Avela Corporation is a sourcing company, but we are often asked if we are middlemen. We are not. But before we go into the difference between a sourcing company and a middle man—also known as a trading company—allow me to explain why middlemen exist on the China Manufacturing scene. Probably the biggest reason for a middleman is that less than … Read More
Opportunities abound in China. For our clients, it holds the opportunity to have their products manufactured at the level of quality they need and at price that allows them to be competitive in the marketplace when, for one reason or another, those opportunities are not available from domestic sources. For average Chinese people, the coming of Capitalism to their economy … Read More
Avela Corporation has been sourcing manufacturing in China for our clients since 2002 and we have pretty much heard it all. Clients often come to us after having tried to “go it alone” by dealing with a trading company that they may have met at a trade show, through a website on Alibaba or elsewhere. If all goes well, things … Read More
As a sourcing agent for manufacturing in China since 2002, one thing stands out to me as most important in dealing with China: mindset. Mindset, attitude, frame of mind, outlook, manner, aptitude, disposition, inclination—there are a lot of words to capture what we are talking … Read More
My first visit to China was part of a trade mission trip in 2002, just a year after it entered the World Trade Organization. Back then the place pulsed with potential as the country embraced capitalism as the keystone of its economic reform. As a sourcing agent for manufacturing in China, the intervening years have been a whirlwind as I … Read More
I recently returned from the incredible Affordable Shopping Destination 2017 international business to business trade show in Las Vegas where I was a featured speaker. ASD connects some 45,000 buyers with thousands of vendors and exhibitors, including factory representatives from China and elsewhere. I was honored to share the stage with a number of experts as we discussed concerns related … Read More
Your company has decided that it must source some or all of it’s manufacturing to China in order to… (pick one)1) add to the bottom line.2) make a key product that’s not practical to make locally.3) repurpose your work force to more profitable contributions.4) focus on sales and marketing and not manufacturing.Does one sound like you?Then its a big deal and you can’t afford to … Read More
Find the Right Sourcing Agent to Strike Gold with China ManufacturingAnyone considering outsourcing manufacturing to China soon encounters the term “China sourcing agent” –-at least they should. Sourcing agents are important in parts of the world where cultural norms typically do not follow the Rule of Law or respect the sanctity of contracts—which are concepts many people elsewhere take for … Read More
Having been in the China sourcing business for almost 13 years now, I am often asked what is the most difficult aspect of working in China. My short answer is “Communication”. China manufacturers want to create the product you are asking for. What I have come to appreciate is just how nuanced our thoughts are, and how good communication is taken for … Read More
There is so much advise on the internet on China Sourcing and how to interact with China: how to dress, how to greet, how to eat, what to say, and what to do. Everything you can imagine on your behavior, especially when having face-to-face meetings with Chinese manufacturers. Should I bring a gift or is that inappropriate? Should I wear a suite … Read More
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