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When importing from Chinese Toy Suppliers, all you need to do now is go online, send some inquiries on the wholesale Chinese website, and wait for a response!
Well, at least that’s how most importers want things to go. But, as many of you are painfully aware, the realities surrounding Chinese Toy Suppliers sourcing and price research are very different. Getting the supplier’s attention is one of the main issues when a new small businesses owner sourcing products from China.
Reason1: Your inquiry is too vague to make you look like a layman.
The easiest way to tell the difference between an opportunist and a real buyer is to look at their exact understanding of the product. For example, professional buyers of LED lights will ask them whether they meet foreign standards (such as FCC and EN LVD), quality factors such as LED chips. On the other hand, when opportunists buy very small quantities, Chinese toy supppliers directly ask for the lowest-priced, high-quality products (whatever they are).
Let’s compare, let’s say you have a factory in China, and see which factory you’d rather spend your time in: It’s very clear and easy to follow. Professional buyers know that it is unrealistic to ask suppliers to quote their entire product line. Instead, you start with some models and work from there. You also provide highly clear product specifications and allow suppliers to fill in the gaps. In this way, you show that you know a thing or two about the product in question. This is the kind of buyer Chinese toy suppliers are looking for.
Reason2: The supplier has a bad reputation.
You may be exposed to low-quality suppliers who care more about large orders than winning repeat customers, as low-quality is found after the first order is completed.
If you are serious about using the above tips to format your query, you will need to find some high-quality suppliers who are interested in your order. This also prevents you from being scammed or receiving poor quality products.
Reason3: The quantity is too small, and the Chinese toy suppliers has little profit and is not interested.
While we encourage you to negotiate with your suppliers, a too low MOQ price will immediately put them off. It’s OK to ask for a minimum order quantity (MOQ), but if you need a product with a MOQ of 150, your query may be ignored.
Solution: Ask in the initial email if the minimum order quantity is negotiable (perhaps you want to make an initial order to test the quality of the supplier’s product before buying in bulk), but don’t ask for a lower number right away. Most Chinese toy suppliers are willing to lower the MOQ, but not to ridiculous levels. Or you can tell the supplier that the company is currently developing new customers, and the initial MOQ may not be high, but this customer is very large, and there will definitely be a lot of cooperation in the future. Looking forward to the future, let the supplier have the confidence to cooperate with you.
Reason4: You are not sure what product you are looking for.
Before looking for the right Chinese toy suppliers, you must first identify the specific product you are looking for, and always make sure that the emails you send are to suppliers that offer a specific product, after you understand the category and role of the product you are looking for , the supplier only replied to the question.
Reason5: Your email may have entered your provider’s spam folder.
To prevent your email from ending up in your supplier’s spam folder, you may want to avoid subject lines that sound misleading, especially if it has spam trigger words such as urgent, money order, dear friend, order now , promises you, etc., once you send emails into the Chinese toy supplier’s spam, no amount of email will help.
Reason6: You sent your query at the wrong time.
Make sure it’s not a Chinese holiday like Chinese New Year, National Day etc. The most important festival in China is the Spring Festival. The Spring Festival is an annual time for Chinese families to reunite. If you happen to send a work email during this time, they will usually not reply.
Reason7: You only contact a few suppliers.
Sourcing means finding the best products from the best Chinese toy suppliers on Alibaba. Given Alibaba’s vast supplier resources, you may wish to build a shortlist of potential Chinese toy suppliers so that you have a wider selection. You shouldn’t limit yourself to a few suppliers at all. Email a lot of different suppliers, so there will be more opportunities and choices.
Reason8: You describe yourself as a too small buyer.
So, you are just starting your own online store and have little previous business experience. Well, you have to start somewhere, but there is no reason to tell your Chinese toy suppliers. Chinese manufacturers are not startup incubators. They want to start serious business now, not five years from now. Let’s do one more comparison:
This is a fact. While both queries require the same number of orders (300 pieces), the impressions are completely different. First of all, China is a hierarchical society where people respect authority. It doesn’t matter whether the company’s senior purchasing manager happens to be the sole owner and employee, or whether the “e-commerce department” is a simple Shopify store. The point is that you give the impression that you are a valuable customer. This is a must if you want to attract attention.
What to ask when first messaging a supplier?
So you go to Alibaba, or one of the many alternatives, and find several Chinese toy suppliers. The next step is to send them a message introducing yourself, the product you’re looking for, and the attributes you want. Be aware of who you are messaging and contact as many factories as possible, not dealers. If you’re not sure, go ahead and message them to gauge their responses and understand the wording of your message.
How to Start A Successful Wholesale Toys Business – Union Vision (unionvisionchart.com)
If you don’t know what to ask, here’s a basic Alibaba Chinese toy suppliers template you can use:
Subject: “I’m interested in product name” or “Inquiry for product name“
Hello Potential Supplier (Note: if you have one, please use their name),
I am the Purchasing Manager for (your name) company name and I am interested in receiving a quote for product name
If you manufacture product name], please email more information to your email.
In your response, include:
A picture of the product, and a photo of the product details (note: the details can be anything; make sure it forces them to use a photo taken for you, not one found elsewhere)
Minimum order quantity MOQ and price for some other amount(Note: I find that getting 2 prices for different quantities gives you an idea of how flexible they are on price and helps with future negotiations)
Make any desired changes or customizations to the price. (Specific to this section, but you can skip it if you want an as-is product)
What is the shipping cost to send samples?
What are the shipping terms?
The closest port (note that if you’re dealing with a factory this should be close to where they claim to be. Be cautious if it’s too far)
Thanks, I look forward to your reply!
Note: Salespeople who reply to these emails always see the same email template, so take the time to personalize it and make it yours. This will help it stand out from the crowd. Another thing is that English is almost certainly not the first language of the person you are talking to. Be sure to use clear and simple language while making sure you understand your point.
Can I order product samples from these suppliers?
Yes, you can order pre-production samples from the supplier, before you commit to a larger production run. Before doing so, however, you need to prepare a product specification, which normally includes the following:
- Design drawings
- Bill of materials
- Label files
- Compliance requirements (e.g, ASTM F963)
How to get a Chinese factory to respond to your inquiry (email)
Now that we know why factories in China don’t respond to your emails, let’s take a look at some tips to improve your response rate.
1. Detailed product requirements
Planning detailed product requirements can greatly improve your response rate.
2. Provide order details
You must also add product details and provide details about the order ‘size’. Every time you supply a supplier in China, the first question is, “What’s your quantity? If you don’t supply it, they will quote the MOQ.
3. Potential Hot Customers
Just as you are a candidate supplier, Chinese toy suppliers are also candidates and qualified prospects, so that Chinese toy suppliers can devote limited human resources to chasing the best prospects, the “potential hot customers.” Therefore, it is important to act like a potential hot client.
4. Phone follow-up
This is where “cultural differences” really stand out. Just because you email someone in China doesn’t mean they are obligated to reply. Give them a call and let them know you sent them an email so they can prioritize your email.
5. Consider hiring a local sourcing agent
Since most Chinese toy suppliers do not speak English well, you can always rely on a local sourcing agent to represent you and negotiate for you in China. Many companies offer this service, such as SUPPLYIA Purchasing Agency. We will make sure you get better contracts and prices that match your import budget.
6. Visit China
Finally, if you really don’t have a chance to get feedback from your Chinese toy suppliers, or your product is unique and your supplier is a monopoly, or, if you’re a state-owned enterprise, visiting China and meeting the supplier in person is the best way to go good solution.
I hope that the reasons why the above suppliers do not reply to your inquiry can help you solve the problem at this stage. If you want Chinese toy suppliers to become your stable suppliers, you must first understand them, and then become friends with them. The techniques for sending emails have also been listed in the article, hoping to help you quickly achieve a business!
