Purchasing Resources for Purchasing Consultants

How do I source merchandise overseas?

You are here because you need to source product at the best deal available so you can receive the maximum profit possible. If this is correct you are in the right place, because we will explain the process and point you in the right direction for success.

Importing merchandise from around the world may sound somewhat complicated or some may come to the conclusion that it’s a tedious and complicated process. My fellow entrepreneurs, it is not, and we will show you step by step so you can be on your way to maximum profits.

First I will give you a brief summery of our product search engine; I have been online for over 10 years now and over the years I have attended many trade shows in numerous countries and established contacts with many suppliers.

I have established a data base with websites of over a 1000 manufactures, distributors, importers, exporters, wholesalers and many other suppliers. One of the problems I always face is that whenever I need to source new merchandise I would have to visit fifty or more site to see which supplier stocks the merchandise I need. Wouldn’t it be great if I could search all my supplier with just one click of the mouse on one search engine? That’s how Realbigsource.com was born with the power and technology of Google search engine.

Whenever you search for an item at Realbigsource.com, your results will only contain references to exactly what you are looking for; you don’t need to click pass the first page before you spot a dozen or more suppliers.

The Search:

When searching RealBigsouce.com, its best to be specific of what you are looking for, if you are look for a Prada or Nike shoes, its best you search for Prada shoes or Nike shoes instead of just searching shoes. This way your result will be precise to what you are looking for. If you would like to start a gift basked shop or an online store, its best you use search term such as gift basket or gift basket supplies, your result will again be more precise.

Contacting the Supplier:

After you have done your search and found suppliers with items you are interested in, the next step is for you to make that initial contact. Most suppliers will only have pictures and description display of the item on their site and you may not see a price. The reason for this is because you are buying from the source and most suppliers price is base on quantity purchased. Other reason you may not see a published price is because the material to produce your product changed just like the stock market, so the price quoted this month may not be the same next month because price of material may changed. Also the supplier may not want their price information to be known by competitors.

After you have decided on the item you need, you will need to contact the supplier with any question you may have about the item. Some of the question you should consider asking are listed below.

What is the minimum order quantity per style, color or size?
What is the unite cost?
If I supply my UPS or FedEx number, can you send me a sample
How long is the turn around time frame before item will be ready for shipment?
Can I visit your factory or place of business
Can I have a quality assurance agency check my shipment?
How long have you been in business
Can I have past customer references


You should ask question along these lines so you can have a better understanding of the company and the person you are dealing with; most of this information will be in the description of the supplier's product listing or about us page, if not you can contact them regarding further questions. Most suppliers will reply within a few business days with an answer to your question, if you are satisfied with their reply, then you can start making arrangement to place and order.

Steps you can take to limit and avoid fraud:

This is where you need to make sure you have done your due diligences research on the supplier before you make any payments towards your purchase. I don’t want to discourage you, but receiving a sample, or looking at a professional website with a fancy picture of a building does not represent honesty, good customer service or that the product they send will be the same as the sample you received.

With this said don’t be frightened or think it too risky to be involve with and go back to the middle man. There are steps you can take to be safe and reduce the risk tremendously. There are services available at a reasonable cost that will reduce your risk when sourcing products world wide . There are companies available world wide that provides quality assurance checks on your behalf.
Most quality assurance agency fees are reasonable and cost effective, depending on location of the supplier, the price can be around $300 plus. They can make arrangements to check the factory's reputation, physical location, the merchandise during and after production and also before you send final payment.

I would recommend using a quality assurance agency until a relationship between you and the factory/supplier is established and you are comfortable doing business with the supplier. If you are spending large amount of money, I would recommend visiting these factories/suppliers so you can put a face to the name when transacting future business.
You can also search for quality assurance agency at Realbigsource.com.