Are you a start-up and only want to import a small number of products at the beginning? Are you too small for most of the major Chinese sourcing agencies and you find ads on Google?
There is a “dictionary “ of the best purchasing agents in China that you can look up. Remember, each purchasing agent specializes in different areas, you just need to pick the purchasing agent that can provide good service for your products.
1. China Purchasing Agent 2.0
It’s time for Sourcing Agent 2.0. Buying Agent 2.0 is ideal for small to medium-sized and other e-commerce businesses such as eBay, Shopify, and Amazon FBA sellers. In addition, some buyers require some additional e-commerce product procurement services. This is where China Sourcing Agency 2.0 comes into play.
What does a Chinese purchasing agent do?
China sourcing agents are full-time experts or freelancers for companies that help foreigners import goods from China. Modern China sourcing agents/companies don’t just help you find cheap products, they also help you ensure the legitimacy and stability of your supply chain.
Here’s what the best sourcing agents in China can do for your business:
- The typical role of a purchasing agent is to help client companies find the suppliers and products they need.
- Procurement agents bring value to client companies through their network of manufacturers and contacts in China.
- Buyers and sellers are connected through these contacts.
- Purchasing agents can work with one or more customers.
- Most purchasing agents will specialize in a specific industry or sector.
2. How much does a purchasing agent charge in China?
Since there is no exact standard for China purchasing agency fees, you will usually pay a purchasing commission between 5% and 10% of the order cost.
However, the percentage will depend on the order quantity as well as the product type.
- If your order is larger, you can negotiate the purchasing fee with your purchasing agent.
- If you think their prices are expensive, you can negotiate to choose just one item from their list of services, which is totally doable.
- Traditionally, purchasing agents work on commission only.
- However, international and established sourcing companies may also charge a monthly fee based on their services.
- It will help if you ask the purchasing agent what additional services will be provided to provide the guarantee.
- Increasingly, sourcing agents are introducing a range of additional Chinese supply chain services, such as procurement contracts, export licenses, market research, and logistics.
3. What does a purchasing agent in China need?
A good Chinese sourcing agent may require you to provide a product specification sheet, which is a detailed, concise document that clearly describes all of your product specifications.
Basically include :
- Product name, minimum order quantity, target price,
- description, reference image, or link,
China’s purchasing agent product range
By the way, Chinese purchasing agents can only help purchase ordinary products. If you need to import industrial products, most Chinese sourcing agents cannot help. You have to find suppliers yourself or travel to China to visit the ideal supplier.
4. 8 Types of China Sourcing Agents
There are companies that claim to help you find any product, how is that possible? Each company will buy a different product line, so don’t limit yourself to just one company.
There are many types of Chinese sourcing agents, each suitable for different aspects of the sourcing process. China sourcing agents can be classified into the following types:
- General Purchasing Agents: These agents can help you source various products from various suppliers in China. They can handle everything from finding suppliers to negotiating prices and managing quality control.
- Product-Specific Agents: Some agents specialize in specific product categories, such as electronics, textiles, or machinery. They have expertise in their chosen fields and can provide valuable insights and connections.
- Quality Control Agent: The quality Control Agent is dedicated to ensuring that the products you source from China meet your quality standards. They conduct inspections, factory audits, and quality control checks.
- Shipping and Logistics Agents: These agents assist with shipping, customs clearance, and logistics. They help you solve the complex problems of importing goods from China to the destination.
- Trade Show Agent: If you plan to attend a trade show or exhibition in China to find suppliers, a trade show agent can help you with logistics, translation, and introductions to potential suppliers.
- Manufacturing Procurement Agent: For businesses looking to industrialize manufacturing in China and customize products for a range of uncommon machinery products, a manufacturing agent can help with factory selection, production supervision, and quality control.
- Dropshipping Purchasing Agent: If you run a dropshipping business, a dropshipping agent can help you find products, manage inventory, and handle order fulfillment.
- E-commerce sourcing agents: These agents specialize in sourcing products for e-commerce businesses, including products sold on platforms like Amazon, eBay, or Shopify.
By engaging in more in-depth conversations with company leaders, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of each company’s philosophy. The focus of some companies is on cheap goods, while the focus of others is on services. The two are really hard to balance.
5. Top 10 Purchasing Agents in China
I have compiled some legitimate China purchasing agents, some of which are also called China export agents, trade agents, and Yiwu agents. The size of their company’s sales force ranges from a few to hundreds. It may take you a little time and effort to choose the one that’s right for you, and if you can visit China, a field trip is the best way to do your business. The list of the best Chinese purchasing agents is as follows:
- Supply Asia: Transparent China Purchasing Agent/Product Purchasing Agent China Yiwu and New York
- Quan: Quality Control Purchasing Agent Yiwu, Zhejiang
- LeelineSourcing: China Procurement Agency Wuhan, China
- Toopus: Chinese purchasing agency in Shenzhen, China
- Ruizhi Sourcing: China Sourcing Agent Factory Audit/Product EngineeringShenzhen China/Ho Chin Minh Vietnam
- Sourcing Nova: China Procurement Agent Shenzhen
- Tonysourcing: Wholesale Toys China Yiwu China
- Skylark: China Purchasing Agent China Yiwu
- skab-beratung: German purchasing agent in Shenzhen, China
- Nichedropshipping: Drop shipping sourcing agent in Hangzhou, China
Benefits of working with a Chinese sourcing agent
Whether you find a Chinese sourcing agent or do it yourself, it’s up to you. If you already have experience managing labor-intensive tasks that come with some risk, then don’t hesitate – save your money and do it yourself.
A good purchasing agent will do some combination of the following for you based on your own priorities:
- Find you a manufacturer that can make your product, or tell you it’s not possible.
- Find a manufacturer that can produce a product to the quality standard you require, or that tells you it’s not possible.
- Find a manufacturer that can make your product at the price you need, or that tells you it’s not possible.
- This will not result in you losing a vulnerable IP at any stage of the process. This means that your purchasing agent should not disclose your intellectual property or refer you to legal counsel to protect it.
- Continue to work with the manufacturer after you select it to ensure high quality and even ensure your product continues to evolve to meet changing technologies or needs, etc.
Standard China purchasing agent workflow:
- Approval specifications and certificate requirements
- Supplier search
- Initial price requests, ordering samples, and selecting qualified suppliers
- price negotiation
- Qualified supplier audit
- Final supplier selection
- Sign sales contract
- Product manufacturing and quality control
- arrange to ship
There’s a lot more a good purchasing agent can do besides what’s mentioned above, but this list should be a start. I wish I could give some sort of clear answer on whether to use a purchasing agent, but I can’t. This decision really has to be made on its own merits.
6. Conclusion
The above are the top 10 purchasing agents in China summarized by this guide for you. If you are looking for a suitable China sourcing agent, please read the above list carefully.