Are you a new importer attempting to source your product in China, Southeast Asia, Latin America, or another low-cost region?
Over the years, we’ve worked with many people who’ve had varying degrees of quality control and sourcing experience. And there are certain key mistakes that we often see the less-experienced importers make.
Imagine that you’ve done all the hard work of finding a product to sell, reaching out to different factories, deciding on the best supplier, and then placing an order. Your order is shipped from the factory and it begins its journey across the ocean. But when it arrives, you discover that your products are not at all what you were expecting.
Perhaps the colors are all wrong or the material cracks and breaks easily. Maybe the sizing is off or the product doesn’t function well.
These situations happen, but they can be avoided.
There are certain steps you can take throughout the sourcing process to avoid the most dangerous pitfalls that other people in your situation often fail to spot.
Here we’ve identified 5 key sourcing mistakes that you should avoid. What are they?
The 5 Sourcing Mistakes That Importers Should Avoid
In this free downloadable guide, we go into each of these mistakes in more detail and explain how to avoid making them.
Mistake No. 1: A Lack of Due Diligence
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is rushing to get your product manufactured and shipped. Rushing makes it more likely that you won’t do the due diligence that’s required to ensure the quality of your products.
Learn about the steps you should take to ensure proper due diligence »
Mistake No. 2: Lacking Specifications or Making Spec Changes Without Documenting Them
If you are serious about ensuring the quality of your products, you need to develop clear specifications. Not doing so can lead to unexpected quality problems down the road or quality fade over time.
Find out more about how to create your specifications »
Mistake No. 3: Missing Key Elements from the Contract
Once you’ve gone through the vetting, quoting, and sampling process with a manufacturer, it’s time to put together a contract. It’s important that it covers all key areas.
Find out what you should include in your contract »
Mistake No. 4: Paying an Entity Other Than the Factory
Oftentimes, importers don’t realize how careful they need to be about paying the right entity. When you draw up a contract with your supplier, the other party is signing it on behalf of a specific company. But what happens next?
Learn about the mistake importers often make with payments »
Mistake No. 5: Treating OEM and ODM Sourcing the Same Way
It is important that you don’t treat your relationships with OEM factories and ODM factories in the same way. OEM stands for “original equipment manufacturer” and these factories will make products based on your designs and specifications. ODM stands for “original design manufacturer” and these factories will actually do product design themselves.
Learn about how to approach sourcing differently with each one.
Download This Free Guide to Learn More
When you work with a new supplier in a low-cost country, you need to understand what you’re getting yourself into and take all the necessary precautions. There are certain mistakes that we see importers making all the time — mistakes that can be avoided with the proper mindset and preparation. Learn what they are and how to avoid them.
Get better results from your sourcing efforts.
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