Source & develop products

Help sourcing and developing your own products

Stephen is available to help companies source and develop their own products in China. He has ample experience, and it has helped previous clients get the best outcomes.

Stephen made 49 sourcing trips to China and attended the Canton Fair in Guangzhou from 1979 to 2018, along with fairs in Shanghai and Hong Kong. For the Rose Stereograph Company he sourced more than 100 different souvenirs, handling product selection, negotiating quantities and pricing, samples, and freight through customs. He also turned the company’s own photography into postcards, tea towels, mugs, stubby holders, magnets and prints.

Sourcing or development?

Sourcing means finding a supplier for a product that already exists in some form, or a manufacturer able to make your specification.

Development means turning an idea into a product: specifications, samples, feedback and changes before committing to a production order.

Many projects involve a bit of both. Not every project needs every step.

A typical path

Brief. What the product is, who it is for, where it will sell and roughly how many you need.
Supplier search. Identifying manufacturers that can meet the brief.
Samples. Reviewing samples and refining the specification.
Production. Agreeing quantities, quality checks and timing.
Into market. Getting the finished product to the retailers who will sell it.

What to include in your enquiry

A description or sketch of the product idea (no confidential drawings in the first message)
Approximate quantity and target timing
The market or stores you are aiming at
A budget range, if you have one

Discuss a sourcing or development project

Buying for a store instead? Book a store visit or see the products Stephen can bring you.

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