Clients coming to Guangzhou, China, usually know where to find the supplies they need and contact their local agents or temporary interpreters only to establish contact, arrange meetings and take care of future liaison after they return home. However, it does happen sometimes that unprepared customers arrive without any concrete plan or firm idea about where to go. This is the moment for us, freelance agents or escort translators to set their mind at ease and offer some feasible suggestions.
China is a big factory and Guangzhou is one of the large wholesale markets that serve not only Southern China but also the whole world. Therefore, when a customer comes and does not know exactly where to find the goods they need, two choices are obviously recommendable: manufacturers and wholesale markets.
Pros and cons for both options:
Manufacturers are no doubt the makers of goods and mostly also sell such goods themselves. As they sell directly from the factory and no distribution channel is required, thus the operating cost is saved and the price is more reasonable; As they are manufacturers, customers see with their own eye what is going on on the production line and are more impressed so far as the Surety of the goods is concerned; Direct contact between manufacturer and customer also facilitates the development of any new ideas and new products, easier to create new stuffs, and the communication is more efficient between the two parties. However, if a customer needs more than one category of products, he/she has to visit different places that are not necessarily neighbors. They may need to spend a lot of time reaching such manufacturers and cannot communicate with each of them at ease as time might be pressing.
Wholesale market, on the opposite, is the right place to find almost everything a customer may need and for each product there will be a full spectrum of different versions, sizes and colors on supply and possible in stock. For a half day a customer will meet most of their potential suppliers. The wholesale market, however, is the trader’s paradise and unless you find the agent of a manufacturer, the price will be rather stunning, and, when you inquire on some of the details of the product or production, the reply might be a little ambiguous, either because the trader does not know much or he/she does not want to tell you. Understandably, the asymmetric information favors the selling party.
So, the choice between manufacturers and wholesale markets is not easy. It depends on many factors and an interpreter has to communicate extensively with the clients: length of their stay in China, the quantity, quality and categories of their purchase, and their personal preference. And the interpreter also needs to have a full grasp of the market and production facilities in their scope of services.
8 thoughts on “Suppliers or Wholesale Market?”
wow, i see, it seems u are good at interpretation! good job
thanks, linda. it’s wonderful to receive your response. it makes me feel i’m not lonely in this circle of interpreting services. all the best to you!
Man you have a very good understanding of this market! Good job!
Thanks Sabrina. We need to know our job, right? I used to do a lot of escort interpreting but recently the interpreting business seems rather slow. I don’t quite understand…
Because the foreigners are learning Chinese… Ahaha Just kidding.
We are glad to have you James. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
Thanks Leon. I’m happy that you’ve created a sort of Circle of Interpreters, and I’m part of it.
Very useful tips. Thanks.