FAQ

General (Americas)

What kind of products can I get manufactured in the Americas?

Most of our customers manufacturing in Americas are primarily in the following product areas:

• Apparel and textiles
• Leather goods
• Bags
• Accessories
• Furniture
• High-end materials
• CNC parts
• Injection molds
• Food and beverage
• Supplements

What are the advantages of manufacturing products in the Americas?

The main benefit, at least for brands based in North and South America, is that you can find suppliers closer to home. Then there’s also the perceived brand value associated with having a product labeled as Made in USA – or even Made in Mexico.

Further, absurd delays and skyrocketing freight costs have made it far more interesting for brands in the US and elsewhere to seriously consider manufacturing closer to home.

What are some disadvantages of manufacturing products in the Americas?

The main drawback is that you simply cannot find suppliers for “everything” in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere in the Americas – which you often can when sourcing in China. There are limits to what can be sourced for the time being in the US, Mexico and other countries in the region – at least for the time being.

As such, whether manufacturing in the Americas is even an option depends first and foremost on your product category.

Is it more expensive to manufacture products in the Americas?

Manufacturing in the United States and Mexico can be more expensive compared to China or Vietnam – at least when you only factor in the product cost. That said, relentless increases in shipping costs have changed the calculation for many brands and in some cases the total cost is comparable – possibly even lower – when manufacturing in the US and Mexico.

What is the MOQ when sourcing suppliers in the US and Mexico?

There is no uniform Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) requirement in the United States and Mexico. We can source suppliers elsewhere though, but it depends on the product category.

Which are the main manufacturing countries in North and South America?

So far our customers have only enquired on manufacturing in the United States and Mexico.

How do you source suppliers in the United States and Mexico?

We use supplier databases, certification databases and regular search engines (yes, that means Google) to find suppliers. We don’t have access to ‘secret’ supplier networks or directories – but we do have more than 10 years of experience sourcing suppliers and advising on manufacturing projects.

Sourcing Report

What is the purpose of the report?

The purpose of the report is to give you an overview of relevant suppliers. It’s a first step towards finding new or alternative suppliers in a certain country or region.

How many products and/or product categories can be covered by one report?

We only source suppliers based on one product and material. For example, if we source cotton children’s apparel manufacturers we’ll only focus on suppliers producing children’s apparel made of cotton.

That said, there are situations in which we can take secondary products into consideration – but only for as long as these products are manufactured by the suppliers in the relevant industry. For example, it’s not possible to find children’s apparel manufacturers that also make power banks and watches.

Which criteria do you use to select suppliers?

We select suppliers based on the following criteria:

• Product and material scope (e.g. Organic cotton babywear)
• Compliance documents (e.g. REACH test reports)
• ISO 9001 certification
• ISO 14001 certification
• BSCI, SA 8000 and Sedex audit reports

The selection is entirely based on the suppliers claims, such as website statements.

Do you verify the suppliers claims about capabilities and certification?

No, the selection is based on the suppliers claims and statements. Here are some examples:

• Product and material scop: As presented on their company website
• Compliance documents: Uploaded
• ISO 9001 certification
• ISO 14001 certification
• BSCI, SA 8000 and Sedex audit reports

It is therefore possible that suppliers have uploaded expired or for other reasons invalid documents, or outright false information. Keep in mind that the purpose of the report is to do the groundwork in terms of researching suppliers.

Do you guarantee that the suppliers will accept our order?

No, it is always up to the suppliers to decide whether they accept your order.

Do you guarantee that the suppliers are reliable?

Suppliers cannot be classified as consistently ‘reliable’ or ‘unreliable’. While we filter suppliers based on the selection criteria to find the most qualified companies, the outcome depends entirely on how the process as a whole is managed. There are also other supplier related risks to be taken into consideration that can never be eliminated by our selection criteria. Here are a few examples:

• Failure to produce a satisfying product sample
• Quality issues during production
• Failure to adhere to initial quotations
• Frauds perpetrated by individual employees (e.g. payment scams)
• Bankruptcy
• IP theft

Our selection is based on an assessment – which cannot reasonably predict every single outcome. Do not assume that the suppliers listed in the report are by default and in every situation ‘reliable’ or ‘quality’ suppliers.

Do you guarantee product quality?

No, the Sourcing Report itself does not guarantee that the product will reach certain quality requirements. It is therefore important that you:

1. Have a clear and well defined product specification

2. Arrange pre-shipment quality inspections

3. Arrange product lab testing to verify compliance (when necessary)

Do you guarantee that the suppliers will not use our product design and brand?

No, we don’t offer design or brand protection in any capacity. It is up to you to obtain the necessary intellectual property protections available, such as design patents, utility patents, and trademarks whenever necessary.

What happens if we are not satisfied with the report?

If so we must first understand the cause. We will remake the report free of charge as long as there is room for improvement. That said, we can only find suppliers that are actually out there – and sometimes it turns out that the number of suppliers is limited.

Further, we can only reflect actual market conditions in terms of pricing, MOQ, and sample costs.

Do you help us order products after the report?

No, we don’t assist with product sample orders or production orders. You will have to manage all communications with the supplier once the report is delivered.

Payment Methods

Can I pay with my Visa or MasterCard?

Yes, we offer credit card payments through PayPal or Stripe. Customers based in certain countries may be required to create a PayPal account in order to make a Credit Card transaction. This is free and only takes a moment. You just need to add your email address and agree with the Paypal Terms of Service. With Stripe, you don’t need to create an account.

Can I pay with PayPal?

Yes, you can pay with your balance, bank account, or credit card through PayPal.

Do you have a refund policy?

We only offer refunds if the order is cancelled before we have started the sourcing process. Once it has started you have no right to request a refund. Further, we do not process refunds if you have downloaded any of the templates, guides, or used support to ask questions.

Do you offer a safe payment method?

Yes, all payments are processed by PayPal or Stripe, which uses an SSL certificate to encrypt your data.

Will I receive an invoice for my company?

Yes, it’s delivered together with the payment confirmation email.

Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Where can I find your Terms of Service?

Follow this link to read our Terms of Service.

Where can I find your Privacy Policy?

Follow this link to read our Privacy Policy.

Buy NowFree Consultation Call