The Sourcing Company
~ Est. 2009 ~

Chinawand has changed to CWMS?

Our registered name is Chinawand Managed Sourcing Company Ltd. This can be a bit of a mouthful, so we decided to shorted it to its acronymic form - CWMS.

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What is "Managed Sourcing"?
Managed Sourcing means leveraging our sourcing methodology to safely deliver the products you need. It means we are your supplier. 

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What does CWMS do as a business?

CWMS is a Managed Sourcing company. We specialise in performing and managing many essential China-based business functions for our overseas clients starting or expanding their projects in China. In a nutshell - we supply you with the products you want and keep it simple for you. 

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Is CWMS a trading company?

CWMS is a Managed Sourcing company, which has a very significant difference from a typical trading company. We source the products that you need, and only sell these to you. A trading company will find a product they wish to sell, and will approach as many potential customers as they can find. A trading company can ruin your market by selling the same item to your competitors. We will not do that.

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How can CWMS help my company?

The sourcing process can range from being tricky to downright complex. We've been doing it for well over a decade so we can deftly navigate the process. Once a suitable supplier has been found, the clients clear requirements are followed throughout sampling, production and shipment.

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There are many minor and not so minor responsibilities that CWMS fulfils on our clients behalf. Saving an exhaustive list; we can pledge that everything required is fulfilled to get the goods made, checked and on the way to your destination.

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Why would I want to use Chinawand when I can do it myself using B2B websites?

Companies can count themselves very fortunate if they can report success after dealing with Chinese companies via B2B websites. There are many reasons why dealing direct can be a treacherous route and these are common ones:  

• Goods have been paid for but not delivered,

• The quantity, dimensions, specification or quality of the products manufactured and shipped are wrong,

• Inability to trace the factory location.

• The company contacts are unreachable, leave, get made redundant or are fabricated.

• The factory contact is in fact an ex-employee, agent or competitor pretending to be the genuine supplier,

• Communication is difficult and there are doubts about the reliability of the supplier,

• Due diligence cannot be carried out remotely,

• Sales staff grasp of basic English is not matched by those responsible for quality and factory management. Think "Chinese Whispers".

• Inability to fix quality, supply, and financial issues which may arise

This list of issues is real and far more extensive than the above few examples. Chinawand manages these risks and the associated hassles to enable our clients the freedom of concentrating on the work that really matters to their businesses.

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How do we begin working with Chinawand?

Please email us at info@chinawand.com. Simply send us an email with your inquiry and/or plans for visiting China and we will respond to get the ball rolling. Alternatively you can fill out our form on the ‘Contact Us’ page.

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How do you identify the best companies?

Chinawand will first check our list of graded companies with which we have already audited and/or done business. If our client’s product lines are new to us, then we will identify existing manufacturers and select the most suitable one based on Chinawand grading criteria. Once we have selected the most suitable company, we will carry out an inspection at their premises and check references and available certification in order to assess and confirm the company will perform as expected. If the inspected company does not pass the inspection, then we move fast to find one which does.

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Do you source from scratch or take over management of our existing China projects/supply chains?

We have clients from both perspectives. We find that sourcing from scratch and taking over management of existing projects both require similar levels of factory communication, inspection and general diligence. However inheriting old relationships does require clear instructions be laid out between our client and their existing contact. A project may require our help to correctly perform the elementary steps of sourcing.

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How do you choose a factory?

We first look at the requirements of the products our clients wish to have produced. The type of product will often dictate the province or town where we prioritise our search. If there are Standards which need to be met, then we look for factories with the certification and proven know-how. We will always visit a factory in person before we confirm production.

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We work only with factories that adhere to Chinese Law, who treats their employees fairly in terms of working hours, wage and safety precautions and who do not employ anyone under the age of compulsory education. We have a Code of Conduct agreement which we ask all our vendors to sign prior to the start of production.

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What checks do you carry out to ensure we get the products we want?

As a policy, we always apply our own tested grading criteria in order to rate our suppliers. This is in order to make sure no parties’ time is wasted with an unsuitable manufacturing partner who will struggle. We see this investment of our time and resources as a valuable risk-limitation step. Ultimately our clients need to be happy with the services we are delivering and our performance of due diligence improves that likelihood.

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Is there a minimum order quantity or value?

There will usually be an MOQ but this also depends on several factors associated with our client’s product and order requirements. We will occasionally work according to a minimum order value to ensure the whole supply chain can benefit from the economies of scale in purchasing from overseas suppliers.

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Are there any discounts for bulk/volume purchases?

We generally negotiate prices with the factory on our clients’ behalf. We will always pass on the best price for the quality and time requirements outlined to us. For most consumer and industrial products, the higher the volume of an order, the more competitive the price will become.

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How do you charge for your services?

We do not invoice separately for our Managed Sourcing Service; we rather add a tiny margin onto any quotations we produce.

 

No hidden extra costs, no back handers, no funny business. Integrity and ethical trading are our core beliefs.

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How do we pay?

Chinawand will notify our clients when it is time to pay. Payments will be made through Chinawand. This is in order to give our clients peace of mind, eliminate risk to them and give Chinawand more control over negotiations with the factory.

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Can I pay you in pounds sterling?

Yes, we quote in USD but accept payment in GBP also.

 

How much deposit do we have to pay?

We negotiate the best terms for our clients. The standard is between 30%-50% but does depend on order quantities and product specification.

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Who pays the mould fee?

The cost of a mould fee can sometimes run into several thousand USD’s, and this at the beginning of a project can appear to be a difficult obstacle to overcome. However, factories will often be aware of this impact on a client’s cash flow, and will sometimes be willing to share the cost with the client or spread it over the course of the first production run.

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Can I get a refund if the goods supplied are not acceptable?

We do everything in our power to eliminate the chance of our clients ever being unsatisfied or surprised by what they receive. Our regular production updates and photographic evidence of progress from the first steps of sampling right through to container loading is intended to prevent the need for rejections. We find our clients appreciate our level of communication and realise that the contents of the reports and photos we send them are accurate representations of what they gladly receive.

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Do I need to come to China?

It is always beneficial for our clients to visit the country to get a better understanding of the environment and see the roots of their investments life cycle. However, our clients can leave everything to Chinawand and rest assured that their company’s best interests are being performed, tightly controlled and ultimately fulfilled.

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How do I place an order with you for the goods we want?

Get in touch with Chinawand so we can review with you the project you have in mind. You can email us at info@chinawand.com or fill out our form on the ‘Contact Us’ page.

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Is Shipping included in your quote?

If we quote CIF it is. We can, and will generally quote FOB as a first step.

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What shipping options do we have?

This is dependent on what is being shipped from which Chinese port and to where. If the consignment is not bulky, relatively light weight, low in number and speed is essential, then using a courier service which transports by air is the best option. Shipping by sea freight is going to be slower but it will also be far less expensive, especially for hefty and larger volume consignments.

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How can I be sure the shipment will be complete and correct?

Our regular production updates and photographic evidence of progress from the first steps of sampling right through to container loading where a Chinawand QC inspector is present, is just part of what we do behind the scenes to ensure every order arrives to our clients in a complete and correct state.

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We need guaranteed delivery times, is this possible?

Upon commencement of work, we agree with our clients an agreed approximate sample completion date (if appropriate) and a provisional production completion date. These dates are agreed with our manufacturing partners and form the basis for calculating delivery times. This date agreement was designed to help with our clients’ inventory and stock flow; however these dates can only ever be a guide and are not enforceable.

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What happens if customs hold my order?

We typically arrange FOB shipments so customs clearance would become the responsibility of our clients’ freight forwarding partners.

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How can I tell if my items have been shipped or not?

We have a Chinawand QC inspector at each location upon final container loading. Photos are taken and a report is written to document this process which is then sent to our clients for their reference. For specific shipment details, you would need to contact your freight forwarder.

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If custom duties are incurred, who is responsible?

Our clients freight forwarder should inform them about any charges incurred during shipment. We advise our clients to first research any possible charges related to the import of their product into the country in question so as to avoid any nasty surprises.

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If a consignment is detained by customs, who is responsible for clearance of the consignment?

That would be the responsibility of our clients and their freight forwarder to work out. When shipping CIF, Chinawand and our logistics partner will supply all necessary documents to help with clearance from the China side.

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Why Chinawand?

Our clients’ value the dedication we invest in every project we handle, the specialist and relevant knowledge our team possess and the flexibility we provide in the services we offer; Chinawand is the key to enjoying smooth and successful relationships with Chinese businesses whilst saving you time and money.