Trade shows can put hundreds of potential suppliers in front of you within a few days. They can also waste a great deal of time if you arrive without a clear plan.
Events such as the Canton Fair, Global Sources, CES, and IFA still offer advantages that online sourcing platforms cannot fully replace. You can handle products, ask questions in real time, assess how suppliers respond, and quickly build a picture of what is happening across a market.
However, an impressive booth does not prove that a supplier is capable, reliable, or suitable for your business. Suppliers are also assessing you and deciding whether you appear to be a serious buyer or simply someone browsing for ideas.
In this episode of China Manufacturing Decoded, Adrian and Renaud explain how to prepare for a trade show, what to ask potential suppliers, how to distinguish manufacturers from trading companies, and how to present your business, forecasts, and product requirements credibly.
They also discuss how to use trade shows for trend research, why some widely displayed products may offer little competitive advantage, and why factory visits and supplier due diligence should follow any promising conversation.
P.S.
This was a question from one of our listeners, Robert C, and we will cover more in the near future!
Listen here
Listen to the episode or watch on YouTube
Podcast sections
- 00:00:10 – Introduction and Robert’s listener question
- 00:01:19 – Are trade shows still worth attending?
- 00:03:40 – Why in-person trade shows can beat online supplier searches
- 00:04:53 – Spotting trends and avoiding undifferentiated products
- 00:07:18 – Why an impressive booth proves very little
- 00:09:06 – Questions buyers should ask potential suppliers
- 00:09:32 – How to avoid being seen as a “tire kicker”
- 00:11:35 – Researching exhibitors before attending the show
- 00:14:11 – Manufacturer or trading company?
- 00:15:00 – In-house capabilities, customer fit, and production capacity
- 00:16:52 – How suppliers judge visitors at their booths
- 00:18:21 – How to present your company as a credible prospect
- 00:20:12 – Realistic forecasts, order values, and exaggerated promises
- 00:21:48 – Why the maturity of your product design matters
- 00:23:16 – Discussing first-order MOQs and longer-term volumes
- 00:24:39 – Final advice and the Agilian factory-tour series – watch the tour videos here
Further content
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- How To Get More Out of a China Trade Fair Visit
- How To Find Suppliers in China
- 27 Questions To Ask During a China Factory Visit
- Are Suppliers on Alibaba and Global Sources Trustworthy?
- Sourcing from China 101, Part 2: How to Identify Potential Chinese Suppliers?
Found some possible suppliers? We can help check them:
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