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Reminders on order documents

Posted: April 07, 2016

By Li Zhang

Order
documents are an often overlooked but very important aspect of your China
sourcing project. When it comes to working with Chinese vendors and being
proactive on your order documents, here’s some order reminders.

Alert
the supplier on the required order documents

Once
your order opens, make it clear what order documents are required. Every order
should receive the following:

•
Commercial Invoice

•
Packing List

•
On-Board Bill of Lading

But
if you require something that the supplier may not be accustomed to providing,
you need to let them know.

Most
likely, you’ll have to remind the supplier midway and towards the end of the
order.

What
types of documents could these be that may be required not
mainstream?

•
Certificate of origin / Form A: these seem to be widely required from Europe
and parts of South America. For other countries, I don’t know off the top of my
head and would check with the client. But many suppliers will not remember to
check.

•
Fumigation certificates: If there is wooden packaging or wooden parts and your
home country requires fumigation.

•
Safety or inspection certificates: This is most definitely an example of a
document you should detail the supplier about in the beginning. This is more
than they applying for a document but is something that will require testing
and a more in-depth process. A perfect world, the supplier will check with you, but in
order to avoid delays on the backend, let the supplier know from the
beginning.

Provide
the supplier with all details in a clear, laid-out fashion

Give
the supplier the exact information of who the importer is on record. This will
allow the supplier to properly fill out the booking form for the
shipment.

Plainly
tell the supplier; “the consignee (importer) should be detailed just like the
following…”

It’s good practice to
ask the supplier to show you document drafts before they send in the official
document.

Too
often, importers fail to give clear detail and the supplier is remiss in asking.
The supplier fills out the booking form and just gets client contact detail from
the client’s email signature…for example…

But
the actual client may not even be the importer on record.

Very
carefully, check all details on your order documents

Suppliers
make clerical errors. Left to their own control, suppliers will make many
clerical errors. It’s the nature of the China sourcing beast.

When it comes to
customs and clearance, as the importer, those documents are going to represent
you and your business.

Check
your order documents with a fine-toothed comb.

Check
the consignee information; did the supplier fill out the shipping documents
correctly?

For
example, with the USA, if there’s an inconsistency in the consignee and the
importer on record, it can cause a delay or check with clearance and
customs.

Poor
management of order documents can turn an offshore project into a real
headache.

Do
some research on what’s required.

Ask
your freight forwarder.

Ask
peers in your industry.

Check
with a customs officer.

Over
time, as you do reorders, your supplier will become more responsible.

…but
like I said, this takes time.

Li
Zhang has worked in international manufacturing and exporting since 2003. She
has served global brands such as Bayer, Coca Cola and Warner Bros. Her
background is in design and engineering. Li is a native of Jiangsu Province and
currently finds herself back and forth between Suzhou, China and the USA.
Contact Li at This email address is being protected from
spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

, or
find her penning manufacturing thoughts at her
blog.

Want
to know how to work with factories to produce your unique products? Join
the Smart China Sourcing Summit to learn sourcing best practices, April
17-19, 2016. Co-located with Global Sources 3,000-booth trade show in
Hong Kong. Learn more at http://www.GlobalSources.com/summit

Keep
updated on sourcing best practices and the Summit. Join the Smart China
Sourcing Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/SmartChinaSourcing

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