If you can imagine a product, then there is a probably a factory who can build it. China and Vietnam have a seemingly endless number of manufacturers that have the capabilities to make a wide variety of products. But how do you know that the supplier makes your product exactly as you want? With a well-written product specification sheet. While it takes several steps to make your idea into a product, one of the first things you need to do is create a product specification sheet. Cosmo Sourcing has simplified this process into our simple sourcing, which has 4 steps: Plan, find, make and ship.

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Are you unsure about the trade terms of Alibaba or Chinese suppliers? Don't know what the 3 letters that came with your quote mean? Cosmo has defined the 2010 Incoterms abbreviations, such as FOB, CFR, and DAP for international trade.  Incoterms, often called trade terms or shipping terms, are an international contract of sale. Incoterms is short for International Commercial Terms. EXW and FOB are far and away the two most common incoterms. Incoterms are published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) who hold the copyright.

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Want to potentially save 1000’s of dollars on your next project? Check out these tips from our expert sourcing professionals

Like most people you want to save as much money as possible when you buy your products. In Chinese society, negotiations are expected and are part of business norms. But be warned, many factories have years, if not decades, of experience negotiating. We made this guide in order to give you a leg up on as you prepare to negotiate with your suppliers.

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Don’t know what to ask suppliers? What should you know from suppliers before you buy from them?

If you're reading this we already assume that you have found suppliers on Alibaba or another website like Global Sources, and are now ready to reach out to them. By this point, you should have a large list of suppliers. Once you have the suppliers, Now comes the hard part-- talking to them. When asking suppliers questions you need to be polite and professional yet thorough and assertive. Check out this guide to learn more.

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Are you looking to source from Vietnam but you’re not sure what’s made there? Want to know more about the manufacturing landscape of Vietnam? We made this guide so that you can understand Vietnams industry better and be more prepared when you source product from Vietnam.

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Are you interested to see how sourcing products from Vietnam compare to China? Do you want to know the pros and cons of sourcing products from Vietnam? Curious as to how a sourcing company in Vietnam works? When I compare the two countries I try to think of China as a large mature corporate behemoth and Vietnam as the small but promising and rapidly growing start-up.  In this guide, we’ll go through the reason of whether it’s better to source from China or Vietnam for your next product!

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Are you tired of Sourcing from Alibaba for your FBA Business? If you’re sourcing products for Amazon, then use this guide to find alternatives to Alibaba for FBA product Sourcing. Sourcing Alibaba has long been the standard for finding suppliers in China, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only resource for sourcing products for FBA. We created a list of Alibaba alternatives so that you can find suppliers in China as well as Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea and globally.

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ARE YOU UNSURE ABOUT THE TRADE TERMS OF ALIBABA OR CHINESE SUPPLIERS? DON'T KNOW WHAT THE 3 LETTERS THAT CAME WITH YOUR QUOTE MEAN? COSMO HAS DEFINED THE 2010 INTERCOMS ABBREVIATIONS, SUCH AS FOB, CFR, AND DAP FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE.  

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Vietnam is quickly emerging out of China's shadow and becoming a primary destination to source products. With the third fastest growing economy in the world and a young yet skilled workforce, it's no wonder that there is a rush to source products in Vietnam.

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Are you going to the Fall 2018 Canton Fair but don’t know what to expect? Check out our insider guide  so that you can master the fair before you go. The Canton fair in Guangzhou, held every spring and fall, is the largest trade fair in the world. This is easily one of the best places to find and connect with potential suppliers and add to your list of contacts.

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Are you afraid of getting ripped off when FBA Sourcing? Want to know which suppliers are legitimate on Alibaba? Here's our guide to common Scams on Alibaba, and ways to become an expert when buying from Vietnam, China and beyond. Buying a product from China for FBA can be intimidating. To avoid scams you need to know about the culture and the business environment as well as tricks you can use to properly vet suppliers.

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Have you been looking to start an FBA business but unsure where to start? One of the most common, and easiest, ways to start is by buying products on Alibaba and selling them on Amazon’s FBA platform. If you’ve been looking at starting an FBA business you almost certainly have come across Alibaba. Alibaba is a massive Chinese marketplace with millions of sellers and tens of millions of product for sale in any quantity. Sourcing a product on Alibaba and selling on Amazon is one of the most popular methods to do FBA and it’s a great place to start as a beginner. Check out our low-risk, step by step guide to help you get started and save you time and money.

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Who do you think has the most to learn about the supply chain–modern factories in a Chinese megapolis OR a rural, generations-old coffee farm? Though there is no simple answer, it may be surprising to learn how the two industries are similar and just how much modern factories can learn from coffee farming.

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Once you have found a supplier you next step is to figure out how to pay. This step scares many of people because you are sending 1000’s of dollars overseas to someone who you probably have not met. Most suppliers in China prefer direct transfers however that is not the safest way and even if you do have a trustworthy supplier you will still spend a large amount in fees. In this post we’ll go over the different payment types, and discuss their merits, fees, time and more.

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A Sourcing Company or a sourcing agent helps a company find sources for products and supplies at a low cost and/or of a certain quality or attributes. Some may represent a few select factories or serve multiple companies. At Cosmo, we have no exclusive contracts and search for the best factories for a company.

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Sourcing from China is not easy and my concern with Alibaba is how so many who use it start to think it is easy and then they fail to take precautions and then they call my firm because they are out hundreds of thousands (more or less) of dollars. Seems it is even worse than I thought. 

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China today is full of incredible business opportunities for American entrepreneurs and business owners, but like any country in the West, it is not a perfect paradise. You must accept the risks of sourcing goods in China while embracing the opportunities that come with it. The good news is that you can manage and reduce these risks with a methodical approach to sourcing in China.

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