With the US-China trade war still in affect, it feels as if there’s tremendous INSTABILITY out there. Will these tariffs go away eventually? And what if all the products from China are taxed at an additional 25%? Does that spell the end of sourcing products from China?
Many of you have asked how can one source AWAY from China?
First things first. In my view, I don’t believe that sourcing from China is just over yet. Few countries can match the product selection, manufacturing prowess, smooth logistics, and export experience that China offers.
Also what happens in the future of the trade war scenario is anyone’s guess.
It’s not as simple as shifting your entire supply chain to another country. You will deal with a new set of sourcing, communications, shipping, and quality control challenges that may be beyond the capabilities of a one-man or one-woman show. This is why big players like Walmart and Target have sophisticated supply chain teams that manage this.
HOWEVER, it is smart not to put all your eggs in one basket. One possible solution is what we call a “China +1 strategy”. Many of the big players have been doing this for years as China’s wages have increased, environmental regulations have shutdown tens of thousands of factories without warning and increased costs, among other reasons.
This China + 1 strategy means that rather than shutting down production in one country entirely and shifting all your products to a new country, you choose a portion of your products to be sourced from a new country to test the waters.
One of the key alternatives to China is India.
India has a seemingly endless labor force with wages cheaper than China, they are not privy to the trade war tariffs, and most everyone in India speaks English!
Sounds great right? Not so fast…
There are some important differences and challenges that could sink your ship before it ever sails if you’re not careful.
So to show you how to successfully source products from India, I’ve invited my good friend Meghla Bhardwaj to show us how. She has over 18 years experience sourcing from China and India, she is Indian herself, and she is culturally fluent in doing business with India.
In this free 63-minute masterclass, you will learn:
- What are the TOP products you can source from India
- Where to find Indian suppliers Online and Offline
- What’s the best way to communicate with Indian suppliers to save time and avoid misunderstandings
- What types of suppliers you should NOT consider sourcing from
- The most common rookie mistakes
And Meghla is leading a guided trade show visit in India this October and she is offering a special discount to our readers.
Check out the video here.
If you do watch, do me a favor and let me know what’s the #1 thing you’ve learned from this video?
Talk soon,
Gary
SHOW NOTES:
Join India Sourcing Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/IndiaSourcing
Download India Sourcing eBook: www.indiasourcingtrip.com/ebook
Email Meghla: info@indiasourcingtrip.com
Hi Gary!
Read your fascinating blog posts..especially the ones concerning sourcing from India and your fantastic summary of your last India trip. Well, you can safely count me as your fan! 🙂
While you are an expert in China sourcing and a very smart coach for Amazon FBA, I consider myself an expert in India sourcing. I have a fairly rich experience.
Long ago, I started my career with US market and sourced for William Sonoma group (more specifically Pottery Barn). Now, I run my reasonably successful buying agency – Inter trade, for over two decades. (Pls do check it on web: http://www.itgsindia.com)
Wondering if we can join hands?
You have large clientele in US & elsewhere who might be looking India as a viable sourcing option. Its there I can help…from product conceptualizing to sampling to production to quality control to consolidation to even drop shipping…all the way!
Please…lets connect.
Best regards/Anupam