This Episode, #6, is the 1st of 3 parts dealing specifically with sourcing, i.e., finding suppliers, negotiating, getting samples, and getting product manufactured and sent to Amazon USA.

It is also part 4 of 10 of the “Amazing FBA Startup System” series.

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Resources mentioned

Supplier sites

Sourcing from China – alibaba.com. This is where nearly all  private labellers shop.

What filters to use on Suppliers on Alibaba:

Gold Supplier – Supplier pays $2500 odd to list on Alibaba.com. Not in itself a great safety check, but check how long supplier has been listed. The longer, the better.

Assessed Supplier – Which I called “Verified Supplier” in the Podcast. Here is Alibaba’s explanation. Basically, a 3rd party inspection company has been in to check their claims are true and that it looks like a legitimate business. Of course, this being China, we can’t be absolutely certain of the integrity the 3rd party, but it’s another level of check.

Onsite Check – on a laptop/desktop, this only seems to show in the sidebar on the Alibaba site. This means they physically check the factory, which is obviously a lot better than just checking the paperwork.

Certificates – again, in the sidebar. For certain products, you’ll need certification for the product. E.g. 1, silicone spatula touches food so it will need FDA (Food & Drug Administration) approval in USA.

E.g. 2, electric lamp as an electrical item will possibly need certification (More in episode #8  how to find out what certification is needed).

 

ALTERNATIVES TO ALIBABA.COM

HKTDC.com (Hong Kong Trade Development Corporation). These companies are more likely to be Hong Kong based, which has a stricter regulatory environment, a legacy of its days as part of the British Empire. You’ll find slightly higher prices, somewhat less choice but hopefully more consistent quality and business practices

Recommended by a friend of mine who is chief Procurement Officer for Europe for a huge company, so worth taking seriously if you’re concerned about supplier reliability/product quality/potential fraud. I found my supplier of my first product here.

To filter out riskier suppliers, use these filters:

Company Verified – (Checkbox just below the search bar)

All the major company information has been checked by Dun & Bradstreet, a very established (nearly 200 years old!) and respected auditing company based in the USA.   About as safe as it gets in China/Asia generally.

Certificates Verified (Checkbox just below the search bar)

Quality Compliance  (Checkbox just below the search bar for some searches) – a check that the supplier at least on paper has

Information on how to deal with Chinese Suppliers

China Importal – This company will try to sell you into a quick pricey service where they will find and assess suppliers for you. I don’t recommend that,