Many clients don’t have a very good understanding of a sourcing agent, they automatically think that buying products is as simple as attending a trade show or market, making the order and then going back to their country wait for the delivery. THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT PROCESS UNLESS YOU HAVE KNOWN VERY WELL THE FACTORY.

First of all, it’s true that factories who attend the trade show is trustable enough and they are mostly manufacturers. While do you know that 95% of the products are not available to ship during your staying in China? You check in the trade show, the sample is ok, but that doesn’t mean your bulk order is exactly the same as your sample. Factories will always try to accept all your request before order, but when the production finish, without checking, you will be very disappointed which can never be redone anymore. While with a purchasing agent, they can follow up your order and double check with the factory before everything has been done. They can assure you can get the right thing.

Secondly, factories pay to attend the trade show, actually, there’s not a very strict standard level for exhibitors. Small or big, as long as they have invested money, they get an entrance ticket. And not all factories are able to give a very good after service. Instead, they focus more on making new products and private mold products and selling. Small companies don’t even have service dept, a sales can do all the process and it’s alright if their sales can communicate with you well since most of the time sales can only write well. Once they left the company, it’s very difficult to ask for any after-service support. However, if you have your purchasing agent, they help with communication with factories, and they put your interests in their priority, whenever you need from China, they can respond to you immediately.

Thirdly, cooperate permanently with one or two factories can not help you understand better your industry at an international level, you need consistently attend trade shows, have information of new products, know industry statics. Assume you can come to China 2-3 times per year, but it’s really time and money consuming, but the normal regular trade shows can be done easily by the purchasing agent. According to your cost of coming on your own, it’s only small money to hire a purchasing agent. Besides, your purchasing agent can also search for more competitive factories as a backup option. Pursuing utmost profit should be the rule of all businessman

Fourthly, no one can be 100% that they will never meet some bad quality issue when doing business with Chinese companies. And 100% sure that it’s no way to sue Chinese factories or not worthy to sue them if you get wrong products or bad quality products. However, a purchasing agent company can do that easily, at least they are Chinese and they have their own ways to deal with them.

Last but not least, many foreign companies may have their way of sourcing such as via Alibaba,made in China, global source etc. But do you know that the so-called manufacturers in those platforms can be one person with only one computer? Many suppliers are actually small trading companies, a sourcing agent can lead you to direct factory and charge you in a transparent method, it will be so much better than that.

And who is a sourcing agent?what does a sourcing agent do? how do you meet your sourcing agent?

A sourcing agent can be an individual or a group or a company. They offer you services like:

1, Interpretations, accompanying clients searching products in markets

2, Searching new products and suppliers

3, Verify, inspect, and audit suppliers and their products

4, Negotiating with your supplier

5, Make purchasing contract if necessary

6, Quality control

7, Shipping support and loading supervision

8, Attending fairs for clients

To trust someone in a different country cannot be so easy, the most important thing is you have to meet the person or their company for a while before you actually work with them, you can start small, after several times meetings and orders, try more and more and then finally be a permanent partner. I am an interpreter as well as a sourcing agent, I have my office in Shenzhen, I have worked with several stable clients from different countries and if you see this is useful and you also want to have someone look after your order, you can send me email through the platform and give me a bit support. I have a lot more experience to share.