Tag: general

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

Warranties & Refunds When Buying From China: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 9 Comments

Product Warranty

Product warranties and refunds are essentially non-existent when importing goods from China, and many other countries. In this guide, we explain why this is the case. We go into detail on why some warranties are not actually warranties, and why your supplier may not be able to provide a refund even if they want to.

Further, we also explain other – and more realistic – ways to get compensation from your supplier. More specifically, this often takes place in terms of repairs, remakes, or spare parts. Continue reading Warranties & Refunds When Buying From 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

Ocean Plastic Manufacturers in China: Our Top 8 Picks

Posted on by Chuiyan Mo — Leave a comment

Ocean plastics have a wide range of applications, including in the apparel, footwear, and accessories industries. That being said, ocean plastics are still not that widespread, and using ocean plastics requires that you purchase materials from specialized suppliers.

In this guide, we list Chinese manufacturers and international companies with distribution centers offering plastics made from ocean-collected materials.  We also list suppliers partially specialized in manufacturing products using ocean plastics.

Listed Companies

Recycled Ocean Plastic Based Materials

  • RSP
  • Wujiang Tangsheng Textile
  • Greener Fabrics
  • Unifi
  • Ocean Material
  • Xuzhou Seagor Import and Export Company

Recycled Ocean Plastic Based Products

  • Pack Tech
  • The Better Packaging

Disclaimer

We are not affiliated with any of the companies listed in this guide. We have selected these companies based on their claimed product scope, history, certification, and capabilities. Continue reading Ocean Plastic Manufacturers in China: Our Top 8 Picks

Guide to Alibaba Gold Suppliers: What Importers Must Know

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 17 Comments

Alibaba Gold Supplier

The Alibaba Gold Supplier program is often misunderstood as a ‘seal of approval’ while it’s more comparable to a verified business directory. What makes the Gold Supplier program unique is the information you can access about each supplier – information that can in turn be used to source qualified suppliers in China, Vietnam, India, and many other countries.

In this guide, I explain what Alibaba Gold Suppliers are – and what they are not. I also explain how you can use the information made available in the TrustPass profile to your advantage. Continue reading Guide to Alibaba Gold Suppliers: What Importers Must Know

Buying Product Samples from China: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 52 Comments

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

Product samples are essential when importing products from China, and elsewhere in Asia. Obviously, you want to see and feel the product before you start production. However, ordering product samples is also a way to test if your supplier is truly up to the task.

In this guide, you will learn everything importers must know about product samples, including IP risks, payment terms, cost examples, sample types, and lead times.

Product sample types

  • Factory samples
  • Custom made product samples
  • Production samples
  • Virtual samples
  • 3D printed samples
  • Counter-samples

Other Topics

  • Supplier-led product development
  • Intellectual property risks
  • Payment terms
  • Product sample costs
  • How to pay for product samples
  • Injection molds and tooling costs
  • Sample production time
  • Import duties and taxes

Continue reading Buying Product Samples from China: A Complete Guide

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

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 84 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

Made-in-China.com Guide: Product List, Wholesalers & More

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 3 Comments

made-in-china.com

Made-in-China.com is a Nanjing-based supplier directory, that some may see as an Alibaba.com clone. That is not accurate, as Made-in-China.com launched in 1998, one year before Alibaba.

That said, Alibaba is by far the largest supplier directory today, both in terms of suppliers and services. Still, Made-in-China.com remains a top 5 supplier directory, and certain buyers prefer to source suppliers on this platform.

In this article, you will learn more about their product categories, supplier verification, payment options, and other services.
Continue reading Made-in-China.com Guide: Product List, Wholesalers & More