What Is A Sourcing Specialist & How to Select A Good One

Sourcing companies and agents are a dime a dozen but what is a sourcing specialist exactly and what is the best way to find the right one for your product or business?

In this post, our experts at China Sourcing International (CSI) will discuss what a strategic sourcing specialist is, what they can do for you, and how you can go about finding the best agent or sourcing company for your needs.

What does a sourcing specialist do?

This is one of those questions that is always top-of-mind for entrepreneurs and SME businesses that want to source products, factories, or manufacturers in China, Asia, or some other country.

In short, the job of a strategic sourcing specialist is to act as your intermediary. They help streamline the production process and reduce costs. The goal is to bring your vision to market as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible while adhering to the highest production standards.

Your sourcing specialist in China, Hong Kong, or any other country you choose to work with, will align your production needs with the best overseas factory or manufacturer for the job.

From procurement and negotiating the terms and costs to sourcing and manufacturing, project management and consulting, consolidating and warehousing, and organizing the logistics.

How to find the right sourcing specialist in China for your needs?

Once you hire a sourcing specialist they will take care of all the due diligence related to sourcing factories and manufacturers. However, in order to find the right sourcing specialist for your needs, you will need to start with your own due diligence.

Here are some tips that will help you find the best sourcing specialist or company in China.

1. Ask for References

First and foremost, you must get references from them and find out what projects they have done for the client that they are giving you as a reference. You will want to get references from companies that have produced products similar to what you are trying to produce.

2. Ask for their Vendor Profile

Ask for their profile and see if they have a presence in China as this is an important criterion in working with Chinese vendors. Are they multilingual and do they understand the culture and the business nuances of the area of China you will be working with.

3. Get Product Samples

See what products they have sourced in the past and if the product has synergy with yours. Does the sourcing specialist have experience and know how to work on your type of product?

4. Clarify Payment Terms & Conditions

Ask for their payment terms and how they charge. Most Chinese sourcing specialists and agencies will usually charge a commission on top of the unit price but some are flexible enough to give you a certain amount depending on the work load.

In order to feel more comfortable, let the sourcing specialist in China help you to source one product first and see how that pans out.

Here are some Beginner Tips on Importing from China to the USA.

Other Tips You Need to Know About
Working with A Sourcing Specialist

The job of your sourcing specialist is to help you source, vet, and narrow down the top 3-5 factories or manufacturers in China that can make a top quality product efficiently and cost-effectively. 

They will then need to audit each of these vendors’ factories to see if they have the capability to work with you on your project.

In recent years labor laws in China have become very strict.

A major criteria change is that children under 16 are not allowed to work in a manufacturing plant. Another major change is requiring factories to have proper insurance in case of an accident. All these labor laws should be obeyed and addressed by the factory during the audit.

Also in recent years, the usage of toxic lead paint is disallowed in all countries so a lot of background checks have to be done with sorting out which Chinese factories are capable of holding to that standard.

There are many points in selecting the best strategic sourcing specialist however the most important point is language and frequent feedback on your inquiry.

See our post outlining the 4 Reasons to Hire a Sourcing Agent in China.

Learn More About China Sourcing International

As your strategic sourcing specialist for China, we will be your eyes, ears, and communicator at Ground Zero. Visit this page to learn more about our sourcing process.

• We have decades of experience and expertise.
• Our sourcing specialists are multilingual.
• They also understand the culture and business practices of each region in China.
• Our agents are very hands on, auditing and vetting only the most reliable factories and manufacturers.
• We match your needs to the factory or manufacturer best suited for your type of products.

Get in touch and learn more about what we can do for you. We want you to have complete confidence that we can help fulfill your manufacturing needs in China so that you remain profitable and successful.

Please email us or call China Sourcing International Ltd. at +1 (888) 915-1060