The sports and athletics goods market of China has been showing remarkable growth, with revenues estimated to reach almost $30.6 billion in the year 2017, up 9.8% yearly. Because the goal is so lofty, the Chinese government is now taking steps to encourage social sports, and also increase the consumption of various sports goods and services. To know more, check on Relifesports.com.
The revenue of this industry is expected to exceed 3 trillion RMB by 2020 (which is almost 460 billion in US dollars). However, government backing and efforts are not just the only factors that are driving this sector. The market will be pushed even further by sports events exposures, an increase in the number of sports fans, and more money being invested in players and training staff.
If you are interested to exploit this opportunity of China sourcing for sports goods, then you are in right place. In this post, we have explained how you can get it done, without leaving your country.
China is one of the leading sports equipment manufacturers in the world. Also, it includes some of the best commercial gym equipment vendors, as well as excellent customer service. However, there are some manufacturers that are not reliable. They will try to compromise on quality to cut down on manufacturing costs.
You will not be able to monitor the sourcing of raw materials and the quality of the manufacturing process from other countries and will have to rely only on the words of your manufacturing partner in China. You will never know if you are being taken for a ride.
So, instead of focusing just on saving money by sourcing from China, you should give equal priority to the quality of your manufactured products. At the end of the day, you will be selling the products in your country. Poor quality products will adversely impact the reputation of your brand and eventually put you out of business.
You cannot allow that to happen after spending so much money on manufacturing and importing goods. So what is the best solution to source goods from China, while ensuring the quality of manufacturing, packaging, and shipping to your shores?
The answer is simple. You will need to partner with a proven China sourcing agency that will take care of all your manufacturing and importing requirements. It is a time-tested method that has worked remarkably well for many international companies over the years.
Sourcing agency
That’s right, it is very important to appoint a sourcing agent in China who can offer you support while sourcing sports or gym equipment like curl machines, treadmills, or even foam gym mats from there.
The sourcing agency has to be a Chinese-based organisation that will operate as your agent on the ground. Make sure that they have a real office in China and are not the kind of agencies that operate with phones and emails.
Having a real office in China speaks volumes about the credibility of the agency and its seriousness to ensure client satisfaction. They will have a wealth of industry knowledge and relationships and can successfully guide you with local contacts and knowledge so that you can exploit the proven China sourcing opportunities.
A sourcing agent can easily connect you with the manufacturer who offers the best price while maintaining the highest level of quality. Also, they will perform quality assurance tests prior to shipping. They will send their inspectors to monitor the production on an everyday basis.
Your sourcing agent will offer protection from getting scammed by dubious operators
Some of the Chinese factories will demand that the representative of a foreign company’ attend a signing event in China. When they arrive, they find that no Chinese company is present there at all. Then the foreign representative is persuaded to sign the contract in a certain small Chinese village.
Typically they justify your need to visit the country by saying that you will need to sign the contract in front of certain Chinese government officials. In many cases, they will arrange exorbitantly priced lodging and will take a cut from the hospitality operators.
There have also been instances where the foreign representative has been warned overtly that the deal will not go through unless he bribes government officials/notaries. They then receive a certain percentage of the cash as a bonus. To avoid getting scammed like that, you must take help from trusted sourcing agencies.
They will take care of all the required paperwork and licensing needed to import manufactured goods or parts from China. Furthermore, the sourcing agent will provide advice on certificates you that will require, the best shipping route, and any potential patent difficulties that may occur.
Consistency in manufacturing quality –
Another good reason to work with a sourcing agent is that they will make sure that the final products have the same quality as the samples. Whether it is a sample or a formal order, fitness equipment should always deliver consistent performance.
However, some Chinese enterprises will display the top-of-the-line samples in the beginning stages, and then deliver substantially inferior products when you will finally receive them. The only way of avoiding this scam will be to perform due diligence on these organisations.
Your sourcing agency will do a proper factory audit before short-listing them for your requirements. They will look into various aspects like manufacturing license, employee strength, equipment quality, storage capacities, and other such things that will help in ensuring the consistency of production all through the manufacturing stages.
The inspectors also make video calls from factories so that the clients can see what actually is happening in China. Being kept in the loop with the production process gives peace of mind to the international clients, knowing that their investment is being handled in a systematic manner.
Any good sourcing agent must have the following few attributes:
- Must have good English speaking skills
- Respond promptly to your communications
- Must be able to express and understand all your unique requirements
- Must have thorough product knowledge
- Have enough professional experience in import/export.
With a good sourcing agent by your side, your plan for outsourcing sports and gym equipment from China will guarantee your success story.