Customers always seek companies and vendors whose goods meet their criteria. If you can satisfy your customers, they will surely deal with you again.
So how to keep your customers happy and delighted, particularly if you are sourcing from China? Hiring reliable sourcing agents in China can be an answer to this.
What a sourcing agent is?
No matter how big or little your firm is, there may be times when you have a lot on your plate. With your present manufacturer or supplier, you can run into unpredicted situations such as deterioration in product quality or missed delivery deadlines.
Every business would want to keep such scenarios at bay as they could result in a loss of customers and, eventually affect the sales.
You might think about hiring a few reliable sourcing agents if you wish to stay away from issues of this nature.
It the sourcing agent’s top responsibility to locate a suitable manufacturer and supplier who will meet your standard of expectations.
Based on your budget and other requirements, you will prefer a certain sourcing agent who can be smart enough to offer customized solutions to your problems.
He may either be an independent agent or may be a team of people with an organized company or agency.
Pros and cons of using a sourcing agent
However, before hiring certain reliable sourcing agents for your business in China it is important to know both pros and cons of hiring sourcing agents.
Pros:
- Can exploit their vast networks
You can trust that the supplier your sourcing agency recommends will be an authentic and reliable since sourcing agencies prioritize developing relationships with some of the top suppliers.
- Manage to get the best deals
It needs talent to negotiate with suppliers, and sourcing agents that are well-versed in the e-commerce industry know how to do so to their advantage.
- Distinguish between a genuine and fake supplier
If you don’t know how to find reputable supplier, your deal may frequently fail. The dangers at your end might be decreased by using an expert sourcing agent who can determine if a supplier is authentic or not.
- Bridge the communication gap
One of the biggest problems while dealing with a Chinese supplier is language problem. A bilingual sourcing agent can be a useful resource for your negotiation.
- Can obtain samples from several factories
As these agents has contacts with several companies and hence can easily arrange different sets of samples.
Cons:
- Cannot establish a direct relationship with your suppliers
When a sourcing agent will be the sole agency to deal with suppliers in China, then you will have a very little connection with your suppliers.
- Risk of secret commission
Often these sourcing agents make a secret deal with the suppliers, and may recommend you only those suppliers who will offer them a best commission.
- Overdependence on sourcing agents
When a sourcing agent is in charge of the entire procurement process, you may relax easily. However, this could be bad for company, especially if they are unavailable.
- Suppliers may be switched without your knowledge
A few unprofessional sourcing agents may sometimes change the supplier without even you know about it. You may eventually come to know, but the damage is already done.
Conclusion
You need plenty of resources to identify the right products for your e-commerce business. You can prefer to work with reliable sourcing agents to help speed up the process.
A good agent will successfully collaborate with you to identify a reliable source and deliver goods in accordance with your requirements and expectations.
Make sure to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of using a sourcing agency when deciding whether or not to do so.
