The process of hiring a reliable wholesale supplier in China is a bold business move that many have done but only a few have succeeded in. By now, you must have already heard hundreds of horror stories about dealing with suppliers from China. But here’s a fact: Some of the world’s most successful companies use wholesale suppliers and factories in China—in fact, they owe much of their profitability to this arrangement. You can certainly do the same. Here are a few things you need to know before hiring a wholesale supplier in China:
Hire a Mandarin speaker.
A lot of things get lost in translation when you deal with someone overseas. Not everyone speaks English and Mandarin, so it’s best to meet halfway and just hire someone who is fluent in Mandarin to translate things for you during meetings, especially when you are about to secure a deal.
Assess limits and capabilities.
Suppliers have different capacities determined by the number of workers they have, their equipment, how updated their tools are, and the skills of their employees. You can hire a quality control checker to assess their facilities beforehand to make sure that you are dealing with a wholesale supplier that can truly deliver high-quality results on time. Also, make sure that they are capable of communicating with you regularly to update you every step of the way about the progress and any issues or delays that may cost your company. In other words, make sure they value transparency.
Check background and history.
The best companies are preceded by their positive, reliable reputation. Ask people you know who have dealt with suppliers from China. If you don’t know anyone who has, then consult the internet and testimonials from past clients. The best supplier will not only have glowing recommendations but also a trustworthy background and over a decade of experience. See if they are affiliated with leading institutions such as the American Chamber of Commerce in China or the China-Britain Business Council.