As the saying goes, “you can’t judge a book by its cover.” The same is true for furniture- you can’t determine the quality just by looking at it.
This short article will provide tips on how to buy wholesale outdoor furniture from China without getting scammed. It will also provide tips on how to inspect the furniture before purchasing and how to ship it safely once it’s been bought.
1. The importance of buying wholesale outdoor furniture from China
Worldwide retailers tend to buy wholesale outdoor furniture from Chinese manufacturers and suppliers, as they are able to obtain goods at a lower price, and resell them for 4x the original price.
Sounds easy right? Not exactly.
The process is a bit more complicated than that, and if buyers are not careful, they can end up getting scammed by fake online suppliers, or receiving goods with a high defective rate.
Outdoor furniture enterprises in China have a comparative advantage in terms of both cost and quality.
The market for outdoor furniture is growing day by day, as the demand for better quality products at lower prices is constantly increasing.
As a result, many small and medium-sized businesses are interested in buying outdoor furniture from China. Yoho Outdoor Furniture is dedicated to helping buyers in European countries and America find what they are looking for.
2. How to ensure orders don’t have any defective rates
When ordering furniture from a Chinese supplier, it is important to first check the company’s track record for quality.
Good suppliers will have a low defective rate and will be happy to provide you with contact information for previous customers who can attest to the quality of their products.
Order a sample! Before attempting to place your big order and ship it off the sea, ask the supplier for a sample first. Be patient and don’t rush the process.
If the supplier does not want to provide this information, or if their defective rate is high, it is best to look elsewhere.
Business requires good communication, and if you’re able to develop a good relationship with your supplier, it will be beneficial for both parties in the long run.
3. How to find reputable suppliers
There are a number of ways to find reputable suppliers of wholesale outdoor furniture from China, and I won’t dive deep into this topic cause I wrote 3000 words on how to find your future garden furniture supplier.
4. Use good communication skills and take the negotiation slow and effectively
When negotiating with Chinese suppliers, it is essential to have good communication skills.
Many suppliers do not speak English, so it is important that you are able to communicate effectively in Mandarin Chinese (This rule applies to 1980 and before).
Now almost every Chinese supplier has translators and employees who are professional in English.
Chinese suppliers are used to Westerners who try to rush the negotiation process, but this is not an effective way to do business.
Rushing the negotiation process will not lead to a successful outcome.
The most important thing to remember when negotiating with Chinese suppliers is that they want to help your business grow, and they are more likely to offer better prices and terms if they feel like you are sincere about doing business with them.
If the supplier seems more interested in ripping you off, it is best to walk away and find someone else to do business with.
5. How to avoid low-grade outdoor furniture
Testimonials are your friend. Once you’ve found a potential supplier, take the time to read online reviews and see what other people have said about their experiences with the company.
Drop a question in Quora to learn more about the supplier and if they had any previous clients hanging out there.
Ask the supplier for their TrustPilot company profile.
In general, it is best to avoid any supplier that has a lot of negative reviews, as this is usually an indication that they are not a reputable company.
3. What to look for when inspecting furniture before purchasing
Basically, you have three choices:
- Let the supplier be responsible for inspecting the products.
- Visit China yourself
- Ask a third party for help
Let the supplier be responsible for inspecting the products.
The supplier should have a QC team in place to inspect the products before they are shipped.
Yet, if he doesn’t want to send his team off, it’s an indication that TEAM is made up or doesn’t exist.
Suppliers who say our products are top quality and no need for inspection… In this case, it would be best to look for another supplier.
Visit China yourself
This is the most effective way to inspect the products, but it is also the most expensive and time-consuming option.
With the current Virus pandemic situation (Two and half years ago), China is restricting foreigners to enter the country.
Visiting China nowadays isn’t impossible, it’s just hard and requires you to do quarantine for a max of 21 days.
Ask a third party for help
There are a number of companies that offer product inspection services in China.
These companies will inspect the products on your behalf and provide you with a report.
While this option is not as good as inspecting the products yourself, it is still a viable option if you are unable to visit China.
4. Tips for shipping and handling furniture once it’s been purchased
Imagine with me that you already paid the full amount of your order, now it’s time to sort out which company to use for shipping, and will your supplier be responsible for it? or you are?
The first thing you have to understand is that most of the time, the shipping cost from China to your country will be much higher (and changes weekly) than you expect it to be.
The second thing you have to know is that there are two types of shipping: Airfreight and Ocean Freight.
Airfreight is much faster but also much more expensive.
Ocean freight is slower but cheaper.
If you are in a hurry to get your products, you can choose Airfreight.
But if you don’t mind waiting a few weeks for your products, ocean freight is the way to go.
Tips for shipping outdoor furniture from China
- When arranging for shipping, be sure to specify the dimensions and weight of the furniture. This will help the shipping company determine the cost and size of the shipping container.
- If possible, it is best to have the furniture shipped in its original packaging. This will help protect the furniture during transit.
- If the furniture is not packed in its original packaging, be sure to use plenty of packing material to protect it during transit.
- Be sure to inspect all furniture before it is loaded onto the truck, and note any damage that may have occurred during transport. If there is damage, make a note of it and contact the shipping company immediately.
Conclusion
Buying outdoor furniture can be a daunting task, but if you follow these tips, you’ll be able to make the process much easier. By inspecting the furniture before purchasing it and being aware of what to look for, you can avoid getting scammed by fake suppliers. If you are unsure about how to inspect the furniture or how to ship it once it’s been purchased, our team is here to help.
