Chinese Manufacturers for Outdoor Equipment

He wants to sell to make a profit. In one of the Original Poster's posts. in another thread he has already tried Alibaba. He is not getting a great discount. So your advice is wrong in this case.

There are very few real manufacturers on Alibaba, so if you want to make maximum profits you need to look elsewhere. You might like to check out the thread: If your secret B2B portals are so safe why don't you share?

Those middlemen who are almost all listed incorrectly as manufacturers will never be able to supply at the best prices. You can only get the best prices by buying direct from the real manufacturers. I teach how to buy small quantities regardless of the big Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) they quote.

You must be bold enough to ignore the MOQ, and in fact you never ask what it is. That is the first mistake most people make when approaching suppliers.

It is worth noting that traders and other middle men on the popular B2B sourcing platforms will often quote bigger MOQs than the real manufacturers. The main reason is that they want to make a killing on that first order, because chances are you won't place a repeat order.

You should also be aware that "wholesalers" in China rarely carry inventory. They take your order and your money, then they contact the manufacturer whose images they have lifted, and hope they can still supply.

Having visited China since 1978 as an exporter and then since 1987 as an importer I know how the system works there. Everything is not as it appears, but I see on this forum so many people acting as though buying from China is like buying from your local 7/11.

Having said that I must add that in all my times as an importer since 1987 I have enjoyed the most excellent relationship with my Chinese suppliers and I obtained better quality and better service at vastly better prices than I ever did locally.

China is a different world and it is important to know how to deal with that amazing industrial powerhouse.

Alibaba are making billions out of selling Gold Supplier status. Currently it is again being discounted to $299. Over the past 12 months they have sold thousands of gold memberships at that low price. EDIT Now in 2016 the price has gone up to $699. Not much to pay to convince people they can trust you, even if you are dishonest.

Suppliers don't have to give them any more information, or undergo any further verification to prove that they exist, but as Alibaba say, people are more likely to trust sellers that have the Gold Supplier label.

I can't imagine why, but it works! People are so gullible.

Visiting a trade show without doing a lot of preliminary research can be frustrating and a costly waste of time and money.

Before anyone visits China, whether for a trade show or to visit manufacturers they must know in advance who is worth making personal contact with.

It can be a serious mistake to finalize any arrangement with exhibitors at a trade show unless you have previously done your due diligence on them.

It is also important to know what comes next after you find the product and you confirm that the supplier is a genuine manufacturer that you really want to do business with. When they quote you prices, make sure you understand the freight terms they use. If you have to arrange freight do you place the order on the spot and hope to get a good freight deal somewhere? I have seen many come to grief that way.

Don't haggle, even though many "experts" on the forum will say otherwise. You won't need to haggle because you will have done your homework and will know whether their price is the best you can get - won't you???

There is a lot for our newbie OP to learn before he books his ticket.

I also considered going to China to look manufacturers. But I don't have enough budget for that at this moment, and spare time. Maybe 6 months from now, I'll try that.

For now, I'll just try other sites mentioned above. Find suppliers that can give the best quotations for the products that I need.