You want cheap hospitality furniture and you want high quality hospitality furniture, so someone told you to buy from China. But where do you start and how do you avoid problems?
Here are 4 quick tips for purchasing hospitality furniture from China. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but it is a good start to get you thinking.
- Don’t do it alone. Always get some help from someone who has done it before or a company that does it regularly. You need to get things checked before they are sent and you need to know what to look for in a factory.
- Research the process. A good manufacturer or supplier should know what they are doing when it comes to exporting, but not all do. Australia has some strict rules around things like fumigation and due diligence so make sure you have read up on it so there are no surprises.
- Pay a visit. This one is not always easy but it is always good to meet the suppliers face to face. It also helps you to understand how things work.
- Deal with an English speaker. If you need to use translations just to talk, imagine the confusions and problems that are going to occur down the track. Find a supplier that speaks English.
That’s a start, but if you are looking for more advice, feel free to email me personally at matt@serenitymade.com. and we can help you out.