Supplier Process Steps
This guide provides an overview of the entire sourcing process, leading up to the actual importing. In addition, it also discusses some key tips around ensuring quality assurance, like leveraging trial orders or samples.
SUPPLIER
With an understanding of how to source suppliers, your next steps are negotiating with suppliers, making an order, and everything else you need to do until the order is ready for shipment. First up, though, all the steps in the supplier process are brought together on the next page.
Negotiating Strategy
Negotiating correctly will determine the success of your sourcing endeavor. This guide provides an overview of key negotiation components – price, payment terms, lead time, and contract terms, as well as negotiation tips.
Ordering
Got your sample? Don’t rush through this. This guide dives into approving the sample, negotiating your first order, reaching contract terms, and formalizing the agreement.
Quality Control
With so much competition, manufacturers and warehouses do typically try to provide optimal product quality. But, as we all know, quality issues do happen. This guide guides you through defining and communicating product quality issues, when to inspect the goods, and when to involve QA experts.
Payment Methods
At this point, it’s all about the money. In this guide, you’ll learn how companies typically pay for their sourced goods, with information on making advance payments and post-production payments.
Relationship Building
While it may feel purely transactional, building up a relationship with a supplier is key to scaling your business. Here are some guidelines for how to start on the right foot and keep it that way, all while ensuring your own interests too.