China presents a great opportunity for worldwide alcohol companies, but selling to China is a lengthy and difficult process that includes everything from adhering to import restrictions and submitting the necessary paperwork to identifying the best local markets and consumers. As a result, most companies prefer to deal with an importer or distributor to ensure that exporting to China goes as easily as possible. This post will explain how to locate reputable alcohol importers in China.
What Is the Importance of Due Diligence?
To achieve the best sales results when exporting to China, make sure your sales partners are qualified, capable, and appropriate for your firm and type of alcohol. Large distributors have a regional or national reach, but they also tend to focus on building partnerships with large producers of well-known brands, overlooking small and medium-sized producers. Local or provincial distributors are more likely to be interested in small and medium producers. While many of these distributors are trustworthy and have well-established sales channels, determining which ones are the latter is tough. Any records that may exist on the internet are likely to be entirely in English.
Due diligence on potential Chinese sales partners allows you to assess their qualifications and ensure that they are trustworthy. You may learn about their sales capabilities and whether or not they will reach your target local markets and clients by looking at their distribution methods.
What factors should I consider while choosing an alcohol importer/distributor in China?
Your perfect importer and distributor will assist you in getting your items to Chinese consumers, so make your selection carefully. You should think about the company’s ownership structure and size, as well as its geographic reach, sales channel, and product(s) sold.
A local or international sales partner will have its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Chinese importers and distributors may have a better understanding of the market and consumer preferences, whereas foreign importers and distributors are more experienced with imported goods.
Market coverage is greater for larger enterprises with a regional or national distribution network. Those that cater to a particular city or province, on the other hand, tend to have more control over the distribution process because they are only focused on that place.
The majority of purchases in China are made through on-trade and off-trade channels, but online shopping has become more enticing in recent years. If you want to reach a wide spectrum of customers, look for distributors who have a variety of sales channels and offline-online methods.
Those that specialize in imported foods and beverages, on the other hand, are beneficial to foreign alcohol companies since they appreciate the worth of the products you sell. You could also choose sales partners who specialize in your market segment.
What Is the Best Way to Tell whether an Alcohol Importer/Distributor Is Legit?
In a market as huge as China, there are hundreds of alcohol importers and distributors. Our job is to figure out who is trustworthy and who isn’t. We investigate their present financial status and legal standing in addition to their qualifications. We also inspect their facilities for crucial documentation such as licenses, certificates, and insurance (e.g., public liability, cash-in-safe, property, etc). (e.g. warehouses and storage).
Final Thoughts on Finding Good Chinese Alcohol Importers and Distributors
China may be a lucrative market for alcoholic beverage producers, but the country’s significantly different culture, along with the language barrier, can cause even the most savvy businesses to lose money. Maneuvering in the area necessitates a regional understanding. While choosing the correct distributors or importers to assist you achieve your market goals is no easy task, doing your homework will protect you from scams and unneeded dangers.
