I believe it is a common practice to buy gift for your business partner. Be it your customer or supplier or even your business contacts.



So, how much are you or your company willing to spend to buy your a gift for your business contact?

oh! headach!

Quoting from [peter4810]:

oh! headach!

Fully agreed. That's why I hope more people can share on this topic

I can't speak for others of course, but I do not like to receive gifts from suppliers.

My concern is that it creates an unspoken commitment to that supplier that I would prefer not to have. Of course if you suggest this to the supplier then they will suggest that it is just a token gift of appreciation - but I believe that there is often an underlying hope there that such a gift will aid in ensuring future business. I just don't feel comfortable with all of that!

I feel far more comfortable by a supplier showing their appreciation of my business by providing me the best level of service that they can and by ensuring that they take the time to meet all of my requirements. In short I believe that a supplier who makes a customer feel important and shows through their actions that the customer is important to them could build customer loyalty without the need to buy gifts.

Quoting from [heng]:


I believe it is a common practice to buy gift for your business partner. Be it your customer or supplier or even your business contacts.




So, how much are you or your company willing to spend to buy your a gift for your business contact?

Well,in my opiinion,buy gifts for partners after the business is done  is a polite way ,the gifts need not be expensive ,just express the kind feelings is ok,like a box of green tea, 3 Chinese knots .

Quoting from [heng]:


I believe it is a common practice to buy gift for your business partner. Be it your customer or supplier or even your business contacts.




So, how much are you or your company willing to spend to buy your a gift for your business contact?

sometimes a gift can promote the relationship each other

but the important wasn't the gift,but the "warm"~~~

HEHE

Quoting from [Ballchair]:

Quoting from [heng]:



I believe it is a common practice to buy gift for your business partner. Be it your customer or supplier or even your business contacts.





So, how much are you or your company willing to spend to buy your a gift for your business contact?

sometimes a gift can promote the relationship each other

but the important wasn't the gift,but the "warm"~~~

HEHE

I do agree that some time receiving a gift becomes like an obligation that you need to return a favor to the giver in future, this is especially true when the gift has certain monetary value. However rejecting a gift may offend the giver and sour future relationship.


Hence to give a gift for building relationship or break the ice or show appreciation become a skill. Similarly, accepting or rejecting a gift need similar skill.


Many big company has internal policy on how much value of the gift they can accept. And how they should deal with the gift they receive either share among company staff or donate to charity or that individual can keep if gift is no commercial or below certain value.


From what I know, gift giving is a common business culture across US, Europe, Asia and South Pacific.


Hopefully we can have more people contribute on this topic to shed more light in different country/company and make relationship building easier. 

Quoting from [heng]:


I believe it is a common practice to buy gift for your business partner. Be it your customer or supplier or even your business contacts.




So, how much are you or your company willing to spend to buy your a gift for your business contact?

Wow, i will accept the gift, maybe they want to get a favor,  just for the appreciate, or even for the friendship.

If the want to get more profits but  give a bad service, i will never give him the favour even though he gives me the gift.

And the appreciation or friendship is warmly welcome.

Also the gift be thankful.

 

Quoting from [heng]:

Quoting from [Ballchair]:

Quoting from [heng]:




I believe it is a common practice to buy gift for your business partner. Be it your customer or supplier or even your business contacts.






So, how much are you or your company willing to spend to buy your a gift for your business contact?

sometimes a gift can promote the relationship each other

but the important wasn't the gift,but the "warm"~~~

HEHE

I do agree that some time receiving a gift becomes like an obligation that you need to return a favor to the giver in future, this is especially true when the gift has certain monetary value. However rejecting a gift may offend the giver and sour future relationship.



Hence to give a gift for building relationship or break the ice or show appreciation become a skill. Similarly, accepting or rejecting a gift need similar skill.



Many big company has internal policy on how much value of the gift they can accept. And how they should deal with the gift they receive either share among company staff or donate to charity or that individual can keep if gift is no commercial or below certain value.



From what I know, gift giving is a common business culture across US, Europe, Asia and South Pacific.



Hopefully we can have more people contribute on this topic to shed more light in different country/company and make relationship building easier. 

There is NO gift culture in the UK. At Christmas sometimes gifts may be given but they are only given to clients and not prospects. They have to be delared for tax purposes also. Giving gifts to non-clients is considered bribing and is looked upon badly. I was given a gift of an address book by a potential supplier fr omAsia and it embarrassed me even though it was only worth maybe US$10 which is the cost of a sandwich. I believe it is much the same in the US. Don't give gifts just because you receive or hope to receive an order.

......

There is NO gift culture in the UK. At Christmas sometimes gifts may be given but they are only given to clients and not prospects. They have to be delared for tax purposes also. Giving gifts to non-clients is considered bribing and is looked upon badly. I was given a gift of an address book by a potential supplier fr omAsia and it embarrassed me even though it was only worth maybe US$10 which is the cost of a sandwich. I believe it is much the same in the US. Don't give gifts just because you receive or hope to receive an order.

Yes, maybe good quality and warranty  is the best gift for the buyer if you want to expres your appreciation to them. A gift may  embarrass  your  parter. So we seldom give a gift to our client. But I sometmes do it to my old customer , because we are now good friends. So there is no last word...

Heng you mention that rejecting the offer of a gift may cause embrassment to the giver. I agree. That is why the giver should carefully consider whether or not the giving of the gift is appropriate in the first place.

Anyone who has done business in Asia will know that gift giving and dinners etc are part of the scene and that rejecting such could be cause for embarassment. So in many cases foreign buyers will accept such offers even if they do not really want to. What is not being considered here is any embarassment or discomfort that the receiver may feel at being offered the gift.

I really think that the best practice is not to give any type of gift BEFORE business is finalized. Once an order has been finalized then perhaps a thankyou gift of some inexpensive local art item or handmade item may be a nice gesture. Offers of gifts of any value should be avoided at all times as they are generally frowned upon by westerners.

I suppose that this is a cultural thing though so it depends which country your customer comes from. Perhaps gift giving is welcomed by customers from the Middle East, or Eastern Europe. I don't know.

But I think that it is safe to say that if your customer comes from any of the main English speaking countries and also much of Western Europe then gift giving is probably something that you should avoid until you have a strong ongoing relationship with that customer.