I have a foreign friend Jake who works on Amazon’s E-commerce platform. He worked for a big web company for many years and was very good at marketing websites. So he felt no pressure when he started his own business. But after the website has been arranged, he always worries about the supply of goods. Want to import from China, but do not know how to find China suppliers/manufacturers, there is no channel to go. I think many foreign sellers especially newbies have encountered this situation. In this chapter, we will share how to help you find China wholesale suppliers(manufacturers).
1. Understand What type of China supplier do you need
Before looking for a supplier, you should identify the type of China supplier you are looking for. This will help you identify the terms you need to use in your research and find the right China vendors. Supplier types include :
China manufacturer: Such suppliers usually have their own factories, and the products are produced by themselves, so the quality is easy to control. But the response speed is slow, and even some factory staff can not speak English
Trading company: Such suppliers are more efficient and flexible. They manage multiple customers at the same time and purchase more products, but the price has no advantage over the factory
China sourcing agent: This kind of supplier product covers a wide range, can help you purchase a variety of products on multiple platforms. RunSourcing agent is your China office can help you process everything that imports from China. You can check our previous article, How to Find Good China Sourcing Agent？
2. TOP 4 fastest way to find Chinese suppliers
The following platforms are popular in China and the most commonly used method of finding Chinese suppliers. Hope to help you quickly find suppliers in China.
2.1 Alibaba
Alibaba.com is China’s largest E-commerce platform. Many customers find a large number of suppliers through a keyword search, and then send inquiries to establish contact with suppliers. Although various E-commerce platforms have sprung up, Alibaba’s position cannot be replaced. Its secure payment, professional sales staff, and field certification of suppliers can provide customers with security. Many foreign customers who want to find suppliers from China, most of them will consider Alibaba. As soon as you make an inquiry, you will get the offer soon. You can check our previous article, Alibaba Review: How to buy from Alibaba？
2.2 1688.com
1688.com has a large number of factories, the price is very lower. So many trading companies in China are sourcing from 1688. At present, with the development of E-commerce such as Amazon and eBay, these buyers basically purchase from 1688. Because they have access to the actual factory, saving costs and controlling quality. A lot of foreign buyers also noticed this, they’re all coming towards 1688. Many customers can speak Chinese themselves or can use Google translation to find Chinese suppliers.
2.3 Canton Fair
The Canton fair is a distinctive feature of China and is well known around the world. China holds the Canton fair twice a year, in spring and autumn. Since the establishment of the Canton fair in the spring of 1957, the fair has attracted a great number of clients from home and abroad. They come from different provinces in China, or come from different countries and speak different languages. Canton fair is very professional, product coverage is wide, the suppliers are very professional, not every company can attend the Canton fair. Through the Canton fair, you can communicate with Chinese factories face to face, place orders on site, and quickly find the right suppliers
2.4 Through Friends Who Already Purchased From China
If you have some friends who already purchased from China, you can ask them to introduce China suppliers to you. These people are basically very familiar with the Chinese market, and can better communicate with Chinese suppliers. For example, I have a Belgium customer who has been purchasing rain boots from us for many years. Not long ago, he suddenly introduced another customer to me and said that his friend needed help to purchase raincoats. This kind of customer is introduced by our old customers, our quotation is relatively favorable.
3. More Ways to Find China Wholesale Manufacturers/Suppliers
In addition to the above methods, we can also recommend other platforms to find China wholesale manufacturers/suppliers.
3.1 Made In China
Made-in-china.com differs from other B2B platforms in that it has a better reputation in heavy industries such as machinery, building materials, and vehicle heavy industries. If the product you want to purchase from China falls into one of these categories, made-in-china is a great choice. General B2B platform is the main comprehensive, mainly small and medium-sized businesses. A clear market positioning can make it easier for customers to obtain the information they need in the made-in-china network.
3.2 AliExpress
Many foreign buyers buy from aliexpress.com, This type of customer is more of a retailer.
So If your number is small and you’re just starting out, AliExpress is a good choice. If you want to build a scalable business, I don’t recommend it because you may be dealing not with a direct manufacturer but with an intermediary who won’t tell you about the factory or it may not keep up with your sales. That means you won’t get the best price. This relationship isn’t good for you if you want to build a sustainable business.
3.3 DHgate
DHgate(dhgate.com) is another online platform to find Chinese suppliers that target small volume buyers. The main advantage again is lower MOQs – as low as one piece. Users report that there are a larger variety of products on DHgate, so it can be a good resource to complement AliExpress or for certain niche items. They also offer an escrow service to protect you but this will cost you a few extra percentage points on top of the quotation – or it will already be embedded in the quotation. This is common practice in China.
3.4 Global Sources Exhibitions
Like the Canton fair, the Global Sources Tradeshow is another big fair that factories owner from around the world gathering twice per year. As Global Sources Tradeshow is that it happens before the Canton fair in Hong Kong, so you can easily attend both shows on the same trip! Global Sources has a much larger supplier base in some key categories, such as electronics and fashion accessories. Therefore, if you are going to sell any electronic products, global resources are the best choice. Because global sources are the search engine for Chinese suppliers like Alibaba, they also have a huge database of manufacturer searches. So their suppliers are also very unique.
3.5 Schedule Time For Factory Visits
Factory visits are one of the best ways to find and evaluate suppliers. A tour of the factory will allow you to see their facilities, workers, equipment and production lines. You can also sit down with management and talk about your business. For example, if you go to Yiwu to visit factories, what you can see is not one or two factories, there are so many factories in that area, and you can visit them one by one. Of course, it takes more time and money.
Yiwu International Trade City
Conclusion
The above platforms are very excellent, especially Alibaba, which has on-site certified suppliers, and the platform provides secure payment, so you can rest assured to purchase. But when you purchase various products that you need to contact multiple suppliers. For example, 4 styles of products and you need to contact 5 suppliers for each product, then the total 20 suppliers you need to contact, it consumes time and energy so much. And many factories cannot provide customized services for a small quantity. These awful things, you can contact us, RunSourcing is your China office, we will help you purchase, customize packaging and negotiate on your behalf!