT
  • China Post
  • Hong Kong Post
  • SF Express

We also cover Amazon’s plans to step into the international logistics market, and how you can find the air courier with the best prices and service.

DHL

DHL or DHL Express is a German based courier service founded in 1969. The head office of the company is based in Bonn, Germany.

DHL is also ranked as the world’s largest courier service with its presence all over the world including China.

DHL has presence in China for last three decades with its regional head office located in Beijing. It’s now known as one of the leading courier and logistic companies in China out of 35,000 companies working in the same market.

Some of their core delivery and air freight services include:

  • Worldwide delivery service and international shipping
  • DHL eCommerce that includes international and domestic parcel pickup, delivery, and return solutions specifically designed for businesses.

The other  DHL air freight options include DHL Air Priority, DHL Air Connect, DHL Air Economy, DHL Air Charter, DHL Air Thermonet, DHL Air Freight Plus, Lifeconex, and DHL Air Combined. Continue Reading →

List of Forwarders & Shipping Companies in China: An Overview

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Finding the right shipping company or freight forwarder in China can be a serious challenge. Logistics account for a tenth of the world GDP, and includes everything from small scale bookings agencies to online platforms with live tracking.

In this guide, we help you select the right shipping company for your import business.

Some of these companies are traditional freight forwarders, while others are shipping marketplaces, where you can get quotations, book, pay and track your shipments.

Keep reading, and learn what you must know about Fleet,Freightos, ChinaDivision, FloShip, Flexport and many other companies – as we compare them based on their services offered, locations and ratings.

Disclaimer: Most of these companies are not headquartered in Mainland China or Hong Kong S.A.R. However, all listed shipping companies and forwarders have partners or local offices in China. Some are also headquartered in China (including Hong Kong S.A.R), such as FloShip, ChinaDivision and Freightos.

china shipping companies

Freightos

Freightos is the like Expedia or Travelocity for international freight. Basically, with the Freightos Marketplace, importers can easily compare, book, and manage international freight from over 50 freight providers. They’re very much geared towards supporting small importers as well, with some great support resources, as well as live chat and phone support.

Plus, it’s free to sign up and compare shipments, so there’s no real reason not to use, even if only for competitive intelligence.

Freightos has received highly-positive online feedback from customers. Their marketplace is global, with providers based in the US, Canada, the UK, China, and elsewhere. Forwarders that sell on the Freightos marketplace include many well-known reliable logistics companies like HTCG, Sinotech, Amass, AB Logistics, and Eurasia.

The ordering process on Freightos is straightforward, including streamlined handoff of your documentation to the forwarder, and centralized shipment management.

Founded in 2012 by serial entrepreneur Dr. Zvi Schreiber, Freightos has raised over $50 million dollars and has six offices worldwide, including Miami Beach, Barcelona and Jerusalem.

Get 10% off on your first shipment with Freightos

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The offer is valid for both sea and air freight (maximum amount: US$100)

Tryfleet.com

Tryfleet.com is the official website of Fleet Logistics, a logistics and supply chain company that also offers shipping services by connecting freight services with the clients and importers.

Founded in 2014, fleet acts as an online logistics marketplace where you as importer can connect with shippers and other service providers.

The service helps you find the best possible solution for your goods shipment for the best price and make you take an informed decision.

The head office of the company is based in Portland, Oregon, United States, but it offers its services to clients from all over the world including China.

The website with simple user interface allows you to choose air or ocean freight, provide details of country of origin and destination, and get instant quotes from a wide range of freight services.

All the freight forwarders listed on the website are verified by Fleet. Each forwarder is also rated and reviewed by the clients on the website so you can have a good idea about the forwarder’s reputation.

In addition, the service also provides an online dashboard to streamline all communication with the forwarder, track shipments in real time, get quick support, and easy and fast payments.

All in all, it is a good solution for small importers who want a quick and cost effective shipping solution for their import from China. Continue Reading →

List of Quality Control and Inspection Companies in China

china quality control

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Quality control is a mandatory part of the process when importing products from China, regardless of the order volume. Hence, finding the right quality control partner is crucial.

In this guide, you will find some of the leading quality inspection companies, with offices based in China.

We compare them based on capability, pricing and customer focus – to help you choose the right partner for your quality assurance needs in China.

Sofeast (Qualityinspection.org)

Sofeast is a Shenzhen based project management and quality assurance company that offers a wide range of QA services to importers, buying from suppliers in China.

The range of their services includes in-depth factory auditing, quality consulting, and assessment of technical documents.

In addition, the company also provides project management software specifically designed for importers – which makes Sofeast rather unique.

The company is founded in 2006 by Renaud Anjoran, from France, and is well known from his blog – qualityinspection.org.

Sofeast is a full service quality agency, helping all types of business. We have worked with Renaud’s team for several years, with fantastic results. Inspections start from $299, which is slightly lower than many of Sofeast’s competitors.

Our Starter Package customers can request a free quotation from Sofeast, directly via the Dashboard. Continue Reading →