I am starting a clothing line business of MMA style clothing. I received my delivery of samples today and most of the stuff either was not accurrate in size or the material was not what it was advertised to be. Is this the norm? If so, that is fine. I guess my real question is, is it just a matter of trial and error when trying to find a good supplier? aka do I have to spend alot of money trying out samples before I find a supplier who manufactures what I am looking for?
Thanks
You should be able to improve efficiency by providing more information about your needs up front to the supplier.
If you just order a product based upon a picture on their website then you may find that the product you receive is unsatisfactory.
I recommend that you put together a small technical brief about what you expect from the product and what you cannot accept. This is best done in pictures to ensure that the language barrier does not get in the way. Pictures also enable the sales staff to share your communication with the staff on the factory floor.
So take photos of the problem areas of the current samples that you have and include a short outline of what you can and cannot accept.
Also make sure that you outline size variations that you can accept, materials, pantone color numbers if you can etc.
Most suppliers in China can do the job very well but they just need exact guidelines to follow.
The answer is no! A good supplier will listen to you as the customer and deliver exactly what you need. Don't get me wrong, even the best suppliers make mistakes and its hard to control all employees; however if you are going to start your own business and rely on the goods and services from this manufacturer; you better make sure you can trust them.
Forget about spending large amounts on samples; if the manufacturer is a good one, and they want your business and should provide you with as many samples as you need to make an informed decision.
MMA is huge right now and you are striking while the iron is hot; however there are formidable competitors even in this niche market such as Tap Out and Extreme Couture. To compete with these organizations you must have a supplier you can trust and rely on. I would ask for another batch of samples with the exact specifications as before; if they can't improve they shouldn't be your supplier anyway.
Quoting from [gpasquale2]:
I am starting a clothing line business of MMA style clothing. I received my delivery of samples today and most of the stuff either was not accurrate in size or the material was not what it was advertised to be. Is this the norm? If so, that is fine. I guess my real question is, is it just a matter of trial and error when trying to find a good supplier? aka do I have to spend alot of money trying out samples before I find a supplier who manufactures what I am looking for?
Thanks