After an exhaustive search, you have found the golden product you want to sell: Easy to ship, small, durable and has a decent profit margin.  You would think the hard work is done, but in fact, it is just beginning.  You do not know how to find manufacturers.

You are fully aware of what you are looking for in a manufacturer,but this will cause you some problems.  If you have high standards and a very specific niche product, your manufacturing options will be limited.  Those manufacturers you may be looking for are highly competitive and have lofty requirements for their production.  Some manufacturers could be spread out across any number of cities in China. Some products may have a complicated production process and need a variety of steps to complete – and not all of it done in the same factory.

Sourcing Nova feels your pain.  This is why we have taken a pre-emptive step on your behalf with this piece.  We have looked for, and found, 21 Chinese manufacturer search channels for you.  This means your journey to find wholesale industry suppliers in China is half done – all because you reading this blog.

Note: It is this specific reason that sets us apart from other similar sourcing companies – we want you to know core secrets and techniques.  More importantly, we want your business to be the best it can be.

There are so many articles already on the Internet that mention methods and techniques that are sound – in theory.  In practical application, those methods and techniques fall far, far short of working for you and many other business owners.

Consider what most to do on how to find manufacturers:

Most people use standard resources to find China wholesale suppliers, specifically  social media or wholesale websites with multiple language support.  In all honesty, most small businesses trying to get a start with products are going to check Alibaba and Dhgate just like you will.

Warning: But what they don’t know is that many top manufacturers in China can’t be found on B2B platforms like Alibaba.

Here is what sets Sourcing Nova apart.  We have much more reliable, audited information than the average insider.  We have access to a wholesale network of small business wholesale suppliers.

If you are serious and want a cut of that insider information, keep reading on how to find a manufacturer.

 

1. Domestic and foreign procurement guidelines

The first thing to realize is Sourcing Nova follows traditional media channels to source from China.  We find out who manufactures products for top brands in this manner and not necessarily the Internet.  This is how we set ourselves apart from other sourcing companies.  Our goal is to find you quality manufacturers first and foremost.  The details follow at a later point.

There have been times when customers have had very precise and defined procurement requirements, particularly for private label products and manufacturers.  In these cases, we look under procurement guide publications and magazines from their respective fields.  Here are a few examples of the media we use:

medical equipment procurement process and resource guide

Note: We are a Chinese sourcing company and based in Guangzhou, China.  This is why we select Chinese guides.  Chances are there are similar procurement guide publications and magazines in your country and language.

 

2. Domestic and foreign product release conferences from Chinese manufacturers

A typical new product launch will follow a standard algorithm of a product launch.  The business or businesses will make an announcement, invite potential and related customers with an interest in that particular product and have a formal unveiling of the product in a specific place and time.

This is a very common way to announce new products for larger corporations and businesses.   One such business is Apple.  Anytime Apple has a new product announcement, they will hold a huge conference and showcase the new product.

There are a share of Chinese manufacturers and suppliers that will do similar with their products

For example, when a large Chinese company holds a product launch, Sourcing Nova can find their supplier information relatively easily.  Take Huawei, the cell phone giant, as an example.  We can find which suppliers make wireless ear buds, phone chargers, data cables, phone stands and other digital equipment Huawei uses in their manufacturing process.

Tip: Larger companies often choose manufacturers with better production and quality control. It is these companies we look into for your products.

 

3. Domestic and foreign news media

Do not forget there is still traditional media like newspapers, magazines, radio and local television.  These are perfectly acceptable on how to help find manufacturing companies of your products.  All of these still take up a considerable share of advertisting and media.  There are channels of China wholesale vendors there, and you can certainly tap into them.

 

4. A variety of websites to find manufacturers

You are obviously on the most economical, fastest and most widely used way on how to find manufacturers.  Search engings, professional B2B sites, online trade fairs (the famous Canton Fair went online due to the pandemic) and new media are all valid tools for finding product manufacturers.

The Internet is also making fundamental changes to the development and cooperation model of traditional manufacturers.  Use caution when using websites to find manufacturers, however.

1688.com
1688.com

The virtual element of the Internet and for-profit models of B2B platforms (often the highest ranking manufacturers are because of advertising dollars and not their product quality) mean the Internet is rife with false and misleading information from Chinese wholesale website.  This means a better sourcing company will need to research and determine product quality by other means outside of a simple search.  This is particularly important for small business wholesale suppliers.

 

5. Phone book

Many in the business with many years of experience are still following traditional means and methods to find manufacturers.  This means the Yellow Pages of the phone book, a location with a considerable number of potential wholesale suppliers.

guangzhou yellow page

Tip: China has several different industrial clusters. Be sure you are using the correct yellow pages for the contact information for manufacturers of your specific products.

 

6. Domestic and foreign product exhibitions

Exhibitions remain a standard for international business matching manufacturers.  It is common for representatives of various manufacturing companies to participate in exhibitions for several months out of the year.

international baby products toys expo
international baby products toys expo

In China, the Canton Fair is the largest and most comprehensive of them all.  In fact, a good many of the participants in the Canton Fair work with a large number of international trade partners in various countries.  There are more specialized fairs across various cities in China as well – the Hair Fair for wigs, the China (Yangjiang) International Hardware Knives and Scissors Fair for kitchen knives and scissors, and the sports fair for a variety of sporting goods.  If you are interested in a specific white label product, chances are we can find a manufacturing fair in a city in China.

 

7. All kinds of commodity ordering meetings organized by the government

It is common for local governments to host product ordering expos with manufacturers to make your products.  The better examples include: the China International Import Expo and the China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair.

 

8. Domestic and foreign industry associations

There are always associations within industries that share understanding of one another’s operating conditions, products and reputations.  Sourcing Nova is always certain to use the higher quality Chinese factories in this case.

These associations also have a good number of publications providing stellar information on established and new products equally.  These are a great way to see how to manufacture your products.

 

9. Various manufacturers’ associations and trade unions at home and abroad

If you are familiar with a chamber of commerce, this is a similar association to those.  These groups find industries and regions.  These are then collected for interested individuals and Chinese manufacturing companies.

 

10. Government-related statistical reports and publications

Many government produced reports and publications normally cover the ‘leading enterprises’ of product suppliers within an industry.  Since the government has strict standards and metrics to rank manufacturing companies, these selected for the publications are often of the better quality – a good sign for you.

Note: Those companies and manufacturers with government mention are large-scale, have exceptional R&D, high production and familiar consumer brands. Local governments push hard for these companies to establish themselves. There is a significant tax base increase and job creation – something any municipality will want for their people.

Warning: These manufacturers are capable of complex manufacturing processes of high-end, private label products for global customers. This means their specific MOQ will be substantial, prices will be high and have expections their customers pay on time.

The other drawback is the information is often Chinese. If you are not familiar with Chinese or the language, you will be at a disadvantage – even with translation aids. The language barrier is a big drawback for buyers wanting to know how to find a manufacturer.

The following site: http://gxt.fujian.gov.cn/gk/gsgg/202006/t20200617_5305428.htm details the leading enterprises of the Fujian province.  While in Chinese, Google Chrome can translate well enough to get an understanding of what is happening with the local economy.

 

11. Professional third-party agency

There are a few third-party procurement and information platforms, a professional procurement team or data information sharing party, that have a fair number of manufacturer resources to select from.  These companies take your specific procurement needs and make recommendations based on that information.

sourcing agency
sourcing agency

This is not so much a part of finding the best supplier.  We strongly recommend that you hire a Chinese sourcing agent for any products you are looking to source from China.

The sourcing agent comes from the trading companies, freight forwarders and IT technology companies.  Specific purchasing agents are often tied to a geographical location and industry cluster.  For example:

  • Yiwu purchasing agents prefer high-quality and inexpensive daily commodities;
  • Foshan purchasing agents prefer building materials;
  • Shenzhen purchasing agents prefer high value-added technology products;
  • Guangzhou purchasing agents prefer beauty products;
  • Purchasing agents from Northern Chinese provinces tend to focus on heavy industrial products.

This is because Chinese manufacturing formed different industrial clusters in different geographical regions.

12. Manufacturer representative companies introduce themselves

There are regular calls from salespeople for companies who visit buyers.  This is one of the most common channels for the purchase/supply chain when buying wholesale from China.

Note: Those salespeople who do come to the door are often of smaller and medium-sized manufacturing companies and enterprises in China. These salespeople and companies will have stellar customer service, devote more time and energy to the customers and their specific needs.

 

13. Internal staff

If you have a staff as part of your business, there is always a potential they may know how to find suppliers.  However, it is important to remain fair, just and open.  This way there is no preferential treatment due to the internal relationships between you and your employees.

14. Competitor manufacturers

Do not overlook your direct competition when it comes to looking for the perfect Chinese supplier of quality products.Your competition is often one of the best sources on how to find a manufacturer in China for your products.  If your specific market is strong and highly competitve, you can raise the degree of competition by working with the same manufacturers of your direct competition.

Warning: There is likely a need for a confidentiality agreement in this case.  It is important to keep from infringing on property rights and patents of your competition.

 

15. Bidding and procurement

Offering your business through bids and bidding is a great way to find product suppliers for an online store.  There are often bidding procedures to follow, so familiarize yourself with them.

Note: It is not a commonality for formal bidding meetings.  Rather, bidding information is made available on industry forums and social media.  The more common include: FOB Shanghai Forum, QQ groups and WeChat groups.

Purchasing Club

Warning: If you are not familiar with Chinese language and Chinese business practices, it is not recommended to adopt this method.

 

16. Contest and endorsements

You can leverage endorsement opportunities for your business.  This way you can see how to find a manufacturer and create a successful relationship with them at the same time.

Contests, competitions and official endorsements are common with larger and more established companies.  However, you can still leverage this information in your favor as it will give you insight into the specific strengths and weakenesses of manufacturers.

Tip: Consider: The sporting goods industry has people using their products as endorsements. So long as you follow the sponsors of the equipment used by the athletes and competitors, you can glean some information about their manufacturers.

 

17. The network of relationships

Sourcing Nova has a considerable network of Chinese wholesale suppliers.  We can often use guanxi and that network for manufacturers and manufacturers of your products.

Note: Guanxi is an integral part of Chinese society and business relationships.  We select manufacturers high on the guanxi network because of better cooperation, trust and smooth communication.

In the event that the buyer and our partner have a conflict of interest, Sourcing Nova will remain neutral.  This way we do not show preference of the manufacturer to protect the interests of the buyer.

 

18. Market promotion

Chinese wholesaler markets are across the entire country.  This means you can advertise in various locations for your specific purchasing needs.  Flashing neon is always a good way to attract manufacturers.

Note: This specific method is primarily when there is urgent need and short order time to fill the order. This is common in industrial distribution centers who can meet these tight demands and timelines.

 

19. Manufacturer introduction

We have a solid working relationship with many Chinese wholesalers that will share some of their connections within similar industries with us at Sourcing Nova.

Tip: Those manufacturers who have worked with us in the past have intimate knowledge of our needs and customer base. So long as there is no direct conflict with competition, finding the best wholesale suppliers meeting the standards you want happens in short order.

 

20. Online commodity exchanges

Older procurement markets have well-established commodity exchanges.  Sourcing Nova has access to these platforms for manufacturers and suppliers

Note: There are market distribution centers where operators will create websites for merchants to release demand information. There is a very small audience for these websites, and the operators are not invested in market promotion. Therefore, these websites are relatively unknown.

For example, http://www.gzitn.com/, the China Fabrics & Accessories Center is a market specializing in clothing and fabric in Guangzhou, China.  There is a large variety, but the website design is not ideal.  Moreover, only a few professionals are familiar with it, and the chances of Westerners finding and using similar websites is very slim.

China Fabrics & Accessories Center

21. Customer manufacturers

The customer manufacturer channel is very similar to what we have mentioned previously about making connections to the best wholesale suppliers through establish partners.

Note: China is a large country, but the global village for manufacturing is not that large. Some who are familiar with markets and have the smallest track can find manufacturers, provided the buyer is quite the super sleuth.

Final Thoughts

It is not necessary to look into every single different method on how to find manufacturers to make your Chinese products.  The best method is determined by how easy it is to get the information we need.

Advances in Internet technology and data mean the channels for finding manufacturers to make your products is easier and easier.  This also means the choices will be larger, so we will have to continually test and review as part of the procurement supply chain.

When are you ready to begin your own product sourcing with Chinese suppliers?  Let Sourcing Nova know your product, design or other information.  We can get started immediately and find you the perfect manufacturer.