Who is a product sourcing agent? Why do I need these agents? What can they do for my business?
All these questions will be answered in this article.
As a business, sourcing products is a crucial part of your business operation but many businesses get stuck in the complexities of sourcing.
Do you need the help of an expert agent to source products from China, USA, India or other countries? Contact us today and we will get you the manufacturers or suppliers that fit your needs and budget.
Who is a Product Sourcing Agent?
A product sourcing agent is someone who serves as a representative in the global market. They use their extensive knowledge of the market, supply chains, and logistics, to help find and procure products from manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors locally and internationally.
A product sourcing agent could work solo, helping businesses source all their product alone or work under an agency like SARA, having teams of expert sourcing agents providing businesses with much more experience and resources.
At SARA we have sourcing agents who have been in the industry for over 20 years. But why have businesses continued to rely on us as a vital partner for so many years? We explain below.
Is A Product Sourcing Agent Necessary?
Sourcing products for your business is a process that has so many parts making it sometimes complex to handle as a business owner.
The entire process becomes even more complex when sourcing products from countries like China, India, the USA, and other countries. Challenges could also arise while sourcing these products.
Common challenges we see businesses face when trying to source products themselves include:
- Quality control and consistency issues.
- Issues with unreliable suppliers.
- Cultural and language barriers.
- Scalability Issues
- Intellectual property protection concerns when outsourcing manufacturing.
- Compliance with customs and numerous regulations and policies.
- Logistics and Shipping.
With the help of a product sourcing agent, you can take off the complexity of sourcing and hand it over to experts who know the possible challenges and steps to mitigate them.
This is why we have been indispensable partners with over 1200 businesses for the past 20+ years now. Contact us if you need our help.
Benefits of Hiring a Product Sourcing Agent at SARA.
Yes, a product sourcing agent can help you handle the complex stuff in sourcing products and free your time, but here are other specific benefits you get from partnering with us as your product sourcing agency.
1. Cost savings:
Imagine that the total cost of goods sold (COGS) in your business drops by 10%.
What would this mean for you?
In every product sourcing process, there is always a way to improve it and potentially cut down costs.
With the experience and network of an expert, you can eliminate all hidden costs, and make cost-effective decisions that can significantly reduce cost.
The fact that our product sourcing agent takes over this entire process for you means that you and the team can spend more time focusing on the core business activities that drive product sales.
Hiring a product sourcing agent offers numerous cost-saving advantages that can significantly impact a business's bottom line.
This is a good investment to make.
2. Access To A Wider Range Of Suppliers:
At SARA, we have made over 189,000 product deliveries to businesses and individuals globally. This has given us access to a large number of suppliers and partners in China, Nigeria, the UK, the US, Dubai, India and other countries.
Partnering with us for product sourcing allows you to leverage our extensive network, giving you access to numerous suppliers and manufacturers for your products.
This, in turn, helps us to compare manufacturers from different parts of the world and find the best balance between product quality and price.
With this global reach opened to your business comes the flexibility to scale your operations when necessary.
Whether ramping up production during peak seasons or sourcing a new variety of products to meet market demand, our wide supplier network ensures you can adapt quickly and efficiently.
3. Efficient Negotiation and Communication:
Due to the relationships we have built over the years with numerous suppliers, we can negotiate with them and secure the best possible terms and prices.
This has given many of our clients access to high-quality products at competitive rates, leading to significant cost savings.
We also have a number of our teams who possess multilingual skills and cultural understanding which makes effective communication from various regions of the world possible.
The product specifications, quality standards, and delivery timelines are well communicated and understood by the manufacturer or suppliers and we know how to ensure that they are followed strictly.
4. Quality Assurance:
A common issue in product sourcing is receiving low-quality products, which sometimes go unnoticed until customers start filing complaints about them.
This is something you can avoid with the help of a product-sourcing agent.
One stage we never skip, for our client during the product sourcing process, is the product quality and inspection stage.
We send our representatives to the factories or warehouses where these products are made or stored, ensuring that the product meets the standards you communicated to us.
You can also request for a product sample to be shipped to you if you want to verify that the product is of good quality before committing to a larger order.
5. Risk Management:
The major role of a product sourcing agent is to shield your business from the numerous risks attached to souring products.
About 43% of sourcing executives admit they have failed to meet that demand and sometimes lose out on business opportunities because they cannot find suppliers fast enough.
Aside from that they also face the risk of having:
- Quality issues.
- Shipment delays.
- Fraud.
- Unreliable suppliers.
- Legal issues.
- Logistics-related risks.
- Political or economic instability.
- Payment terms and currency risks.
- Risk of sudden price increases, supply shortages, and other market-related challenges.
An experienced product-sourcing agent can help you manage all these risks. At SARA we have assisted our clients to overcome risks of these kinds and more.
You don’t have to expose your business to product sourcing risks, reach out to us and let us manage it efficiently.
Partner With SARA For Hassle-Free Product Sourcing
Product sourcing agents have significant roles to play in your business as they represent you in the global market and efficiently navigate it to get the best for your business.
Investing in hiring a product sourcing agent is also an investment with a good return on investment (ROI) as they can help you save much more while sourcing products.
You can get a professional sourcing agent at SARA today. Contact us and let’s discuss your needs.
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