Trying to find a suitable online vendor for your business sometimes can be troublesome especially if you start before you make any research on the online market. You can end up with the wrong order, having logistic problems, damaged shipments, or even scammed.
The first logical choice for everyone would be Amazon; this is the biggest retail website in the world, having everything that anyone could think of.
Still, it doesn’t have to suit your needs, especially if you’re ordering for further distribution. Performing some research online would be a savvy thing to do here; with a bit looking, a practical solution may appear – ordering from China.
Ordering from Chinese manufacturers can be a much cheaper option, which can provide you some significant benefits. But, you’re not certain will they meet the quality? How to pick, what to look for?
Today, we will be your guidance and give our best to help you to make a perfect order from Chinese suppliers. When we are done, you will be one step closer to improving your quality of life and have less pain.
Here are nine tips on buying anti-fatigue mats from China:
9. Ordering the cheaper mats is not always the best solution
Let’s be logical for the start – you can go cheap, but can’t go too cheap. You can’t order a product for 1/10 of the price and expect you’ll receive a quality product. The thing is, Chinese suppliers have products for everyone, from cheap low-quality ones to top-quality ones, which are still significantly cheaper than products from the US.
You should be aware that the cheaper mats in China are usually made from low-cost materials and might as well be disposable since they will lose their cushiness or start coming apart in less than a year. The more reliable way of searching through the market is to look at the domestic versus commercial grade standing mats. A domestic mat will be much squishier, and it can only provide comfort for an hour, and it is mostly suitable for the jobs in the kitchen.
Commercial mats are much harder, and they will keep their cushiness during the whole business day. They are more durable than the domestic ones, and they won’t be easily damaged by accidently dropping some sharp or heavy objects. The price of the mat will also be a bit higher, but still acceptable.
BONUS: Look for the difference and quality of the product. When a product isn’t described in detail, chances are you’re browsing a low-quality product.
8. Search for a proper supplier.
Online lists and trade shows are only the beginning of your search. Usually, suppliers will pay to be listed on some of the commercial sites so you can easily find them. If your provider says that he owns a mat company or factory, then you can quickly start a background check to confirm his claims.
If the vendor is real and want to do the business with you, but you still got some doubts about his factory, then you can ask freely for the video tour through his company so you can make sure that the facility is familiar with your market’s standards. Try to avoid small orders from large corporations because they will always give you the highest price and since they are already a large company, they won’t treat your order the way they should. Large corporations are usually good for bulk orders of several thousand pieces.
On the other hand, smaller companies often need closer monitoring, especially when you make your first order. So if you order anti-fatigue mats for $1.000, make sure to check few times before your order is sent to you, just to make sure they are doing it the way you want.
7. Ask for the right materials
When you are ordering from China, you should be specific as much as possible. To make the best purchase, you should pay attention to the methods of construction; there are two different sections for these methods. The cheaper anti-fatigue mats consist vinyl, small quantities of polyurethane and the outer layer of rubber, with one or more layers of economical gel or foam inside to keep the material price down. Costlier mats are made with multiple layers of foam inside, and that’s usually stated on the product’s description on the website. This method will increase the cushiness and the durability of the mats you order.
Polyurethane is the best option for wear stability and comfort in mats. Anti-fatigue mats that are made of polyurethane are the best mats. They will last longer and since they are more durable than the regular mats, there is a higher chance that you will receive a full package of undamaged anti-fatigue mats. These mats have nothing blended in or around them that could compress and make them lose their cushiness over time, so because of that, their price is a bit higher from the others.
6. Choose the right payment method
The safest payment method and the one that you should always go for are the Bank Transfers (T/T). The usual terms are 30% of deposit before the mats are bought. The remaining 70% you should pay after your supplier faxes you the bill of loading to the shipper. Be aware that those sellers who insist on more favorable terms are usually trying to find a way to scam you on any possible way. They can scam you by delivering the wrong and of course, cheaper products or they won’t pack it well, and you will receive a lot of damaged mats that you can only toss to garbage.
When it gets to paying, another safe method is the Letter of Credit (Paying by irrevocable L/C). A lot of serious suppliers will accept an L/C payment method if you specify reasonable terms. To get the safest transfer, you should send the draft of T/T or L/C transfer confirmation to your supplier to make sure that he approves one of those methods; then you should head to the bank and officially start your transfer.
5. Specify the needed size
Before you order anti-fatigue mats from your supplier, make sure to determine the size of the mats and check. For example, if you are ordering anti-fatigue mats for the domestic needs, then regular mats that come in a size of 2×3 feet will be enough. If you plan to sell your mats to some companies, then you should order bigger mats or custom-size mats.
You can get anti-fatigue mats in different factory sizes that are coming in 2×3 feet, 3×5 feet, 3×12 feet, and the biggest one, 3×60 feet. Don’t panic if none of those sizes fulfill your requirements. A lot of suppliers from China will make you the customized mats, which means that you should ask for the size that your buyer requires.
Through the making of the deal with your supplier, if you notice that his English skills are not that good, try to be as more as accurate while you are making your order because not many of them are speaking upper-level English.
4. Do business with the responsive supplier
No matter if you are making a small or huge order of anti-fatigue mats, your provider should be responsive, and he should treat you as an essential part of their business. Any calls or E-mails should be answered quickly, and your supplier should keep you informed about every step of the process.
Which means, if his company has a lack of some materials, he should let you know and ask if you would wish to change some of the mats structure, not to make it on their own. Your shipment should be easily monitored online, so if your supplier doesn’t give you the code and the right site to track it, make sure to ask for one. Also, if your provider is happy and pleased to hear from you at every E-mail or call, it means that he respects you and that he is glad that he is working with you, so you should keep doing business with the same supplier.
3. Be specific as much as possible
Tailor your provider requests for specific product categories. Even though this is an obvious move, it is still important for you to be very specific from the start to the end of your order in what you are looking to buy, which type of products, materials, color, size, if you want any textures on it, etc.
For an example, if you decide to send the pictures of the mats you need to your supplier, make sure that the mats on your pictures fit the description of those that you are ordering because, for them, a picture is literally worth a thousand words. If you are asking yourself how can that be, well if you request a letter covered mats, but you’ve sent a picture of the mat with the different type of cover, there is a huge possibility that you will receive the mat with the cover from the picture.
To avoid confusions, once again, try to be as much accurate as possible and pay attention to the pictures that you are sending to your supplier. They turn out to be very useful in the ordering process.
2. Ask for a sample
Asking for a sample from your supplier is nothing bad and means no disrespect towards your provider. It is the standard practice in business-to-business relationships. Some of the suppliers are willing to send you a sample before they start the production; usually, those are serious sellers that own bigger companies. It is not easy to find them, but it is possible.
By getting a sample, you can inspect the quality of the anti-fatigue mat in the first hand; by that, you can decide if it’s made right the way you wanted to, or it lacks some of the details. If you plan to make a serious business out of this, try to find companies that are sending samples in order to get the best anti-fatigue mats as possible.
1. Key features to look for while ordering the anti-fatigue mats from China
When you are ordering an anti-fatigue mat, pay attention for the following features:
- If you plan to sell your mats to the other companies, make sure that they are wear, tear and puncture resistant.
- If you are selling them for domestic use, make sure that they have non-slip
- Avoid ordering the mats that don’t have a sealed bottom, since they will disintegrate quickly.
- As much as the non-slip surface is necessary, you should also pay attention that your mat has the travel control feature. It means that the mat is checked on the different type of floors, and it won’t slip around while you are standing on it; remember it’s all about quality, not just quantity.
- Last but not least, pay attention to the aesthetics – some mats won’t have an aesthetic appeal, aim to order as much as possible nice looking mats. By doing this, you will make a fast profit and together with their quality you will build your reputation.
Conclusion
Having the key features to look for in an anti-fatigue mat, you have all that it takes to make the best online order of the anti-fatigue mats. Remember, take these tips seriously, read the details and descriptions carefully, and be patient while browsing. When you narrow down the choices to final few suppliers, note down every aspect of the vendor that you’re browsing. That will serve you as a great comparison tool. Prioritize on safety and health, compare prices and value for the money, and you’ll find excellent products for sure. Use the availability, prices, and hospitality of Chinese factories; when you use them correctly, you’ll have success in no time.
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