How Do You Evaluate a Sourcing Company?

A sourcing company in most cases will act as a strategic partner for you if things work out between you and your sourcing company, you’ll reap the benefits for years to come. Therefore it is important to evaluate the company to ensure there is a fit. We suggest evaluating sourcing companies based on the following dimensions.

Are they the right fit for your needs?

• It is important that the company has experience working with clients who are doing similar volumes as you and have been at a similar stage of growth.
• This will often ensure your account managers understand your needs well and the company’s systems and processes can seamlessly integrate with yours.
• IMEX Sourcing Services systems are designed to most effectively serve mid-sized and large sellers and may not always work for sellers who are just starting out.

Do they have In-House Quality Control?

• A good sourcing company would be able to help factories solve problems when they may otherwise give up.
• Multiple account managers and QC people in the company enables you to leverage the sourcing company’s accumulated experience and resources to deal with quality issues when they arise.
• This might not be possible if you are working with a freelance sourcing agent or a sourcing company that doesn’t focus on providing quality control.

Are They Process and System Driven?

• Sourcing and QC can be complex and highly resource intensive.
• In a normal project we manage there are up to 7-10 different parties involved – including the client, the supplier, us, the origin agent, the destination agent, origin customs, destination customs…
• Any of them can cause delays to the shipment.
• Therefore it is important to ask if the company has systems and processes in place to deal with the complexities of sourcing, QC, and production management.
• Check to see if they use a Project Management system, a CRM system, a website or a Client Portal for transparency into your business.

Do they have a complete address published on their website?

• Many of the freelance agents would not have an address published on their website at all or it would be an incomplete address.
• You can also do a quick search online to see if it’s a residential or commercial address.
• If you are in a position to visit the company that is ideal as that really helps you establish that initial trust.

How long have they been in business?

• You can do a quick WHOIS search on their website to see how long they have been in business.
• While this is not a fool-proof method this is generally a great way to quickly validate a company’s claims about their experience.

IMEX Sourcing has been in business for over seven years, and our client testimonials speak for themselves. With our 360 Client Portal, you’re able to take full advantage of a mature and client centric sourcing company.

Reach out to us or set-up a call with us to see how we can work together on future projects.