German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbien)’s Post

How to Find a Reliable Supplier in China: Key Platforms and Tips If you're navigating the vast landscape of sourcing products from China, finding a reliable supplier is crucial for your business success. Here’s a breakdown of key platforms and tips to consider: 1. Alibaba.com Alibaba is a well-established international B2B platform known for its extensive supplier network. It offers robust logistics support and familiarity with export processes. While prices may not always be the cheapest, the reliability and professionalism of suppliers are generally high. 2. 1688.com This Chinese domestic B2B platform hosts a multitude of suppliers offering competitive prices, often lower than Alibaba. However, suppliers here may not be as fluent in export processes or international market requirements. It’s ideal for those who are familiar with Chinese markets or can communicate effectively in Chinese. 3. Taobao.com / Pinduoduo (PDD.com) While primarily retail platforms, these sites can offer competitive prices for bulk purchases. They require more fluency in Chinese and are suited for those looking for smaller quantities or unique items not typically found on traditional B2B platforms. 4. Trade Shows Attending trade shows in major cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen provides a direct opportunity to meet suppliers face-to-face. It allows for building personal relationships and gaining insights into product quality firsthand. 5. Social Media Platforms Platforms like TikTok and WeChat are increasingly used by Chinese suppliers to showcase their products and capabilities. They provide a glimpse into factory operations and can be a supplementary tool for identifying potential suppliers. Choosing the Right Platform Each platform has its advantages and considerations based on your specific needs: Alibaba is reliable but may come with higher prices. 1688 offers lower prices but requires more expertise in navigating Chinese market practices. Taobao / PDD are great for unique products but are more retail-focused. Trade shows offer direct interaction but require time and travel investment. Social media provides a modern glimpse into suppliers but may require cultural and language understanding. Conclusion Finding the right supplier in China depends on your experience, language skills, and specific business requirements. Whether you prioritize price, service, or direct engagement, understanding these platforms will empower you to make informed decisions that drive your business forward. Which platform do you find most useful for sourcing from China? Share your experiences below!

Serbian economy is strongly organized toward export on the German market. For 9 years we are leading partner in organization and realization of the The Purchasing Initiative Western Balkans aiming to connect companies from Serbia operating in sectors and industries such as metals / metal products, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering / electronics, chemicals, plastics / rubber, paper / wood / packaging materials, glass, technical textiles, technical / IT and design and logistics services with a relevant German companies searching for reliable suppliers. Last year, in B2B meetings participated approximately 30 German companies and about 100 suppliers from 7 Western Balkan countries. This year The Purchasing Initiative Western Balkans will be organized on the October 11th – 12th in Cologne. More information are available on the link. #PartnerInSerbia #b2bmeetings

Based my decades long experience of living and working in the UK here are some ideas and tips on how to approach exporting and selling your goods to the UK market. How to make first contact, how to build a strong working relationship and how to close the deals. https://lnkd.in/dGtrxquM

Strategies for keeping foreign buyers These tips will help your company maintain good relationships: Once you’ve found an overseas customer, representative or distributor buyer, do your best to keep the relationship strong. Here are tips on how to build and maintain your international sales contacts. It’s important to keep promises, communicate, and be flexible during all situations. 1- Treat all buyers as if they mean the world to you. Picture the best customer service experience you ever had and deliver something similar—or better. 2- Maintain relationships for the long term. 3- Keep your promises. First few orders are particularly important because it shapes the customer’s image of a company as a dependable or an undependable supplier.  4- Be mindful of exchange rate fluctuates. Regardless of changes in currency, it probably costs you about the same amount to sell a unit of your product. Show your international buyers you value them as customers—maybe you can trim from your margin or offer longer payment terms so they can afford your product. Or maybe you can pass on savings from imported components or decreased shipping costs that result from a stronger Rupee. In return, they’ll reward your flexibility with their loyalty. 5- Be Friendly and Polite, and consider cultural differences in communication. It is important to avoid undue familiarity or slang, which may be misinterpreted. Your product may be the best and the cheapest—but if international customers don’t like talking to you, you’ll lose business. 6- Send letters that are personally signed. 7- Maintain communication. If your company cannot afford frequent travel, consider using e-mail, videoconferencing, faxes, and phone calls to keep the working relationship active and up to date. 8- Keep your foreign contacts updated on changes to your business. Let them know about changes in price, personnel, address, and phone numbers. #business #success #opportunity #sales #opportunities #finance #research #help #strategy #planning #procurement #export #markets #shipping #commerce #marketresearch #businesstravel #citigroup #canada #Canadaexport #paapam #edb #GoTeamCanadaTrade #ExportDevelopmentCanada #TradeCommissionerService #BDC

Strong overseas sales offset slow domestic demand for Spain’s Pereira Spain's Grupo Pereira is likely to achieve 2023 sales figures approaching last year's; maybe falling 5% short pending the final quarter results, Ruy Andrade, the firm's external relations and business development manager, told Undercurrent News. "The impact of inflation and the many economic challenges walloping Spain also in 2023 has led to a slowdown in our sales, inevitably, which has been the case for everyone across all the supply chain," he explained. "However, we managed to diversify our sales further, with over 55% now of them going outside Spain and mitigating the impact of fluctuations in the domestic market. This is very positive for us given the current conjuncture," he added. Click below to read the full story from María Feijóo. Undercurrent News Ruy A. PEREIRA

#sourcingsolutions  PPI Sourcing Services 2.0 We help companies Source products from overseas, and have a team on the ground in Brazil to accomplish such goals. https://lnkd.in/dZ-CpSJ .  Our Sourcing services include the following:   1- Finding manufacturers for Companies as per specifications and quality standards required for their products.     2- Quality Standards- We work mainly with ISO certified manufacturers and/or having reputable Brazilian certifications.   3- Our Team in Brazil visits the plants, screens the manufacturers, validates them vis a vis your requirements and assess their standing in the market before we introduce them to you.     4- In case the manufacturer in Brazil does not have an export license, we have one in-house and will accommodate your needs accordingly.   5- We provide you with regular updates of progress we are making to achieve your goals.    6- We added a unique valuable new service as part of our package, which is Negotiating Pricing, and avoiding the standard cultural differences that arises in the process.   7- A separate service from above we can provide is door to door logistics for your orders.   8- Tariffs on products coming from Brazil to the U.S. are very low to none. For example, tariff on steel from Brazil is 0% compared to 25% from China.     Our services are value based, solution oriented and we are here to service you.   The solution to the Supply Chain problems today is to diversify your manufacturers’ base geographically, and we help you achieve such a goal.   Supplier Characteristics we assess on your behalf:   Cost                                       8. Reputation Quality                                  9. Certifications Delivery                                 10. Collaboration Location                                11. Customer Base Capacity                                12. Financial Health Flexibility                              13. Social Responsibility Lead Time                             14. Product Development     We provide a White Glove Service to our clientele.     One Simple question, What is Your Strategy?   We help our clients who are Small Businesses, Solve their problems and Grow their Business.     Contact Us for a free Consultation: info@ppiinc.biz                     https://ppiinc.biz    #strategy  #pricingstrategies  #CompetitiveAdvantage #sourcing #exportimport #importexport #strategy #pricingstrategies #scaleyourbusiness #brazil #brazilmanufacturing #sourcingsolutions #sourcingspecialist Mark Richards Maria Corsaro, CFE Vishal Daftuar Michael Bellina Pete Rosas Robert Happ Maria Nicastro, CR, CKBR, UDCP David J. Brown Dani Kaplan Robert Sullivan Robert Curtiss Donna Valicenti John Macina John D. Santos Ian Koteles Gary Chang Nara Bajenoff William Macina Connor Fitzsimmons Melih Oztalay  

🔰 Business Functions Capabilities and Small and Medium Enterprises’ Internationalization   ⏺ Price Negotiations, Quoting, and Customer Inquiries.   BL3 explained that “we have a desk that handle inquiries from different customers. Although our markets are segmented, their inquiries can be handled at one desk. Once raised, inquiries are channeled to respective targeted response persons.” However, BL2 had different perspective about how they handle their potential customers’ business inquiries. He explained that the best approach would be a functioning and interactive website, which they do not have. Therefore, the best approach would be the borderless social media; other media can be too expensive to both manufacturers and traders. However, they hold complaints and complements line specifically for customer feedback. BL4 explained that “we get feedback about what we have sent vis a vis what is expected or what was expected.” For price quoting and negotiation, BL1 had this to say “our prices vary depending on the bargaining power of the buyer. When someone buys in bulk the prices will also vary; there is room for price negotiations.” And “price negotiations convicts our buyer to consider us as being fair, and therefore, build long-lasting relationships for repeat businesses; that's why we are able attract a number of customers in these export countries.” Atac (2005) defined this task as a way of determining the final selling price of the export products plus preparing quotations. Atac argued that an enterprise should develop and adapt standard procedures for pricing and quoting. Price being the only market mix element that generates revenues for the enterprise, it should be given the attention it deserves, especially for an internationalizing environment; there are several hidden challenges that can impede profitable pricing, which a business leader must observe. Therefore, leaders should give this task the attention it deserves, and treat it as a critical component in the global expansion strategy. #smallbusiness #mediumbusiness #internationalisation

HOW TO USE blackcat360.com to build EXPORT SALES Register your business FREE OF CHARGE on our SUPPLIERS DATABASE which takes just 5 minutes. Buyers search our website for what they need and then contact you directly via the email address you provide when registering. Develop an EXPORT MARKETING CAMPAIGN to build your export sales, visit this page on our website to find out more information about this opportunity https://lnkd.in/diizZrFG Our website also has a wide range of LATEST NEWS and INTERNATIONAL TRADE ARTICLES by expert authors which will help you identify international trade business opportunities. This is an example; HOW TO IDENTIFY THE BEST EXPORT MARKETS https://lnkd.in/dSZBny7q Use the COUNTRY GUIDES on our website to research the best countries to target for your exports. This is a link to our country guide for Germany https://lnkd.in/eXY6Smn

HOW TO USE blackcat360.com to build EXPORT SALES Register your business FREE OF CHARGE on our SUPPLIERS DATABASE which takes just 5 minutes. Buyers search our website for what they need and then contact you directly via the email address you provide when registering. Develop an EXPORT MARKETING CAMPAIGN to build your export sales, visit this page on our website to find out more information about this opportunity https://lnkd.in/diizZrFG Our website also has a wide range of LATEST NEWS and INTERNATIONAL TRADE ARTICLES by expert authors which will help you identify international trade business opportunities. This is an example; HOW TO IDENTIFY THE BEST EXPORT MARKETS https://lnkd.in/dSZBny7q Use the COUNTRY GUIDES on our website to research the best countries to target for your exports. This is a link to our country guide for Germany https://lnkd.in/eXY6Smn

How to find the best local business partners in Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey etc.? Who are the most relevant importer-distributors of the products you want to export? Which local manufacturers could become your new suppliers? How to reach out to the Local Decision Makers?  For all these questions, one answer: FRD Center  Email us at europa@frdcenter.ro  Are you looking for Strategic Business Partners in the local markets such as Romania, one of the most important and dynamic markets in Emerging Europe, a NATO and EU member? How about other markets in Emerging Europe? Many of our Clients hire our Business Partners Search & Selection and strategic B2B business matchmaking services – virtual or in physical form – only after repeated trials to identify and appoint a reliable Business Partner, an importer-distributor or failed to identify new vendors / local suppliers / manufacturers in East European markets, after they have used their internal resources with no success. We provide facilitation of strategic direct business contacts with relevant local players, at Decision Maker level. Our business partners search and selection services – virtual as well as physical – involve identification and selection of most relevant targets, careful analysis of their activity and reputation, direct liaison at Decision maker / Manager level, presentation of the Client’s products / services, intensive pursuit for obtaining the Manager’s feedback and, if the case, expression of interest in a 1-2-1 meeting with the Client representative, assistance on location, follow-up etc. Andrei Bojor Christos Yiangou Maribel Álvarez Matthias Brems Nick Jordan Karolina Kaptur David Garay Mazón Petra Fischer Nese Secer Jackie Highmore Johanna Niemistö Susana Córdoba Naim Nassar Zaid Ababneh Amal Abbadi Vishwanath Motipawale Richard Biggs Arnaud Hasbany Carlos Brunat Metin Cobanlioglu Adrian Abramovitz Moshe Sharet Mikko Tala Mikko Järvinen Tim Jelley MIEx Suzanne Hill Rania Habib Taus Nöhrlind Lord Waverley Mike McCulloch Harri Helander Andrew Evans John Carroll Thierry HAUSS Pierre LE MAITRE Emmanuel NEVEU