Canton Fair is launching its new official E-Commerce platform "e-Cantonfair.com" soon, helping buyers find their ideal products with lower price.

According to industry insiders, Cross-border E-Commerce platforms normally charge membership fee or commission fee ranges from 5%-12%, even 15%-20% for some special categories, as revenue. 

e-Cantonfair.com initiates a new business model with “free membership and 0 commission fee” to help ease the burden of small and medium-sized exporters. Buyers will benefit from this new policy and enjoy lower price from the supplies at e-Cantonfair.com.

e-Cantonfair.com also aims to build a reliable e-market through online trading activities, fostering an e-commerce synthesis of Cloud Service with online and offline trading network, founding a unique Chinese foreign trade "Big Data".

To get more information about e-Cantonfair.com , please visit the website here. 

Leading enterprises from China and around the globe are gathering in Guangzhou for the 118th Canton Fair. With tens of thousands of products being featured in the Fair, it’s definitely not easy to stand out from the crowd.

To help buyers find their ideal products and inspire them with the latest product design, e-Cantonfair.com launched NPL (New Product Launch) center, both online and offline in the best location of the Fair, to showcase the latest products and technology from suppliers. Buyers can experience the products at the center and visit the supplier’s booth for further communication.

One of the most popular products showcased in the center for this autumn’s Fair is the electric scooter. Buyers in the Fair are eager to try the product with interest as there have been lots of celebrities who have Instagrammed their pictures of driving such type of electric scooters. Recently at some American TV show and NBA Finals, these types of scooters were showcased as well.

  

Hangzhou Chic Intelligent Technology, the company who first invented the scooter told us that ever since NPL center featured their scooters, the company received much more exposure than before and they have been receiving business request from several buyers in different countries.

Buyers have given compliment about NPL center as well: “Keeping me update with the latest product and technology is important for my business. Now I can discover more new certificated products with NPL and the platform indeed makes trading more efficiently. ”

For more information about NPL online, do visit http://www.e-cantonfair.com/npl.html

The biannual China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, kicked off its 118^th sessions on Oct 15 this year and gathered 24,000 leading enterprises from China and around the globe into one gargantuan venue.

The Fair held since 1957 plays significant role as the biggest trade fair worldwide and has long been regarded as a barometer for China’s trade. Yet it’s also facing challenge from the rise of E-Commerce in recent years: some manufacturers said they are also using Chinese E-Commerce platforms to find buyers. 

While enjoying the convenience and efficiency of E-Commerce, buyers also admitted the risk of trading in virtual. Fred, a buy from Africa stressed that there are a lot fake information online and it is hard to identify if the advertisement is legitimate. Another buyer used two E-Commerce platforms for 6 months but had to stop in the end, “It’s hard to build trust over the internet”.

To tackle the credit challenge in E-Commerce, Canton Fair created its own portal e-Cantonfair (www.e-cantonfair.com) as the official E-Commerce platform. With exclusive access to Canton Fair’s resources including premium suppliers’ data, buyers can trade through the platform for its reliable brand image that established since 1957. Buyers can also post online inquiries and contact the suppliers who do not attend the Canton Fair directly, which greatly improves the efficiency of trading.

President of e-Cantonfair.com Lei Ting emphasized that e-Cantonfair.com is not just an online e-commerce platform. “We have all the offline resources and statistics from Canton Fair, which is a unique strength for transaction security and mutual trust between buyers and suppliers. We take advantage of the convenience of cross border e-commerce, and integrate Canton Fair’s offline resources. We break through all the limits and solve the problem of efficiency and credibility when doing international trade. "

For most African, automobile is considered luxury item to afford, hence motorcycles become local residents’ best choice. At the 118^th Canton Fair, many African customers are spotted at motorcycle booths for export business.

Statistics show that China is the top exporter of motorcycles to Nigeria - one of the biggest economy in Africa – the country has exported over 790,000 motorcycles to Nigeria that hits 38.3 million US dollars, which composes 10.22% of the total amounts of exported motorcycles and 9.21% of the total export revenue.

Mario, an Italian buyer told us at the Fair that, Italy produces various types of high quality motorcycles while the price is relatively high. Since motorcycles made in China has a certain market share in the middle and low-end market, Mario intends to purchase and import diesel motorcycle from Canton Fair to Italy and then export to Africa.

To compete in the global market, a number of domestic motorcycle companies are trying to build up strong international brand image. Lv Yanjun, the Overseas Business Manager of Qingqi, a motorcycle company in Jinan city, told us that their company has invested a lot of money on product innovation and won good reputation in Southeast Asia market for their motorcycles. However, with the influx of other Chinese products and the following price war, Qinqi Company was forced to adjust their sales strategy and switch to developed markets like Europe and the United States, where the product quality is paid more attention than the price.

To expand into international market, China’s motorcycle companies are expected to devise a global strategy, maintain competitive pricing while at the same time bringing innovation into the products to become globally competitive.  

Intelligence makes you free from home security. To catch up with the new trend of technology, many enterprises showcase new smart home appliances at the 118^th Canton Fair: intelligence spa bidet, voice-control washing machine, solar streetlamp with music and Wi-Fi connectivity are displayed on site that hold much attention.

With home automation, you can easily control your home appliances from within or when you’re on-the-go. Real-time information will be updated through Wi-Fi connection that allows you to monitor your home anytime and anywhere.   

“Home appliances are getting more eco-friendly and intelligent in the future. The future trend is simplism and personalization. If the smart products are too complicated to use, consumers won’t like them probably.” Two buyers from New York, who engage in product research and development said at the Fair. They come to the 118^th Canton Fair to get product update and design inspiration.

According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of People’s Republic of China, the export value of home appliances has reached to 28.9 billion from January to June this year, with a slight decline of 0.2% compared to the same period of last year.

With a 10.5% increase of export value to the United States compared to the same period last year and 4.4 billion US dollars of export value to EU, American and European Market are estimated to have great potential. Emerging market has stable growth as well with an increase of 18.3%, making the export value of 1.87 billion to ASEAN this year.

Canton Fair has always been the bellwether of China’s foreign trade condition. In other words, we keep abreast of the latest developments of foreign trade at Canton Fair.

In the 118^th Canton Fair that kicks off recently, a wide range of ceramic tiles are exhibited on side that attract several foreign buyers from Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.

According to the data given by the Customs, in the first six months of 2015, China's export amount of ceramic tile reached 500 million square meters, which increased by 6.02%; and the volume of export had reach $3.84 billion, with an increase of 19.35%.

Cindy, an American buyer, who intends to purchase ceramic tiles, granite and marbles in the Fair, accepted our interview: “America’s economics is recovering and the market is therefore improved.” Cindy said, “But the number of orders of Chinese suppliers seems to go down due to external environment changed.”

Although the export fee from China to the United States is relatively high, the US market is still in high demand of ceramic tiles products from China due to the strong US Dollars and the advantage of Chinese products: China's labor costs are still relatively low and the differentiated products are more cost-effective, therefore products made in China are more popular in the United States. US consumers believe that any products with good quality will be their best choice, no matter where they come from.  

Why visit Canton Fair?

China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, is held biannually in Guangzhou every spring and autumn, with a history of 58 years since 1957; Over 24,000 Chinese enterprises attending each session and more than 150,000 kinds of quality Chinese products are showcased in the Fair which makes it the longest history, the highest level and the largest scale in China.

For the 117^th Canton Fair held this spring, there are a total of 24,713 exhibitors and 184,801 overseas buyers attended. If you intend to source products from China, Canton Fair is definitely your first choice.

How to attend Canton Fair?

In order to attend Canton Fair, buyers need to register at the website and the admission is free. Click here to register.

After the registration, you will receive the invitation that can be used for your China visa application. Please keep the invitation with you as you will need it for onsite registration and to get the free entry badge to the Fair.

Do prepare to book your flight tickets as early as possible to Guangzhou Baiyun International airport. If the flight tickets are not available, you may fly to Hong Kong instead and take a train from Hung Hom station in Kowloon to Guangzhou East Railway station.

To enter the Canton Fair, you must pre-apply for the buyer badge here and get your badge at the Canton Fair buyer registration counter.  Either way, you can also apply at the designated hotels in Guangzhou.

Good luck with your product sourcing and if don’t have time attending our next Canton Fair, you can also register at www.e-Cantonfair.com – the official and the only one E-Commerce platform of Canton Fair. With exclusive access to Canton Fair’s resources including premium suppliers’ data, buyers can post online inquiries, contact the supplier and trade through the platform directly. Check out the website for more information now: www.e-Cantonfair.com

Visiting trading fairs in China is a must for any businessman who wants to discover new opportunities. However, Chinese culture is quite different, since to understand and get used to it you need time and money. Thinking about it, The Red Container introduces three tips which can help you during your sourcing visit:


1 – Take Notes

Any visitor will exchange business cards with suppliers, factories or service providers, nevertheless how can they keep track of who is each contact? The answer is simple “Bring a notepad with you”. During Canton Fair all Chinese salesman take notes for future reference and buyers should do the same in order to relate the products to the correct company. Writing your experience with the product and attaching the business card to a brochure or flyer can help you in entering in contact with the right person.



2 – Make it sure you know where to have your meals

Eating in China can be a challenge for two reasons, first the food may not taste as good as you are expecting and second most restaurants only have the menu available in Mandarin. Do not go to an event complex thinking you will find something which will fulfill your expectations. If you have any food restriction (like being a vegetarian) search first for a place where you can eat. Do not expect someone to tell you where to go, since the employees in the fair does not live in the area they are not able to suggest the correct place.




3 – Plan your Visit

When attending a fair it is important to have a plan and check in which part of the complex the products you are looking for are being exposed. Walking without a direction can be a waste of time even if you are in the correct hall. As an example, there is a home appliance hall in Canton Fair, though if you are looking for refrigerators you must go to a specific place. In case you already know a supplier and its products you should check the fair’s brochure which contains all the information regarding the products and the booth they are being exposed.

“The sooner the better” is a common phrase used by almost everybody, especially when we want to do good business. This phrase also defines the ideology of many buyers doing business in China, and it’s obvious, nobody wants to keep their investment on hold for days (or months).

We always want to close good deals, with cheaper prices and fast shipping. Each part requires knowledge and expertise, both in negotiation and business development, especially when you order a Chinese product.

One problem which usually happens when doing business with Chinese suppliers is related to production delays and it occurs due to several factors combined, it ranges from a problem with a specific raw material to the factory internal communication, any small issue during the order can create serious consequences within the lead time.

For this reason, any buyer needs to be aware of all details when placing an order within Chinese suppliers. Below, there are 3 unusual strategies which can help you be aware of your order and also improve its lead time:



1. Strict Follow-up

In this case, “Strict Follow-up” means to be in touch with the supplier week by week until your order arrives. As a start point, you must decide the delivery date right after you paid it, for example, if the products take 30 days to be produced, you must count the days and inform the supplier that they must have your order ready on that particular date (payment date + 30 days).

It is also recommended to ask for information regarding the production schedule in order to be aware of how the factory planned to process the whole order, from buying the materials to preparing the goods for the assembly line, and so on. Asking all this schedule and keeping a daily contact shows to the supplier that you are strictly following it up and you really care about your product, hence decreasing the chance of delaying your order.

Also, as mentioned in a previous article, agreements made by conversation are not successful while dealing with Chinese suppliers and should be avoided, so keep all communication by email, this way you can keep track of what you have discussed.



2. Asking everything about the factory, the product and your order

Before closing the deal with a supplier, you should ask as much information about their factory and the company as you can. Besides asking their production schedule, request more information about the raw materials they will use to make the product and whether many of these materials are made by themselves or purchased from other suppliers.

The ideal approach to get all this information quick is to schedule a visit to the factory or arrange a factory audit with a third party Inspection Company, however if you are not able to arrange a visit, asking these questions both to the factory representative and/or a manager is a good idea.

Getting familiar with who you are working with will give you an overview on what might (or will) happen during the order. If you are able to find any weak spot on your supplier, you can let them know the problem in advance in order to find a way to solve it before closing the deal.



3. Multiple Inspections

There are many buyers and businessmen arranging quality inspections once the goods are ready to ship, and if they find a significant problem in the product (which needs to be fixed or reworked) it is sure that the order will be delayed.

To avoid any delay, it is recommended to arrange multiple inspections throughout the production period. Inspections and visits can not only be arranged to check the goods, but also to inspect the materials and the assembly line during the manufacturing process.


Do you know any unusual strategy that can help buyers finish their orders faster? Which other factors can help factories to improve their production? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

It is quite difficult to know how the quality of a specific product is without testing a sample in advance. In fact, we can consider 3 important ways to figure it out: (1) The quality of the material; (2) How long the supplier/factory has been producing it; (3) The certifications which the plant/product holds (CE, ROHS etc). Every week The Red Container will introduce three products which quality can fit our readers’ expectations. This is our selection for this week:




1 – Power Banks with 20000 Mah

In the last decade most devices became portable. Nowadays almost everybody has a mobile phone and many PC users are migrating from desktops to Notebooks or tablets. Thus, portability made batteries an essential accessory in daily life and we became afraid of its depletion, since a depleted battery cannot turn on a device.

Power banks became the best solution to recharge any battery. China has been producing them for a long time, fact which permitted the supplier to get expertise/experience and raised the quality of the product. Now it is possible to buy a high capacity power bank without being afraid of its quality. Most laptops models uses 9 cells battery which capacity varies from 6600Mah to 9600Mah, a power bank made in China can hold 20000Mah, which permits the user to recharge his laptop 2 or 3 times before it gets depleted. If you are interested in power banks, please follow this link -> http://goo.gl/X4CVUw




2 – Led Bulbs

Led bulbs increased the illumination capability and at the same time decreased the energy consumption when compared with florescent bulbs. Most of Chinese factories are already certified by different companies and have been producing such products for long time. If you feel interested in Led Bulbs, please follow this link -> http://goo.gl/stVuNs




3 - Pen Drives

Back in the day, Chinese pen drives used to burn out easily due to the quality of the components and inexperienced factories, however it changed during time, nowadays flash drives made in China are as reliable as famous brands. Different models and designs are also available, it varies from wooden models until character based models? Check the link -> http://goo.gl/sBnLcO

For any buyer, to make a safe deal with a Chinese supplier is a challenge. There are many details to check in your order, such as: delivery time, pricing, other expenses, ensure that the final product is done according to the specifications you requested etc.

Even when looking at the most experienced suppliers, manufacturers and vendors in China, the language barrier and cultural differences within their partners can put to risk the whole order due to a tiny error or misunderstandings.

To improve communication and try to make the process smoother, many businessmen and professionals use the services of a Chinese translator to ensure that all the details are being negotiated correctly, but there are other issues that might go unnoticed and that can even cause further problems and frustrations.

In this article we explain 3 things you must avoid when you are doing business with a Chinese supplier, so you can keep them as a reminder for future negotiations and to improve the ordering and manufacturing process with your vendor.




1. Agreements/confirmations by mouth

One of the biggest mistakes many buyers do when dealing with manufacturers resides in confirming all the details and decisions only in conversations. Even when the supplier’s intentions are good, sometimes some information might slip away or get forgotten because of a language misunderstanding.

In order to avoid these issues you should maintain an e-mail communication with your supplier in China, at least for all the points you consider important in the product and regarding your order, do not make agreements only by mouth, assume everything will be fine and that they will understand all of your requests.

It is also ideal to fill all important details and product specifications in the: order, contract or in the proforma invoice.




2. Getting to fast into the business talk

It is very common for overseas businessmen to go straight to the point and talk about the business details with their partners or suppliers once they meet, except in China. For those buyers who are going to meet the supplier for the first time, it is very important to leave behind the business talk and focus on getting to know your supplier in China first.

Chinese businessmen tend to do business only with people they trust and who are in their circle of relationships, in order to achieve that, they expect to have long time negotiations with their counterpart.

Get to know more your supplier or vendor, observe who are the decisions makers in the organization and their working culture, join them to go for a dinner together (if you are invited), then when the time is right, bring the topic to the table.




3. Over negotiating the cheapest deal

Taking too serious the “China is cheap” argument can be troublesome the business.

Chinese suppliers do not have the word “No” in their business vocabulary and they do not tend to be negative, so when you push too much your supplier for a cheaper price, they probably will tell you they can make your product. However, in order to fulfill your request the supplier will decrease the quality of the raw material, which may result in quality problems to solve in the future.

Do not over negotiate the price, make sure that is a win-win situation and that you and your Chinese supplier are satisfied with the deal.


Do you know any other factor that might be important to avoid or to remember when negotiating with a supplier in China? Please let us know in the comments section.

For over 50 years the Canton Fair allows Western companies to find suppliers in China. Since the explosion of e-commerce many B2B players offer trade opportunities from China without having to go there. This is the case of the official platform of the Canton Fair (www.E-cantonfair.com). But be careful, this can quickly become a wild jungle for newcomers. Here are the pitfalls and tips to properly source in China via www.e-cantonfair.com



1. E-commerce Vs. Professional Directory

Any company which is concerned about low production cost in China probably knows it, with over 200,000 visitors per session the Canton Fair is one of the largest fair in the world. Their official E-commerce platform, which has just (re) started, aims to win the market share very quickly in the field of B2B sourcing and is obviously a main actor to take into consideration.

E-cantonfair.com website offers to companies worldwide (including the smallest ones) an easy access to Chinese production facilities. Unlike many B2B platforms already present in China, E-cantonfair.com aims to offer a complete supply chain solution to its buyers and not just a list of suppliers. How? By offering its users a complete online experience following the coming steps:


1. Search and find products;

2. Make contact and negotiate with the supplier;

3. Place an order and pay online;

4. Find thirty party companies on the platform for quality control, logistics, custom formalities, etc;

5. Receive the products in your warehouse.


E-cantonfair.com is actually more than just a business directory but a one-stop solution for sourcing in China.


2. Know what you want and where to look for it

In the same way as Canton Fair, a buyer visiting www.e-cantonfair.com for the first time can quickly be overwhelmed at the huge number of potential partners. It is essential to always keep in mind that for this B2B platform like most of the others, it is the suppliers who register by themselves on the platform and not the website who register for them one by one.

Research can be complicated in some situations, especially in the case when some factories choose to appear in several categories. The buyer, who is looking for a partner able to supply a particular product, will have to visit several categories before making his choice. It is also highly recommended to search with synonyms to maximize the options since suppliers may not use the same word to describe a product. The use of filters at your disposal is also important, it will let you choose the geographical location you prefer, selection of materials, standards available, etc.



3. Using the "lead express" tool

A major added value of ​​E-cantonfair.com platform is its functionality "post lead express". This tool allows the buyer to post an online enquiry without searching for manufactures by himself. If the request is precise, it will be sent directly to suppliers with the highest guarantee to meet the demand.

In case the request is too vague, an employee of the platform will resume it, if necessary request additional information from the buyer and send the information directly to a selection of top suppliers maximizing your chance of an useful reply.

This feature helps buyers to save time as they don’t have to personally conduct research but also to be linked with previously selected and audited suppliers.



4. Search for Your Products Among the "E-cantonfair Gold Supplier"

As a result of the Chinese supplier poor image in Western countries, E-cantonfair.com seeks to support buyers. For this reason, the site has created the gold supplier status. What are the criteria to access this status as a supplier? Firstly it is important to know that this status is not awarded by the company but sold in various package for suppliers visibility, therefore factories buy the trust of potential customers. However, E-cantonfair.com undertakes to verify all the information indicated by the supplier, factory, number of employees, standards, certifications, financial documents, insurance etc. Therefore, it is much safer to deal with a GOLD Supplier especially if you are not experienced in online shopping.

Caution, it is strongly advised to always put more suppliers in competition; three is often the reference number, so choose the best manufacturers.

A mistake often made by buyers, when searching online for new suppliers, is to underestimate the presentation of their company and the accuracy of their request. As the buyer chooses its suppliers, the best manufacturers also have certain standards and will not lose time on incomplete applications. To improve your credibility, buyers should make clear request about the products they want, the markets they sell, the standards needed etc. A link to their company’s website will always add value to the process.



5. Identifying Wholesalers

Be cautious with wholesalers, many suppliers in China claim to be manufacturers when in fact they are only an intermediary between the buyer and the factory. To identify them, at first, look at the range of products available. A plant usually produces a single item or products very close to each other (Ex: small electrical appliances → factory will often manufacture coffee machines, toasters, etc ...), or a specific material (Ex: silicone, plastic, etc ...). If from your sourcing you find a wide selection of products belonging to different categories, there is a good chance that you will have to deal with a trader. Another tip is to look at the company's capital, a factory almost never have a capital lower than 300 000USD.

Why the manufacturer rather than the trader? Two main reasons, the first regards the production. If you deal with the manufacturer directly and notice some defaults or want to change some elements of the products, you will have a good chance to achieve it. However, the trader will be much more difficult to convince.

Secondly, the price: a trading company means intermediate in the supply chain and consequently less attractive price for the final buyer.

As a buyer, if you follow those steps and advice, you will definitely reduce the chance of having an issue and will increase the number of opportunities to do online B2B sourcing from China.

In human relations leadership can be understood as the act of being followed by others. The reason which can lead us into such situation can differ, since a leader can be chosen by its followers or be imposed by someone in higher position, therefore it is a matter of acceptance and respect.

When regarding competition between companies the same logic can be perceived, however the rules change once the ambient, people involved and interests are different. A company which is considered the leader of its market normally dictates the rules and the ways the business is done and held. Instead of giving orders as people do, companies create the new market guidelines.

In trading this process can manifest itself in many ways. If the market leader develop new logistic route for his imported merchandise, automatically it makes him more competitive. It can change the shipping time, price, security or even the amount carried. This action results in the competitor’s need to develop new strategies and ideas to stand against the new competitive rules set up by the Leader.

When I was working in Brazil as strategic planning director for a group of 38 companies, I faced many challenges related to competitiveness, but one in specific detains my attention “The Retail Chain which goes online”. The company which I mention is the leader in its sector; it holds the exclusiveness for the importation of many brands, they also have all the logistics to distribute these products around the Brazilian territory, therefore they dictate the rules (price and availability) of these products.

Their stores were not available over all the territory, as a result a competitor developed an online store in order to sell and distribute its products in areas which the leader did not cover. It was a successful plan, the smaller company managed to reach and develop itself in a new way becoming leader of the online sector plus in the territories not covered by the leader. We can understand and see the smart work and innovation transforming a smaller competitor in the market leader.

Anyway, this case does not end here. The former leader decided to take counter measures, we must remember it is powerful, dominates the logistics, importation, exclusiveness and prices. An online store was developed and all these support was given, fact which made them more competitive and one year later leaders of the online segment.

The size of a company can help it gain competitiveness in order to reach the market’s leadership, however innovation (Research and Development) and smart working (doing it fast and correctly) are the real factors behind it. Being big can give you power to easily develop new methods and technologies, however it does not mean an enormous company will be the most smart or even have the best ideas.

China has many suppliers which produce different products and price range. The manufacturing business opportunities in China are many, however not only to saving costs, instead many supplier options are available for each industry. Besides all the benefits, it seems that the majority of businessmen fall into a common problem with the sellers in China: communication. Sometimes dealing with a Chinese supplier sometimes can be quite difficult, it depends on the product you are negotiating and the manufacturing standards that you need.

One of the qualities of a china wholesale supplier is the way they communicate with their customers. Using your experience and following our tips in this article is important, since it will allow you to forecast the deal outcome. The tips and suggestions of this article will help you to improve your communication skills when dealing with a supplier in China, at the same time it will help you to understand better their way of communicating, improving your experience while doing and discussing business.



1 - Understand the Culture

There is no better way to start a negotiation than understanding the culture of the country you are planning to do business with, and it does not work in China but in any other place. The history of China dates back thousands of years, therefore it has many rooted cultural values. You must learn more about their history and culture, thus you will get a better idea of the supplier’s expectations and ways of doing business.



2 - Reconfirm

After closing a deal, many foreign buyers check the agreement standards only once. It is highly recommended to reconfirm all the points, specifications and other details discussed in order to avoid any kind of misunderstanding. Summarizing every detail discussed is the best way to leave everything clear with your manufacturer.



3 - Explain yourself clearly

It is very normal for suppliers in China have at least one English speaking salesperson since the demand of English speaking skills in China is very high. However is good to remember that English is not their native language, explain all the details about your inquiry in the simplest way possible. If you are speaking with the supplier face to face, it is good to communicate in a slower pace and after, send a follow-up email letting in written all the points discussed.



4 - Use a Chinese translator

If you want to ensure 100 percent that you are being clear or in case the supplier doesn’t have an English speaking representative (which is common), you can hire a Chinese translator to improve communication. This is a common practice for many buyers traveling around China for business, but it is also a smart decision to hire one if you have been only communicating by email.



5 - Ask their IM contact

The primary method to communicate with a supplier in China is email, since you can keep record of everything you have discussed. However, to improve communication and save time, it is also recommended to ask for an Yahoo Messenger or Skype ID, therefore you can discuss all your order details in an effective way.

You have your company, you have an idea and you know where to find the product; China. So you book a flight, book a hotel, take the flight then visit the Canton Fair, and then everything changes.

When coming to the Canton Fair for the first time, businessmen often get amused with the amount of wholesale suppliers you can get in touch face to face, there are endless pavilions with a lot of booths showing you many products that might or might not be relevant to you. 

Sourcing can be a little bit confusing at the first time

While many users prefer to look for suppliers through the internet. Visiting Canton fair, being surrounded of its wide variety of wholesale suppliers with products of different industries, can be tempting the first time you visit it, therefore can affect the focus and scope of your original product development plan.

To help you not to lose the focus of your business in the Canton fair, there are 3 key qualities you should always keep in mind while sourcing for your perfect wholesale supplier:


1. The wholesale supplier specialized in one industry


It is very common in the Canton Fair and China to see wholesale suppliers which can provide you a much extended range of products than others (Example: a supplier that offers from electric appliances to furniture). While this may show a look that the supplier is experienced in different industry, it can be totally the opposite.

Look at this mess, do they really produce all of that?

The best wholesale suppliers are usually focused in one industry or one kind of product in specific, some of them will even develop new technologies through an R&D department due to their extended knowledge. The quality of the final product and the service that these suppliers deliver can save you from a lot of trouble if you decide to do business with them.


2. The countries they have been working with


It is a very useful thing to keep in mind while talking with the wholesaler. Asking a wholesale supplier "which countries are they doing and have they done business?" gives you an idea of what quality, production and services standards they are willing to offer to you as a customer.

Just keep in mind that while North American and European countries have both, service and quality standards, several emerging countries are more flexible and easier to deal with.

As more developed is the country higher are the standards

At the same time, if you find them inside Canton Fair, it means they already have met the standards of the fair, since Canton Fair requires the wholesale supplier to be a member of a trade organization plus they need to exceed a specific exportation amount.


3. Communication


In international business clear and constant communication is vital. Many Chinese wholesale suppliers know this, hence the sales department in their company usually speaks English. However, even with an English speaking salesperson, many businessmen face serious communication problems with the Chinese suppliers and manufacturers during the order follow-up.

To avoid this, ask for more information about the company, the most relevant questions of your product and double-confirm all details with your wholesale suppliers during the beginning of the negotiation.


 

Good communication results in good business

During this time, it is good to check how sympathetic they are and if they are willing to provide you all the information you asked. This receptivity is easier to notice if you meet the supplier personally (in their factory, or inside Canton Fair), if the communication is being done via internet or phone, using your intuition and measuring the supplier's response time can be of big help.

For more information on "communicating with Chinese suppliers", please keep checking out The Red Container, soon we will publish a new article regarding this topic.