Three Simple Ways How To Find Factories In China
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Spencer from Solo Stove shares his expertise on finding the right factory in China for your online business. With 12 years of sourcing experience and having lived in China, Spencer offers three methods: using platforms like Alibaba, attending trade shows, and engaging US-based sourcing companies. He emphasizes evaluating suppliers, building relationships, and considering US manufacturers as an alternative. The video provides practical tips for entrepreneurs looking to manufacture products successfully.
Takeaways
- 🌐 Finding the right factory in China is crucial for the success of online businesses.
- 🏭 The speaker has extensive experience, having worked for a sourcing company and lived in China for nine years.
- 🔍 Three primary methods to find factories in China are discussed: online platforms, trade shows, and US-based sourcing companies.
- 📈 Online platforms like Alibaba, Global Sources, and Made in China can connect buyers with suppliers but require careful evaluation.
- 🏷️ When using online platforms, look for suppliers with a long history, verified badges, and a focused product offering to avoid middlemen.
- 📚 Industry-specific trade shows are recommended for face-to-face interactions, which can help build relationships and assess supplier quality.
- 🤝 US-based sourcing companies can provide valuable connections and expertise but may add an extra cost layer.
- 💡 The importance of finding a factory interested in a long-term relationship is highlighted, as it can significantly impact business growth.
- 🎯 A bonus tip suggests considering US manufacturers as an alternative to Chinese factories, especially for startups with smaller order volumes.
- 🚀 The video aims to guide entrepreneurs through the process of finding a suitable factory, emphasizing patience and persistence.
Q & A
What is the importance of finding the right factory in China for online businesses?
-Finding the right factory in China can make or break an online business due to the significant role manufacturing plays in product quality, cost, and supply chain reliability.
How long has the speaker been involved in sourcing products from China?
-The speaker has spent 12 years working for a sourcing company and has lived in China for nine years after graduating college.
What is the speaker's name and what business did he co-found?
-The speaker's name is Spencer, and he co-founded Solo Stove.
How much revenue did Solo Stove achieve in the past year according to the speaker?
-Solo Stove achieved sales of over 250 million dollars in the past year.
What are the three methods the speaker suggests for finding factories in China?
-The three methods suggested are: 1) using online platforms like Alibaba, 2) attending industry-specific trade shows, and 3) using a US-based sourcing company.
Why should one be cautious when a supplier on Alibaba is new to the platform?
-One should be cautious with new suppliers on Alibaba because they may not have a proven track record, increasing the risk of scams or unreliable service.
What is the significance of a supplier having a 'Verified' or 'Gold Supplier' badge on Alibaba?
-A 'Verified' or 'Gold Supplier' badge indicates that the supplier has paid for these statuses, showing a level of commitment and legitimacy, making the company appear more trustworthy.
Why should one avoid suppliers that offer a broad selection of different products on Alibaba?
-Suppliers with a broad product range are likely trading companies rather than actual factories, which can lead to higher risks due to their role as middlemen without direct control over production.
What advantage does attending trade shows offer when searching for suppliers?
-Trade shows offer the advantage of face-to-face interaction, allowing for direct communication, product sampling, and prototype discussions, which can help build relationships and assess supplier quality.
Why might a US-based sourcing company be a good option for finding a Chinese factory?
-A US-based sourcing company can be beneficial as they have expertise in working with Chinese factories, potentially saving time and reducing the language and cultural barriers.
What is the bonus tip the speaker provides for those who find it difficult to start with Chinese factories?
-The bonus tip is to consider finding manufacturers within the US, which might offer better communication, faster shipping, and a familiar working culture, despite potentially higher costs.
Outlines
🏭 Finding Factories in China: The Key to Online Business Success
Spencer, co-founder of Solo Stove, shares his extensive experience in sourcing products from China, having spent 12 years in the industry and living in China for nine years. He introduces viewers to his video series, which aims to guide entrepreneurs in building an online business from the ground up without selling any products. Spencer outlines three methods for finding factories in China: using online platforms like Alibaba, attending industry-specific trade shows, and engaging with US-based sourcing companies. He emphasizes the importance of evaluating suppliers on these platforms by looking at their history, trust badges, and product offerings to distinguish between genuine factories and trading companies. He also stresses the value of face-to-face interactions at trade shows for building relationships and assessing potential partners.
🔍 Deep Dive into Sourcing Strategies and Bonus Tips
In the second paragraph, Spencer elaborates on the benefits of working with US-based sourcing companies, which can facilitate communication and understanding of business needs due to shared language and cultural understanding. He advises entrepreneurs to be patient and persistent in finding a factory that is interested in a long-term relationship, drawing a parallel to the dating process. Spencer also offers a bonus tip, suggesting that starting with a factory in the US might be advantageous for small startups due to easier communication, potentially faster shipping times, and a familiar business environment. He encourages viewers to explore domestic manufacturing options and to consider the long-term benefits of a strong initial partnership, even if it comes with higher upfront costs.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sourcing
💡Alibaba.com
💡Gold Supplier
💡Chinese Trading Company
💡Trade Shows
💡Sourcing Company
💡Prototypes
💡Volume
💡US-Based Manufacturers
💡Relationship Building
Highlights
Importance of finding the right factory in China for online business success.
The speaker's extensive experience in sourcing products from China.
Three methods to find factories in China.
The use of online platforms like Alibaba for finding factories.
The challenge of sifting through numerous suppliers on online platforms.
Advice on using filtering tools and looking for trust badges on platforms.
The risk of dealing with Chinese trading companies versus actual factories.
Attending industry-specific trade shows as a method to find suppliers.
Benefits of face-to-face meetings at trade shows for building relationships.
Using US-based sourcing companies to leverage their existing relationships with Chinese factories.
The added cost and benefits of working with a sourcing company.
The importance of finding a factory interested in a long-term relationship.
Solo Stove's journey in finding the right manufacturing partner.
Bonus tip: Considering US-based manufacturers for startups.
Advantages of working with US manufacturers despite potential higher costs.
Encouragement to be patient and persistent in finding the right factory.
Summary of the methods presented for finding factories in China.
Transcripts
finding the right factory in china can
make or break your online business i
spent 12 years working for a sourcing
company sourcing products out of china
i've even lived in china for nine years
after i graduated college so i've got a
lot to share with you and in this video
i'm going to tell you the methods i use
to find factories in china so that you
can do the same
[Music]
thanks for watching this episode of step
by step my in-depth video series where i
share all i know about building a
business online from scratch my name is
spencer and i co-founded solo stove we
started in a garage with 15 000 bucks
and over the past year or so solo stove
has had sales of over 250 million
dollars don't worry i have nothing to
sell you i make these videos purely to
help other entrepreneurs start selling
online so if that's you hit that
subscribe button let's get to it
i'm going to walk you through three ways
to find factories in china i'll also
touch on tips to help you evaluate them
so you know whether or not they're a
good fit for your company then at the
end of the video i'm going to give you a
bonus tip that most people aren't
thinking about so be sure to watch to
the end the first and most accessible
way to find a factory in china is to
start on alibaba.com or other online
platforms like global sources or made in
china these platforms they help connect
factories and suppliers in china to
buyers from all over the world the
tricky part with them is that there are
so many listed suppliers that it's hard
to sift through all of them and know
whether or not you found a good one or
if you're gonna get scammed so use their
filtering tools and look for suppliers
that have been on the platform for a
number of years the more the better and
if you find a supplier that's new to the
platform i'd say be careful also look
for other trust badges that the platform
gives out like the verified badge and
the gold supplier this usually means
that the supplier is paying to be on the
platform which does show some level of
commitment and to me makes the company
more legit also pay attention to the
product offering a supplier shows if
it's a broad selection of all sorts of
different products they're probably a
chinese trading company and not a
factory chinese trading companies buy
from factories and are the middlemen
they don't own or run a factory they
usually operate with like a really small
team and can pop up and close down with
relative ease so there can be more risk
if you end up dealing with a trading
company when looking for suppliers on
alibaba or any other similar online
platform you want to find a supplier
that only sells one type of product
because a real factory is limited by
their machinery and they can usually
only make a narrow scope of products it
may be that they can only do plastic
injection molding or steel work or
aluminum extrusions or faucets or toilet
seats so look out for this cue if they
show online a bunch of different
products be careful in general online
platforms are good but you have to know
what you're looking for the ease of use
makes shady scammers all the more
attracted to these platforms so be super
careful the next method i like to use is
to attend industry-specific trade shows
prior to covid it was easy to hop over
to china and walk a trade show or two in
just a few days at these trade shows you
can find suppliers who have spent a lot
of money to be in front of quality
buyers and when both sides spend money
to find each other it usually weeds out
those that aren't serious trade shows
are great because you can meet face to
face and talk about your product
together you can touch and feel samples
and show them your prototypes and what's
best about face-to-face is that you can
build a relationship with a supplier and
this can make a ton of difference so
look up industry trade shows that are
related to your market and when it's
convenient to travel find cheap flights
and spend some time at these shows also
remember that there are a lot of trade
shows domestically as well a lot of
chinese factories and suppliers will
make the trip and attend so if you're
not adventurous and you want to stay in
country find the trade shows within the
united states and when you can't travel
to any shows or you just don't want to
you can always spend time on the trade
show websites this is a great place to
look up all the exhibitors from current
and past shows these lists are usually
free and easy to download spend time
looking up each supplier and see if you
can't find one that meets your needs
knowing that they were there at the show
you can assume that they're a pretty
decent lead i found lots of good
suppliers this way including one that
made products for rei and a handful of
other top tier outdoor gear brands okay
the third way to find a factory in china
is to use a us-based sourcing company
these companies are middlemen but
they're skilled at working with chinese
factories they might already have
existing relationships with factories so
piggybacking off their experience and
relationships can be really good the
downside is that they need to make money
too so there's an extra layer of cost
added on when you use a sourcing company
but they exist for a reason and they are
often worth the added cost the benefit
to you is that you can work with someone
who speaks your language natively and
who can understand your needs and
possibly even your customers needs by
finding a sourcing company within the
u.s you can cut down the need to work
two time zones and eventually spend less
time sourcing and dealing with factories
in china and spend more time on the
other aspects of your business to find a
us-based sourcing company just search on
google for companies in your area meet
up with them and start talking with them
understand the process and the financial
commitment required to get started talk
with a few of them and compare and
before you know it you'll be talking the
talk and could quickly have some great
options to get your product made finding
the right factory in china to make your
products is very much like dating they
need to be attracted to you and you to
them and if they're not interested in
the relationship it doesn't matter how
bad you want them to make your product
it just won't happen understand that
factories in china are complex and you
won't understand all the customer
relationships they have so don't be
surprised if they're not interested in
your business just move on and keep
looking finding a factory that wants to
develop a relationship with you can be
amazing when we started solo stove it
took forever to find the right partner
we actually shelved the idea to start
solo stove for a year because it was so
hard to find the right partner who
wanted to take a risk on a small startup
but when we found the right partner it
was amazing and things took off fast
just be patient and persistent and
you'll find a great factory in china
okay here's the bonus tip i promised you
china is full of great factories but
i've always said that starting in china
can be hard especially for small
startups because factories they run off
of volume and if you don't have large
volumes it can be difficult to start in
china on the other hand i believe there
are great opportunities within the us to
find manufacturers and since you're able
to communicate well with them i believe
finding a factory in the u.s is a great
option it may cost more but if that's
what it takes to get up and running i
say it's worth exploring you can always
find ways to reduce costs later so if
you're looking for an alternative to a
factory in china look within the us and
see what you can find who knows the
perfect partner might be right here at
home if they are you'll benefit from
faster shipping times a familiar working
culture and less paperwork when it comes
to importing so there you have it find a
factory in china by searching online
through alibaba and other platforms
visit trade shows or just download the
exhibitor list from their websites or
search for us-based sourcing companies
who can help you find a factory in china
these are the ways i find factories in
china it's really that simple if you
have any questions about finding
factories in china leave a comment down
below i'll be sure to answer it and if
this video was helpful help me out by
hitting the like button and remember to
subscribe and if you're looking for more
videos on how to start your own
e-commerce business from scratch here's
a link up in the card to my other
step-by-step videos until next time good
luck work hard and i'll see you in the
next video
[Music]
you
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