With the expansion of e-commerce platforms and increased needs for importing goods and final products, it is essential to learn more about the process of locating the right source so you can be able to battle with your competition in the right way.
The key is to find a supplier that will provide you with high-quality products and a decent price so you can remain competitive on the market. Besides that, time of delivery is also a very important factor. Bigger companies need to determine a stable source where they can get required products or resources all the time, and keep the stability and quality at the same time.
The fact is that China represents the biggest and most popular market for finding manufacturers these days, and you can visit maplesourcing.com to learn more about the best methods that can help you to find the best partners.
The crucial part for your business is to determine the right strategy for the sourcing process. That will help you to avoid issues that might occur with unstable distributors, which will affect your business to not be able to offer the same products all the time. Here are some tips that will help you to understand the sourcing process in retail.
1. Know Your Customers
The first step when you are choosing the sources for your products is to check the group you are planning to target with them. That will help you to make the right decision and determine some priorities. For example, if you are planning to offer some specific product that is not offered by so many manufacturers, it is necessary to establish a good connection with the retail services and ensure that you can supply your clients with enough of these products all the time.
On the other hand, you can be more flexible if you have an online store where you are selling all kinds of products. In that case, you don’t need to worry about having the same producer all the time since you can always introduce new things, along with various attractive deals and discounts so you can keep loyal customers.
2. Compare Different Options
There is no reason to rush with your decisions and choose the first company you see on websites where you can find foreign retail services. A lot of them are using the same tactic, which is highlighting some cheap products to make people interested in creating a partnership. You should always check more details so you can be sure that you are making the right choice.
First of all, determine the niche, and then start looking for available producers and their offers. Besides that, there is no reason to stick to only one distributor all the time. For example, if you are selling clothes, you can find one producer for t-shirts, another one for dresses, the third one for shoes, and more.
The point is to find attractive, cheap products with decent quality that you can offer for a higher price on your online store. Keep in mind that some additional terms might be included as well, like certain limits where you will need to buy a higher amount of some products to get a lower price. Also, pay attention to warranties, time needed for shipping, and other features.
3. Proper Communication is the Key
The great thing is that a lot of companies these days are using digital platforms with automation that will help faster the distribution of goods. This is especially important if your main focus is on faster delivery. The advantage is that you will ensure the higher satisfaction of your clients, even though there is a chance that your profit might be lower.
Still, that is an excellent and long-term solution. For instance, you can create a collaboration with some foreign supplier, and connect your service so you can deliver the information at the same moment when someone purchases the product on your website. This became very popular among smaller businesses and dropshippers as well. Third party logistics providers, like Red Stag’s order fulfillment services, can be vital for timely shipments.
4. Be Aware of Potential Challenges
We all know that the process of finding a good source can be challenging these days when there is high competition in this market. There could be all kinds of problems, like lack of quality, the longer time required for shipping, changes in prices, poor communication, and more. It is always a good option to create a long-term partnership with some supplier.
However, there is no reason to stick to it even when there are some issues all the time with proper supply. You should research for better solutions all the time, and be prepared to cancel a collaboration at any moment so you can meet better deals at some other place. Besides that, be sure to create proper calculations each time you find a product. Consider the potential costs of shipping and the time needed for delivery.
The Bottom Line
When you have a proper sourcing strategy, you will decrease the chances of having various issues related to changes in prices, delays in shipping, or lack of quality. The best option is to create a list of current and potential partners that you will contact for sending you products.
Also, be sure that you are getting these products for the best price. Moreover, a week or two can make a huge difference for your customers since most of them will pay more to get their products faster. You should keep that in mind before accepting some affordable deal where you will need to wait for a whole month to get a delivery.
Testing is also very important, especially if you are working as a dropshipper. There is great competition in almost every industry these days, and even a small mistake could lead to fewer customers. Therefore, the main focus should be on securing that your clients are satisfied. Keep in mind that the proper analysis is essential, and you should provide it all the time so you can be able to determine the right sources at any moment.
