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Find a manufacturer for your product
Finding a manufacturer for your product or products requires certain steps that need to be taken in order to have results you are happy off. Purchasing the first thing you see is not a wise move as you might not know who the manufacturer is, and you could have possibly found the product elsewhere for less value.
As your business progresses and you reach the stage of finding a manufacturer, the best method to follow step by step is to firstly do your research and collate a list of manufacturers. Once you have a list of manufacturers who can manufacture your product or products, contact each of them. Finally, you can compare the manufacturers following various criteria, until you narrow down one you’re comfortable with.
Research
The task of researching manufacturers for your product can be done locally or internationally. You will want to accumulate a list of manufacturers that you will use once you begin making enquiries with each manufacturer. In case one manufacturer was to fall through, it would also be good to have another as a backup.
A good source to use to find manufacturers is Alibaba. Do bear in mind that some sellers on Alibaba aren’t necessarily manufacturers, though they come across as so. They too are also re-selling products which they have purchased from another manufacturer.
Contacting
Once you have compiled a list of manufacturers, what you want to do next is commence contacting them. You will want to know how much the manufacturer will charge for quantities of items, how much postage will be, and what terms apply in the event the products are damaged when you receive them.
To speed up communication, try obtaining a number to contact as opposed to going back and forth via email or messaging. This is because some manufacturers take a while to respond.
It is advisable you also order sample products first. This is to ensure the items are being manufactured to a standard you are happy with, or so you can provide feedback to add tweaks to the product.
Compare
Ascertain all the information you require from each manufacturer, and then now you can begin to compare each manufacturer. Look at variables, such as costs, risk, time it takes to receive the products, and the reliability of the manufacturer.
Conclusion
Overall, once you research manufacturers, contact, and then compare them, you should be able to make a well-informed decision, in relation to choosing the manufacturer that is going to deliver to a standard you expect.
It is advisable to always have backup manufacturers as well. In case the manufacturer you choose was to shut down, or the standard to diminish overtime, you might want to make the switch to a different manufacturer.
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