Should you go straight to the source and visit a trade fair in Hong Kong, and what do you do when you get there? Gain key insight into visiting exhibitions in China here.

Hong Kong hosts a number of great trade shows and is easy to get to. Once you get to the show, we'll tell you what questions you should think about asking the suppliers.

What is it like at a China trade show?
These videos are from the China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products and China Sourcing Fair: Fashion Accessories shows and give you a feel for how all the China Sourcing Fairs operate.

Youtube links:
China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products
China Sourcing Fair: Fashion & Accessories

Visiting a trade show has a lot of advantages; even more so because many of them are held in Hong Kong, which still combines the best of both China and the western world. The China Sourcing Fairs are hosted by Global Sources; Global Sources also has an online directory of China suppliers (with verified suppliers who have been physically visited 3 or more times) and the Global Sources Direct online wholesale shopping site good for folks with less import experience.

Visiting Hong Kong for a trade show -- how difficult is it?
The world’s buyers have been flocking to Hong Kong for decades to find suppliers of products that they need for their business. Why? Because Hong Kong really is a modern, world class city.

With its previous history of British control, English continues to be commonly used. The vast majority of people speak English with most directional signage also in English. The language barrier is non-existent at best, minimal at worst.

Many businesses set up their China headquarters in Hong Kong because it maintains the same western legal system it had prior to the handover to China, giving it a strong and predictable rule of law.

A round trip economy ticket from the United States generally cost around $1,500. When you arrive in Hong Kong you'll see why the airport is consistently rated as one of the world's best. The airport itself is modern with over 60 gates, most of which are filled with big Boeing 747s. It also has free Wi-Fi, good restaurants and lots of shopping. The airport is one of the busiest in Asia and acts as a hub for much of Southeast Asia.

Hong Kong also has great food. Certainly the Chinese food is good -- dim sum and Peking Duck. If you're in the mood for something closer to home, you can find everything from Ruth’s Chris steakhouse to McDonalds. Lots of other Southeast Asian and European cuisine available too. See this map of restaurants in the Lan Kwai Fong entertainment area to see how international the choices are -- Yung Kee is a good bet for Chinese food.

Hotels in Hong Kong are first-rate, although getting more and more expensive -- you'll probably pay between US$100 and $200 per night, although you can find both more expensive and cheaper. Shop around and book early in order to get a room -- trade show season (October and April) is very busy, hotels fill up quickly and charge premium rates. Sites that can help you find hotels are Asia Hotels (http://www.asiahotels.com/) and Zuji (http://www.zuji.com/).

You don’t need a rental car -- public transportation is very good, among the best in the world. Taxis, the subway and public buses can get you everywhere you want to go. For example, from the airport you have a choice of taxi, bus or subway (Airport Express) to get to your hotel, all very clean and modern.

Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar, which has an exchange rate of about US$1 = HK$7.75. The currency is freely convertible, so you can exchange at the airport or in any of the small foreign exchange shops. You don’t need to bring much cash with you. Credit cards like Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted and the widely prevalent ATM machines interface with virtually all overseas ATM networks. Do check how much your bank will charge you for an international withdrawal though.

There is quite a lot to see while off work. Some favorites include a visit to the old Chinese temples, a ride on the peak tram and the Star Ferry both of which provide great city views, or walking through the interesting museums including the Museum of Art and History, the Museum of Science and the Museum of Space. For nature lovers, a hike on the outlying islands or in the New Territories provides an opportunity to get away from the big city.

U.S. citizens don’t need a visa to enter Hong Kong, just bring your passport. If you do plan on visiting factories or other trade shows in mainland China, you will need to a visa to enter mainland China; get it before you leave the United States or in Hong Kong (which will take several days).

The China trade shows
If you need to source products from China and want to meet suppliers face-to-face, the best way to do this is at China trade shows. Global Sources hosts China Sourcing Fairs every April and October. Shows currently include:

• Electronics & Components with consumer electronics, digital entertainment, in-car electronics, computer & networking, WiFi & VoIP products, health & personal care electronics, security & safety, electronic components, and power supplies
• Fashion Accessories show will have hand bags, fashion jewelry, belts, hats, footwear, sunglasses
• Underwear & Swimwear show with under wear, swimwear and models
• Gifts & Home Products with gifts, premiums, kitchen & household products, home décor, glassware, basket ware, garden & outdoor products, stationery, and sports & leisure products

Future dates, along with dates of the Dubai and Shanghai shows, can be found at the China Sourcing Fair website. While you’ll have to register to enter the show, registration is free. The show dates sometimes overlap other shows, so you may be able to visit more than one show at a time.

You can see dates of other major shows, including others in Hong Kong and China, at http://tradeshow.globalsources.com/. One event worth special note for being China's longest-running trade show is the Canton Fair.

Preparing for the show: know your requirements
If you’re looking to source a specific product (rather than browsing for ideas) prepare for talking to suppliers by writing all your requirements down before going to the show, especially your product requirements. Use this as a source of questions you’ll ask the suppliers you speak with and later for your purchase order.

Questions to consider asking the suppliers
You see an interesting product, now what? Being face-to-face with the supplier, you’ve now got an excellent opportunity to find out if this is the supplier that will meet your requirements. Whether at a China trade show or another trade shows, areas you’ll want to discuss with the supplier include:

• Price: What is the price, FOB Hong Kong (FOB means the supplier pays to get the goods to the Hong Kong port)? Often the supplier will tell you the price per unit if you order 1 container worth of the product. This may be more than you need, make sure you understand what quantity is being quoted.
• Quantity: What is your minimum order quantity or can I start with a smaller trial order? A smaller order quantity will result in a higher price per unit.
• Payment terms: Pretty common is 30% at time of placing the order and 70% when the product ships from the supplier, but this is negotiable.
• Lead time: How long does it take from when I place the purchase order until you have the goods delivered to the Hong Kong port? There are sometimes delays in the manufacturing process, so don’t bet your business on an on-time delivery.
• Customization: Can you customize the order to my needs? Are OEM services available?
• Packaging Requirements: How do you want your products packaged? Do you want special artwork on either the inner or outer cartons? Is an instruction manual required?
• References: Do you have customers in the United States and how long have you been exporting to them? Can you tell me who they are? It is helpful if the supplier has experience exporting to your market; although it’s ultimately the importers responsibility, the supplier will be more familiar with any issues that may exist for a particular product.
• Certification/Regulatory Approvals: Do you have the necessary certifications or regulatory approval for this product in my country? Is it current? Again, as the importer, it is your responsibility (not the supplier's) to make sure all legal requirements are met. Do your homework on this one.
• Quality Assurance / Quality Control: How do you ensure Quality? What steps do you take to ensure the quality of the product? What experience do you have with third party quality assurance? Can I provide specific product inspection criteria? In addition to talking about inspections at the end of the process, you may listen to see if the supplier also talks about continuous improvement of manufacturing processes in order to reduce future quality problems.
• Production updates / Quality Monitoring: Can you, the importer, get regular updates on the status of production, including photos of raw materials, components or parts, etc. If you want such updates, include them as terms and conditions in your purchase order and go over the terms and conditions one by one with the supplier.
• Factory or Trading Company: You want to know which the supplier is; each has advantages, but if you want a product or packaging changed or the quality control process changed, a trading company may have less ability to control these changes. If you want smaller quantities or someone to interface with the manufacturer on your behalf, a trading company can be very helpful. In general, the wider the range of products displayed at the show, the more likely the company is a trading company.
• Visiting the factory: If you find one or two suppliers that you are really interested in, you may ask to visit their factory. This will likely entail a trip into mainland China, where English is not widely spoken, so plan this well. Among other things, U.S. citizens do need a Visa to enter China (although not Hong Kong).
• Export License: Mainland Chinese companies can only export if they have an export license. Sometimes the factory doesn’t, and they go through an import/export company in order to export. This can somewhat complicate the transaction by adding another party; ask the supplier how he’ll handle this.

Placing your order
You can, in fact, place an order while at the show. Many global buyers come to China trade shows and meet with the suppliers they’ve been doing business with for many years, placing their entire season’s orders at the booth on the show floor. If you are new to sourcing from China, or if a supplier is new to you, you probably won't take this big a step; instead you'll likely start by requesting several suppliers send samples after the show (often paying for the samples and their shipping). If the samples meet your requirements, you can start with a small trial order. The trial order mitigates the risk of a big order not meeting your needs. You may also consider hiring a third party inspection company to inspect product after it has been manufactured but before it ships.

There are thousands of global buyers at these shows -- the opportunity to network with them is a free educational opportunity and can be invaluable.

In addition to meeting with the suppliers, the China Sourcing Fair shows a free conference program -- Buying from China: What New Buyers Need to Know. See the China Sourcing Fairs website for details on times and dates. Getting started is half the battle and these conference sessions may help you get moving in the right direction.

You can't make the show
If you’re not able to visit China during the April or October trade show seasons, you can search for suppliers year round on the Global Sources website (http://www.globalsources.com/). You'll find many of the suppliers listed also attend the trade shows. The Global Sources online directory lists a wide range of products from china manufacturers and suppliers, including ATVs, digital photo frames and hand bags -- all from companies Global Sources has physically visited three or more times to verify they are real companies. Alternatively, if dealing with suppliers and the import process seems daunting, you go online and purchase small lots of product direct from China on the Global Sources Direct website -- the site already has iphone accessories available for purchase.

Getting started
More information about importing into the United States is available at from U.S. customs -- you can start with Importing into the United States, A Guide for Commercial Importers, or check on the World Customs Organization site under customs websites for information for your country’s customs departments.

Whether through trade shows, online websites, or magazines, there are plenty of resources that can help you get started with the import process. You start the process of expanding your China supplier base by registering to attend the next China Sourcing Fairs.

Search Verified Suppliers on Global Sources Popular Searches:  China Magic Markers, China Water Colours, China Dog Costume, China Auto Kit Global Sources - Comprehensive search results and verified suppliers

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