3 Unusual Practices that Improve your Order Lead Time

“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.