Establishing and Coordinating Vendor Relationships in China Via Alibaba
Most products today are made in China or have parts that were made in China. The idea that cheap quality comes from China is largely a myth. Granted, cheap things do come out of China, but so do very high-quality goods. It all depends on what the buyer/distributor wants to pay for. Chinese manufacturing companies are generally eager to work on projects, have a strong dedication to the project, and can provide quality goods. To get quality goods, it’s important to know how to vet and communicate with vendors and suppliers. I want to preface this by saying this is not a how-to guide. This is what I have found to be effective and a few things I have seen in the past working with suppliers in China.
Oftentimes, when I am looking for a vendor to supply me with already created goods or looking for a specific OEM manufacturer, I turn to Alibaba. Alibaba is a fantastic resource when creating a supply chain. Firstly, their messaging app is fairly well developed for as large of a platform as it is. Generally, companies will respond to inquiries within a business day, sometimes even sooner. Second, their trade assurance ordering system is great protection, should the company fail to deliver products up to the quality standard. Thirdly, if you’re too busy to send inquiries to individual companies, you can post the inquiry and have prospective vendors reach out if they can help with the project.
I first look over the prospective supplier’s Alibaba profile and see if they have a website. Looking at the consistency of their work and how it relates to yours is a good first step. Once I’ve narrowed down a few I think are worth my time, I send an inquiry. Keeping an inquiry detailed but also concise is always something I try to do. Having documentation with visuals is key to moving the project forward without going into lots of written detail. Having documentation of the quality standards will ultimately affect the pricing. However, having no quality documentation will usually result in a poor quality product from the vendor. Again, I cannot stress enough that clear and concise language is very beneficial and will help in the long run.
Once I get quotes from suppliers and compare them, I will discuss the project further with the salesperson. Price alone usually does not make my decision, but communication with my salesperson. I find that people who regularly check in with me, are excited about the prospect of my project, and clearly understand the vision of what I am trying to achieve end up being the right choice. After all, I’m not just buying a product on Amazon; I’m creating something new, custom, or unique, and this person is now a part of my team. Successful communication and collaboration with the vendor will lead to a successful product. No matter how well designed the product is, if the manufacturer doesn’t understand it, it will not be a success.
When I find someone who meshes well with our team, we will select them to move forward with the product if they're within our expected price range. When the project begins, asking for updates that include videos, photos, demonstrations are key. It may even help to schedule a video call with a supplier and meet face to face on issues that arise with the product development. I’ve had problems with some manufacturers where there was a crossed line of communication, ultimately leading to an engineering fiasco. This leads me to my next point: if you are unsatisfied with the product, keep it professional with the manufacturers.
When something goes wrong (and things do go wrong), try to keep an optimistic and professional attitude. When this has happened to me in the past, and I was inexperienced, I would lose my temper with the manufacturer. This rarely ever led to anything helpful or constructive and may have actually hurt my standing with them for future projects. Instead, lay out the facts, be assertive with the expectations of the project, don’t be rude, and investigate with the vendor what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future. Oftentimes I’ve found that there is blame on both sides of the aisle, so be honest and critical with yourself too. Believe it or not, some of my most trusted vendors had messed up on a project initially, but since we worked together to iron out the problems, we became a stronger team because of it. Once a solution has been reached, be sure to thank the vendor for their diligence to make the problem right.
On the slim chance that a vendor is unwilling to correct their mistakes, take advantage of Alibaba’s trade assurance and report the problem. This is where it’s imperative that there was written and visual documentation of the expectations of the project. Oftentimes Alibaba will side with the customer so long as there is sufficient evidence that the quality deviated from the documentation.
Other than that, Alibaba is a great place to connect with manufacturers in China. I’ve connected with dozens of companies in the past through it and have only had one negative experience. Eventually, after working with a vendor for a while, they become a trusted part of the team, and I know I can go to them in the future for any projects they specialize in. In the past, I used to travel overseas to China to find and vet my vendors, but I have found that after a bit of an adjustment period, Alibaba is just as good and more efficient than meeting face to face.
