Dealing with suppliers with tariffs

Ask Me Anything Q&A Aidropshippingwithzopi
1

Do you have a checklist that we can go through before having that conversation with the suppliers?

What I can think of for now is pricing, bulk buy, shipping cost and custom. I do feel like there’s more to consider in preparation to the changing scenarios instead of trials and errors which create very poor experiences with my customers.

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2

Hi, I think this is a nice consider for dropshipping and tariffs.

3

Hi @CNS_stimulant ,

Absolutely! In addition to factors like pricing, bulk purchasing, shipping costs, and customs, here’s an additional checklist for your consideration:

1. Product Quality and Consistency:

  • Confirm the quality of products remains consistent despite cost changes.
  • Establish clear quality control measures and expectations.
  • Request samples of new or alternative products if necessary.

2. Lead Time and Supply Chain Stability:

  • Assess the supplier’s ability to maintain consistent lead times.
  • Discuss contingency plans for supply chain disruptions.
  • Evaluate the supplier’s capacity to handle increased orders or changes in demand.

3. Contract Terms and Conditions:

  • Review existing contracts and agreements.
  • Negotiate terms to reflect new tariff conditions.
  • Ensure flexibility in contracts to accommodate future changes.

4. Alternative Suppliers and Markets:

  • Identify potential alternative suppliers from non-tariff regions.
  • Explore opportunities to diversify your product range or target markets.
  • Assess the feasibility of sourcing similar products from different countries.

I hope this helps! :blush:

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4

Nice! Can you speak to how to actually do the following:

  1. Confirm the quality of products remains consistent despite cost changes.

  2. Assess the supplier’s ability to maintain consistent lead times.

I mean, those are great ideas to think about, but what tangible steps would you suggest?

5

Thank you for your interest, @CNS_stimulant

Of course! Here’s how you can break down the advice into actionable steps:

  1. To confirm product quality, you can:
  • Build Relationships with Suppliers: Establish strong communication and trust with your suppliers to ensure they understand your quality expectations.
  • Request Product Samples: Ask for physical samples to inspect the actual quality of the products they are offering.
  • Obtain Real Images or Videos: Request clear images or videos of the product from different angles and conditions.
  • Check Reviews and Ratings: Analyze customer reviews and product ratings to get unbiased feedback on quality.
  • Monitor Consistency Over Time: Regularly verify that the quality of delivered products matches your initial standards.
  1. To assess supplier lead-time reliability, you can:
  • Prioritize Suppliers with Multiple Warehouses: Choose suppliers that operate warehouses in multiple regions to enhance fulfillment flexibility.
  • Look for Quick Preparation Times: Target suppliers who can prepare orders within 24 hours to ensure fast processing.
  • Evaluate Shipping Partnerships: Check if the supplier collaborates with multiple reliable shipping carriers to provide timely deliveries.
  • Review Historical Performance: Analyze the supplier’s past delivery records to assess their reliability.
  • Communicate Expectations and Monitor Performance: Maintain open dialogue to address potential bottlenecks and track delivery times regularly.