In this edition of our business magazine, "The 10 Best Sourcing Companies and Agents to Watch May 2022" that are helping Sourcing Companies
Read More: https://insightssuccess.com/the-10-best-sourcing-companies-and-agents-to-watch-may2022/
The 10 Best Sourcing Companies and Agents to Watch.pdf
1. THE 10
BEST
SOURCING
COMPANIES
AND AGENTS
TO WATCH
CMSourcing
Offering Only the Finest Freelance Professionals for Your Business
Business Climate Industry Insights
Top 5 Strategic Sourcing
Trends in 2022
How AI is Transforming
the Procurement and
Sourcing Market
May
Issue: 09
2022
2.
3.
4. editor
Bhushan Bhad
Managing Editor
he rise of Multinational Corporations has turned the
Ttide of business workflows. With this development,
the facilitation of products and services have
changed. While in the process of manufacturing a product
or the supply of technological services, the resources of the
entire global business community come into play. Be it the
raw products, natural resources, or conventional industrial
practices, an integrated effort of the globalized world helps
in sculpting raw materials into market-ready
products/services.
While emphasizing the significance of natural resources,
corporations have learned that the most superior resource
that has proved to be beneficial for corporates worldwide is
human capital!
Being one of the most significant contributors to an
organization’s success, professionals have proved to be the
transformative wheel in transgressing an organization to its
desired success.
Understanding the intricacies that are involved in resource
management of human potential, entrepreneurs ushered in a
B2B industry that is solving the challenge of recruitment
management. These companies utilize the technological
benefits of AI-mediated data mining and scout the globe in
search of professionals with adequate skills and necessary
aptitude while streamlining the supply chain pool of Human
Resource needs.
Trailblazing
Sourcing Industry
THE 10
BEST
SOURCING
COMPANIES
AND AGENTS
TO WATCH
CMSourcing
Offering Only the Finest Freelance Professionals for Your Business
May
Issue: 09
5. There are multiple benefits of business with the sourcing
services. First and foremost, the hustle of recruitment and
hiring by the organization is decreased, and the IT support
required by companies while managing human resources is
also facilitated. Secondly, the facilitation of an appropriate
candidate pool helps the organization with utilizing its time
on future innovations rather than guiding a queue of
freelancers waiting to get hired. Moreover, with the rise of
sourcing agents, international talent is pipelined for the
work from anywhere module, and the companies enjoy the
perks of possessing a multi-diverse, multicultural, and
skillful talent pool.
Embracing these merits of sourcing companies and agents
is our new edition, “The 10 Best Sourcing Companies and
Agents to Watch.”
While you flip through the pages, make sure to read the
insightful articles crafted by our in-house editorial team.
I hope you have a happy read!
- Bhushan Bhad
, ,
The ability of sourcing global talent with technology mediated business
model is driving organization’s to unimaginable heights. This will not
only sprout a revolutionizing era around the business cycle but will
prepare the corporate world for future challenges!
6. 08
CMSourcing
Offering Only the Finest Freelance Professionals for Your Business
Articles
Top 5 Strategic Sourcing
Trends in 2022
How AI is Transforming
the Procurement and
Sourcing Market
Business Climate
Industry Insights
24
36
7. 16
21
28
40
32
44
DocShipper Group
Modern Sourcing Solu ons
Provider
DTL Sourcing
Redefining the Sourcing
Industry with Best-in-class
Services
ET2C Interna onal
A Source of Strength to
Keep Firm in Global
Sourcing Market
Fidèle Sourcing
Crea ng the Means of
Sustainable Growth in
Fashion Industry
TonySourcing
A Trusted Name in Toys
Sourcing, Sending Smiles
Beyond Miles
Zakesports
Sourcing Pro in Sports
Industry with Over
700 Brand Partnership
9. Featuring Brief
Company
DocShipper
docshipper.com
DTL Sourcing
dtl-sourcing.com
CMSourcing
cmsourcing.global
Blacksmith International
blacksmithint.com
CM Sourcing is an alliance of experienced contractors that has
grown through personal knowledge of each other's skills or
through respected introduction.
Blacksmith International has earned a trusted reputation to design,
develop, manufacture and deliver quality consumer products to many
satisfied customers.
Doc Shipper aims to be the digital link between buyers and all
players in need: logistics operators, suppliers, quality control,
distribution center, customs agent.
DTL Sourcing helps overcome the challenges of working across
different business cultures, languages and time zones. The
company make sourcing transactions easier by handling
everything for you no matter what you are looking for, whether
consumer goods, electronics and technology, or industrial goods.
Mike McLean
Operations Director
and Founder
Brian Sather
CEO
Nicolas Rahme (CEO)
Pierre Rahmé (Head of
Sourcing)
Charley Hochet (CFO &
Partner)
Flavien Serra
Founder and Director
Jin Zong
Executive Director
TonySourcing
TonySourcing.com
ET2C International
et2c.com
Easy Imex
easyimex.com
Easy Imex helps in sourcing product, verifying suppliers, quality
control inspections, writing bi-lingual sales contracts, negotiating
pricing, factory inspections on the ground, face to face factory
problem solving, order consolidation and factory visits.
ET2C is a comprehensive global sourcing company that is
committed to providing businesses with access to low-cost
country manufacturing territories.
Fidèle Sourcing designs and collaborates with brands to keep
fashion industry sustainable.
TonySourcing supplies all kinds of Toys & Gift items for global
buyers. They located in Yiwu & Shantou China, behind them
there is over 5000+ toys manufacturer and 10 top toys
wholesale & distributors supply market.
Simon Archer-Perkins
Chief Operating Officer
Tony Chen
Founder
Zake Sports
zakesports.com
Zake Sports is on a mission to empower its global clients to use
the resource to its full potential by providing powerful fabrics
and reliable services.
Zarek Zhong
Founder
Giolong Groupe
giolong.com
Patrick Paradis
President - Montreal
Giolong specializes in sourcing, factory audits, quality control of
international supplies, assembly, co-packing, OEM and ODM
product development, particularly in China and all over the
world.
Fidele Sourcing
fidelesourcing.com
Sami Khandaker
Owner
10. CMSourcing
Offering Only the Finest Freelance
Professionals for Your Business
Cover
Mike McLean
Founder and
Opera ons Director
Story
11. We feel with our quick response to the
ever-changing environment, we have
kept ahead of the worst of the
pandemic and, in fact, have seen a
40% revenue increase post-
COVID-19.
,
12. A
As businesses continue to leverage the power of
globalization to improve performance, the role of
sourcing goods and services from suppliers has
become unavoidable. Furthermore, procurement is evolving
into a more strategic function that is more aligned with
organizational goals and objectives. Additionally, factors
such as economic and political volatility, technological
disruption, and so on have made the market extremely
competitive. As a result, it is critical for organizations to
locate cooperative-type sourcing agencies in order to
maximize business performance and efficiency and gain a
competitive advantage over their peers.
CMSourcing is one such agency in the Geophysical and
Hydrographic survey industry that is equipped with the
most diverse pool of personnel with expert local knowledge
to appropriately suit your organization's needs. The agency
has a global coverage making it convenient for both
businesses and contractors.
In an exclusive interview with Insights Success, Mike
McLean, the Operations Director at CMSourcing, talks in
detail about the comprehensive offerings and services of his
company and shares some valuable insights from its niche
industry.
Kindly tell our audience about CMSourcing, its
inception, and its journey till now.
In 2012, my business partner Dave Cullen and I were
working as contract personnel and found ourselves on the
same project offshore Greenland. At the time, the common
issue with contracting in the survey industry was the lack of
quality options for agency representation.
One day over a few drinks, we started to discuss the
possibility of building an agency from scratch with the
contractor's welfare at its core using our personal
knowledge of contracting. We decided to try and build an
agency to support contractors rather than shareholders.
Over the ensuing ten years, we've built a company around
our own set of morals working as ethically as possible,
always having the needs of our contractors and the project
execution as our priority.
For the first five years, Dave and I continued to work
offshore alongside growing our core team at CMSourcing.
We always felt like seeing and working with our contractors
was the key to understanding where they would be best
suited within a client's project.
From 2017, our business growth had outpaced our ability to
effectively run the company remotely, so we gave up
offshore work and hired a small team, who are still with us
today. We felt that customer service was more important
than growth, so we have grown organically in the years
since, always achieving significant growth whilst
maintaining a high level of customer service.
Please tell us about the services and offerings that you
facilitate for your clients. What are the services that
make CMSourcing stand apart in the survey personnel
market?
Our main service is the supply of contract personnel for the
offshore renewable energy market, focusing on
hydrographic and UXO surveys. Where we differ from our
competition is that we don't hire recruiters in the traditional
sense. Our senior staff members are all from within the
industry, offering a unique ability to place the correct
candidate into the ideal role for the client to ensure project
success.
Expanding on our services, we recently opened our sister
company CMGeomatics which works with our clients and
end clients to process and interpret geophysical data using
our own staff and CMSourcing's pool of personnel.
Kindly tell us about the mission, vision, and core values
of CMSourcing.
Our mission is to be the agency of choice for clients and
contractors through efficiency, quality, integrity,
transparency, and education. We nurture our relationships
by sharing our knowledge with contractors and survey
companies alike, gained through decades of cumulative
industry experience.
What are your USPs? Please also tell us the story of how
you decided to transition to a 100% renewable energy
company.
Our unique selling point is that the majority of our senior
staff are from within the industry. Something we say to our
clients is 'ask yourself whom you would rather turn to for
support. A recruitment specialist who recognizes survey
buzz words or a survey specialist who can accurately
understand complicated requests and easily decide who is
best suited to fulfill the requirement.
With the rise of renewable energy in Europe, Dave and I
found ourselves more and more on renewable energy
13. ,
Over the course of 2019, our
US client base grew
steadily, and we felt it was
important to have a local
base to fully understand not
just regional differences but
also cultural.
projects, so most of our experience towards the end
of our offshore career was in offshore wind farms.
We also felt we have a strong moral obligation to
transition away from fossil fuels.
We feel that if more companies started doing this, it
would certainly make the world a better place. In
addition to that, a good number of oil-rich nations
have poor track records for human rights, and we
have never felt comfortable profiting from or
helping others profit from those nations.
Mike, please tell our audience about how you
and your company have helped enhance the
survey contract personnel industry.
From day one, we have always been very open and
honest with everyone involved in the business,
from clients to contractors. Unfortunately, based on
the general distrust of agencies, which historically
is well deserved, this message took a long time to
take root. But now, I think it's fair to say that we
THE 10 BEST SOURCING COMPANIES AND AGENTS TO WATCH
14. ,
From 2017, our
business growth had
outpaced our ability to
effectively run the
company remotely, so
we gave up offshore
work and hired a
small team, who are
still with us today.
“I have been working with CMSourcing for quite
some time now and found them to be the best to
work with.When the work is there, they get me
good day rates and with few hassles.”
– Chris Wood
15. are globally recognized as being the most trustworthy
agency in the sector.
We're very pleased to report that our ethics and reputation
for honesty are starting to change the relationship between
contractors and agencies, and the view is far less like an
agency is 'the boss' and more like a supplier whom the
contractor chooses to pay for professional representation, as
it should be.
Tell us about your expansion in Boston and other
feats/plans of expansion that you may have.
Over the course of 2019, our US client base grew steadily,
and we felt it was important to have a local base to fully
understand not just regional differences but also cultural.
The industry is fast-moving, and with a 5-hour time
difference, it is very difficult to provide the level of
customer service that clients and contractors deserve.
The obvious choice would have been Houston, where a lot
of survey companies are based, but we really wanted to
focus on renewable energy, which is based in the North
East. After visiting several cities in the North East, we
really felt at home in Boston. Since deciding that Boston
was our US base, we found our regional manager there who
is currently trying to build the team, which is obviously a
challenge in today's market.
With regards to expansion, as the wind industry moves over
to the west coast, it would be a natural next step based on
the time zones and regional differences to have an office on
the west coast. Our future in the USA is a very exciting one
for us, and we feel like that is the future of the company.
Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on
global economies, what were the challenges faced by
your company's doors, and how did you pivot from
those challenges?
COVID-19, without a doubt, raised an entirely fresh set of
challenges to the recruitment industry as a whole as well as
the whole of the global survey industry where people are
traveling all over the world to join vessels based on their
particular skill set.
With every country having its own entry requirements,
keeping on top of the current legislation has become a full-
time job. Our resolution was to create robust procedures for
each step from testing to travel to border control. We feel
with our quick response to the ever-changing environment,
,
Our future in the USA is a
very exciting one for us,
and we feel like that is the
future of the company.
“I worked nine years full time for an
offshore company where I built my
career.After I started as a freelancer, I
met many companies that lled my email
asking for my certi cates and documents
for job offers that did not happen, and I
did not know the reasons for it either
until I met CMSourcing.With them, the
job offers gained value for me; when I
receive one that comes from
CMSourcing, I know that I am not just
another email address in the receipt.
Transparency in contracts through
CMSourcing has made me understand
better how the offshore market works,
and for that, I thank you.”
– Robert Ayan
16. we have kept ahead of the worst of the pandemic and, in
fact, have seen a 40% revenue increase post-COVID-19.
What would you like to advise the budding
entrepreneurs and enthusiasts who aspire to venture
into the survey personnel space?
There are two top tips for anyone wanting to venture into
survey personnel. Firstly, know the industry inside and out;
nobody will ever be happy working for someone that
doesn't fully understand the role. We are dealing with
highly qualified professionals, and they see right through
someone looking to make a quick profit from their hard
work.
Secondly, don't overthink everything. Starting a business is
a learning curve, and it definitely gets harder before it gets
easier. The key is not to try and go it alone; you need a
partner to bounce ideas off, to gain second opinions on
business decisions, and for support when you are not
physically able to do it.
How do you envision scaling CMSourcing's operations
and business in 2022 and beyond?
Given our unwillingness to just become like our
competition, hiring recruiters straight out of recruitment
school, scaling is sometimes a challenge. Our reputation
grew faster than anticipated, and historically we have been
behind the curve on staffing levels, but we are now in a
good position that we have built a very strong team both in
the UK and the US. With this team, we are on target for a
record 2022 and beyond.
,
Over the course of 2019, our US
client base grew steadily, and we
felt it was important to have a
local base to fully understand
not just regional differences but
also cultural.
“I have been freelancing with CM
Sourcing for over a year now, and I
have found them to be a very
professional and competent company;
they have got me regular and good
quality work.Their staff is friendly,
courteous, and hardworking. I would
de nitely recommend CM Sourcing to
anybody looking to get freelance work
in the offshore energy sector.”
– Chris Murdoch
19. We aim always to build a long-term partnership with our
customers as well as our suppliers' network. Trust is very
important in this industry, that is why we place it in the
heart of our process.
Shed some light on your offerings and how they impact
the industry and your clients.
The revolution that DocShipper introduced in the supply
chain industry is remarkable since DocShipper's business
model is different from all its competitors. The main focus
in our model is the client's satisfaction. In order to ensure
this, we established new standards based on technology and
100% customer service devotion.
We arrange your purchases, quality control, compliance,
international freight, customs clearance, distribution, etc. In
us, you will find the perfect partner to assist you from A to
Z!
Share your opinion on how modern technologies have
transformed the sourcing industry and what more could
be expected in the near future?
Modern technology has completely transformed the
sourcing industry. Trade shows were organized to present
products until recently, but this is no longer necessary
today. Trade shows can be done online so that the sourcing
will be simpler.
It will be easier to find the best supplier through these
digital trade shows. These fairs also allow for an even easier
connection and, therefore, easier sourcing. In the future, we
may see more and more virtual trade fairs and consequently
greater ease to find a product at the best price.
G
one are the days when a person or organization
had to self-arrange and invest heavily in the
workforce and other valuable resources to find
suitable suppliers. Also, performing quality analysis of
provided material and taking care of logistics like transport,
packaging, customs clearance, and other tasks slowed down
the business process. If any organization still follows such
old ways, then it is wasting its most important resource,
time.
Time, in any condition, cannot be recovered once it has
passed. Today, within a few clicks on your electronic
devices, you can arrange all the supplies and logistics
services. By hiring modern sourcing services, you can get
supplies delivered to your preferred location from any
corner of the world in good condition. The DocShipper
Group was founded on the principle of saving the resources
of organizations by taking care of sourcing, logistics, and
distribution solutions all over the world.
The group's primary focus is to save the clients’ time and
give them an upper hand against their competitor. It plans
the process of the work in order to provide a personalized
experience for the clients. The group was founded in 2018
in Hong Kong. They used their extensive efforts in the
logistics industry to identify the drawbacks in the industry
and came up with a solution by forming DocShipper Group.
We, at Insights Success, interviewed the Co-founders –
Nicolas Rahmé (CEO) and Pierre Rahmé (Head of
Sourcing), along with their CFO & Partner, Charley
Hochet, to understand how their modern sourcing solution
is providing a better experience to fulfill clients'
expectations.
Below are the excerpts from the interview:
Please brief our audience about your company, its USPs,
and how it is currently positioned as a reliable firm in
the sourcing market.
We focus on our clients' satisfaction by helping them find
the best supplier to have the needed products. We
collaborate with our network of reliable suppliers based in
Asia, Eastern Europe, and Turkey.
The sourcing process will follow the client's requirements:
budget, product specifications, delay, compliance,
standards, etc. Our client will be at the heart of the project
and have access to all the information, so there will be no
hidden fee.
Our aim is to keep our
customers happy, but
more than that, our aim
is to make DocShipper
part of their logistics
journey.
The 10 Best Sourcing Companies and Agents to Watch
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
17
20. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on
global economies, what were the challenges faced by
your company. How did you pivot from those
challenges?
Even before the COVID-19 crisis, our primary focus has
always been the assistance of our customers. A client will
always choose a company that will always listen to his
needs and also one that will be available to assist and guide
him and share with him the progress of his project.
We have always had the customer at the center of our
business model. We have decided not to be captivated by
exclusive contracts that can close doors to us, and therefore,
we will not be able to cover the needs of our customers.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs
aspiring to venture into the sourcing market?
First, I will explain to them why sourcing is important, the
cost structure, profit margins, and competitiveness. Then, I
will guide them on the selection of a supplier. It will be
necessary to invest a lot of time and effort in searching for a
supplier to know him.
Here is what you need to know about a supplier:
Ÿ Its year of experience
Ÿ Its flexibility in modifying order deadlines
Ÿ The width of its range of products/services available
Ÿ Negotiable price
Ÿ Customer reviews
Ÿ Delivery time
Ÿ Its after-sales service
Ÿ Its financial stability
A supplier could become a business partner one day. It is
imperative to know him and to have confidence in him.
Therefore, it is also necessary to look at his reputation.
Once you have found the supplier, you must agree on a
price, a payment method, and a shipping method.
How do you envision scaling your company’s operations
and offerings in 2022 and beyond?
DocShipper’s business model is based on constant growth
and flexibility. In order to ensure this growth, we will
mainly focus on gaining market shares through digital
canals. We work on digitizing this industry following the
customers’ needs as well as the suppliers/ freight
forwarders.
The Prime Movers
Two brothers in the sourcing and logis cs sector iden fied
an issue in the industry: it relied on ancient techniques to
ship and buy items throughout the world. It was a "who
you knew" business that was trying to keep up with the
need for quick and efficient interna onal trading in a
globalized environment.
Enter DocShipper, a startup that aims to reinvent
interna onal logis cs and procurement for SMEs,
enterprises, and people. Nicolas and Pierre Rahmé, the
company's founders, being present in the field of logis cs
for years, wanted to shake up a sector that is trapped in
the pre-digital age.
They both experienced many challenges during their work
in the field of logis cs. They decided to give birth to a new
vision of this domain. Therefore, they have integrated new
technology to make interna onal business connec ons
easier. DocShipper, based in Hong Kong, currently has
opera ons in 40 countries, providing exper se in Africa,
Asia, Australia, North America, and Europe.
Clients Endorsements
DocShipper has always put the customer at the center of
its services. Our aim is to keep our customers happy, but
more than that, our aim is to make DocShipper part of
their logis cs journey.
Below, you will find a sample of the reviews and
tes monials that our clients sent us for different services
we provided them.
"Very good and efficient service. Pick-up in the USA was
very smooth, items packed very carefully; delivery and
clearing Thai Custom was very smooth also. Didn't have to
make a trip to Laem Chabang as I was expected to.
Everything was delivered to my house without anything
being damaged. Definitely would recommend it to anyone
making an interna onal move!"
"DocShipper did a fantas c job of clearing our shipment
through the difficult Thai customs. We are relieved and
grateful that they had the exper se to help us. We would
use them again without hesita on."
“I would like to thank DocShipper company for offering an
outstanding service. I had to send goods from Morocco to
Romania, and working with them made my life easier as
everything was sorted: loading, shipping, customs, and
unloading. It's a company I recommend in case you need
this type of service."
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
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21.
22. | May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
20
Flavien Serra
Founder and Director
DTL Sourcing
23. Redefining the Sourcing Industry with
Best-in-class Services
C
hina has emerged as a manufacturing hub of the
world. Since a couple of decades, the country is
continuously maintaining its position as a ‘global
factory’. The mass production has allowed the country to
produce goods in minimum cost. As a result, the global
companies prefer sourcing their products from China.
However, there are many challenges in sourcing products
from China. It requires proper knowledge about market as
well as local rules and regulations for sourcing. Hence,
these companies require a bridge to fulfil their needs.
DTL Sourcing, a well-known import-export company
eased this problem with its quality sourcing services. DTL
Sourcing provides global companies a trustworthy platform
for sourcing of diverse products ranging from consumer
goods to electronic equipment.
Setting Benchmarks of Excellence
DTL Sourcing is a leading sourcing company based in
Hong Kong. Leveraging a deep network of 500+ trusted
manufacturers in China, it provides companies across the
world with a trustworthy channel for their sourcing needs.
DTL Sourcing has partnered with 100+ companies across
several countries in Europe, America, and the Asia Pacific
region to help them access the vast products being produced
in China. The company has served over 800+ sourcing
orders.
The company helps its clients to overcome the challenges
of working across different business cultures, languages,
and time zones. It makes sourcing transactions easier by
handling everything for clients, may it be consumer goods,
electronics and technology, or industrial goods.
DTL delivers quality goods from China’s factories to
customer’s doorsteps safely, efficiently, and at highly
competitive prices. Many companies align with sourcing
services of DTL, and their bottom-line value is the proof of
excellence for DTL Sourcing.
Delivering Quality Services
There are many difficulties in fulfilling sourcing needs in
another country or region. DTL Sourcing experienced these
challenges whilst working for European companies who
were trying to access the vast number of products being
produced out of China. This hands-on working experience
and knowledge about the nuances of respective field led to
the inception of DTL Sourcing.
DTL’s network of 500+ suppliers with a range of brands
means it can provide customers with many options so they
can find the product that best suits their requirements. The
company believes that product specification is an important
matter when someone is investing in something.
Inspiring Leadership
Flavien Serra is the Founder and Director of DTL
Sourcing. He is a specialist in International Business &
Management and excels in the areas of negotiation and
supply chain. Originally, he is from France but having lived
overseas for more than 13 years now, he considers himself
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
21
24. as an expat. He has 13 years of experience in Asia and 15
years of International Trading.
Flavien believes that modern technology such as Internet
facilitates the sourcing industry greatly for one main reason:
It gives access to many factories or suppliers. However, it is
not easy to distinguish serious/reliable producers to
frauds/scams that’s why the internet user must be very
careful when contacting companies found online.
“What more to expect? we can imagine, through VR, a total
immersion inside the factories/through better translators, a
better communication with the Chinese companies. In terms
of currency, we can imagine crypto currencies can help
speed up the financial transactions and lower their costs,”
said Flavien.
Advising the budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture
into the sourcing industry, Flavien said, “Before trying to
start a business instantly, build your vision of what the
company should be in the years to come. Setting realistic
goals and milestones is a major component of building
long-term success. Also, you can focus on one industry or
certain types of products first before you want to penetrate
the market.”
Overcoming Adversities
During COVID-19, company representatives from parent
companies could not travel to check their supply chain
status or source for raw materials due to travel restrictions.
This came with some challenges to most of the companies.
First, they could not ascertain the quality of the OEM parts
as they used to before travel restrictions were put in place.
Second, they experienced difficulties coordinating supply
dates and other information required to get items ready on
time. Shipping was also delayed due to extra protocols,
either leading to delays or forcing companies to cancel
some orders.
But DTL Sourcing has a dedicated team in China to locate
sources of products at the quality and budget required by
the importing entity, which helps to ascertain the product
quality and delivery times to issues like packing and
branding. The agent provides companies an accurate picture
of what is happening in those factories in China to enable
them to adjust delivery times and terms.
DTL Sourcing’s China based team has access to the
factories and can act as the representative of the firm until
and after travel has been allowed. It helps to prevent
disruption of the supply chain while ensuring that the parent
firm gets good in the right quality, quantity, and on time.
Beyond the Horizon
DTL Sourcing is planning to expand its product line and
provide more value-added services to the clients, as well as
identifying more promising clients by scaling up its digital
marketing campaign. Also, American market will be the key
focus for the company. Hence, it is planning to develop its
sales team and open an office there.
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
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25.
26. Top Strategic
Trends in
2022
S
trategic sourcing is not a brand-new notion. It began
in the late 1980s or early 1990s, to be precise.
Initially used by major corporations to evaluate and
improve vendor return on investment (ROI), the approach is
used by businesses of all sizes.
Businesses of all sizes now have the opportunity to collect
and compare vast data amongst competitors, regardless of
their size. While the in-depth approach of strategic sourcing
contributes to its value, the diversity of elements can make
it difficult to ascribe procurement savings to a single factor.
Organizations who use strategic sourcing, on the other
hand, report a number of advantages.
Having a Digital Strategy in Place
The year 2020 has made it apparent that every organization,
including its sourcing team, must have a digital strategy in
place.
The events of the year 2020 took many organizations off
guard. Those who had a digital strategy in place did well.
They may have had to act faster than intended because of
the groundwork already laid, but there was less fear, and
they were able to turn more effectively.
Solutions that made sense and followed the stated
framework were implemented. Companies that did not have
a digital strategy in place at the start of the year often found
themselves scrambling to adapt to quickly changing
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
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28. conditions. They probably had to backtrack on some of
those solutions after the situation had stabilized because
they didn’t integrate, lacked necessary capabilities, or were
the wrong tool for the job.
Embracing the Cloud
Another important lesson for 2020 is that businesses must
embrace the cloud. To establish social distance, several
offices sent employees home to work. This comprised a
large number of procurement and sourcing teams.
Companies that used cloud-based solutions could adjust to
employees working from home quickly and effectively.
You can use your cloud-based software from home just as
easily as you can from the workplace. Embracing the cloud
provides more than just protection against calamities like a
pandemic. It allows employees to work from home or from
any remote location, and it makes it much easier to
integrate across whole procurement teams, regardless of
location.
Agility is Essential
The tendency toward higher agility is closely tied to
increased volatility. With so much change and the
unexpected rise, sourcing teams require tools that can
quickly adapt to changes. Waiting months for a new feature
to be brought out to all of the workplace PCs is not going to
cut it in 2021 or any time after that.
Companies who cling to their old procurement software
solutions run the danger of being slowed down by
deployments. Those who use modern cloud-based software
solutions will gain rapid access to new, simple features,
providing them a major competitive advantage.
Increasing the Depth of Your Supplier Relationships
Many businesses have learned the importance of having
strong supplier connections as a result of the year 2020. It’s
enticing for suppliers to go with the highest bidder when a
global run-on item or essential components are global.
Having closer contact with your suppliers reduces the
chance of being short-changed by a firm half a world away
with considerably more funds.
Collaboration and communication are important aspects of
developing stronger supplier relationships. Strategic
sourcing software and predictive procurement systems that
track and enable supplier management will become more
significant in the future.
On the other hand, effective supplier management
increasingly entails having access to extensive analytics and
reporting tools that may help you discover the finest
suppliers in your network—the ones you should be focused
on when it comes to creating relationships.
Artificial Intelligence
Finally, artificial intelligence has the potential to have the
greatest transformational impact on strategic sourcing in
2021 and in the future. If nothing else, the preceding six
factors have demonstrated that sourcing teams will have
many balls in the air to manage and efficiently execute. It
can be a costly mistake if you lose track of even one.
Worse, each of these variables is becoming more
intertwined.
The supply chain is extremely complicated and becoming
more so with each passing year, and the desire for increased
speed adds to the issue when it comes to sourcing vendors,
every second counts.
The solution is artificial intelligence. AI can track, analyze,
and account for a vast number of factors simultaneously.
Furthermore, AI can analyze data far faster than a
procurement team can. All of this is to imply that strategic
sourcing software powered by AI is a tremendous
competitive edge in today’s fast-paced global market. It will
become one of the requirements in the future.
Concluding Words
Whether it’s a little or large company, they’re closing their
doors and changing to an e-commerce model. Technology
plays a critical part in all industries and serves as a solid
strategic advisor. Automated technologies will aid firms in
speeding up supply chain execution and expanding their
business. Apart from that, the sourcing and procurement
lines will undoubtedly resume normal operations since
market leaders must devote attention to modern
technologies in order to remain competitive.
- Rahul Thakar
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26
29.
30. S
ourcing is a supply chain between the supplier and
buyers. It is the most basic and primary step. The
essential aspects of sourcing and procurement are
needed for businesses to grow. It is challenging to sustain in
the global market. But with reliable sourcing companies
that help find goods and service suppliers with required
products, negotiate terms, inspect the products, and
transport them to potential buyers, one can be rest assured
of their business growth.
To do business offshore is critical; different cultures,
languages, and regional suppliers are the aspects to keep in
mind. Hence, businesses opt for outsourcing to make this
work hassle-free and money-efficient.
ET2C International, a British-owned company, is known
to help their clients improve and develop their work
globally where language, culture, and time differences are
present. Since 2001, globalization has been growing, and
the company's focus is always about managing the source,
making healthy relationships, quality control, and making a
profit for clients.
Chief Operating Officer, Simon Archer-Perkins, ET2C
International, who joined the company in 2007, spoke to
us at length about the company, his journey, and vision in
an interview.
Following are the highlights:
Please brief our audience about ET2C International, its
USPs, and how they are currently positioned as a
reliable firm in the sourcing market.
Simply put, we aim to make our clients' lives easier.
Managing suppliers overseas is much more complex than it
seems, as one needs to bridge differences of culture,
language, time, business practices, law, and regulatory
environment. We, therefore, deliver solutions that drive
visibility up the supply chain right to the factory floor.
Working across multiple sourcing markets (China, Vietnam,
India, and Turkey), our teams on the ground are there to
identify the right suppliers in the right markets for our
clients. Our expertise and product knowledge across a
Simon Archer-Perkins
Chief Opera ng Officer
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A Source of Strength to Keep Firm in
Global Sourcing Market
31. broad range of categories allows us to deliver cost-effective
product offers. Our quality teams ensure we have quality
assurance and control capabilities on-site at the factory.
Whether a start-up, a wholesaler, or a retailer, we recognize
that each client has their own needs. We, therefore, provide
a range of sourcing solutions from ad hoc consultancy,
sourcing and developing products, quality assurance
programs to establishing dedicated teams for our clients on
the ground in Asia.
Ultimately, we allow our clients to maximize the benefits of
sourcing overseas while reducing the risk.
Shed some light on your offerings and how they impact
the industry and your clients?
We cover a broad range of services to meet our clients'
needs. These vary from sourcing products and managing
production, quality control to providing our client with a
dedicated team. We also make sure our charging structure
fits the clients' objectives. For example, we can charge
based on volume spend, savings generated, or even a fixed
retainer.
Integrity and accountability are central to everything we do.
We think this is important and it means that our clients can
Simon started his career at Ernst & Young (now
EY) in London, in 2007 he moved to Hong Kong to join ET2C
primarily to restructure the Group from a tax and finance
perspec ve.
With the enjoyment of travel and mee ng new people,
Simon took on more purchasing and supplier management
roles. A er 15 years, he is now the Chief Opera ng Officer
for the ET2C Group, primarily responsible for the
merchant, quality, and logis cs teams in our various
offices. This includes making sure the company is set up to
meet clients' future expecta ons around visibility, data,
sustainability, and market access.
rely on us. In fact, most of our clients are with us for the
long term (over five years), and this is a testament to our
people and the service we provide.
Although many companies look to implement 'direct to
source' strategies (i.e., factory direct), there is certainly still
a need for agents within the sourcing arena. Too often,
companies misjudge the environment in which they are
buying from or operating, and that is where the
complications begin. A sourcing company that understands
this local market perspective already adds value. But when
you overlay ethical requirements, product knowledge,
commercials (terms and price), and scalable capability (i.e.,
quality, sourcing, logistic, finance teams are part of our
offer), the benefit is significant.
Share your opinion on how modern technologies have
transformed the sourcing industry and what more could
be expected in the near future?
It was ultimately Alibaba and the internet that opened up
offshore manufacturing to the mass market. This
transformed the sourcing industry and gave buyers the
ability to source new suppliers for the first time. Barriers to
entry were suddenly misleading (as it was not always direct
to the supplier), but in an industry that is 80%
communication, this was a giant step forward. Technology
clearly has a role to play. Primarily to overcome language,
culture, and distance. There is now a range of technologies
that are focused on data management and data flow. These
can be in the form of sourcing software to facilitate
oversight of supplier information and performance or tools
(often SaaS) like radical supply chain mapping, heat maps
and visualizations, QC tools, pricing analytics, carbon
emission calculators, provenance mapping (via
Blockchain), container loading programs and, I am sure,
many others.
This evolution will continue driven by a shift in how
consumers buy products. From a sustainability perspective,
I would anticipate greater access to factories via technology
and their brand purpose. Similarly, I think technological
advances will be important within manufacturing to limit
waste and be more sustainable for the environment. The
shipping industry is looking at hydrogen fuel to remove any
emissions.
It may be that you find yourself doing supplier visits on the
Metaverse in the future – the more traditional supplier visits
becoming a memory (but perhaps not quite yet!).
The 10 Best Sourcing Companies and Agents to Watch
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32. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on
global economies, what were the challenges faced by
ET2C International's doors, and how did you pivot
from those challenges?
The pandemic certainly had an impact on ET2C, as with a
vast number of companies across the world. Firstly, with a
large China headcount, we had significant disruption when
China effectively shut down in February/March 2020, due
to the mass lockdowns. It was significant as we were unable
to ship goods to our clients. Thereafter, we, alongside our
clients, have had to deal with multiple lockdowns in their
respective markets, and given we have clients across the
US, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, and
Mexico, we went through multiple disruptions over and
over.
We did Pivot into PPE in April 2020, but we worked
alongside our clients to find solutions that work for all
parties (suppliers included). It really showed that having the
ability to be flexible is paramount to building resilient
supply chains.
Of course, the disruptions have not stopped there. The
knock-on effects of the pandemic have led to the supply
constraints with containers, which, mixed with high
demand, have driven up freight rates significantly. Shipping
out of Asia suddenly becomes less cost-effective for certain
product categories, and helping clients come up with a Plan
B and C using our market reach outside of China has
likewise been a key part of building resilient supply chains.
We have always found creative solutions for our clients, but
the past 22 months have certainly reinforced the need to be
as agile as possible.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs
aspiring to venture into the sourcing market?
It is a particularly exciting time for entrepreneurs who want
to venture into the sourcing market. There is a lot of change
going on in the industry as well as broad adoption of
technology. I think you have to be prepared to find yourself
in new environments with different cultures and not be
phased for this industry. I think increasingly there will be
'new frontier' markets that will take on more prominence in
certain sectors (Ethiopia, for example). Having the ability to
operate effectively in these markets will be important. Be
prepared to jump on a plane when required. Face-to-face
discussions is integral to developing solid relationships.
In terms of advice, I would say treat your suppliers nice - a
partnership that has a solid foundation will always be more
beneficial over the medium to long term - and never assume
anything. Make sure you do all your due diligence.
How do you envision scaling ET2C International's
operations and offerings in 2022 and beyond?
Companies will continue to broaden their exposure to new
sourcing markets to build resilience to their supply chains.
They will look to remove dependency on any market where
it makes sense. Nearshoring will grow in importance where
it is feasible. We aim to have a presence on the ground in
these markets, so we will continue to expand our offer
making sure we can deliver that visibility that we talk
about.
Whether a start-up, a
wholesaler, or a retailer,
we recognize that each
client has their own
needs.
Treat your suppliers nice - a
partnership that has a solid
foundation will
always be more beneficial
over the medium to long
term - and never assume
anything.
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30
33. Sustainability will be important, and we are currently
working with a number of partners to expand our offering in
this area. Whether it is around carbon emissions or the
removal of plastic in packaging, we will continue evolving
as a business to be able to deliver additional relevant
solutions to our clients.
Lastly, we are already investing in technology, both
internally as well as partnering with service providers to
deliver digital solutions around sourcing, quality, and
information flow.
Testimonials of ET2C International
For this UK industrial client, we delivered margin growth
as well as a high standard of quality to enable them to grow
their client base (even shipping direct to the client).
"The Function that ET2C provides in terms of the liaison
between the suppliers and us finance, and processing orders,
expediting shipping and supplier sourcing has been
absolutely key to the success we have enjoyed so far",
Ÿ Baker Perkins, UK.
34. By its very nature, the fashion
industry is incredibly dynamic,
and trend driven. In recent
years, sourcing and supplier
management in the fashion industry
have been scrutinized more than
almost any other industry, and the
functions have become increasingly
vital to corporate success.
Millions of apparels and accessories
are produced in factories throughout
the world for top global brands, which
are packaged, shipped, and sold in
every country on the planet. But it
requires a proper network of supply
chain with the guarantee of quality
standards, delivery time, and
appropriate cost.
To provide these needs, Fidèle
Sourcing started its endeavor in the
fashion industry with its distinct
services. Fidel
̀ e Sourcing is a well-
known company that is carving out a
niche space as one of the few leading
companies that are striving for
excellence in the fashion industry.
A Prominent Sourcing Agent
Fidel
̀ e Sourcing is a sustainable
sourcing agent in Australia. It is one of
the few reputable companies that
devote themselves to help the fashion
industry source apparels
manufacturers, leather goods, and
wholesale dealers who believe in, and
practice sustainable fashion processes
and outcomes.
The fashion industry has evolved a lot
in the last decade and competition is
growing continuously, especially given
the growth of social media, Amazon
merch, social influencers, and
e-commerce sites. So, to meet the
demand, the sourcing agents and
manufacturers are growing rapidly.
Team Fidel
̀ e Sourcing, therefore,
works continuously with the factories
to make sure that they get the best
prices and look out for strong suppliers
who can work with big quantities. The
company is not only limited to strong
supply but also it delivers goods on a
timely manner. Fidel
̀ e Sourcing stands
strong with the client’s values i.e.,
commitment, great quality, and price.
Providing Prompt Services
Fidel
̀ e Sourcing offers distinct services
such as product design, development,
costing, manufacturing, quality control,
inspection, and domestic and
international delivery. The company
works closely with customs agents and
makes sure that goods are delivered on
time.
Fidel
̀ e Sourcing’s core values lies not
only to listen its customers but also
implement industry rules and work
safety procedures in the factories. The
company is sourcing sustainable
products for better future of the
industry by working directly with the
factories.
Fidel
̀ e Sourcing stands strongly with
new industry rules for sourcing and
manufacturing garments to lighten
carbon footprint. The global fashion
industry is a large contributor to the
climate crisis and reducing its impact is
a necessity like any other.
Technology Transforming the
Industry
Modern technologies have a huge
impact on how consumers source. A
decade ago, people had to travel across
the world mostly in Asian countries to
order and make garments. Language
Our strength is not limited
to our strong supply chain
but also delivering goods on
a timely manner.
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32
35. barrier is still a hurdle in many cases.
But thanks to recent techs and websites
like Alibaba, Fibre2Fashion,
FOURSOURCE where consumers can
find ideal suppliers.
The language barrier has also been
looked after through the apps where
words can be translated with just one
click (Alibaba). Most of the companies
have a Facebook page showcasing
their services for free and google
search engine makes it very easy to
find suppliers on a specific place.
Due to the recent pandemic, the world
is swiftly adapting to digitization. It is
becoming more of a trend and saving
the time and money. This trend has an
enormous potential to grow in the
coming future, where sourcing will be
more personalized and growth of
digital sampling, web-based tracking,
and online communication tools
making it easier for consumers.
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36. Overcoming Adversities
COVID-19 pandemic has affected
everyone, and businesses are still
thriving. Fidel
̀ e Sourcing also faced
many challenges during the pandemic.
Cancelled orders were one of the
biggest issues among them. Also, new
orders were stopped completely.
On the other hand, running cost for
office and keeping employees was a
huge struggle. As a result, the company
had to let go of its main office in
Uttara, Bangladesh to cope with the
challenges. Thankfully, it didn’t last
long, and soon the company got back
on its feet with returning customers.
Invaluable Guidance
As an established leader, Sami
Khandekar suggests the aspirants to get
into fashion industry to know the niche
market and focus on that. He said, “I
think it’s always a safe option to work
in an industry which is continuously
growing. Sourcing is not an easy task
at all. But dedication will eventually
take you there. Industry rules are also
changing year after year. Be ready to
travel and work on odd hours because
you might be in a different time zone
than the country you are sourcing
from.”
He further added, “You should have
sound knowledge of different fabrics
and trims and their prices, basic
merchandizing skills, and
understanding of the other cultures,
which takes some time especially if
you have no liaison office and never
travelled to that country.”
Sami believes that sourcing agency is
the middleman between the buyer and
supplier and a great negotiation skill is
a must. Knowing how manufacturing is
done in a factory is also very important
for new peoples to know the nuances
of process.
According to Sami, attending a trade
show is a great place to see how buyers
and suppliers interact. Today’s trade
shows trace their roots back to the 12th
century in late medieval Europe. Yet, it
is one of the best practices to
physically examine the products you
are buying/sourcing.
Turning the Page
Fidel
̀ e Sourcing started as a sourcing
agent and now, it has a huge base of
happy customers. Now, the company is
working to establish its own brand in
men’s and women’s clothing, home
textile, and kids wear. It is a big dream,
and the company is taking steps to do
something great in 2022.
Sami believes that their strategy and
experience of working with many
clients around the world is the strong
pillar of their ambitions. Fidel
̀ e
Sourcing aspires to continue in the
sourcing market and achieve more and
help other brands to succeed.
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34
37.
38. How isTransforming
the
and
Procurement
Sourcing Market
Procurement expectations in the digital age are no
longer limited to the contribution to the bottom line.
It is critical to consider digital transformation from a
big-picture, operating model perspective in order to build
the correct vision of what a digital procurement company is
- and how to become one.
This strategy is critical because it capitalizes on the
advantages of digital transformation. It is crucial to
remember that digital procurement is not only about
automating inefficient operations. It is about doing things in
a different way that’s more efficient and successful in
bringing value and growth to the company.
Procurement will need to go beyond cost-cutting to
embrace technology and transform the supply chain into a
valuable strategic business partner to survive in the digital
age.
The impact of digital transformation on procurement is not
a straightforward one. As repetitive procurement operations
are automated, supply market data becomes more
prominent, and resources shift from transactional and
administrative tasks to integrating data and studying
analytics, the fundamental core of the business shifts.
Companies may streamline and automate operations to
enhance delivery times, manage inventory, optimize
customer interactions, and create new experiences that
increase satisfaction and promote sales thanks to leveraging
AI, which digital transformation offers.
In the coming years, the role of digital transformation in
procurement will continue to rise in importance. By 2025, it
is expected that 20% of procurement staff will be data
experts, with data analytics accounting for 70% of savings.
Procurement will no longer be a huge, segregated
department but will instead be incorporated into the overall
value chain of the firm. Unnecessary processes will be
eliminated, and all available resources will be pooled to
build a network of knowledge to address business concerns.
Artificial Intelligence in Procurement: Basic Concepts
When thinking about the value of AI in procurement, it is
crucial to set aside the hype of a human-free workplace and
cast aside any images of Asimov-style robots or violent
HAL-9000s. Artificial intelligence is revolutionary, but it
has nothing to do with Transformers.
It helps to have a thorough understanding of some key
principles to comprehend the role AI plays in procurement
(as it does in many other areas of business):
Artificial Intelligence refers to a software program’s ability
to mimic human intelligence. This can include simple
activities, advanced decision-making, or even
communicating with actual individuals to achieve certain
goals, depending on the level of sophistication.
Machine Learning is a more sophisticated kind of AI in
which artificial intelligence is permitted to train itself rather
than being actively led by humans through repeated
repetition. When given various interconnected data sets to
work with, the algorithm learns to connect the dots (or data
points) on its own and improves over time.
In conjunction with deep data analysis, Data Mining is used
to assess and analyze all of an organization’s ‘Big Data’
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36
40. pouring in and out to uncover patterns, disclose insights,
and improve the efficacy and accuracy of strategic planning
and decision making.
The Impact of AI on Many Functions
Sourcing
Artificial Intelligence has evolved over time to become
more human-like than before. It may analyze your sourcing
trends and behaviors to find the best suppliers for you. This
frees up time for strategic tasks like supplier selection,
negotiation, and determining what is worthwhile.
Contract Management
Important contract dates will never be overlooked with
Zycus’AI-based iContract feature, Smart Assist.
Renegotiation, uploading multiple contract line items, and
reading the contract outline without downloading the
document are all quick and easy ways to maintain track of
supplier performance.
Purchase Order Processing
Intelligent software that only processes your order if it
recognizes who you are and has your permission to do so.
Unless a professional’s help is required in extraordinary
circumstances, this is a single simple click.
Savings
How can procurement demonstrate its value to the
company? It is only possible because of real-time savings
measurement. Existing intelligent solutions help cut down
on ‘% realized’ debates by comparing each order and
invoice to the previously agreed-upon savings goal.
Spend Analysis
The industry relies significantly on analytics to process so
much data from many sources; an AI-based spend analysis
software that can extract real-time, detailed insights from
business expenditure data comes to the rescue.
Final Thoughts
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the next big thing in
procurement, and it will undoubtedly change the market
scenario. From forecasting improvements to optimization
and automation of processes, including the establishment of
target-marketing and pricing efforts, AI may significantly
improve user experience.
Because AI operates on trends and patterns rather than
solely on historical data, it can make a significant
contribution to procurement analytics. It increases
forecasting accuracy for all parties engaged in a
procurement contract in the end.
To improve the customer end experience, AI minimizes
human interaction, accelerates processing windows,
improves reporting standards with greater visibility,
improves delivery commitment, and accelerates deployment
of a scalable and adaptable virtual workforce at a cost-
effective price.
- Rahul Thakar
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
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41.
42. Sourcing is an important aspect of
any retail operation, big or small.
Keeping track of what your firm
brings in, where those products
originate from, and how much they
cost (among a variety of other criteria)
is critical to the success of your
organization. Finding the correct
platform to monitor sourcing is critical
to ensuring that your organization runs
as efficiently as possible.
Given the differences in time zones,
language difficulties, and a variety of
other issues, global sourcing can be
difficult. Hence, having the necessary
platform to properly manage the inputs
and outputs of a business is a step that
all retailers should take in order to
develop their business.
To provide such a platform,
TonySourcing started its journey in
the toy sourcing space. Since 2012,
Tony Chen was helping global
business buyers to import all kinds of
products from China such as household
items, jewelry items, toy items, etc.
One day, some customers asked him if
it is possible to supply them with
high-quality kid’s toys with various
designs along with better packaging.
This is when Tony decided to start his
own company – TonySourcing, the
company that can supply buyers with
high quality toys and variety of
packaging.
In 2015, team TonySourcing wrote
tons of articles and blogs providing
insights about different toys in China,
their manufacturers, trade info, and
many such topics. This improved the
company’s reach, and many
businessmen contacted him to help
them import toys from China.
Most of TonySourcing’s customers
were wholesalers and toy store owners.
They reached China and visited
TonySourcing toys showroom, checked
samples, and then placed orders.
In 2018, TonySourcing uploaded
videos on their YouTube channel
giving detailed insights about toys.
These videos were based on three
points – ‘what we do + how we do +
what new idea we have’. These videos
helped customers to know the
procedure of placing orders and
importing the toys.
TonySourcing found some customers
who were selling toys on online
platforms such as amazon. They were
looking for higher lever and were
asking for one-stop supply and
customized packaging. So, the
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A Trusted Name in Toy Sourcing, Sending Smiles Beyond Miles
43. company launched TonySourcing
AMAZON TOYS PROJECT (TATP).
The sourcing process adheres strictly
to the quality control requirements as
issued by Amazon as well as the
package and label standards. The
company also employs the expertise of
a professional lab to certify that the
products are ASTM F963 & CPC
compliant, before shipping them to
Amazon FBA directly.
In 2020, due to COVID-19, overseas
customers were unable to reach China,
so TonySourcing started to make
catalogs for every two months for
customers to check online. Further, the
company built up a website to provide
details about kids’ products.
Until now, Tony has helped thousands
of global buyers across 80+ countries
to import toys from China. Tony keeps
posting new videos about toys on his
YouTube channel (TonySourcing
Channel). Tony gets enormous positive
feedback from subscribers, and he keep
improving his service to help more and
more businessmen.
Bestowing Excellence with Holistic
Services
TonySourcing provides the following
services for buyers as well as
manufacturers:
1) Agent Service
In this service, TonySouring works as a
service agent to guide the buyer to visit
the wholesale market in China. By this
way, customer can check the sample
directly and place the order. Once the
order is placed, TonySourcing takes
care of rest of the part like taking
follow-up, payment, QC, warehouse,
and shipping. This service helps buyers
to buy a full container with various
items.
For now, TonySourcing has built up an
online catalog and product webpage so
the client can directly order online
without visiting China, TonySourcing
arranges a one-stop supply.
2) Toys Sourcing Service
This service is for an online seller
business, the buyer just sends the
product info detail to the TonySourcing
team. Then the team searches about the
manufacturer and provides the factory
quote to the buyer. The company
charges a small amount of service fee
(5-10%), to help the buyer confirm the
order with supply, sampling, order,
payment, QC, and shipping.
The Internet’s Influence
Searching a suitable manufacturer can
be a time-consuming task. However,
more and more manufacturers are now
using the internet to advertise their
products, aiding that search and choice
easier. The internet also helps
manufacturers to develop new designs
of products.
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41
Tony Chen
Founder
TonySourcing.com
44. “The emerging 5G wireless technology
will only boost the businesses in the
future. It will help the sourcing
industry, and the buyer will possibly
know the product in a better way
without any physical inspection. Today,
technology is limited to videos or live
streaming, but in future, virtual
gadgets such as Metaverse will play a
crucial role in every sector,” says Tony,
sharing his opinion on why it is
important for manufacturers to
leverage new technologies.
Overcoming Adversities
Previously, TonySourcing was asking
the client to come to China for the
inspection of samples and then placing
order. But, after the COVID-19
pandemic, overseas buyers are finding
it difficult to travel. So, the company
became customer’s eye. Even if
customers are not physically there,
TonySourcing provides them all the
potential information about the
product.
First, the company collects all the
customer requirements, then pick up
good items from its 5000
manufacturers + 3 million toys and
makes a catalog for clients to check.
This catalog is updated after every two
months to provide clients the details
about new products.
Words of Advice
Tony advises the budding
entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into
the toy manufacturing space, saying,
“Research the niche market and its
customers thoroughly and remember
that the market trends always change
with the time. Hence, it is important to
have a core industrial knowledge
before marketing your products. Then
communicate with your customers
frequently to know about new
technologies and trends.”
The Next Chapter
TonySourcing aims to expand its
sourcing product showroom in 2022
and will also upgrade its services.
Along with providing sourcing service
to help buyers get the right product, it
will also help to give more solutions
about toys selling. “We will cooperate
with display manufacturers to give
several solutions for the product
package, display method, and so on.
We will do everything to help buyers to
improve their businesses,” concludes
Tony.
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
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45.
46. ZakeSports
Sourcing Pro in Sports Industry
with Over 700 Brand Partnership
Zarek Zhong
Founder
ZakeSports Co. Ltd.
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
44
47. C
hina is the global sourcing hub for
manufactured ready-made materials.
Chinese manufacturing industries are the
world's largest exporters. From
smartphones to laptops, factory equipment,
machines, fitness and sports equipment,
Chinese industries manufacture and supply them all over
the world to various businesses. The businesses that are
importing from China require a trusted partner, a local
supply chain management provider, to arrange all the
necessary logistics to carry out the operations smoothly.
Sports and fitness are some of the major sectors for which
specialized equipment is made in China. A vast number of
sports and fitness equipment sellers around the world source
their equipment from the Chinese market. Arranging
product stock at the preferred location, quality analysis,
packaging, and transporting needs to be done in a well-
planned manner.
ZakeSports is a company founded by Zarek Zhong in
2013 that specializes in providing all the logistical support
that is required for overseas buyers to import products from
China. The company stresses making profitable
arrangements for its clients. It has a mammoth 700 brand
partnerships from all over the sporting world.
ZakeSports is a team of 12 global trading experts who have
over eight-plus years of experience in product development,
sourcing, supply management, and brand marketing to help
businesses grow. It brands itself as a 100% satisfaction
guarantee provider to its clients. The company has a strong
offline network for sourcing in China. The company has
been working with sports, fitness, and travel brands for
several years. The company has built a long-term, robust
relationship with the leading suppliers in China.
Within 48 hours of booking products from suppliers, their
arrivals are arranged at any preferred warehouse location in
China. After this, a 24-hour in-house inspection is
conducted and reported to the clients. The whole process is
kept well documented at the company to ensure smooth
delivery and a zero-return rate. The company also has a
solid network of logistic service providers to provide
hassle-free door-to-door delivery. Clients of the company
are encouraged to choose their logistic partners as per their
preference.
We interviewed Zarek Zhong, the Founder of ZakeSports,
to get an insight into the Company’s progress and its plans
for growth in the coming years.
We make profits
by how much we
create for clients’
business, so we
take zero when
our clients make
no profit.
Below are the excerpts from the interview:
Please brief our audience about your company, its USPs,
and how it is are currently positioned as a reliable firm
in the sourcing market.
We exchange values with our clients, instead of just doing
business.
ZakeSports was established in 2013, we are currently
connected with over 700 brands and factories which
provides us with qualified production and sampling. We
will act as your supply chain management team in China.
We are a team of 12 global trading experts with over 8
years of experience in product development, sourcing,
supply management, and brand marketing to help
businesses grow.
The 10 Best Sourcing Companies and Agents to Watch
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
45
48. Shed some light on your offerings and how they impact
the industry and your clients?
We are building a trustworthy team for the market. For
supporting different needs in China importing business, we
offer two plans with extra services, but you can still start
with the free service option to understand how we work
together.
We make profits by how much we create for clients’
business; so we take zero when our clients make no profit.
As we charge a commission of total purchased value, we
assure you that you will get a competitive price.
Trust is the first step we build our pricing plans and promise
that do not take any other fee, we only represent our clients
in a professional manner.
Please brief us about your journey in the industry and
how you have contributed to the company’s success.
Showing gratitude to every customer who has ever clicked
into your website – I performed this attribute throughout the
whole development of ZakeSports. Being grateful increases
happiness, which leads to motivation to achieve your goals.
Share your opinion on how modern technologies have
transformed the industry, and what more could be
expected in the near future?
We need to slow down, especially in business.
Modern technologies will accelerate the traditional process
of warfare so rapidly, what we need to do is, be stable and
sturdy, finding our own pace to move forward is our
business philosophy.
Of course, we are not the type of old-school company, we
accept and operate new techs. I mean, we are embracing
modern technology and appreciate these innovations, but
we need to slow down to find our own pace.
Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on
global economies, what were the challenges faced by
your company’s doors, and how did you pivot from
those challenges?
Our people are the essential part – I believe and support
them. During these days, it is important to remember that
we have faced crisis situations like this in the past. First of
all, it is a challenge for the company's culture and
management practices.
What I deeply believe is that people are the most valuable
asset to our business. I have to communicate, plan, be
consistent, show up for our employees, and support them.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs
aspiring to venture into the sourcing market?
Don't let your business take over your life, take care of
yourself.
Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle, but please separate the time
of work and leisure. “Work hard, play hard” is what I have
been taught since childhood.
You cannot make your business successful by working in
your leisure time, it is the thing, you have to slow down and
get rid out of work, enjoying the surrounding life, and
maybe some business ideas come into your mind.
How do you envision scaling your company’s operations
and offerings in 2022 and beyond?
I would say the same thing again, that our people are the
essential part, believe and support them.
In 2022, as the company increases its focus on customers,
our employees should never feel left out. The employees
are a business’s first customers. They are the brand
ambassadors.
The top priority is to keep all these people engaged at all
times by providing them with the appropriate tools and
resources that allow them to become more effective and
successful in what they do.
| May 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
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