Hey,

To be honest, I have nothing better to do and I did a business trip to China last year and learnt alot from my experiences and just thought I'd share them. I went to China for 2 weeks and visited about 5 cities, went to
-Shenyang
-Shanghai
-Guangzhou
-Shenzen
-Foshan

The most important aspect is language, now I presume most of us dn't speak mandarin so ideally you either want a supplier who is willing to supply a translator/guide or you can hire your own. Before you go out though, its vitally important to let all your prospective suppliers know and sit down and write down your own agenda and plan (Stick to this) because once you get to China, everyone is a potential supplier but dn't waste your time visiting every single shop, determine which offers the best quality/price for your particular product.

Culture:
Now I hope I dn't stereotype or generalise for this and if i do, please ignore it, its not meant. When we went, our suppliers were excessively generous, you probably will be thrown off by this, they will not let you spend a penny, they'll take you out to lunch, provide a car, driver etc and it makes you feel incredibiliy guilty, its arguable whether this is simply a sales tactic or generosity but be aware of this and dn't let your business sense wane because of this. I guess, you should also get used to Green Tea, as you will be offered it every you go . Always bargain and be ruthless in bargaining, its the only way, its not common here but regardless of what size of company your supplier is, I bet thier prices will always drop.

Business:
Always keep a camera with you but also before you take it out and start snapping away, simply kindly ask your supplier as its prohibited in alot of factories. However, if you see the product you are interested and the supplier is kind enough, take pictures of it, as many as you can as once you come back, it will aid you chose what to go for and after shipping you can also compare it with the actual product you saw. Usually the supplier has a shipping agent they use, but be aware, alot of prices are FOB not CIF, so always ask for CIF as it makes life alot easier. (FOB = free on board so basically they will load the goods onto a ship, CIF = Cost, Insurance + Freight so this is the price for shipping to england). Also, if its a large order, Bank TT's tend to create alot of hassle if things go wrong, instead I would always recommend using an L/C for all transactions. This is a letter of credit which basically means, the bank acts as a liason between you and the supplier. You pay the bank and the bank holds onto the money until the goods are recieved, once they're recieved, you give the A ok to the bank and it releases payment to the supplier. Ofcourse their is a charge for this but if you are buying from a supplier for the first time, it very helpful in reducing risks.

I think thats enough for now let me know if you have any other questions.

It seemed that you have done business in China for a long time.

I am a business man in a  wire mesh company in China. I'd like to do business with the person like you! Not just because you are smart, but also because there will be little trouble while doing the business.

I hope we can be friends! My name is Bear Lee. And my MSN is woshibear5326@live.cn.

I am looking forward for you reply!

Thank you for your trust.

But i don't want to purchase wire mesh.

Wow ,so smart!

Well as you know ,when the foreign customers come to our factory we treat them as you said.

Glad to see Jerry's  comment on visiting in China. Haha, only two weeks' business visiting in China makes Jerry know about our Chinese culture and Chinese business stytle.But I would to say like this: 

1) when the suppliers offer you car and driver, nice dinner or drinks when  they  meet you, It shows our traditional hospitality,but not mean to leave the customers feeling of guilt. So dear friends,don't feel in this way,just be at ease.    2) When you bargain with different suppliers ans alway possiblely  get lower price than last quotation, that's for everyone want to win business, it's with strong competetion in China  this great populous country .For this point, pls understand  it at Chinese's point.

And what i want to suggest is the way and style Chinese acted  should change  in international business, Chinese sales or supplies should know more about the different culture of  foreign countries .We no need to serve tea cup and cup again, even though the customers drink enough water. (foreigners will be unable to understand  this).

I think maybe next time Jerry will understand what Chinese people's performance in business :)   

MSN: ybx1028@hotmail.com

Hello Everybody,

Thanks for you advise ! It's really helpfull for me !

I want to make friend with all of you ,We are one of the most professional plastic and wooden CD/DVD storages and TV stand manufacturer in china,all the people who want to cooperate with me ,welcome to email me at : landy903@21cn.com

Landy