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Wholesale with china
- Thread starter dlndesign
- Start date
TheSellOut
New Member
No disrespect I just wanted to say...Buy AMERICAN!!
signgal
New Member
seriously... I used to get those little LED badges with the scrolling message here in the US and they stopped carrying them. Trying to find someone else to get them from, I could only find China. No wonder... they couldn't make em as cheap anymore *sighs* well, I refuse to buy them that way.
Stealth Ryder
New Member
No disrespect I just wanted to say...Buy AMERICAN!!
***Agreed *** Ditto*** Buy Noth American***One of our competitors is buying stuff from over there and it flies off a bike faster than the bikes go.... No disrespect but please please please buy american or build your own staff that can handle what you want to do.
In our home town they are getting ready to layoff 124+ teachers yes teachers because of the factories that were once here are now outsourcing those jobs overseas, thus making our tax revune almost none compared to before.
But like I said no disrespect keep that money here in the us, unless it is something that can't be done here.
In our home town they are getting ready to layoff 124+ teachers yes teachers because of the factories that were once here are now outsourcing those jobs overseas, thus making our tax revune almost none compared to before.
But like I said no disrespect keep that money here in the us, unless it is something that can't be done here.
cptcorn
adad
This thread is Bullshit.
Everyone figure out where you're printers and plotters are made. Or any of the other assets your company owns.
If you want to buy from China, go for it... but you better educate yourself well on what your buying and the background of who ever it is your buying from.
Everyone that says BUY AMERICAN are hypocrites. Show me one person that buys everything American and I'll show you how their full of themselves.
Everyone figure out where you're printers and plotters are made. Or any of the other assets your company owns.
If you want to buy from China, go for it... but you better educate yourself well on what your buying and the background of who ever it is your buying from.
Everyone that says BUY AMERICAN are hypocrites. Show me one person that buys everything American and I'll show you how their full of themselves.
National Sign Co. - Print
Merchant Member
We have purchased many raw materials from both China and Korea. Here is my advice. This is also based on experience and not opinion...
If you are looking on a web forum for direction on sourcing abroad you really should not even think about that kind of business direction...
First you need some one on the inside in Korea or China to protect your best interests. You also need CASH no credit, Cash is King.... With that being said without the right person looking out for you kiss your money goodbye....
Also you need a good freight broker to handle all of your imports and point of origins and customs otherwise you will also lose a ton of Money in Tariffs and importing fees.
Food for thought when the smoke clears and you have your product. all the shipping is paid for look at your bottom line. It really isn't that much greater than if you bought domestically and let some one else deal with the cash flow and headaches... Sometimes piece of mind is priceless....
If you are looking on a web forum for direction on sourcing abroad you really should not even think about that kind of business direction...
First you need some one on the inside in Korea or China to protect your best interests. You also need CASH no credit, Cash is King.... With that being said without the right person looking out for you kiss your money goodbye....
Also you need a good freight broker to handle all of your imports and point of origins and customs otherwise you will also lose a ton of Money in Tariffs and importing fees.
Food for thought when the smoke clears and you have your product. all the shipping is paid for look at your bottom line. It really isn't that much greater than if you bought domestically and let some one else deal with the cash flow and headaches... Sometimes piece of mind is priceless....
I completely understand "Buy American" but please instruct us on how you strictly buy American (USA). Let's say you buy Grimco's Key Banner material. Grimco is a USA company but that banner material wasn't any more made in the USA than any of the clothing your wearing. Do you think that yard sign stake you sell for $1.50 was made in the USA and the welds were done by Union Laborers? Let's say a member on here might be doing large volumes of banners, wants to know about getting the banner straight from the source (i.e. China) instead of paying Grimco to do the leg work/paying their markup. And you tell him to buy American? I would like to know the S101 members that only use USA made vinyls, print media, substrates, tools, etc.......IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!
To get back on topic, the owner of our company (his main business is mattress manufacturing) makes about 3-4 trips to China each year to purchase production materials (we haven't yet bought any graphics/signs supplies) and we get about a container per month. He works through a US broker that has reputable connections in China. He can either purchase the materials from a US company that imports it from China, or he can purchase the same materials directly from China and save roughly 30%. The imported materials for mattress production only make up about 20% of total materials but the savings helps to stay competitive and it's either be competitive or close shop. Being competitive means about 30-40 jobs for people in our community.
Allen
To get back on topic, the owner of our company (his main business is mattress manufacturing) makes about 3-4 trips to China each year to purchase production materials (we haven't yet bought any graphics/signs supplies) and we get about a container per month. He works through a US broker that has reputable connections in China. He can either purchase the materials from a US company that imports it from China, or he can purchase the same materials directly from China and save roughly 30%. The imported materials for mattress production only make up about 20% of total materials but the savings helps to stay competitive and it's either be competitive or close shop. Being competitive means about 30-40 jobs for people in our community.
Allen
Just Another Sign Guy
New Member
great advice Merritt.
i have seen people place their orders and receive the product only to find it is of inferior quality..what in the world do you do then? i know a company who unfortunately ended up with an entire shipping container that was paid in full prior to delivery of material that did not meet the specifications they had agreed to.
there can be a lot of games and nonsense involved as stated you have to have someone involved that has set foot in the factory and has real human relationships.
this isn't an area of business to be cavalier unless you have money to gamble with. when you have those contacts that do what they say they will and deliver the goods as specified cherish them.
i have seen people place their orders and receive the product only to find it is of inferior quality..what in the world do you do then? i know a company who unfortunately ended up with an entire shipping container that was paid in full prior to delivery of material that did not meet the specifications they had agreed to.
there can be a lot of games and nonsense involved as stated you have to have someone involved that has set foot in the factory and has real human relationships.
this isn't an area of business to be cavalier unless you have money to gamble with. when you have those contacts that do what they say they will and deliver the goods as specified cherish them.
ProWraps
New Member
alibaba.com
and if you plan in being an importer/exporter, you better go buy rosetta stone mandarin or cantonese. cause if you dont speak one of those, your dead in the water. as mentioned above, your credit is worthless, and you will be paying a LOT of money for someone to broker your deals for you.
also, if you are planning to manufacture a product over there, you better plan on spending a lot of time and money finding the right factory that can produce what you want to the right specs. from prototyping to the finished product, unless you or a representative are watching the entire thing down the line, your gonna get JUNK.
and if you plan in being an importer/exporter, you better go buy rosetta stone mandarin or cantonese. cause if you dont speak one of those, your dead in the water. as mentioned above, your credit is worthless, and you will be paying a LOT of money for someone to broker your deals for you.
also, if you are planning to manufacture a product over there, you better plan on spending a lot of time and money finding the right factory that can produce what you want to the right specs. from prototyping to the finished product, unless you or a representative are watching the entire thing down the line, your gonna get JUNK.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
A friend of mine is now buying almost 2/3's of his inventory from China. He is paying about 20% of what he was paying for 'American Made'.
However, he can't do it on his own. He and a few others combined make up enough of an order to buy in bulk. They are buying very large quantities and then dividing it up when it gets here. They too have inside connections over there AND here to make sure all works out smoothly. He's offered things to me , but I still won't do that. Heck, I don't even buy at the Self Checkout Aisle in stores because that puts another human out of service. I want to stay as American as I can. Sure I know there are plenty of things I buy from oversees, but then, I can't save the forest by myself, but I sure can help wherever possible.
If something goes wrong, like Dan said.... you're basically out.... everything for that haul.
However, he can't do it on his own. He and a few others combined make up enough of an order to buy in bulk. They are buying very large quantities and then dividing it up when it gets here. They too have inside connections over there AND here to make sure all works out smoothly. He's offered things to me , but I still won't do that. Heck, I don't even buy at the Self Checkout Aisle in stores because that puts another human out of service. I want to stay as American as I can. Sure I know there are plenty of things I buy from oversees, but then, I can't save the forest by myself, but I sure can help wherever possible.
If something goes wrong, like Dan said.... you're basically out.... everything for that haul.
SignManiac
New Member
My sister in law is Chinese and she warned me about doing business with China. She said you will get screwed if you don't know what you're doing. She says it's very risky. She goes back every year to visit her parents and it's a whole different world compared to the U.S. Buyer be very aware.
Pat Whatley
New Member
Buy Merican...Hire Mexicans.
SurfaceSigns
New Member
In a previous life I represented an importer of Pro Audio & Lighting products (gear used in concerts, nightclubs, etc), most of which came from China. Before bringing a product to market we would go through a large number of sample prototypes to make sure they got everything right and met local codes. We would ask them to fix one thing, they would cut a corner on another. Meanwhile, we are paying for each sample, none of which could be sold. Our warehouse had a large area set aside to hold the prototypes that were really just garbage, but that the owner couldn't bring himself to throw away. Once we finally got the product right, it was time to buck up (as Merritt said, cash is king), then wait 60 to 90 days for the container, and hope that you got what you approved.
One of my dealers here in Vancouver thought that they could do better by buying direct from China. They were asian dudes, with family from Mainland China and Hong Kong, and thought they had all their bases covered. When the container arrived, most of the product had been destroyed in transit simply because they didn't specify they packaging. Yes, even the packaging needs to be specified.
There are some protections available here in Canada anyways, but for the most part you need a team that is looking out for you. China has a whole other way of doing business, and navigating it isn't as simple as it may seem. Unless you have a substantial cash reserve that you are willing to lose, I would suggest you rethink your plans.
One of my dealers here in Vancouver thought that they could do better by buying direct from China. They were asian dudes, with family from Mainland China and Hong Kong, and thought they had all their bases covered. When the container arrived, most of the product had been destroyed in transit simply because they didn't specify they packaging. Yes, even the packaging needs to be specified.
There are some protections available here in Canada anyways, but for the most part you need a team that is looking out for you. China has a whole other way of doing business, and navigating it isn't as simple as it may seem. Unless you have a substantial cash reserve that you are willing to lose, I would suggest you rethink your plans.
royster13
New Member
Just like most discussions on this board there are two right sides.....
Many that have tried to import from China and have had bad experiences are "right" to say do not do it.....Others that import from China and it works work well are "right" to say go for it.....
I do it and it works well......So I say go for it....But as the ads say "Past performance is not indicative of future results"...or something like that
Many that have tried to import from China and have had bad experiences are "right" to say do not do it.....Others that import from China and it works work well are "right" to say go for it.....
I do it and it works well......So I say go for it....But as the ads say "Past performance is not indicative of future results"...or something like that
Mosh
New Member
Kind of a different deal but, my friend got a container he took aluminum sheets and race car pars to Austrailia. It cost him $10K for the container and shipping. He make a killing and plans on doing it again next winter (summer there) I guess parts and aluminum are expensive there.
Pat Whatley
New Member
If I remember right wasn't there somebody here who was importing those Chinese "disposable" gas powered scooters a few years ago who got really screwed over on a container full of them?