Category: Recommended Articles

Procurement and Purchasing Agents in China: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 146 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Purchasing and procurement agents have proven to be essential during the COVID-19 pandemic – keeping supply chains running when buyers have been unable to visit suppliers and trade shows in China. That said, all procurement and purchasing agents differ in terms of expertise, transparency, methodology, and pricing.

In this guide, I clarify what importers must know when selecting purchasing and procurement in China – or when scrutinizing their existing agents.

Overview

  • Evaluation
  • Methodology
  • Supplier Networks
  • Offered Services
  • Revenue Model
  • FAQ

Continue reading Procurement and Purchasing Agents in China: A Complete Guide

Chinese New Year 2022: How Importers Can Prevent Disaster

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 23 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

The Chinese New Year (CNY) of 2022 starts on Tuesday, February 1st. This is earlier than 2021, when the new year didn’t start until Feb 12th. Hence, the time to get products shipped in the window between Christmas and CNY is even shorter than in 2021.

In Mainland China, the holiday officially lasts for 7 days – starting from Jan 31st until February 6th. That being, many workers don’t return for another week or two – resulting in a longer production halt.

In short, you can expect production to be closed for the first three weeks of February – with many suppliers not taking new orders starting as early as December.

Article Overview

  • COVID-19 situation and CNY 2022
  • How importers can prepare for CNY
  • Why and how CNY disrupts manufacturing in China
  • How to avoid delays to the CNY
  • CNY 2022 timeline and dates
  • Lunar holiday disruption in Vietnam and Southeast Asia

Continue reading Chinese New Year 2022: How Importers Can Prevent Disaster

Manufacturers & Wholesalers in Vietnam: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 62 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Looking for manufacturers in Vietnam? In this guide, we give you a high-level overview of what to expect when manufacturing products in Vietnam – and how the country compares to China on many aspects, such as pricing, MOQ, lead times, and more.

Overview

  • How has COVID-19 impacted manufacturing in Vietnam?
  • Sourcing suppliers in Vietnam using Alibaba.com
  • Sourcing suppliers in Vietnam using Globalsources.com
  • What kind of products can I import from Vietnam?
  • Importing private label products from Vietnam
  • Dropshipping products from Vietnam
  • Are Vietnamese factories cheaper than Chinese suppliers?
  • Are Vietnamese suppliers easier to work with?
  • Quality Inspections in Vietnam
  • Lab testing in Vietnam
  • Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) Requirements in Vietnam
  • Primary industrial cities and clusters
  • Shipping & Ports
  • Visas for visiting suppliers
  • Trade Shows in Vietnam (Pre-COVID 19)

How has COVID-19 impacted manufacturing in Vietnam?

Vietnam closed its borders in early 2020 as the COVID pandemic was taking hold all over the world. However, the country remained open internally which allowed its manufacturers to continue operating as usual. Continue reading Manufacturers & Wholesalers in Vietnam: A Complete Guide

Customs & Taxes When Importing from China: US, EU, UK, Australia & Canada

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 83 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Understanding import duties, port charges, VAT, and other taxes is crucial when importing products from China, especially in a time when trade tensions are at an all-time high. However, each country or market has its own import duty rates and customs value calculation methods.

In this article, we explain what every Importer must know about import duties, customs valuation methods, and other taxes when importing products to the following countries and regions.

  • United States
  • European Union
  • Canada
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • United Kingdom

Continue reading Customs & Taxes When Importing from China: US, EU, UK, Australia & Canada

BSCI and Sedex Audits in China: What Importers Must Know

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 32 Comments

BSCI Sedex audits in China

Importers are facing more pressure from customers to ensure that their products are, at least to a certain extent, ethically produced.

However, actively monitoring working conditions in a country far away, costs millions of dollars. In other words, ensuring social compliance in China is out of reach for any company that’s not on the Fortune 500. That’s where BSCI and Sedex come in.

In this guide, we explain what importers must know about BSCI and Sedex audits, including rating systems, finding audited suppliers, and much more.

Overview

  • What is BSCI?
  • What is Sedex?
  • What does it mean when a supplier BSCI or Sedex audited?
  • Is it risky to buy from non-BSCI or SMETA audited suppliers?
  • Where can I find a sample BSCI or SMETA report?
  • How do I know if the audit report is valid and authentic?
  • How can I find BSCI or SMETA audited suppliers?
  • Can we find BSCI and SMETA audited suppliers on Alibaba?
  • Are BSCI and SMETA audits common among suppliers in China?
  • Can our company pay to make a supplier BSCI or Sedex certified?
  • How much does a BSCI or Sedex audit cost?
  • Why are not all suppliers BSCI or Sedex audited?
  • Can BSCI and SMETA audits be conducted in any industry?
  • Which companies offer BSCI audits in China?
  • Which companies offer Sedex SMETA audits in China?

Continue reading BSCI and Sedex Audits in China: What Importers Must Know

Permits and Licenses When Importing from Asia: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 5 Comments

Licenses and permits

Importing certain types of products requires that you first obtain a permit or license. Failing to obtain the necessary permits and licenses can be disastrous, as it can result in your cargo being seized by the customs authorities.

Keep reading, and learn what you must know about import permits and licenses in the European Union, United States, Australia, and many other countries.

Continue reading Permits and Licenses When Importing from Asia: A Complete Guide

Payment Methods when Importing from China: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 48 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

About to pay a manufacturer in China? How and when you pay your supplier has a major impact on the outcome. If managed the right way, your payment method of choice can reduce the risk of scams, delays, and quality issues. In this guide, we explain what importers must know about bank transfers, letter of credit, supplier credit, and trade financing.

We also cover payment services, including PayPal, Alibaba Trade Assurance, Neat Commerce, and Payoneer.

Payment Method Overview

  • Telegraphic Transfer (T/T)
  • Letter of Credit (L/C)
  • Supplier Credit
  • International Trade Finance Services
  • Alibaba Trade Assurance
  • PayPal
  • Neat Commerce
  • Payoneer

FAQ

  • Payment terms
  • Payment scams
  • Currencies

Continue reading Payment Methods when Importing from China: A Complete Guide

How to Make Telegraphic Transfers (T/T) to Chinese Suppliers

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 51 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Telegraphic Transfer (T/T) is the most common way to pay manufacturers in China, and elsewhere in Asia. That said, Telegraphic Transfers are irreversible once the payment is made, and the bank is not responsible for ensuring that you don’t get scammed or pay to the wrong account.

In this guide, we explain what can go wrong when paying Chinese suppliers by Telegraphic Transfer, and what you can do to prevent common issues.

Overview

  • Bank account details
  • Paying the right company
  • Payment fraud risks
  • Transaction fees
  • Payment records and documents
  • Using Wise.com
  • Paying using a Hong Kong account
  • Alibaba telegraphic transfer options

Continue reading How to Make Telegraphic Transfers (T/T) to Chinese Suppliers

List of Quality Control and Inspection Companies in China

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 55 Comments

china quality control

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 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.

Listed Companies

  • Sofeast Limited (Qualityinspection.org)
  • QIMA (Formerly Asiainspection)
  • Asia Quality Focus
  • Bay Source Global
  • InTouch Manufacturing Services
  • V-Trust
  • SGS
  • KRT Audits
  • HQTS
  • Pro QC International
  • ATI
  • Tetra Inspection
  • China Inspection Service
  • STC Group
  • Bureau Veritas InSpec

Continue reading List of Quality Control and Inspection Companies in China

Buying Private Label Products in China: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 26 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Importing private label products from Chinese manufacturers is often seen as a faster and easier way to launch new products. This is sometimes true, but only if done correctly. In this guide, I share everything I have learnt about manufacturing private label products in China – including which products are better suited for private labeling, specifications, making design changes, quality control, compliance, and much more.

This is covered
  • What is private labeling?
  • Product categories suited for private labeling
  • Product categories not suited for private labeling
  • Creating a private label product specification
  • Making design changes to private label products
  • Logo and labeling costs
  • Logo and printing specifications
  • Product packaging
  • Quality inspections for private label products
  • Private labeling products and safety standards
  • Questions & Answers

Continue reading Buying Private Label Products in China: A Complete Guide