Cross-border trade of goods and services is essential for Chinese manufacturers and suppliers to increase economic globalization. Establishing a secure supply chain influence the various factors of global resources. Global sourcing is the key to meeting the high demand-driven customers’ needs.
However, due to the complexity and existing regulations of the global trade system, not every smoking accessories manufacturer and supplier in China surpassed the sourcing challenges. Chinese suppliers have to adopt innovative global sourcing strategies to get a competitive edge over online purchasing of smoking accessories.
It is no doubt that Chinese manufacturers produce high-quality smoking products. But if they are inexperienced, global sourcing becomes a hassle and a big challenge. Overcoming the variety of sourcing challenges is not a child’s play. Global supply chain management needs expert individuals.
So, if you are thinking of sourcing wholesale smoking accessory in China, you must find reputed and globally acclaimed Chinese suppliers. Local suppliers cannot provide you satisfactory service due to supply chain complexities and many more reasons.
Therefore, the five significant sourcing challenges in smoking accessories in China include the following:
The delivery period is very long.
Purchasing or sourcing anything from international suppliers plus manufacturers involves various factors. One such factor that poses an immense challenge is the longer delivery duration. Now, as long as the delivery times are long, it is also affected based on different suppliers and the order category. In this case, the object of delivery is a smoking accessory.
Suppose you place an order for a small quantity. If so, you should expect a longer delivery time. Manufacturers start processing small orders only when large orders allow a significant gap in production. The process is more complex and lengthy for uncommon orders.
Hence, a longer delivery time is one common challenge you will face when sourcing smoking accessories in China.
Difficulty in solving the quality concerns with the products.
It is no doubt that overseas purchase orders take a long time to reach you. After passing so many transit and transportation processes, returns and exchange orders are more complicated and exhausting.
Let’s say that the smoking accessories you ordered were not of expected quality and standards. Firstly, contacting the Chinese suppliers and manufacturers to inquire about the products will only be problematic. Even if you get in touch with them, getting the return or exchange process started will take time. Then, again, the to and fro process is time-consuming.
So, if you have any post-delivery issues with the order, having them solved with the suppliers is a challenge. It is all the more difficult and complex if the suppliers and manufacturers of the products are separate.
The quality standard of the product does not meet the expectations.
Online purchases have an imminent issue of quality standards. If the sellers are not highly recommended or verified, you must be cautious about ordering anything.
In the case of wholesale tobacco pipes, quality standards are a must. When you contact a Chinese supplier with a wholesale order of tobacco pipes, you must confirm the quality measurements. That way, the manufacturers can process the production of your order as per the quality requirements and materials.
Nonetheless, getting a defect-free product out of many tobacco pipes is not possible. That is why meeting the quality standards is a challenge when sourcing products in China.
Variable pricing structure by the suppliers.
Global sourcing is highly prone to variable pricing structures. Due to the dynamics of trading and production costs, controlling these prices is not directly possible. When dealing with Chinese suppliers, finding within your budget is a challenge. Most times, people end up ordering from the lowest-priced Chinese sellers.
When ordering from cheap suppliers, you have to pay a minimum advance for the order. Since the production takes a long time, you might notice a rise in the price of the products over time. By the time your order is all ready for transportation, the actual price could rise y 10 to 20%. When the initial product quote was set, the manufacturers underestimated the production costs resulting in increased prices later.
Manufacturers and suppliers of the products are different.
You don’t know how they process your order when you source anything from overseas sellers. Many Chinese suppliers of smoking accessories have separate production companies. This creates problems for all the parties involved. If the supplier does not own the production plant, the processing of your order is not adequately controlled.
However, global sourcing becomes more controlled and straightforward if the supplier and the manufacturer are the same. For instance, the Pipe Supplier are the sellers of smoking accessories globally. They have their manufacturing unit with different factories. Controlling products standard is simple.
Besides these, other trade practices and cost issues are also a challenge when sourcing smoking accessories or any product in China. Thus, when purchasing anything from Chinese suppliers, do not just look at the pricing.