This article is the Pt.2 of the series "HOW TO BUY PRODUCTS FROM CHINA TO RESELL" + HOW TO FIND A VENDOR.

FIVE TIPS ON HOW TO BUY PRODUCTS FROM CHINA TO RESELL, PT. 2

1.    Send physical samples? Some reasons to send a physical sample may be when buying an existing product referred to as private labeling, replicating or when you are outsourcing production of your brand in order to focus on your core areas.

-      As I mentioned in my previous video because one product might have various varieties, sending a physical sample would help the supplier understand better the exact specifications of the product you want;

-      Also, when you are dealing with a supplier who is not aware of the trends in your market; it may be safer to send a physical sample, or something that has the quality and specs you want so the supplier can be precise;

Finally, it all comes down to personal choice if you want very precise details and no mistakes so you feel it’s better the supplier sees a physical sample.

2.    Confirm the Industry name of the product: Find the industry name of the product, for e.g. my friend OG calls me to say there is a hot selling fabric in the market and she wants to buy to resell. The name of the fabrics she says are: Scuba, Doti-doti and Senator. LOL. Now of course in the Nigerian market Doti-doti means elastic fabric to an Ibo trader and he’s named Spandex fabric Doti-doti and named Poplin or cashmere fabric - Senator (so called due to its popularity amongst the ruling class of Nigeria). So, when you reach out to your supplier and are sending pictures of the fabric to the supplier it won’t help all that much until you find the real industry name of the fabric so that way you are sure to get the right products

3.    Your design is your quotation: Suppliers will quote based on the materials, dimension and other factors of production involved in making your product and if you are just buying a product they quote based on the quantity, logistics involved and any other factors involved in your sourcing. It is important you make your research early and understand your product perfectly so that you are able to communicate your needs to your supplier from the onset, as well as make adjustments to the concept as required before asking a final quotation and going to mass production stage. In this way you don’t change requirements too late into the game after the quotation is made because this most likely may impact your quote upwards. In a nutshell what you ask for is what you get so know what you are asking for.

4.    Share your budget: An experienced supplier will use your budget to advise you on the viability of production for the quality of goods you require and if its sustainable in the long term; how to better meet your production need sustainably

5.    The small details matter: Labels, packaging, branding, insignias or will you be doing some hot stamping yourself (if you will need a machine, factor in the cost), think of where your raw materials are bought from and the ease of sourcing it; know the trends if this is a long-term business venture, especially if you do private labeling and may get affected by any hike in commodity prices or scarcity of raw materials etc.

This video is the PT. 2 from the series "HOW TO BUY PRODUCTS FROM CHINA AND RESELL" + HOW TO FIND A VENDOR. In this video i share five more tips like sending physical samples to your vendor, identifying the name of the product how its called in its industry and why you should share your budget with your vendors.All rights reserved, Jideofor Ahaneku, 2020