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Below we present how full import from China looks like (in a situation where we deal with the whole order from the beginning to the end). We can complete all services within one order. In addition, we also provide services selectively, e.g. we can only visit the factory or inspect the loading (check the partial import from China). This service includes all the sourcing to catch your market demand, finding suppliers, negotiations, factory visit, quality control, logistics (booking container, loading and inspection), custom clearence in EU.
Finding Goods & Suppliers
China is a huge and heavily industrialized country. Each product you can find is manufactured there in at least several factories (in the case of less standard goods). Or even several hundred (in the case of standard, more popular goods).The process of finding goods in China is rejecting suppliers who don’t suit us for various legal and quality reasons. We’re looking until we find a few / a dozen Chinese producers with whom we’ll start talking.China is a huge market, so we can find essentially every kind of goods there. If any product is available anywhere in the world, there is a 100% chance that we’ll find a manufacturer offering similar or the same products in China.
Initial Business Negotiations With Chinese Suppliers
At this stage, we receive a price offer and pre-analyze the certificates that we will need during import from China and customs clearance in the country of destination. In addition, we ask how much time the production takes, we determine the minimum order level (MOQ), we learn the details of the goods, specifications and technical drawings. Initially we verify whether the company will meet our quality, quantity and price expectations. At this stage, we often receive free samples. If you have such a request, we can send it to you, so that you can evaluate the quality of the item. It’s worth knowing that Chinese people have a completely different business culture than Europeans. The Chinese have a different way of being and thinking, as well as a different style of doing business. Asking for an offer and negotiating is different from what we know from European markets. In order to penetrate these differences and understand the nuances of Chinese business, you have to live and understand the local culture here. However, above all, it’s worth having experience in import from China. Such things cannot be visualized in lectures.
Initial Verification of Suppliers From China
During the first conversations we pre-verify the information about the manufacturer with the help of government-certified websites. China is very keen on promoting Chinese exports and wants it to be fully safe for contractors. Accurate verification of a Chinese company also requires experience and intuition. Without getting up from the computer, we can easily check whether we can trust a supplier from China. It takes little effort, and at the same time gives you the confidence that before we decide to visit the factory, we won’t go there for nothing. It also minimizes the risk of unpleasant surprises on the spot.
The Final Supplier Selection & Factory Visits
We visit selected factories, establish business contacts and get along with all the details of cooperation. Sometimes it happens that you need, for example, a large machine and only one factory delivers exactly what you want. Then we check it and don’t waste time on more factories. Why? Because we still want to cooperate only with this particular factory, while others have presented a worse offer. On the other hand, there are situations when the products you need are diverse and it’s necessary to import them from several factories in China (consolidation of imports from China). In this situation, we cooperate with two, three or more Chinese factories at the same time. At the end, we consolidate the products and send them as part of one complete delivery.
Before personally verifying the Chinese factory, we are practically sure that everything will be OK. It also allows us to establish business contacts for the future.During the factory visit we prepare dozens of high resolution pictures and videos for you. Thanks to this, you can be sure that the decision about choosing this and not another factory is accurate. At the same time, if you have the desire, you can come to such visits personally. We’ll organize the whole trip or we’ll tell you step by step how to do it. We write more about the organization of trips in ‘Business trips to China’.
Chinese business culture – interesting facts
Doing business in China aren’t rigid meetings in suits in conference rooms. Here it’s important whether you like each other and whether you’ll create business relationships for the future. Believe us that at this stage of business negotiations you’ll get more benefits by showing during a business dinner the movie where your child plays with the cat, than by putting on the best suit or keeping an impenetrable poker face. It will give you more than negotiation techniques learned from books. Smile and experience – this is most useful. Chinese people are really very friendly people, you just have to ‘learn’ them.
Signing the Contract & Advance Payment
OK, so we have a factory chosen, details get along and we got to know each other better. Now we transfer everything to paper, and after signing the contract you pay pre-production advance. Its height is usually 30%, but sometimes it is 50% (if you order the production of specialized goods, eg injection molds). An advance payment of 50% of the order value is charged in case you do not collect the products. Why? Because in this situation the factory will not be able to liquefy the goods. There is a small chance that someone will order an identical, personalized product, for example, an injection mold.
Production Control
As we live in China permanently, we keep an eye on the production of your products. At various stages the manufacturer sends us samples to check that everything is OK. Chinese manufacturers never make this a problem. If the nature of the goods doesn’t allow us to send samples to you, we correspond with the production manager and receive detailed photos or videos. We share all our observations with you. We can also send samples if the type of product allows this.
Post-production Control & Container loading Inspection
After finishing the production, once again we receive samples of the finished product. If it meets your expectations, you pay the rest of the order (70% if the advance payment was 30%). The loading stage is very important. During it, we control the quality once again. We check whether the product prepared for shipment looks and works as well as the samples sent. Before loading, we check the goods on the basis of AQL standards or on terms agreed with you. For example, we open every fifth, tenth or every twentieth pack from the entire container and check everything again. We also verify the correctness of the markings, which is very important for customs clearance in the country of unloading. At this stage, we already know the product very well, but we still discuss everything and we set it up with you – we conduct real-time video interviews during the inspection, send photos and videos .
Shipping from China
At this point, the goods are already checked and the container from China is sealed. With the help of a customs agency with which we cooperate in China, we organize transport to a sea or airport, and later to Europe / USA. Together with the agency, we ensure the correctness of all documentation.
Customs clearance at the port of destination – import duty from China
On the spot in Poland, products are custom cleared by our Polish customs agency. The container from China can also be cleared in Germany (if you need the deferred VAT/GST payment). When the goods from China are cleared and ready for shipping, you pay a commission for our service and full costs of transport from China to Europe/USA and from the port to your office. The product is delivered directly to your warehouse. If you want to see a sample import from China, go to Custom Orders.