FOSHAN BAMBOO INTERNATIONAL TRADING CO., LTD.
Bamboo Sourcing · Foshan & Guangzhou, China
WhatsApp: +86 178 1771 1817 Hattem | Email: bamboosourcing@foxmail.com | Web: cnbamboosourcing.com
Case Details
Buyer: Sudheer, Melbourne-based Indian-origin businessman
Market: Melbourne, Australia
Location: Guangzhou & Foshan, China
Products: Furniture & Building Materials
Markets Visited: Lecong Furniture Market, Huayi Building Materials City
Services: Local Transportation, Market Visits, Factory Visits, Interpretation & Supplier Coordination
Purpose: Compare suppliers and prices and establish direct factory relationships
Result: Selected potential suppliers for the Melbourne market
If a client visit China to source products for the first time, or just want to make research for the local market, they will need local transportation, hotel arrangements, market and factory visits, and interpretation.
One customer named Sudheer, he was recommended by one of our old customer. He is an Indian-origin businessman based in Melbourne and has been importing furniture and building materials into Australia for many years.
After we connected on WeChat, we first went through his itinerary and purchasing needs. We need to understand his purchasing background and how he normally works with suppliers, so we could arrange the trip around his requirement.
His previous purchases were handled through Chinese suppliers and trading intermediaries in Melbourne. This time, he wanted to speak directly with factories, so he come to China.
After discuss with him, we know that he already have rich experience judging product quality, so his main purpose of this trip was to see the market, compare suppliers and prices, and find factories he could work with directly.
Station Pickup and Schedule Arrangement
Sudheer was not familiar with China’s high-speed rail system or the ticketing process, so the Bamboo Sourcing team helped him choose a suitable 10 a.m. train based on his schedule and prepared an English travel guide for the journey.
Also we arranged for a team member to meet him at the station and take him to his hotel.
On the way, we talked about his trip, his business in Melbourne and what he was looking for in China. We also discussed the Guangzhou-Foshan sourcing market, including MOQ, samples, shipping, product specifications and some issues related to importing into Australia.
Business Accompaniment and Interpretation
Based on his purchasing categories and the market he serves in Australia, we arranged visits to furniture and building materials markets in Foshan.
We bring him to Lecong Furniture Market and Huayi Building Materials City.
At the markets, we compared materials, workmanship, prices and MOQs together. Some products looked very similar but were priced big differently, so we will learn where those differences came from — whether it was the materials, production process or supplier type.
After the market visits, Sudheer had a clear picture of the furniture and building materials supply chain in Foshan.
Then we then took him to several furniture and building materials factories. He visited the production workshops, quality-control areas and warehouses and spoke directly with the factory staff.
For some products he is very interested, we went into more detail about specifications, packaging, lead times and export requirements.
End of the trip
By the end of the trip, Sudheer had selected some potential suppliers based on his own product requirements and target prices. A number of the products he found were also suitable for the Melbourne market he serves.
More importantly, he now had a clearer way to purchase directly from China instead of relying on intermediaries in Melbourne.
He was also happy with the way the trip was arranged and the support provided during the visit.
For us, this was a fairly straightforward sourcing trip, but it also showed the value of having someone local who can help connect the different parts of the process — from getting off the train in Guangzhou to visiting markets and factories in Foshan and communicating directly with suppliers.
If you are also planning a sourcing trip to Guangzhou or Foshan and need help with local transportation, market and factory visits, sourcing or interpretation, you can contact with Bamboo Sourcing team.
