It can seem overwhelming and entirely confusing when you have a great business idea in your head, but you know nothing about the logistics of making it happen. This is how most people feel when they embark on the task of planning and organising product creation and shipping from China to the UK.
Fortunately, we at Decent Sourcing are here to facilitate your business needs and explain how the process works. We can assist you with all parts of the transaction; from finding a good quality supplier here in China to having your products shipped to the UK. All without you having to leave your home or trying to overcome the language barriers.
To Begin…
Your first question may be whether it is worth having your products made so far away, perhaps you are also considering somewhere closer to home? But the benefits of having products made in China are well known. We have access to a great many materials and types of machinery, as well as labour and product costs that stay at fair prices, preventing you from going bust before your business has even had a chance to take off. There is a reason so many of the world’s products are made and shipped from China. When you manufacture in China, you get quality without the price tag.
The benefit of using Decent Sourcing is that there is someone on the ground in China who can recommend and communicate with suppliers for you, as well as organising packaging and shipping of goods, which can be confusing and long-winded to sort out from another country.
The process begins when you bring your product goals to us. We mainly source products from the local Chinese market but if we cannot find what you require there, we have other options and suppliers. We can even help you with design, and labelling/putting your brand logo on the items. We strongly recommend that before you purchase a bulk order of your product, you get the supplier to post a sample to you. This allows you to check the quality and design of the product before paying for a larger order, and ensures that you will be happy later on.
Other Considerations…
You will also need to consider your product packaging; what kind of box and design do you want? We at Decent Sourcing offer a free packaging customisation service for our clients, and will also wrap the goods in bubble wrap for extra protection.
The length of time it takes for your product to be created, packaged and shipped, will depend on the complexity of the design and materials required, but on average, it will take 3 days for the products to arrive at our warehouse from the supplier, and then another day before we dispatch them.
Time that the goods will take to get to you depends on which method of transport you choose. Overland rail services can be used, but it is usually better to ship via sea or air. Freight rates determine how much it will cost to transport cargo. Freight rates are calculated on country/distance to ship to, type of goods, method of transport and cargo weight. Shipping by air is normally faster than sea, but it is more costly; so it is important to consider your budget and how quickly you need the products.
Freight rates and timelines can also be affected by cultural celebrations/holidays and crises such as the covid pandemic, so we advise asking us about these and giving yourself as much time as possible.
If you choose to ship your goods via sea, you must choose between Less than Container Load (LCL) and Full Container Load (FCL). LCL is for when you have a smaller consignment, as it allows you to share a shipping container with other people. It is cheaper if you have a small amount of goods, as you only have to pay for the space your products require, rather than the whole container. FCL is better if you have enough product to fill a shipping container.
You must also make sure that you have all the correct paperwork and certification for import and export of goods, which we can assist with. If your goods are not considered to be gifts, and they are over £135, you will need to pay import duties. The amount to be paid will depend on what the product is. Tax/Customs Duty on the goods and shipping costs will also be levied.
We Make It Simple…
If the whole process of delivering your products is too time consuming and stressful, we at Decent Sourcing offer a service called Dropshipping. Dropshipping is when we deliver your products straight from our warehouse to your customers. This saves you from having to arrange shipping, first to your address, and then to your buyers, and allows you to focus on the important things like product design and marketing.
If you are ready to turn your great product ideas into a reality and successful business, or you want more information, contact Decent Sourcing now.