With increasing globalization, supply chains worldwide have been growing at an incredible rate, and it can be difficult for these chains to keep track of their products and sales. Because of the increased scale at which supply chains function, sourcing agents have begun to play a much bigger role in managing these international supply chains.
However, not many small companies are aware of what a sourcing agent is or what services they provide. Therefore, we’re here to tell you everything you need about sourcing agents. We’ll also tell you about the advantages of hiring a China-based sourcing agent and all about EPROLO, which is the top China sourcing agent you should consider.
Preview the passage:
What is a sourcing agent?
What services does a sourcing agent provide?
Why you should hire a China sourcing agent?
The top China sourcing agent – EPROLO
The benefits of hiring EPROLO as your sourcing agent
FAQs
1. What is it like to work with a sourcing agent?
What is a sourcing agent?
So, what exactly is a sourcing agent or a sourcing agency? Let’s take a look.
A sourcing agent is a person or an agency that represents buyers and helps them source different products and commodities to sell. While local suppliers do not usually use sourcing agents, the need arises in international or global trade, where it can be difficult to source commodities in different countries and locations.
Who needs a sourcing agent?
There are various buyers or companies that might need to hire a sourcing agent. To get a better idea of who might work with a sourcing agent, we have some examples for you to take a look at.
First would be individuals or companies who are just starting out with importing and do not have much experience in the trade. When buyers import commodities from abroad, many different aspects are involved in the process, such as finding the right suppliers, ensuring the products are up to the mark, dealing with shipping and customs, etc. Someone new to this process or trade might not be able to carry out the product sourcing independently and would require a sourcing agent’s help.
Another example would be individuals or companies who are trying to source multiple different kinds of products and commodities. It can be quite a lot of work and effort to find reliable suppliers for a single product. You may need to get in touch with over ten or twelve suppliers before finding one that is right for you. As such, if a company is looking for, say, five or six products, they have to get in touch with over sixty suppliers. In such a situation, a sourcing agent would be better equipped to handle the process for you.
Larger retail companies and supermarkets also work with sourcing agents. Large retailers are dealing with hundreds or thousands of products a month. This often means very large and complicated supply chains. In such cases, large retailers hire sourcing agents to manage their products and buy those thousands of products for them instead of hiring extra in-house workers to manage the process. For example, companies like Target and Walmart hire sourcing agents and agencies to source most of their products for them.
And finally, we have individuals or companies who are handling and selling niche products or specific kinds of product categories that are not readily available for purchase. Other than general items, household things, clothes, and so on, some products fall under special categories. These products can be anything from medicines and building materials to chemicals and other rare products. When it comes to these kinds of products, the suppliers are few and far between and can be pretty difficult to find. As such, there is a need for sourcing agents who have contacts for different suppliers and can find reliable suppliers for you.
What services does a sourcing agent provide?
Sourcing agents provide several different services. When you hire a sourcing agent, you are not automatically hiring them to provide you with every possible service. From the different services they offer, you can pick and choose which services you require and get charged by them accordingly. Here are a few services that sourcing agents offer:
Not every supplier will meet your exact needs and requirements. In fact, after speaking to maybe ten different suppliers, you may only find one or two that are suitable. The sourcing agent’s job is to get in touch with different suppliers and select the right supplier for you.
When buying products in large quantities, even a few cents knocked off the price of a product can result in thousands of dollars worth of savings. Sourcing agents with a good rapport with different suppliers can negotiate product prices for you and get you the best prices and deals.
Sourcing agents can work alongside quality inspection services to ensure that your products are up to standard and meet quality demands. This can help reduce the number of defective products that arrive to you.
Once a supplier has been chosen, the supplier will begin production of the products you buy from them. Overlooking and following up on the production process to ensure your products are ready on time is another service the sourcing agent provides.
Once the products are ready, sourcing agents can also test them for you and ensure that they work as intended. This reduces the chances of faulty or defective products arriving on your doorstep and resulting in huge losses.
Getting products from overseas means finding the most affordable shipping services and handling all of the documentation needed for customs. This can be a big logistical hassle. Sourcing agents can take on this whole process for you.
Finally, sourcing agents can offer private label services and solutions, whereby they can customize the products for you by printing on logos and labels and photograph the products for websites and online retailers.
Why you should hire a China sourcing agent?
If you decide to hire a sourcing agent, you should do your due diligence when choosing an agent. The agent you end up hiring can play a big role in the success of your company and business. Your sourcing agent should be reliable, have many contacts with international suppliers, and have experience in international supply chains and shipping processes.
One practical tip you should consider is hiring a China sourcing agent rather than a non-Chinese sourcing agent. There are several reasons why this might be in your best interest.
To begin with, China is one of, if not the largest, consumer goods exporter in the world. Most products and commodities you buy in the US usually have a ‘made in China’ tag, as you might have noticed. This is because production costs in China are much lower than in the US, and even with shipping costs attached, the overall price of products produced in China ends up being lower than those produced in the US.
Additionally, China sourcing agents have different fee structures as compared to non-Chinese agents and usually charge lower service commissions. This means the fees you end up paying Chinese sourcing agents are much lower than what you might pay other sourcing agents. The low labor costs in China also contribute to the lower fees.
It is also important to note that China sourcing agents are willing to work with companies of various sizes and do not only offer their services to larger retail giants. So, if you are a business or company just starting out, a China sourcing agent would be a great option for you.
Finally, you can also benefit from the connections that a China-based sourcing agent may have with different producers in China. This means you can get products and commodities for lower prices, and the agents can carry out further negotiations for you as well. This is a great opportunity for increasing your profits that should not be overlooked.
The top China sourcing agent – EPROLO
If you are in search of the top China sourcing agent to hire, then EPROLO is your best choice. For those of you that don’t know about the company, EPROLO is a comprehensive, all-inclusive supply chain that supports product sourcing, print-on-demand, order fulfillment, global dropshipping, warehousing, and shipping services. With our services, you can source products and commodities internationally.
What is dropshipping?
Dropshipping is a business model used for e-commerce. Many online retailers use dropshipping in order to source the products they sell. So, what exactly is dropshipping? What it basically means is when a business or online retailer sells a product that it does not actually keep in stock. Instead, the retailer buys the products and stock from a third party – such as a sourcing agent, a manufacturer, or a wholesaler – in order to meet orders. Dropshipping is different from regular retail because the retailer acts as a middleman between the third party and the people buying the products.
Dropshipping has two main elements that make the model work – the online store or supply source and the delivery of the products. The dropshipping supplier or the sourcing agent plays a big role in both of these elements. To begin dropshipping, you have to first set up an online store and put up the products that you want to sell. Then, you need to find a supply chain that has those products.
When a customer uses your store to place an order and make a payment, you can forward that order to the dropshipper, who then packs up the product and delivers it to the customer.
When it comes to dropshipping, it is very important that you choose a supplier or sourcing agent that is reliable and has the kind of products and commodities that you wish to sell. EPROLO is one such sourcing agent.
The benefits of hiring EPROLO as your sourcing agent
Hiring EPROLO as your sourcing agent for dropshipping can offer you several benefits compared to other sourcing agents or companies. Here are some of the benefits you should consider:
EPROLO is a completely free supplier. Unlike other dropshippers that offer free trials followed by monthly charges, EPROLO is completely free from when you register until however long you partner with us. We never charge any kind of membership fee and have a free plan for our services. Once you start using our services, we will charge a product fee and shipping fee, but other than that, we are entirely free. Additionally, you don’t need to worry about the delivery fee if we miss our 30-day guarantee shipping, as we offer full refunds for such cases.
We follow an automated dropshipping business model that streamlines the whole process for you. Our dropshipping software is completely automated, and all order processing is carried out by our software. This means you do not need to manually carry out any customer order processing. We also send delivery tracking details to you so that you know exactly where the deliveries are and when your customers will get their products.
We offer branding services to our buyers. The EPROLO branding project works to provide custom branding for your dropshipping business. Branding is the perfect way to build your company and create brand recognition. We can print out your brand logo and attach them to the products before they are delivered to your customers. This is just one example of the branding services we offer.
We offer wholesale prices on various products so you can maximize your profits. Without worrying about registration or membership fees, you can focus your energy on finding the lowest-cost products to sell. We have experience in finding products at wholesale prices for you to sell, and we have worked with numerous reliable wholesalers. With low product costs, you can work on increasing your profit margins.
We are compatible with various dropshipping e-commerce stores. Whether you want to open your ecommerce store on Shopify, WooCommerce, eBay, or AliExpress, EPROLO is compatible with all of these stores.
Overall, EPROLO is the top China sourcing agent in 2024, with so many benefits we offer you. Whether you have a dropshipping company set up or are hoping to start up an e-commerce store, EPROLO would be the best choice of sourcing agents for you. You can visit our website to register now and get started on dropshipping products worldwide.
FAQs on sourcing agent
1. What is it like to work with a sourcing agent?
Working with a reliable and experienced sourcing agent can be a great experience. It can help streamline your selling business and cut down any direct contact and negotiations between you and various different suppliers.
2. How much do sourcing agents charge in China?
Many sourcing agents charge a fixed fee for a certain period of time. However, they may also charge a fixed percentage of the total cost or value of your order. In China, this amount can be between 5 to 10 percent of the total value of your order. Very few sourcing agents would charge a fee lower than 5 percent, although you might find some that charge 3 percent for a trial period.
3.Which types of sourcing agents are there?
There are three main types of sourcing agents: Independent sourcing agents, Consulting agencies, and logistic companies. Independent agents are usually individuals who source products as a freelancing gig. Consulting agencies are companies with a whole team of sourcing agents and usually have agents that specialize in different fields. And lastly, logistic companies offer sourcing, manufacturing, delivery, and all other aspects of dropshipping rolled into one.
