YOUR GLOBAL CONNECTION
4 SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER SOURCING
STEP 1 - Define Product & Service Requirements
We can get started with fully defined specifications or as little information as drawings, samples or even sketches. Our team of engineers can help refine your ideas and bring them to reality. Tributary Sourcing welcomes any size project! We have helped startup companies to well established businesses. STEP 2 - Quotation & Factory Inspection Our diverse and scaled network of pre-qualified factories support competitive pricing and responsive manufacturing. If your unique needs require factory support outside of our network we’ll deploy our engineers to locate, inspect and fully qualify a new source. Only when the factory is qualified and selected will we proceed with your order. STEP 3 - Risk Free Pre-Production Samples & Signoff A purchase order is necessary for the factory to tool up for proprietary products. Samples are provided in a few short weeks for customer approval and qualification. The purchase order is not binding until the pre-production samples are approved. Once the samples are approved we secure the contract by signing off on our agreement to consistently meet the quality standards of the approved pre-production samples. STEP 4 - Execute & Measure Results Production begins immediately and the factory is monitored by our local staff throughout the manufacturing process. If pressed for time we have many options to expedite the transit time to meet your needs. |
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS
Our expertise derived from a partnership with China Consortium and their team of engineers on the ground in Asia to give you a leg up on the competition. Our portfolio of domestic and international manufacturing relationships ensures an ability to tailor components, materials and products to your needs.
All of the factories we do business with go through an extensive prequalification and approval process.
Tributary Sourcing's founder, Steve Kittredge, makes factory site visits enhancing our relationships with those across the globe.
Tributary Sourcing's founder, Steve Kittredge, makes factory site visits enhancing our relationships with those across the globe.
#1 – My orders must fill an Industrial Shipping Container
Many people believe the only financially viable way to take advantage of sourcing outside the US is to scale orders up to fill 20ft (1,158 cubic feet) or 40ft (2,372 cubic feet) containers. This is patently false. If a sourcing partner contends this is true it is most likely because they operate on a very small scale (maybe you are there only customer) or they have not developed an effective network of suppliers and logistics providers. Frankly, it should be easy for any quality sourcing support system to competitively fulfill orders of any size.
#2 – I won’t have an opportunity to review samples prior to shipping my order
Not true. Always demand that you review and approve final samples before production commences. If you are told this isn’t possible, move on and find a better resource.
#3 – Raw materials from Asia are inferior to the US
Standards established in the United States are clear and measurable. This makes it easy when working outside the country to define raw material requirements and assure compliance prior to the sampling process. Trust can be an issue and this is why it is important that your sourcing partner has a high quality engineering team on the ground overseas to test and qualify raw materials used in the factories.
#4 – I’ll have to pay for the product before it is shipped, negatively impacting my cash flow
The answer is… it depends. Sourcing partners that are looking to establish long-term relationships with their prospects will work with you to understand your product and customer needs. They can, and will, put in place a program where you are not invoiced until the product reaches its destination.
#5 – I can’t be sure of product quality over time
Unlike many Trading Companies a high quality sourcing partner will identify and establish relationships with factories that are sustainable over the long-term. By doing the hard work up front you will have comfort order after order. The sourcing partner acts as a relationship manager to the factories making sure capacity and capabilities remain in place otherwise they will begin to seek out alternatives for you.
#6 – I have no recourse if my product doesn’t meet my pre-defined requirements
This can be really scary from both a business management and customer relationship perspective and often times ends up being the show stopper from moving forward on what otherwise looks like a smart business decision. One approach is to Think Big, Start Small and Scale Fast after proven success. This is an approach any high quality sourcing partner is willing to execute.
It is fair to say that the risks inherent in what I’ve referred to as Myths are real, but, if you have high quality partners helping you navigate the risks your bottom line can swell!
Many people believe the only financially viable way to take advantage of sourcing outside the US is to scale orders up to fill 20ft (1,158 cubic feet) or 40ft (2,372 cubic feet) containers. This is patently false. If a sourcing partner contends this is true it is most likely because they operate on a very small scale (maybe you are there only customer) or they have not developed an effective network of suppliers and logistics providers. Frankly, it should be easy for any quality sourcing support system to competitively fulfill orders of any size.
#2 – I won’t have an opportunity to review samples prior to shipping my order
Not true. Always demand that you review and approve final samples before production commences. If you are told this isn’t possible, move on and find a better resource.
#3 – Raw materials from Asia are inferior to the US
Standards established in the United States are clear and measurable. This makes it easy when working outside the country to define raw material requirements and assure compliance prior to the sampling process. Trust can be an issue and this is why it is important that your sourcing partner has a high quality engineering team on the ground overseas to test and qualify raw materials used in the factories.
#4 – I’ll have to pay for the product before it is shipped, negatively impacting my cash flow
The answer is… it depends. Sourcing partners that are looking to establish long-term relationships with their prospects will work with you to understand your product and customer needs. They can, and will, put in place a program where you are not invoiced until the product reaches its destination.
#5 – I can’t be sure of product quality over time
Unlike many Trading Companies a high quality sourcing partner will identify and establish relationships with factories that are sustainable over the long-term. By doing the hard work up front you will have comfort order after order. The sourcing partner acts as a relationship manager to the factories making sure capacity and capabilities remain in place otherwise they will begin to seek out alternatives for you.
#6 – I have no recourse if my product doesn’t meet my pre-defined requirements
This can be really scary from both a business management and customer relationship perspective and often times ends up being the show stopper from moving forward on what otherwise looks like a smart business decision. One approach is to Think Big, Start Small and Scale Fast after proven success. This is an approach any high quality sourcing partner is willing to execute.
It is fair to say that the risks inherent in what I’ve referred to as Myths are real, but, if you have high quality partners helping you navigate the risks your bottom line can swell!