With the advantage of a young workforce and an abundance of natural resources, there is a huge potential for sourcing in Vietnam. Nowadays, suppliers in Vietnam are trusted by many domestic as well as foreign enterprises.
Since there are thousands of factories and suppliers specialising in manufacturing different products in Vietnam, finding a reputable and qualified supplier will be a time-consuming and effort-taking task if you don’t have any intermediary to refer to.
For businesses that cannot manage to find trustworthy suppliers on their own, hiring a sourcing agent to do all the work for them seems like a good idea.
So, how can we find a reliable Vietnam sourcing agent?
Table of Contents
Why do you need a sourcing agent?
A sourcing agent with local knowledge, experience, and an extensive network of reputable and quality suppliers can assist you in finding the right supplier with guaranteed quality at the most reasonable price. This helps the company reduce costs and maximise profits.
When starting to build a business, finding reliable suppliers is one of the most important decisions that business owners need to think about. Suppliers will affect product quality, reputation, and the long-term continuity of the business.
Having those reliable suppliers means the company will have guaranteed-quality products, attract more customers, and enhance the value and position of the business. On the contrary, a poor supplier will definitely cause trouble for your company.
A sourcing agent is like a reliable bridge between companies and suppliers
Why should you hire a Vietnam sourcing agent?
- Save you time and effort in finding suitable suppliers with quality materials, equipment, or services at a good price;
- Inspect and monitor product quality as well as the process from the suppliers’ side;
- Help with logistics and transportation management;
- A local Vietnam sourcing agent knows how to do business in Vietnam and understands the local culture, helping you to deal with any problems or troubles from the suppliers’ side easier;
- Hiring a Vietnam sourcing agent will help reduce your overall operating costs;
- A Vietnam sourcing agent can also help you with market research, and customs clearance as well as expand your partnerships with reputable suppliers in the region.
Hiring a Vietnam sourcing agent when operating a business in Vietnam is considered an ideal investment
How to choose a Vietnam sourcing agent that suits your business?
With the benefits that a local sourcing agent can bring to businesses as mentioned above, having a Vietnam sourcing agent when you want to source products in Vietnam is an ideal option.
But how to find a suitable Vietnam sourcing agent for your business? You can rely on the following factors:
The profession
A professional sourcing agent will have the experience and expertise in finding a reputable supplier for you. Finding a professional agent also helps you avoid being scammed.
Moreover, professional sourcing agents have a good understanding of laws to ensure that the client is protected against the suppliers’ failure to fulfil the contract. And in case the supplier cheats, or delays in delivery, they will help the supplier and the client reach an amicable agreement.
The transparency
A trusted sourcing agent will provide complete and transparent supplier – and price information and keep you updated on the progress of the supply process. On the contrary, scam places will keep the information to themselves, ask the supplier to raise the selling price and profit from the price difference.
To verify or validate a sourcing agent’s transparency, you can find out if all the supplier information they send you is correct and whether they can provide you with at least 3 quotations from the suppliers. Ask them if you can visit the factories before or during the production; ask about referrals or testimonials from previous customers, or ask if you can receive weekly updates on the production status or not.
Experience and network
A sourcing agent that has been around for many years and has a proven track record will have a reputable supplier network with a guarantee of quality. They know your industry and are familiar with sourcing the goods you require.
A Vietnam sourcing agent can make sure you access reliable suppliers so that you get qualified products. They also have effective communication skills and experience in negotiating with suppliers, which will be able to help you get the best price or reduce the cost if possible.
Local sourcing agents also have experience in dealing with unexpected problems arising from the supplier’s side.
An experienced Vietnam sourcing agent will help expand your network with trustworthy suppliers in Vietnam
References
Make sure to choose a sourcing agent that can provide you with authentic references from other businesses, which are their old customers.
Take the time to check and research these references, talk to those businesses, check their websites, and find out how they rate this sourcing agent service.
Conclusion
A Vietnamese sourcing agent is like a bridge between you and your local supplier. By choosing the right sourcing agent, you will save a lot of time, effort and operating expenses in the long run.
To business owners who are looking for an experienced and reliable sourcing agent, Bizspective wants to introduce you to our sourcing expert, Ms Vui Nguyen.
Ms Vui Nguyen is a Vietnamese sourcing and logistics expert with more than 20 years of experience. She used to work with many foreign-invested enterprises in consulting and finding the best suppliers in Vietnam. She knows very well what foreign companies as well as individuals are looking for, and will help you take care of finding products in Vietnam, checking quality, negotiating good prices, and shipping them to their final destination in the most efficient way in terms of cost and time.
If you are looking for a reliable, experienced, organised and efficient logistics and sourcing expert in Vietnam, Vui Nguyen is the right one to talk to.
