Do you worry if it is safe to buy products from China?
Do you think goods with a “Made in China” label are always substandard and low-quality?
For a long time, the world believed that products from China are low quality and substandard. However, this is far from the truth. The modern development in China has enabled the manufacturers to produce high-quality products at the most attractive prices, making them the leaders in the manufacturing industry.
It is very safe to buy products from China, but it is important for the buyer to have the right information about the process of buying safely. If you are not aware of the challenges and ways to import products, it can result in a big loss.
This article will cover every important aspect regarding safe buying from China. This blog will talk about challenges you can face when importing from China as well as provide the 10 best tips to follow to buy safely from China.
Table of Content
Chapter 1: Challenges that buyers face when buying from China
Chapter 2: 10 Tips to buy products safely from China
Chapter 3: The Safety Issueswhen Buying Products from China
Chapter 4: Global Perception Regarding the Safety of Buying Products from China
Chapter 5: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on buying products from China
Chapter 6: Frequently Asked Questions About Buying Products from China
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Challenges that buyers’ face when buying from China
There are a lot of challenges that buyers face when buying from China. This is due to many reasons, some of which are listed below.
1. Bad Rumors and Misconceptions about Made in China products
You will often hear rumors about cheap Chinese products being of low quality. Also, there are rumors and misleading ideas about the products not working properly (for example, mechanical goods), or late deliveries, or damaged cargo.
These are all unfounded rumors that are spread in the market about Chinese goods. Due to its massive size, China has myriads of manufacturers for a single product. It is but natural for some manufacturers to be better than others, and for a few to be worse. It is up to the buyer to choose a good supplier or manufacturer.
There is always a reason behind these problems, which can be solved. But these misconceptions often discourage new buyers.
2. Language Barrier with the suppliers when buying products from China
Most buyers outside of China usually do not speak Chinese, while some Chinese suppliers do not speak other languages like English. That means there is a language barrier between buyers and suppliers.
This is a big problem because the import business requires clear communication between the two parties. There needs to be communication about the price, quality and quantity of goods, as well as the manufacturing details. If any of these is wrongly communicated, there will be problems.
Consider the example that you tell your Chinese supplier to deliver a thousand boxes of toys of a certain quality. If there is a language barrier, that means the supplier did not understand your order.
If the supplier then sends a thousand toys, for example, then you’ll think that Chinese suppliers are unreliable. The supplier is not to blame, but the idea will be reinforced in your mind, and you will hesitate to order from there again.
3. Difficulty in Finding Trustworthy Suppliers to buy products from China
The Chinese market is very saturated with suppliers of all kinds. There are many trustworthy suppliers in this business, but you have to do some research to find one because there are a lot of suppliers that offer low-quality products as well.
There is also the problem of communication, so you have to find suppliers in China that understand and take orders in English or find a sourcing agent like EJET Sourcing to help you to place the orders.
You have to verify credentials, past transactions, and customer satisfaction. All of this is more difficult to do for a supplier who is in another country.
4. Unfeasibility of In-Person Visits after Covid-19
Covid-19 has caused a lot of problems in every sector. One of these problems is that flights across borders are mostly closed off, so it is difficult to meet the suppliers and manufacturers in person, while you are outside of China.
Another problem is that buyers are warier of visiting China now as the virus originated there. So there is fear in the mind of buyers. They avoid visiting China even if they can. This leads to problems in orders and can disrupt the whole business.
5. Time Zone Differences Making Communication a Big Hassle
There is a maximum of 14 hours time difference between the US and China; it’s the difference between day and night. This makes communication difficult between buyers and suppliers. There is only a small time window when it is feasible for both parties can talk about the order.
For example, if you’re in New York and the supplier is in Beijing, there is a 12 hour time difference. This means that one of you will have to communicate at an inconvenient time. Due to this big hassle, buyers are hesitant to buy from China.
Chapter 2: 10 Tips to buy products safely from China
Despite these challenges, there are a lot of ways to buy safely from China. You just have to learn some tips and tricks to make it work. Here are a few to know about.
1. Working with Reliable Suppliers to Buy Products from China
The first thing you need to do is to find reliable and trustworthy suppliers for your business. To do this, go through the directory of suppliers, and contact them directly to ask about their history and credentials. Another way is to ask someone who has been working with the suppliers for a long time.
These are a few factors to consider when looking for reliable suppliers.
- Great credentials
- Extensive business history
- Many years of experience
- Good customer reviews
- Ability to speak and understand English.
Once you find the suppliers who meet these requirements, stick with them for the long run. Avoid changing suppliers often, as this can hurt your business and waste time.
Another tip to find good suppliers for the long run is to order samples before making a contract. Make a list of the suppliers who seem good to you, then ask each one for a sample of the products you want. Doing so will ensure that you can pick put only the best suppliers from the group.
2. Buying Products from Reliable Online Websites
To get good quality products, ensure safety, security, and smooth transaction; and to minimize the risk of scams, only buy from reliable and safe e-commerce websites. These have safety controls and buyer protection.
We can see the rapid development of the e-commerce market in China, sites like Alibaba can help foreign buyers from outside the country to order what they want with just one click.
EJET wrote many blogs before introducing details about online wholesale websites in China. Please check the links below to find out more information on how to buy from the Top 8 Chinese wholesale websites.
3. Visiting the Factory When Buying Products from China
The manufacturing process is where it all begins, so it is important to visit the factory at that stage to ensure your products are exactly the way you want them to be. A lot of factors come into play here.
Firstly, you have to communicate all the product specifications to the manufacturer clearly. Provide as much detail and information about the product as possible, even if it may seem trivial, such as materials, components, and parts, design, color, function, and finish, etc.
This is to ensure your products will be as good as you want them to be.
Secondly, you can ensure the quality of the products during the manufacturing process. Along with the design, you can ensure what materials are being used to make the product.
The cost and quality of materials, and of the production process is up to you, so communicate this effectively.
Thirdly, checking the manufacturing will give you a better idea of how your products are being made and assembled. This means you’ll gain more experience, which will help you in future business transactions.
Also, the China manufacturers will know how involved you are so it gives incentive to them to work more efficiently.
4. Performing the 3rd Party Supplier Audit
Once you shortlist some suppliers, you should consider hiring a third party to perform an independent audit and inspection of these suppliers. Make sure you choose a reputable and reliable company for this; check their credentials, work history and reviews.
A third-party audit will make sure that all quality controls, tests, functionality and standards of the supplier’s products are met completely. You will be given a detailed and thorough review of all aspects of the supplier.
The advantage of this is that the audit company will check things that you might miss if you did this by yourself. Once you are given the review, you can evaluate whether the supplier did their job right.
If so, you can continue working with them. If not, you can choose another supplier. So it is a good idea to invest in hiring a third-party audit company.
5. Performing the Right Quality Control
Of course, throughout the whole process, manufacturing, supplying, shipping, quality must be maintained at every step. Let’s take a look at this in more detail.
- Why quality control is so important
There are several reasons why quality control is so important for your business.
-Minimize loss
First of all, as a business person, your goal is to minimize losses. If quality controls are not performed, then you can end up with low-quality goods. Since you can’t resell bad quality products, and you have already paid for the cargo, that means you will incur heavy losses.
-Building trust and confidence
One of the most important aspects of business is to build trust and confidence between supplier and buyer. Quality control ensures that your supplier maintains a good standard of quality every time, which will boost the good relations between you and your supplier.
-Customer satisfaction
The goods which have gone through quality control procedure will be better liked by the customers who buy them. That will boost your sales and bring in more revenue.
-Safety issues
If quality control is not performed, there can be potential hazards associated with the products. For example, if you are buying chemicals, and their packaging is not done properly, it could cause many safety issues.
-Ensure productivity
Quality control ensures that the whole process runs smoothly and productively because there is minimal wastage of materials and time.
- Pre-production inspection
Pre-production inspection includes checking the quality of the materials. You need to check if they are of good quality, are readily available, of reasonable cost, are not defective, etc. you also need to verify what kinds of production processes the factory uses, and their machinery.
- Post-production inspection
Post-production inspection means you need to check the final products against the requirements you set before the production begins. So you will check the design, color, finish, and technical details. You also have to make sure products aren’t defective and fulfill their function.
- Pre-shipment inspection
Each product requires different kinds of packaging. For example, perishable and fragile goods like glassware need to be packaged in many protective layers. While hazardous chemicals need to be packaged thoroughly to prevent leakage.
So pre-shipment quality control implies you need to make sure that the quality of the packaging is good, and the appropriate packaging is used for the products. You also need to make sure that the correct method of shipment is being used.
- Container loading inspection
Finally, when the cargo is being loaded onto the carrier, quality control entails that you should check whether containers are loaded correctly, stably, and in the right order.
6. Pay through Legal Channels and avoid illegal ways to send money
There are many illegal channels through which you can pay your supplier, but as a good businessperson, you should avoid this practice at all costs. It might backfire on you by opening up legal issues.
Furthermore, these methods have no refund mechanism so you can incur heavy losses. Also, it might make the suppler lose confidence, and might disrupt your whole business.
Things like using another merchant’s identity or going through online fraud methods for payment are wrong, and you should avoid them.
Instead, always opt for legal, safe and secure payment methods. If you are using an e-commerce site, check for escrow payment methods, like Alibaba Trade Assurance.
This is the safest method and is completely legal. Payment through credit card, bank transfer and direct cash transfer is good too. If payment is in person, then save the record of transactions in your registry.
7. Using Alibaba Trade Assurance to deal with the Suppliers
Alibaba Trade Assurance Payment system is a protection service offered by Alibaba that enables secure payment from the buyer to supplier.
Here is how it works: you send the funds after placing an order to the selected Alibaba bank account, your supplier. Then Alibaba releases the payment if things are up to the mark, meet the quality standards and deadlines that were set by you.
If the shipment is delayed or the products don’t comply with the promised quality, you will get a refund.
It is in your best interest to opt for this service when dealing with suppliers. It is one of the best security programs of its kind. As a buyer, you already know that one of the most difficult tasks for buyers is to successfully claim a refund, but Alibaba Trade Assurance can help you and save you from incurring losses.
8. Making Strong and Detailed Contracts with the Suppliers
One of the best practices in this business is to make clear and detailed contracts with your suppliers. Every aspect of the business should have clear-cut articles.
That list down your needs and requirements – for payment, method of payment, quality checks, refund policy, length of the contract, conditions for annulment of the contract, liabilities in case of damage, etc.
To do this as a first-timer, it would be better to involve a reliable third party that specializes in these contracts to make sure you don’t miss any important detail.
Making these types of contracts will ensure that your business runs smoothly in all aspects and you don’t incur any losses. It will also help you avoid scams.
9. Making Sure you have all the Right Documents for Customs Clearance
Customs clearance can be a tedious process. So it is best for you to be prepared in advance to minimize inconvenience. All the legalities, laws and rules of the customs department need to be met for all products that you import from China.
You can hire a customs broker to deal with this whole process more easily. To get through clearance smoothly, you will need the following documents:
- Commercial Invoice
It contains all necessary information about the products you are shipping such as the manufacturer, destination and origin, HTS code, buyer/seller identity, type of packaging, description of products, and shipping information,
- Packing List
It is provided by the shipper or freight forwarder; the packing list is used by customs to check your cargo. The information listed on the previous invoice is also included on your packing list.
- Bill of Lading (BOL)
It is the document issued by the carrier to the shipper of products. In case of loss, delay, or damage to your cargo, the BOL is required for compensation. It provides a tracking number and includes international shipping details.
- Arrival Notice –
It is the notice provided by the carrier upon arrival into your country, so you can arrange for pickup.
10. Using an Expert Freight Forwarder who will handle the Goods Safely
Finally, look for an expert freight forwarder for safe and efficient delivery of your cargo. Again, you will need to check the company’s credentials, experience, and work history. It is also advisable that you get the basic know-how of this industry to make a good decision about who you will hire.
Look out for companies that have incomplete information, that claim to do the job in a very short amount of time, or is unbelievably cheap.
These companies are likely to be scammers. Instead, opt for reputable companies with reasonable prices and timing. Don’t be afraid to ask these questions and details about the process from each shortlisted company, so that you can make the right decision.
Chapter 3: The Safety Issueswhen Buying Products from China
For international shipping, usually, the shipment method is by sea or by air. Each of these is different in terms of safety, duration, and type of goods delivered.
1. The Longer it takes, the More chances or Risks it might have
Between ocean freight and sea freight, ocean freight takes a long time for many reasons. Firstly, sea routes are longer, prone to unpredictability, and have a lower speed.
Secondly, since carriers of ocean freight are bigger, they need to be filled up completely before they can be shipped. So, for instance, if your cargo takes up only 15% space in the freight, then you will have to wait till the rest 85% is filled by other cargo before the whole carrier is shipped.
Due to so many inconveniences associated with ocean freight, there is a risk to cargo. Damage, delay, or loss to cargo can occur in the long journey by sea. On the other hand, shipping via air freight is safer and faster.
2. Express Delivery is the Safest by Far
Express delivery, which is also done via air, is the fastest and safest method of delivery for your cargo. It can deliver your goods to you within 3 to 5 business days. The shorter times mean that your cardo is less prone to damage or losses. Keep in mind however that express delivery requires extra charges.
3. Too many Middlemen may Complicate Things
If your products exchange hands many times between storage and shipping, chances are the risk to your products will increase significantly. Try to limit the number of middlemen between origin and destination.
For example, there should ideally be only one freight forwarder company you should deal with that should take care of all things in the process.
If there are too many middlemen, your goods will be more prone to damage and losses. For example, between the supplier and the company that delivers from the warehouse to the port.
There is a good chance that your products can be misplaced, as many products are handled at the same time. And of course, the additional charges are another big hassle.
4. Bad Handling of Goods during Shipment can result in Damage to Products
If goods are handled poorly or roughly in the shipment process, they can be damaged, causing losses for you. Bad handling means improper or insufficient packaging or placement in the carrier. This is all the more true for the shipment of fragile and perishable goods like glassware.
Sometimes, this is unavoidable but you can issue specific instructions at the time of shipment to ensure that goods aren’t damaged. Also, it is a good idea to specify the information of the goods on the cargo properly, so that shipment can be done accordingly, and due care can be taken in the whole process.
Chapter 4: Global Perception Regarding the Safety of Buying Products from China
The perspective of the whole world when it comes to buying products from China is a little skewed due to certain factors. This negatively affects the way buyers see the Chinese market.
1. The Western Media perception of buying from China
The western media further spreads the idea that buying from China is a risky business because supposedly Chinese goods are of low quality, cheap and defective. It is implied by many experts in the field that the western media has some sort of malice against China. This transfers over to the Chinese market and economy as well.
Furthermore, Chinese goods are compared to western goods in many regards. This is misleading because the quality controls, legalities, and rules are different in each part of the world, not just between China and the West.
2. The Decision of the US and European Authorities for Strict Customs Inspections
Tensions on the economic front between China and the west have been high in recent years. This has resulted in strict customs inspection and clearance processes for goods coming into the US or Europe from China.
For example, a new regulation was introduced in US customs in 2020 that each product coming from China must be labeled “Made in China”, otherwise it can be held at customs, and you have to pay fines for it.
Additionally, these products undergo strict inspections and have more conditions to pass through the customs clearance process.
And in the last few years, the trade war between China and the US has made the situation worse, as there are increased tariffs and import duties on Chinese products in both US and Europe.
All these restrictions are again due to the fact that the west sees Chinese products as inferior, and is worried about safety standards, and quality control. It is also to control the rise of the Chinese economy, as it is a competitor to the western economy.
3. Public Reservations due to Misconceptions related to Buying from China
Due to the authorities and media’s stance, the general public is also more wary of Chinese products. As mentioned in the first chapter, there are so many rumors and misconceptions about Chinese products in the buyers’ minds.
These include concerns about quality, price, function, and durability. As there is so much false information about these aspects, the public is hesitant to buy products from China. And this in turn breeds more misconceptions.
Chapter 5: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on buying products from China
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has affected every sector of the world, including the global economy. Since China is a major factor of interest in the whole pandemic, the buying process has become more complicated and ridden with worries.
1. The Origin of the Pandemic in China
In December 2019, the coronavirus was first discovered in the population of Wuhan in China. It first spread in other areas of China, and within a few months, the virus had spread to the rest of the world.
Due to this fact, the production process was affected in China, as supply chains were disrupted. Factories were unable to manufacture goods, and suppliers’ jobs were made difficult as well. So initially, it became difficult to buy from China due to the halted economic activity. But after a few months, the economy became functional again.
2. General Fearfulness of Countries Regarding Imports from China
Since the virus originated from China, there is a general fear in people’s minds about buying from China as they wrongly associated the virus with China.
Importing from China implies getting involved in the manufacturing process, dealing with suppliers, and even making in-person visits. All of this is difficult to do for buyers, as the spread of the virus has created an atmosphere of fear.
Most of the countries have closed their borders to personnel and goods coming from other countries, and this includes China as well. This has made the situation for importers worse.
3. Sudden Change in Consumer Behavior
These effects have transferred over to the global consumers as well, as they are also reluctant to buy Chinese products in the current situation. As demand for Chinese products in other countries decreased, the number of imports from China also decreased.
More and more consumers have been buying products from their own countries. This sudden change in consumer behavior has resulted in a decreasing trend on buying from China, and as a result, buyers have less incentive to do so.
4. Criticism and Boycott of Chinese Goods in Some Places
Since there is the association of Chinese goods and the virus in people’s minds, this has led to boycotts in certain areas. It is mostly based on prejudice and misconceptions, as the general public and even some governments have blamed China for the spread of the virus.
Due to this situation, even if some buyers want to import from China, they don’t get the chance to do so. In other places, Chinese goods faced criticism from the public and authorities. This damaged the reputation of Chinese goods and made buyers less likely to buy from China.
5. Poor Evidence on the Transmission of the Virus through Packages
One of the effects the coronavirus had Chinese market was the misconception and fear that the packages coming from China would get contaminated with the virus, and lead to the spread of infections.
This again led to reluctance on part of buyers to import from China, and on part of consumers to buy Chinese goods.
However, many studies have been done on whether the virus survives on surfaces and for how long. The accumulated data has shown that there is not enough evidence to suggest that viruses can stay on the packages for that long. It can survive for a few hours on some surfaces, but not for longer periods of time.
Chapter 6: Frequently Asked Questions About Buying Products from China
1. How Can I Keep Myself Safe from Scams when buying from China?
There are several things to keep in mind. Firstly, only deal with reliable sellers and manufacturers. Secondly, avoid low costs whether it’s in the manufacturing process, the prices of products, the supplier details, or the shipment’s low costs are mostly scam alerts.
Also look out for red flags such as incorrect information on a company’s website, very short delivery times, and newly created supplying companies.
2. Are Chinese Manufacturers Reliable?
There are all types of manufacturers in China, as in the rest of the world. Some are reliable and some are not. It all depends on who you’re dealing with.
There are many reputable and reliable manufacturers in China that make great quality goods. Be sure to check their credentials, work history, experience, and customer satisfaction before choosing any manufacturer.
3. Is It True that Chinese Goods are Substandard?
There is no truth to this statement that all Chinese goods are substandard. All Chinese goods are not substandard, although some of them are. It all depends on the companies and factories you deal with. There are a lot of great quality goods that come from the Chinese market. You just have to do your research.
4. Could Packages from China be contaminated with Coronavirus?
It is highly unlikely that packages from China or anywhere around the world can be contaminated with the virus.
The virus mostly spreads through respiratory droplets, and it survives only a few hours on surfaces. Even if the package is initially contaminated with the virus when it is packaged, you will get the package many days later, so there is minimal risk of infection.
5. Is It Common for Chinese Shipping Companies to Misplace Packages?
It’s not a common occurrence that Chinese companies will misplace your package. As with all shipping companies in the world, there is a risk of misplacement. That is why you should make sure that you are hiring a competent and trustworthy company.
Conclusion
Buying products from China comes with challenges due to many reasons such as misconceptions, language barriers, and health concerns over Covid-19. Buyers often ask if it is safe to buy from China. As a short answer, it is safe to buy products from China, as there are many ways to buy safely and effectively from China.
Just follow the tips given in the blog to make the most out of your buying experience from China. Choose reliable manufacturers and suppliers, and do your research at each step of the process. And consider your options when it comes to shipment methods.
If you still don’t know what to do in this special period, just find a China sourcing agent like EJET Sourcing, we can help you start finding the best suppliers, communicate directly with factories, and even finalize the delivery process. A lot of it will in your control, so make a plan, and start buying from China now.
