Before hiring a sourcing agent, it is essential to ask them essential questions. These questions are essential because you can filter sourcing agents that will not suit your needs. Therefore, you would ask the essential questions when interviewing the sourcing agents before the actual job. This criterion will assist you in finding a reliable and trustworthy sourcing agent that will help you in sourcing products from China.
Interview questions to ask the sourcing agent when sourcing products from China
When asking interview questions, the most important thing is working with the sourcing agent you are interviewing. That means your conscience must be at peace with the person you choose to include as a partner. In that case, finding another sourcing agent that you will be comfortable with as your business partner would be a great idea. Here are the questions that you would ask:
Experience
You will not need a sourcing agent with no experience in sourcing products from China. An inexperienced sourcing agent will not be in a position to source reliable suppliers in the market.
The right sourcing agent should have good experience sourcing products from China. Good experience means they have a huge contact list that they can reach out to find the most suitable products.
Product concentration
Sourcing agents usually specialize in specific products. A specializing sourcing agent will have essential information about the types of materials used to make a product, certifications, and regulations tied to the product. Inappropriate sourcing agents might not have such information at their fingertips.
Reliability of the supplier
The sourcing agent should know the impression of the supplier they recommend. This knowledge means they can account for how they know the supplier’s reliability depending on the quotations that they will avail.
Manufacturer vs. Trading agency
A good sourcing agent should differentiate a manufacturer from a trading agency. Trading agencies will need to call the suppliers to keep up with the background before handling specific queries. Manufacturers will save a great deal in economies of scale.
Suppliers
It would be best if you asked about where the sourcing agent finds suppliers. Some will have a contact list, friends, or find other sourcing agents from sites such as Alibaba. The agent’s ability to do what you cannot do from your location is the primary reason you are going for a sourcing agent in China. The sourcing agent should convince you to have a good pool of good suppliers when sourcing products from China.
Sample consolidation
The sourcing agent ought to be willing to receive samples on your behalf and assess the various specifications that suit your standards. Shipping costs can be extremely high when importing samples of twenty to thirty products from different companies. Therefore, the sourcing agent should stick to your specifications of the right product and send the samples as a bundle when taking the whole shipment.
Generally, the process involved in interviewing the sourcing agent is critical to finding the right sourcing agent that will suit your needs. The appropriate sourcing agents should answer the interview questions to your satisfaction before sourcing products from China.
