Embrace the Internet when looking for Exporters, Suppliers or Manufacturers (Importers too but that is another post).
One of the most commonly asked questions I have received over the 23 years in this business is "how or where do I find suppliers or manufacturers who wish to export their products".
When I first got started way back in the 1980's I had to make trips to the library which was about a 24 mile round trip. I would often spend hours each month in the reference section of the library looking through the HUGE Green volumes of Thomas Register.
Each Thomas Register (TR) book (there were about 15) weighed about 5 pounds. Thomas Register now has ALL of that valuable information online and it is now accessible for FREE at: http://www.thomasnet.com
TR is the most comprehensive list of USA based manufacturing companies that I am aware of but one caveat - the vast majority of the listings are FREE to the manufacturer. Being FREE means little effort or expenditure of time or money on the part of the manufacturer to get their company listed....thus FREE for them is not always the best for you to contact.
There are literally tens of thousands of possible options on the Internet but some of the best are those that have cost the manufacturer/supplier money to have listed.
When a manufacturer/supplier pays to have their listing displayed it means they are "proactive" and are willing to go beyond FREE and these are far better for you as an Exporter agent/broker or export management company owner to contact....they are SEEKING buyers and are willing to pay for it.
One of the BETTER resources online that is often ignored due to Google's fast rise to search engine prominance is the YAHOO Directory.
The Yahoo Directory is provides multiple classifications allowing you to narrow your search to those companies specific to your needs such as the following which as you can see from the link identified Regional - China - Business and Economy - B2B - Manufacturing and the specific type of products these companies manufacture -
China Casting Molding Machining Manufacturers
Here yet is another example of China Residential Furniture Manufacturers -
Chinese Residential Furniture Manufacturers
Most people using the Internet do not realize is that "most" of the companies listed in Yahoo's directory section have paid $299.00 to have their website reviewed and approved to be included. The $299 "does not" guarantee their site will be accepted, it merely pays to have Yahoo's editors review their site for appropriateness to a particular category. If they are not accepted, they do not get their $299 back and if they are they are required to pay $299 a year to keep their listing active.
It will make your life as an Exporter Agent/Broker or Export Management Company owner much easier to seek out companies that have taken the proactive step of promoting their products because they are actively seeking NEW potential markets for their products versus those who simply post a free listing in a directory.
One of the most commonly asked questions I have received over the 23 years in this business is "how or where do I find suppliers or manufacturers who wish to export their products".
When I first got started way back in the 1980's I had to make trips to the library which was about a 24 mile round trip. I would often spend hours each month in the reference section of the library looking through the HUGE Green volumes of Thomas Register.
Each Thomas Register (TR) book (there were about 15) weighed about 5 pounds. Thomas Register now has ALL of that valuable information online and it is now accessible for FREE at: http://www.thomasnet.com
TR is the most comprehensive list of USA based manufacturing companies that I am aware of but one caveat - the vast majority of the listings are FREE to the manufacturer. Being FREE means little effort or expenditure of time or money on the part of the manufacturer to get their company listed....thus FREE for them is not always the best for you to contact.
There are literally tens of thousands of possible options on the Internet but some of the best are those that have cost the manufacturer/supplier money to have listed.
When a manufacturer/supplier pays to have their listing displayed it means they are "proactive" and are willing to go beyond FREE and these are far better for you as an Exporter agent/broker or export management company owner to contact....they are SEEKING buyers and are willing to pay for it.
One of the BETTER resources online that is often ignored due to Google's fast rise to search engine prominance is the YAHOO Directory.
The Yahoo Directory is provides multiple classifications allowing you to narrow your search to those companies specific to your needs such as the following which as you can see from the link identified Regional - China - Business and Economy - B2B - Manufacturing and the specific type of products these companies manufacture -
China Casting Molding Machining Manufacturers
Here yet is another example of China Residential Furniture Manufacturers -
Chinese Residential Furniture Manufacturers
Most people using the Internet do not realize is that "most" of the companies listed in Yahoo's directory section have paid $299.00 to have their website reviewed and approved to be included. The $299 "does not" guarantee their site will be accepted, it merely pays to have Yahoo's editors review their site for appropriateness to a particular category. If they are not accepted, they do not get their $299 back and if they are they are required to pay $299 a year to keep their listing active.
It will make your life as an Exporter Agent/Broker or Export Management Company owner much easier to seek out companies that have taken the proactive step of promoting their products because they are actively seeking NEW potential markets for their products versus those who simply post a free listing in a directory.