Before I jump right in and tell you all about the amazing benefits you can expect from an Asia Sourcing Company, let’s have a quick definition moment and understand what a sourcing company can and should do.
A sourcing company is composed of a professional team of qualified people that can assist you in locating, assessing, and communicating with suppliers for goods you need to purchase.
Okay, now that we know what a sourcing company is, let’s dive into our top tips to choosing the right Asia Sourcing Company to suit your needs.
Tip #1: Product Sourcing
Your sourcing company should have detailed expertise when it comes to procurement. The team should have a team that can do all of the following:
- Complete transparency – always choose a sourcing company that offers you complete transparency. This includes having a sourcing process that is recognized by ISO certification so you know your products are coming from the right suppliers and countries
- Access to a wide variety of products – True procurement agencies will be able to support everyone from retailers to wholesale, start-up’s and established companies.
- Customization – whether you are sourcing clothing or jewelry the ability to customize and modify to your specifications is critical
- Supplier Access – your Asia sourcing company should have access to multiple suppliers all around Asia.
Tip #2: Quality Control
One of the most important aspects of choosing an Asia sourcing company is having on-the-ground, also known as “up stream”, members who can communicate and oversee directly with your production line.
Companies like ET2C offer quality assurance services, that can serve as a benchmark for whichever sourcing company you choose. Their process is as follows:
- Factory evaluation
- Sample Development Consulting
- Product Standard Consulting
- During Product Inspection (DUPRO)
- Pre-Shipment Inspection
- Loading Inspection
- Product Checking List Development
Each of these critical steps ensures your workers and factory are safe and have gone through ethical and technical audits so you have complete transparency about everything taking place in your factory. In the sampling process, it is important to have a quality team to conduct an audit and make sure that the sample meets the specs. This can save hundreds of thousands of dollars not to mention time and effort. This is also why a DUPRO is necessary to avoid costly mistakes that could have been noticed and changed early in production.
Having multiple inspections is a must. Every step from DUPRO to the final loading should be carefully checked and pass the AQL (Accepted Quality Level) and if they don’t meet standards, have an accessible instant action plan to correct anything necessary. Pre-shipment is a piece by piece process to check for malfunction. This level of QA may seem stringent but think of products that had one unsafe piece that ended in millions in legal action.
Tip #3: Tracking Your Products
Once everything is inspected your Asia Sourcing Company should have a detailed logistics plan that will let you track your package from port to port. This will allow your company to provide info to your client creating a good customer service experience. Choose a sourcing company that has interactive and detailed tracking. If your customer bought a product from you that was due in California in 1 week and all you can say is it left China one day before it was meant to be at their door, the likelihood of your customer choosing to be a return customer drops significantly.
Takeaway
As you can see choosing the right Asia Sourcing Company is a game-changer when it comes to running your company. Knowing everything from sourcing, procurement, QC, and logistics are being taken care of allow you to focus on your side of the business. Look for an experienced global partner who is an expert in all of Asia and not just China sourcing. Transparency, ethical standards, and trust are critical elements for your company’s success. We are sure if you do your research you will choose an excellent sourcing company.
Author Bio: Rachael is working with Deepak Shukla and a content writer at Pearl Lemon who has written on a diversity of topics, from colored diamonds to SEO software. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, sketching, cooking, and video games.
