Tips on how to locate potential Suppliers and Trade successfully

Source online regularly. Every day new suppliers register with Made-in-China.com. If you cannot find a product today you may find it tomorrow.

Use the "Offer Board" to post your inquires for products and services that you were unable to locate via online sourcing and ask for our Trade Support to assist you.

When sending an inquiry to a supplier, make sure you state your request in detail. Let the supplier know:

• exactly what you are looking for,
• the quantity you require,
• your location,
• expected price range,
• delivery time requirements etc.

The more details you provide the better chance you have of receiving a useful response from a supplier. Sending vague or incomplete requests are far less likely to be taken seriously by potential suppliers.

Call the supplier and talk to the person in charge.

Keep up the communication. Once in contact with a supplier, make sure you stay in regular contact via mail and telephone.

If you have the chance to visit the manufacturer, do visit and communicate with the manufacturer face to face. Face to face interaction will make the communication process easier and you will be able to eliminate any issues and problems directly. Face to face interaction will minimize miscommunication.

Check a Supplier's background at all times! Made-in-China.com is able to help you check a supplier's background. Getting info on a supplier's past manufacturing and export experience is vital for you to evaluate the risks involved in buying from a particular supplier. For further information please view our Due Diligence section

Check a Supplier's Product Quality before and once you order bigger amounts. Listed below are some tips on how to judge a supplier's quality:

1. Provide clear requirements regarding product quality, material specification, and dimensions etc.
2. Obtain quality certificates including material composition reports, independent quality reports and other evidence of testing and inspection. Make sure the certificates match the claims of the suppliers.
3. Obtain samples for assessment. For small items purchase more than just one or two to get a better indication of the standard quality level.
4. If possible visit the factory. Suppliers may not always meet or adhere to the quality certifications they claim to possess, and visiting a factory can help to determine this. Ask to see some evidence of their quality management system such as procedural flow charts, quality inspection records, or internal audit reports etc. Even if they are in Chinese, you will be able to see if up-to-date records are being kept for key processes.
5. Provide suppliers with detailed feedback about the product and how they can improve their service. Without feedback, they may not fully understand your requirements.
6. Be patient. Conducting international business requires experience and knowledge, and this only comes with time. Seek professional assistance from quality inspectors and MIC's Buyer Services team to ensure your business with Chinese suppliers is as efficient and trouble free as possible.
7. Feedback. Help Made-in-China.com improve its services to you and other buyers by providing both positive and negative feedback on suppliers.

Always be careful. Maybe you received a perfect sample and you seem sure that the actual product will be as good as the sample. However, this is not always the case. Some buyers complain that the sample was of perfect quality but that the actual product was nothing like the sample. Some exporters still lack professionalism and awareness when it comes to delivering quality. Some overseas importers have lost a lot of money by not paying attention to the quality issue before and while ordering products. Made-in-China.com therefore recommends that you should always checkquality certificates, and/or receive assistance from professional quality inspectors before and during the order process Feedback. Help Made-in-China.com improve its services to you and other buyers by providing both positive and negative feedback on the suppliers that you have dealt with. Made-in-China.com takes all member feedback seriously, and knowing about your experiences with Made-in-China.com suppliers will help us to provide you with even more professional services and advice on how to successfully trade with China.

Made-In-China.com cares about your Business success!

7 Steps to protect your IP Rights, trade secrets and processes, and how to assure Product Quality.

1. Register your intellectual property right(s) (IP rights) under your country's law:
   • Trademark(s) (under your country's Patent and Trademark Office)
   • Patent (under your country's Patent and Trademark Office)
   • Copyrights (under your country's Copyright Office)
   Without registration and protection of your IPRs in your own country, you probably won¡¯t be able to protect these rights in China!
2. You can protect your Logo(s) and Slogan(s) under the Chinese Anti Unfair Competition Law.
   
   The following institution provides further Information and Advice on this subject for China:
   http://en.ec.com.cn/pubnews/2004_04_09/200864/1007994.jsp
3. Try to register your IPR(s) in China ALSO! Chinese registration can protect your products and services, prevent the manufacturing and exportation of counterfeit goods from China, and furthermore prevent competitors from registering your IPR(s) in China (and/or in your country). If you do not register your IPR(s) in China (and/or in your country), one of your competitors may do so, which may prohibit you from manufacturing and exporting your own products/services etc.
   The following institutions provide further Information and Advice on this subject for China: 
   Homepage for patent registration
   English introduction
   For copyright registration on voluntary base
   Homepage for trademark registration
   English edition
4. Small-to-medium sized enterprises (SME's) are in especially great danger of IPR infringement! Not many SME's can protect their know-how and trade secrets through formal registration in their own country and/or in China. This puts SME's at great risks. However, under Chinese law, SME's are able to contractually protect their know-how and trade secrets. SME's should therefore always use written agreements addressing the issues concerned with know-how, trademarks, IPR, non-competition and confidentiality.
5. Use agreements and do not JUST place a manufacturing order! A manufacturing and purchase order will protect a manufacturer but puts your know-how etc. at risk. You should therefore sign an agreement with each manufacturer that you deal with. In your agreement you should clearly state legal issues and dispute resolution. Make sure you sign an English and Chinese version of the agreement. The Chinese version will be ruled upon in China. An independent third party should undertake the translation of such agreement
6. Protect your trade secrets, vital information and know-how! When outsourcing manufacturers you may considerclustering your designs, ideas and know-how amongst various manufacturers to ensure that none of those manufacturers are able to steal your trade secrets and know-how. This works like a puzzle, distributing each single piece to another location to eliminate the chances of putting the pieces all together. Hence, passing all of your valuable information to one manufacturer may only enhance the risk of having your trade secrets and know-how misused
7. Product Quality and Payment Terms: Do not depend on manufacturers in terms of inspection. Always undertake quality and inspection before ordering, during the production process and just before the shipment takes off. And always remember: No final payments unless you are certain you will receive the goods. Employ professional and trustable agents that are able to visit the factories for you and handles your China based activities. You should also engage the services of a credit institution that checks the background of manufacturers before you make your final payment.