PART OF FORWARD GROUP
Importing today is relatively simple.
We live in the internet age, which lets us communicate easily with anyone, even on the other side of the world. This certainly affects the business world: you can build business relationships andimport products from China without leaving the country. Others prefer to meet suppliers in China in person and go to exhibitions and factory visits. The supply of goods is huge and many suppliers offer similar products, if not exactly the same ones. But before rushing to import from China, it is important to run a market survey.
But how do you run a market survey before importing from China?
The first thing to know is that there are traders and there are manufacturers. Many suppliers in China are actually traders of goods from other factories. It is important to know who the manufacturer is, because you may get better prices from them. So before rushing to buy, try to find the manufacturer. You can also do this through Israeli companies based in China that help with importing and logistics.
One of the good tools for a market survey is the Alibaba sales website. It is certainly not the only site, but there you can find a huge database of products arranged by categories and subcategories. The site is easy and simple to use and lets you contact suppliers. It is an important tool for market research.
When you run a market survey you naturally look at prices, but do not forget timetables. For example, for many suppliers in Israel it is important that goods arrive before the holiday season, a period of peak sales. Make sure suppliers can meet the schedule so the goods do not arrive too late. When you request price quotes, also demand a delivery schedule for the goods.
It is important to note that the market survey does not relate only to product costs in China but also to the logistics costs of importing. Find out the import options and get a quote. In the end, import costs and the various duties affect the feasibility of importing. They must be taken into account in product pricing, where the accepted method is to factor in the import cost according to the product's volume in the container. Before closing the deal, you should have an estimate of the price at which you will offer the product in Israel; it is possible that other suppliers, perhaps because of experience and perhaps because of their size, obtain the product at lower costs and you cannot compete with them. So check what the product costs in Israel and whether there is commercial justification for your import.
In summary, I will touch on a sensitive point: quality. A market survey is not only a price comparison but also a quality comparison. Different products in China are supposedly the same products, but there are big differences in quality. Unfortunately, in many cases buyers are shown quality products for demonstration, but when the goods arrive in Israel they are of poor quality. For this reason it is important to work with known suppliers with a good reputation.
For a price quote for business consulting and a market survey for importing from China, contact us.
