USA vs Abroad: How to Find the Right Manufacturer for Your Product

What I mean, is just to Engage with them early and get them involved in the development process. They will feel that they participate in the process and they will understand your product better which will translate into better cooperation and quality. Get to know the organizational chart of the company or at least the hierarchy above your contact person. It is good to have a single point of contact, and if using overseas suppliers, that person should be someone with which you can communicate clearly in your language . As a general rule of thumb, if your product is high-value go local.

• However, you will get anup-close look at their facilities and samples.
• My name is May and I need to make a prototype for a phone/multi device charger.
• Exhibitions remain a standard for international business matching manufacturers.
• Trading companies usually have lower order quantity requirements and you could be a big fish in a small sea, rather than a small client of a large factory.
• It can happen, for example, that a supplier is having a hard time getting the raw materials needed, and because of that, the production line is delayed.

If possible, find additional contacts with a similar or higher position at the factory in the event that one contact is unresponsive. Weekly communication is mandatory, but strive for daily conversations if you’re uncertain or curious about any aspect of your order. – The purpose of this question is to both strike up a natural conversation and gain additional information beyond their response. If they mention several brands you’re familiar with or know on a personal level, reach out to them directly for a quick review. Don’t be fooled by some fraudulent “name dropping” and go straight to the source for validation. Additionally, don’t be turned off by companies you’ve never heard of.

How to select the right manufacturer?

We will then approach the most suitable producers for your project and connect you with them. Then just fill out the form or send us an email with your desired product. Are you interested in leveraging these trending products but don’t know how to get your production up and running? Approaching a manufacturer with an original product idea can be both challenging and intimidating. After you’ve gone through the resources above, you’ll probably have quite a few potential clothing manufacturers for your business.

Having either a “Patent Pending” or “Patent Applied For” label in the documentation you send to manufacturers makes it much harder for another company to steal ownership of your idea. The patent office already has your proof of ownership in your patent application. Having this knowledge base and network of vetted resources is a huge advantage that will save you significant time and hassles, as well as costly mistakes. You can leverage our network of resources, including designers, engineers, and manufacturers around the world. And once manufacturing starts, our local representatives can conduct regular on-site visits to ensure the manufacturer is delivering on their commitments. We then provide you with reports and photos to keep you updated throughout production.

Sourcing options

Look to see how many years they’ve been in business. So for me, I look at it as if it were a job interview. If a candidate came to me and said, I only have one year of experience, I would not be comfortable putting the fate of my own business in their hands. So you can use Alibaba, directories, and you can take it offline by attending conventions. ☂️High-quality Custom Umbrellas, ⛱️Printing Promotional Umbrellas. The latest news, articles, and resources sent to your inbox. The best way to have a great manufacturing experience is through constant communication.

They need to know what to look for and how to ensure you work with the best possible factory for your specific product. Putting together a manufacturing questionnaire can be immensely beneficial in this phase of the process, as it can help you keep track of and directly compare each potential partner.

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Follow these eight steps to go from concept to manufacturing, and hopefully, a profit. Sending the same RFP to several potential suppliers is the best way to ensure an “apples to apples” comparison. You can also track how long it takes each manufacturer to respond to your RFP.

You’ll want to check out the manufacturer before you spend money, and the factory owner will have to make adjustments, so their teams can produce your items. Complete control – While you’ll strike a deal with a factory owner who will produce the items on your behalf; you still keep full control over the entire process. If you’re not happy with an element of the design once you have a prototype; you can make changes as and when you see fit. When you’re saving a lot on production costs by producing overseas, those language and time zone barriers will be well worth it.

Build your business

When you request a quote, you want to know the per-item price as well as any additional fees and costs. Suppliers ideally want to work with someone who’s in it for the long-term as this provides them with more predictable income. You can achieve this by providing links to your online store or briefly mentioning the plans you have for your business. Even if you’re new to eCommerce, by projecting an air of confidence you will more likely come across as a seller who’s in it for the long-term. This means you should have done research on the supplier.

If you’re feeling stuck working simple but time consuming tasks, it may be time for you to expand your team. Get references from brands in your product category specifically. Create a shortlist based on the types and priorities from section 4. Compare results and choose a few to take to the next stage. Before you can even calculate your target cost price there are some other numbers you’ll need to know. With dropshipping, you don’t need to worry about sourcing, managing, or shipping your inventory.

Manufacturer representative companies introduce themselves

The platform is constantly iterating on features and services to help small companies find new products. If you have an eco friendly brand that has certain ethical or sustainability standards… You might want to look at the various standards and certifications for production. There are many official manufacturing bodies that have guidelines for specific standards. These include certifications for quality, working conditions, fair trade, non-toxic chemicals, circular supply chains, + organic and recycled materials. With options like dropshipping available, think about starting small to find out if there’s an audience that you can tap into before you start working with clothing manufacturers. For reference, when we mention domestic manufacturers, we’re mostly referring to clothing manufacturers in the USA or Europe.

If cost is your biggest concern, there’s a good chance you will need to outsource your manufacturing to an overseas partner. There are a few directories and strategies that can help you find the right factory.

Dig through their online profiles and check their ratings over time. Take note of other quality indicators such as years in business, total transactions, and certifications . If these are businesses of similar size and/or category as yours, it’s all the better. Once you get the samples, examine them for quality and consistency.

Top Tip: See The Manufacturer’s Point of View

This is because you can purchase large quantities of stock at a reduced cost and then sell it to your customers at a marked-up price. This will help you to validate your decision to work with them while building your business relationship – which is essential in a long-term partnership. Of course, both of these options have distinct advantages and disadvantages. It’s up to you to choose which option suits you best in terms of funding, quality, and your business ethics.

• You source a product from one of these wholesale suppliers.
• While the process of choosing a manufacturer to produce your design or invention is never simple, these platforms make it a little less stressful and more transparent.
• They use the word “wholesale” as a simple sales gimmick to make people feel like they’re getting a great deal.
• Hi, am looking for a factory that can manufacture tomato paste to my specs.
• As with the previous two resources, this site includes many types of suppliers including a handy selection of prototyping professionals.
• A meeting will help you first and foremost to distinguish between actual manufacturing factories and middlemen trading companies.

When trying to manufacture a product, factories should be your target. I’ll begin with my experience in China and how I learned the ins and outs of manufacturing. Speaking economically, the reason manufacturing abroad makes sense stems from the value of our currency and cost of labor.

I would greatly appreciate any leads or information regarding the above. Hello I am looking for a manufacturer to develop a special lightweight special shoe made in solid foam. I have written to shoe manufacturers in Turkey with no response. https://quickbooks-payroll.org/ Hello…I crochet scarves ans purses and I am looking for a company that can manufacture my product. I can’t meet the demand of my product Making everything by hand. Hello Martha I have a great product for cooking everyday meals simple.

One more step

Manufacturers control your product’s cost, quality, and packaging and shipping. Local might be more expensive, but it’s important to have a backup option. Just make sure that you know, that they’re locally manufacturing.

If the company runs out of products, there is nothing you can do, and you will have to cancel your customer’s order. Flexibility – There is no getting away from the fact that drop-shipping offers lots of flexibility to eBay sellers. Firstly, you are not limited to a single drop-shipping company, and so you can deal with many different suppliers focusing on a broad range of products.

In the meantime, start building your store with a free 14-day trial of Shopify. “Manufacturing” refers to turning raw materials into finished products through tools, labor, and machinery. It’s an industrial process that allows for the mass production of goods using advanced technologies and assembly processes. Suppliers get bombarded with email quote requests all the time from flaky buyers who are just “kicking the tires,” so it’s not unusual for many suppliers not to reply to every request. A lack of supplier responsiveness is a common complaint from new ecommerce entrepreneurs. For possibly the first time ever, you’ll need to explore page two of Google search results and beyond. For example, words like “wholesale,” “wholesaler,” and “distributor” may be used interchangeably, so you should search for all of them.

• When negotiating, put yourself in the manufacturer’s shoes.
• Note that pricing for a custom product often requires that the customer pay % for tooling.
• We have looked for, and found, 21 Chinese manufacturer search channels for you.
• It is possible to have a good relationship with a manufacturer without meeting them face to face.
• If speed to market isn’t a huge issue for you, then you might sacrifice some lead time for a lower price instead.
• I want to create my own online shopping and my own brand.

We usually recommend that you know at least 2 people at a factory you work with, in case something happens How To Find A Manufacturer For Your Product to the first. That way if your sales rep doesn’t respond, you have someone else to get in touch with.

Online Resources for Designing Your Product

Before we dive into that, let’s first understand why most companies manufacture products abroad. This will keep your production run top of mind for your manufacturer. Relationships are vital to doing business in China, and communication will be essential to your manufacturing success.

Our guide covers every step from researching and prototyping to finding a manufacturer. Browse our selection of free business courses where you’ll learn everything from setting up a Shopify store to building an ecommerce brand. That being said, we cannot stress enough the importance of keeping communications open with your manufacturer. Request notifications as soon as production begins as well as updates throughout the process.