Sourcing products from overseas has been the go-to solution among western countries for decades. Of the many countries that function as sourcing centers, China remains unbeatable, it has been the giant in the manufacturing business for a long time now, thanks to low labour prices and excellent resources. Apart from these, China also leads in the technological advancements in the last decade.
Product customization in China can be a tricky business. It's not something that you should try to do on your own as these changes have to be made carefully. This article will help you in your quest to create customized products from China. Whether it is an embroidered polo shirt, a pen with logo, an electronic gadget with trendy design, or any other fancy home products, you are going to learn the best ways to factor in all the details.
Why is it better to customize products in China?
If you are looking to start a business, customizing products in China might be the better option for you for the following reasons.
1. Limited investment in design & manufacturing
Customizing products in China requires involvement from the buyer in the manufacturing process. An already existing product means the buyer must invest very little in the research and development stages. At the same time, small adjustments can be made to make the product stand out from the other brands. Moreover, you do not run the risk of entering the market with a new design which might get rejected by the customer base.
2. Can easily enter a market without expertise
Limited investment in design and manufacturing means that companies that choose customizing products can invest that much more into marketing. Additionally, since customizing products deals with product designs that already exist in the market in some form, market expertise can be negligible. As opposed to entering an entirely new design into the market, you will be taking advantage of a tried and tested design.
3. Partnership with a supplier who has immense experience in the market
A common problem with customizing products is the difficulty of deciding a manufacturer that works in tandem with you. It becomes a lot of hassle to make sure the manufacturer understands your requirements and quality standards. With a verified sourcing agent, the choice of manufacturer is easily made. The verified manufacturers typically will have been in business for a long time, producing the same product your intent to custom made.
4. Economies of scale (when you choose similar design as other brands)
Chinese factories usually produce their products in large quantities. As a result, there is likely to be huge savings on machinery and materials. These savings will reflect in the price you pay as well. These companies produce for huge brands as well as small businesses. As a result, there is usually a lot of lenience when it comes to the minimum quantity to avail discounts as well. This is in addition to the amount you will save in other sourcing steps such as transport and customs.
5. Easy to offer lower entry price
Customizing products in China allows you to hit the market with low entry prices. This is crucial to any new business to drive up sales long term. In the case of most startups, low entry pricing is a struggle since the production phase takes up a lot of the capital. Without much capital to rely on, it becomes difficult not to make significant profits in the early phases. However, with help of a sourcing agent, you get to keep most of your capital intact thanks to low investments in the production phase. Heavy discounts because of bulk productions also helps keep the capital in place. This can be helpful for you attract a customer base with low prices in the early phases of your business. This also delivers in the long-term future of your business.
Why choose your manufacturers of customizing products from China?
Over the years, Chinese manufacturers have adapted and adjusted to the technological developments around the world. The manufacturing companies enable China to develop on their design and innovation fields as well. The industry of customizing products has been a major driving force in the Chinese economy in the past few years.
1. Advanced technological evolution
Chinese technology has been unbeatable for a long time now. With advanced technology taking over the manufacturing industry, China has been delivering high quality goods at low prices. With new advanced technology at their disposal, Chinese manufacturers are bringing in new designs to the market. The enhanced production capabilities also mean there is more room for customizations within the specific industry.
2. Highly competitive prices for customized products
One of the main reasons Chinese factories rule the manufacturing industry is the unbeatably low prices. With extremely cheap labour and availability of raw materials at extremely low prices, Chinese manufacturing allows you to source products cheaper than you ever imagined. China sourcing service providers usually provide ample guidance in these matters.
3. Vast number of product customizing companies in China
China is increasingly investing more money and effort into product customizing industry. Products customizing companies allow for development within the country. This means that buyers get to choose from an array of manufacturers. Earlier, there were limited choices when it came to product customizing in China. This forced buyers to stick to the few manufacturers who produced certain products. Now buyers get to compare prices, quality and customer reviews before choosing a manufacturer.
How to find the right manufacturer for customizing products in China?
When it comes to finding the right manufacturer, a good place to start is by looking for one that has experience in the industry. If you're manufacturing camping products, for example, you'll want to find a company that specializes in making outdoor products in China. You should also check the track record of your potential manufacturer: does it have any complaints or negative reviews? Does it have any positive ones? It's important to do some research into this before going ahead with your plans.
It's essential that your supplier has a good reputation online. Check out their social media pages and read through some of their product reviews - this can give an indication of how happy other customers were with their orders before making yours. Another way we like checking up on our manufacturers is by asking your friends who've used them before, they've probably got some great advice up those sleeves.
1. Decide on your product specs
Before you custom products made in China, it's important to figure out exactly what kind of products you want to create. This means defining the materials, colors, and styles that will be included in your product line; deciding on the packaging; selecting accessories such as boxes and bags for each piece; and setting a price point for each item (if applicable). You can always change these specifications later if need be - just remember that the more detailed your specifications are from the start, the easier it will be for manufacturers to get started.
2. Create a solid prototype and test it thoroughly
A prototype is a product that is used to test the product design before production. If something goes wrong, you can fix it before you invest in mass production. It's important to find a rapid prototype manufacturer to create a solid prototype so that when you start producing your product, everything will go smoothly.
3. Ensure good quality control
Quality control is a crucial part of the manufacturing process and can make or break your product launch. With China’s long history of mass production, it’s easy to assume that quality isn’t an issue - but this is not always the case. To ensure quality control in your final product, it's important to:
- Talk with potential manufacturers about how they do their quality checks. Ask them if they run DUPRO inspection and how often. If you're unsure about something during a conversation with a manufacturer (or if you don't feel like they're being completely honest), ask for clarification in writing so that there's nothing left unsaid between you two after your initial conversation has ended.
- Check out photos of previous projects produced by this manufacturer before committing any money to work with them; this will give you an idea as to whether their work lives up, or at least comes close, to what was promised earlier on in negotiations with your company when it came time for setting up orders for new products made overseas.
4. Create a clear communication strategy
It is important to have a translator who can translate from English to Chinese (and vice versa) for the following people:
- The manufacturers
- The suppliers
- The QC inspection agencies
- The shipping company.
5. Meet with many manufacturers
So, how do you know which manufacturer to choose? When meeting with them, ask to see samples of their products. You want to make sure that the product is made from quality materials and will last you (and your customers) a long time. Also, ask to see their factory and quality control procedures so that you can see where they are manufacturing and how they’re making sure that everything is safe for consumption.
Ask to see their product development process as well as their business plan so that you can get an idea of what they’re doing with the money they receive from customers like yourself, and finally, ask them about their production capabilities - what kind of volume can they produce each year or month?
6. Check company information carefully
Check the company’s location, history, reputation, customer service, and payment methods. Also, make sure that whatever you are ordering is going to be shipped from where they say they do business.
If you want to order something that has been customized in any way (i.e., a shirt with your name on it), you should ask yourself whether this is something that can easily be done by anyone else. If there isn't anything special about them then why would you choose them over another similar sounding brand out there?
You should also make sure that whatever product you're ordering has good reviews from other customers who have bought it before. These reviews are good help for anyone who want to select a good seller.
7. Learn how to negotiate well with Chinese sellers
To negotiate well with Chinese sellers, you need to know the following information:
Your product and its market value - If you're not sure what your product is worth, do some research online or talk to other suppliers.
The quality and price of your competitors' products - If you're not sure what the market price for this type of product is, it's easy to find out by visiting a store like Alibaba or AliExpress. You'll be able to see which manufacturers are selling similar products at different prices.
That way, when negotiating with a factory owner about how much they charge per order versus how many units each order includes (and whether they provide free samples before making any purchases), it will be easier for them because they won't have as much difficulty deciding whether or not they want such an order, there will already be information available online.
8. Consider using a sourcing agent
If you're new to the sourcing process, it can be overwhelming. It's difficult to know who to trust and what questions to ask. An experienced professional guiding your company through the entire process can save time and money for everyone involved. A reliable China sourcing agent will work with a network of manufacturers to find one that specializes in a specific product. They'll also negotiate on your behalf so that not only do they get you the best price possible but also offer added value like free shipping or extra discounts on large orders.
Conclusion
The above is a bird's eye view of what product customization refers to and how custom products are created. Here, we have covered in-depth the whole process including product sampling, designing, and production, which can help those companies who want to venture into custom products more clearly. With the above information, you can customize your own unique product in China. Now it's time to unleash your creative idea on the industry.
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