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Sourcing Agents: Adding Value or Removing Profits?

Aug 22, 2017 | General, Sourcing Agents

Some people see sourcing agents as middlemen just adding another step to the supply chain without really justifying their existence. We know that these situations do happen and companies like this should be avoided.

However, a good sourcing agency should be adding value beyond whatever commission they charge.

When most people think about side stepping the sourcing agents they think of websites like Alibaba and MadeinChina. However, these are sourcing websites who charge a percentage of the purchase as commission. The commission maybe low but you are getting little more than a convenient place where manufacturers or even trading houses can be found.

There are very little or no additional services in place when using web based sourcing platforms.

When using a Sourcing Agent like GHL we are very upfront and honest about the cost involved. However, we believe the added value is often overlooked.

1. We are a dual language company conducting business in Chinese and English. This is almost invaluable when it comes to communicating your product specification and making sure the detail about your product is understood by the factory.

Communication is a vital component when buying from China.

2. We have our own network of manufacturers who we have worked with for many years. We put several products through these factories and have built our relationships over time.

These relationships give us competitive pricing and quality production.

3. As we have an office in China our staff are immediately available to deal with issues and to visit factories. We can audit the factories we use regularly to ensure that they meet the standards that we and our customers expect.

If you have never visited a manufacturer, have only contacted them through the internet, you have no idea what problems or issues there may be.

4. We carry out the product inspections during manufacturing and before any products are shipped. This keeps any problems in the factory and is the only way to avoid faulty, defective goods arriving in your warehouse or – worse! – with your end customers.

Our staff are on hand to inspect the goods during production and again immediately after they are finished.

5. We organize the logistics, deal with the import and invoice you in GBP.

This save you time, stress and money. We ship regularly and can achieve extremely competitive rate from the freight companies.

6. We project manage the entire process, from manufacturing tooling to scheduling final delivery. Any issues are quickly resolved by an expert. Whether it be clearing import customs or redoing packaging.

We take care of the problems so you don’t have to.

7. And finally…… we get better prices. This is often the first reason our clients come to us. More often than not, we can beat current prices even from clients already purchasing from China.

This usually cover our commission and so our other services are, effectively, free of charge at this point. Even with all the added value we provide.

As with any professional service, such as accountants or lawyer, you could do the work yourself. The law is readily available for anyone with an internet connection to research.  The difference is that these professional know what they are doing, have done it many times before and get the job done correctly.

The same is true with Sourcing Agents like GHL Sourcing.

GHL has a huge amount of experience setting up manufacturing, negotiating deals and sourcing products from the Far East. We know what we are looking for in a good manufacturer and we have the knowledge to get the job done correctly.

We offer free of charge quotes with no commitment.

Give us a try. You will find yourself with a smooth transaction, cost savings and more time to focus on the other parts of your business.

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