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My emails to potential China suppliers - Don't overthink it!

biophase

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I decided to make this post because I've seen a couple posts in the past few months about how to speak to potential suppliers in China. I've also seen that my coaching clients seemed to have the same doubts and issues in firing off an email to them.

Now this is just my opinion, but I don't feel that it is necessary at all to pretend that you are a big or established company when you contact a factory. I don't give them any background at all. My opinion is that if some douche on the other end is not going to take my inquiry seriously because it doesn't sound corporate, then I don't want to deal with that factory either.

Also, remember that these people are Chinese and English will be their second language and are not going to understand multi-syllable words that you use to sound intelligent. You will just confuse the shit out of them. They will probably dump it into Google translate and get some weird translation.

They aren't going to be impressed by your big words and long sentences. In fact, I've found that my grammar gets worst as I communicate with them. Really if you wrote "Please send sample", this is easily understood by them. No need to put in more adjectives.

So below I captured a bunch of screen shots of my first emails to suppliers. Notice I do get quotes!

==============

Notice that although my email was somewhat poor, since my formatting didn't make it in the email, Emily still understood exactly what I was looking for in her quote.

sample7.jpg

======================
See how easy it can be?

sample5.jpg

==========================
This was an easy negotiation to not wanting to pay $200 for samples!

Notice her level of English? You cannot, type more complicated sentences here. The shorter the better!

sample1.jpg

======================
Another easy sample negotiation.

sample6b.jpg
 
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maxwellc

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Awesome biophase thank you so much for this! Do you have for American or Canadian suppliers that you could upload?


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biophase

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WhatsApp is also a lot easier than email once you've started talking a bit, I'll pay a bit more to deal with a supplier that has good English and responds promptly on WhatsApp.

I think your goal should be to get the supplier who can make the highest quality product. Pretty much all of them will use Skype and most use Whatsapp. I like to keep all my conversations on the horrible Alibaba platform until I decide to use a supplier for production. Then I move to email. I don't like using Skype to talk to suppliers because alot of stuff falls through cracks later on if things happen during production. I guess I'm old school in that I don't accept Skype as formal means of communication when discussing details.
 
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biophase

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Awesome biophase thank you so much for this! Do you have for American or Canadian suppliers that you could upload?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't have any American or Canadian suppliers. Sorry.
 

Almantas

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I've just dipped my toes into e-commerce waters and am proud to admit that each of your e-commerce related threads will be carefully analysed, summarised and recorded in my notepad. Thank you for all the value you've been providing to this forum.
 

Castillo

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I don't have any American or Canadian suppliers. Sorry.

Awesome. I've always looked at china being cheap manufacturers... But I guess I'm just looking in the wrong place.

Thanks for all the info Kenric!
 
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Castillo

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Wondering about when you're saying "color insert card and polybag packaging" Do these suppliers print what you send them to put on the insert cards? Or do you send them cards to insert? Is this like your company's information that you put on them?
 

steelandchrome

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Thanks for the tips @biophase I've sent a few quick short emails as found in @walterhays sourcing book and have gotten replies to most inquiries pretty quickly or just not at all and I wouldn't chase those suppliers down if they can't bother to respond.

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biophase

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Wondering about when you're saying "color insert card and polybag packaging" Do these suppliers print what you send them to put on the insert cards? Or do you send them cards to insert? Is this like your company's information that you put on them?

They print what I send them. You usually put your product information, logo, website, UPC barcode, etc... on the card.
 
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Castillo

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They print what I send them. You usually put your product information, logo, website, UPC barcode, etc... on the card.

Well thank you so much Biophase. I've already contacted a few other suppliers today and am looking at getting samples for the product. We'll see how this goes! Looks like there is a high profit margin, just hopefully there are a lot of people that are wanting to purchase them. We'll see!
 

AgainstAllOdds

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WhatsApp is also a lot easier than email once you've started talking a bit, I'll pay a bit more to deal with a supplier that has good English and responds promptly on WhatsApp.

Stay away from whatsapp.

Use Skype + Wechat.

Skype because it helps you keep track of EVERYTHING that was ever said, and is super easy for sending screenshots, photos, etc.

Wechat because you can:
  • Communicate easily when they're not online - it goes straight to their phone
  • Communicate when you're in China
  • Learn about them and get them to like you (better prices)
  • "Bribe them" via red envelopes during Chinese New Year. Think about that. It's perfectly acceptable in their culture to give anyone a random gift during Chinese New Year. So during CNY, you send them $100 gift out of nowhere. What that does is establish that a) you respect their culture; and b) creates reciprocity. Even if you don't get better prices, you'll get better service.
  • An ability to stay in touch after they've left the company (and you can get a ton of info about them)
  • A way to "work" when you're only on your phone and running around.

I think your goal should be to get the supplier who can make the highest quality product. Pretty much all of them will use Skype and most use Whatsapp. I like to keep all my conversations on the horrible Alibaba platform until I decide to use a supplier for production. Then I move to email. I don't like using Skype to talk to suppliers because alot of stuff falls through cracks later on if things happen during production. I guess I'm old school in that I don't accept Skype as formal means of communication when discussing details.

Also this. READ YOUR PROFORMA INVOICE 3 TIMES!! Anything that is discussed on skype is not official. Only the invoice is. That's what the company is held accountable for. If the salesperson makes a mistake, and it's not on the invoice, then you're shit out of luck. I had an $8k mistake that was the salesperson's fault. Absolutely nothing that I could do since it was not on the invoice.
 
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AgainstAllOdds

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Let me guess, her frieght quote was $200. Damn Chinese.

This is the absolute worst attitude to have when looking for a supplier. This whole "damn Chinese, always out to scum me" attitude will prevent you from establishing profitable relationships. The Chinese are not out to scam you. They just want to cover their time and downside and maximize their upside on every deal. Simple business.

$200 would've covered the factory's time to make your samples (they have to send someone to the factory, do a production run of 1, then package the sample and ship it to you). If you refuse to pay it, they'll write off the lost time since they still want to do business with you, and will have you pay freight so that you have skin in the game, and so that they don't have a monetary cost other than time.
 
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DillanE

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This is the absolute worst attitude to have when looking for a supplier. This whole "damn Chinese, always out to scum me" attitude will prevent you from establishing profitable relationships. The Chinese are not out to scam you. They just want to cover their time and downside and maximum their upside on every deal. Simple business.

$200 would've covered the factory's time to make your samples (they have to send someone to the factory, do a production run of 1, then package the sample and ship it to you). If you refuse to pay it, they'll write off the lost time since they still want to do business with you, and will have you pay freight so that you have skin in the game, and so that they don't have a monetary cost other than time.

It was a joke.

Damn Americans , always defending the Chinese.
 

Longinus

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Skype because it helps you keep track of EVERYTHING that was ever said, and is super easy for sending screenshots, photos, etc.

Wechat because you can:
  • Communicate easily when they're not online - it goes straight to their phone
  • Communicate when you're in China
  • Learn about them and get them to like you (better prices)
  • "Bribe them" via red envelopes during Chinese New Year. Think about that. It's perfectly acceptable in their culture to give anyone a random gift during Chinese New Year. So during CNY, you send them $100 gift out of nowhere. What that does is establish that a) you respect their culture; and b) creates reciprocity. Even if you don't get better prices, you'll get better service.
  • An ability to stay in touch after they've left the company (and you can get a ton of info about them)
  • A way to "work" when you're only on your phone and running around.

So does whatsapp or am I wrong?

I had the feeling that many Chinese people were more open and personal on wechat. It's like their circle of trust (not always a good thing, some easily fall in love).
 
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GPM

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Hey Bio, do you use the same short form when paying for your items? Is there a particular type of payment method that you try to use with new suppliers?

It seems to me like they all want wire transfers right off the bat.
 

biophase

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Hey Bio, do you use the same short form when paying for your items? Is there a particular type of payment method that you try to use with new suppliers?

It seems to me like they all want wire transfers right off the bat.

I try to use Paypal to pay for samples. I use wire for all my orders.
 

Lucid Tech

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This is an exceptionally helpful way of simplifying the process. Our biggest barriers are often self-imposed.

@biophase when you order these samples are you asking them to put your logo(s) on the sample items? Or does this always come afterwards when you make your first true order?
 
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