If you are running a hotel group, you might want to import your hotel key cards from China because which could save you thousands of dollars every month.
Then you might be wondering if you never imported from China, how to get it started.
1. Find a Chinese hotel card supplier
The first step and also the most important is to find a reliable Chinese hotel card supplier. Since there are many compatible chips manufactured in China, it will be the best to choose a Chinese supplier because the purchasing cost would be the lowest.
Then how to find a Chinese hotel key card supplier? Generally speaking, there are 2 ways; offline and online.
Offline channels:
Exhibitions
Going to an exhibition is the most traditional way to find a supplier. If you want to find a hotel card supplier, do not go trade fairs like Canton fair, but go large exhibitions in the industry because on these trade shows you can find the right supplier easier. There are more and more Chinese suppliers exhibit on international trade shows globally, so don’t worry you couldn’t find anything there.
Visiting factories
Try to search “hotel key card supplier” on the internet, you will find out that most suppliers are based in Shenzhen. List a few suppliers, set up a face-to-face meeting with them, buy yourself a ticket and go to visit their offices and factories personally, you will have your own decision after you are back.
Online channels:
B2B platforms
You can find a card manufacturer from B2B platforms directly, such as Alibaba, global sources, etc. Remember to choose a verified supplier when you are finding suppliers on alibaba. In the company profile, you can find the vedio that Alibaba shot in their office and factory, which would help you to identify whether this supplier is real existing.
Google search
Search hotel key card manufacturer on google directly, choose a few suppliers that seems reliable into your list, then communicate with them one by one to see which ones are worth trying.
Exhibitor list
Search for the large exhibitions in the industry, go to their official website, you will find the list of all exhibitors there, check the information for each exhibitor that looks like a card manufacturer. If they are capable of exhibiting an international exhibition, they should experience in exporting key cards.
SNS
You can also search hotel card supplier on social networking platforms, such as Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube. But be careful if the supplier does not have an official website but only social networking accounts, because website is very essential to a formal company, even if one with local language (Chinese).
Online search first, if there is any chance, go visit their factory or office too, have a face-to-face communication, check and see how they produce a regular order. That would help you know your supplier better.
If you are not sure how to judge whether a card supplier is realible or not, check this artile to learn more.
2. Shipping
After finding a suitable supplier, the second thing you need to consider is shipping.
Sometimes you might have found a real card manufacturer, but they never exported key cards before, then you might face many troubles during the quotation, payment, quality control, shipping, etc.
So, make sure to get yourself a supplier who’s experienced in international transactions. Further more, if one day you need dropshipping or blind shipping, and your supplier is also familiar with this shipping method, that would save you lots of troubles and won’t mess it up.
When trading with an overseas supplier, you will need to learn some incoterms. There are 6 incoterms that are used very frequently in international business.
EXW (Ex-works)
Under EXW, the supplier is only responsible for producing the hotel key cards, you take all the cost and risks after cards are transffered at the place of delivery. So, if you never imported hotel key cards from China, this price term is not recommended.
FOB (Free on Board)
Under FOB, the supplier needs to deliver the goods to the exporting port, and responsible for the custom clearance of export. You need to take all costs and risks after the supplier loaded the cards on board of the vessel.
CFR or CNF (Cost and Freight)
Under CFR or CNF, the supplier needs to cover the shipping cost besides the cost of the cards, also, they need to take care of the exporting customs clearance. But if the goods are damaged during the shipping, neither the supplier nor the shipping company would be responsible for it.
CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight)
Under CIF, the supplier needs to cover the shipping cost and insurance during the shipment. Besides, they need to take care of exporting customs clearance. If the goods are damaged or lost during the shipping, the supplier needs to be responsible for it.
DDP (Delivery Duty Paid)
Under DDP, the supplier is responsible for all risks and costs during the whole process of shipping the cards to the destinated place in destination country. You need to undertake all risks and cost after the cards are delivered to the specified address unloaded.
DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid)
The only difference between DDP and DDU is that you need to pay the import taxes for DDU.
So, if you are unfamiliar with international shipping, the safest and most convenient shipping method would be CFR, DDU and DDP.
3. Confirm production details
Quotation
Before you decide to proceed with a supplier, make sure their quotation is clear and correct. Some supplier would add for some additional cost after you confirmed the order, or even more, after you sent the payment.
Payment terms
If you have lots of orders in your hands, talk to the supplier to see what credit terms they can offer. This is another way of supplier’s support and what’s more, it shows supplier’s financial strength to a certain extent.
Production lead time
Production lead time is very important because a stable lead time is also the key factor to a stable supply chain.
4. Custom clearance
Custom clearance is the last important step when you are trying to import hotel key cards for your hotel. Then which documents you will need for the custom clearance?
If the cards’ value is not high, the documents needed for goods exporting China would be very simple; commercial invoice is the only one thing that’s needed. If the value is high, then there are 3 documents that’s necessary;
Commercial invoice
Packing list
Contract
Some countries would also require for certificate of origin, make sure whether it’s necessary in your country.
But usually, an experienced supplier would handle this, you don’t have to worry about the exporting issues at all.
When comes to import, in most issues you will need to handle it by yourself. So, before you place the order to a supplier, you’d better check the required importing documents with your local custom to see whether you can get all the papers done, or if the supplier can help you to get some of the documents done.
Also, you will usually need to pay the import taxes. Different countries have different policies regarding the taxes, check with the customs prior to releasing the PO to the supplier. Besides, remember to ask for the HS code with the supplier before checking taxes with your custom.
If you have a forwarder or broker, the whole importing process would be much easier. Get a specialist does the job when necessary.
Chat with an expert at Nexqo, all you need to do is handling the importing issues and wait to receive your amazing cards.
P.S.: click here to see the details of our hotel key card.