FAQ

The Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) is an initiative of the Foreign Trade Association (FTA), the leading business association of European and international commerce that brings together over 1,500 retailers, importers, brands and national associations to improve the political and legal framework for trade in a sustainable way. BSCI support more than 1,500 FTA member companies to integrate social compliance at the heart of their global supply chains.

The BSCI is a leading supply chain management system. It supports companies with the goal to drive social compliance and improvements within the factories and farms in their global supply chains.

We create a specific contract for each order and factory. This includes all the terms and specifications for the order. Once it is in production, we will control that the factory fulfills all the terms specified in the contract.

Factory Audit

We check the factories samples for quality and also for price. Then we conduct a thorough factory audit, which includes checking:

• Factory profile

• Organisation/ process

• Materials and quality assurance system

• Production capacity

• The state of the facilities and machinery

The audit includes pictures of facilities, materials, and machinery. We have a scoring system and approve the audit only to factories that have fulfilled 80% of the requirements.

After the factory audit, we conduct background checks, both financial and legal liabilities. We confirm the work after a thorough check if everything is okay.

On-the-ground Presence

Most importantly, we’ll be on the ground to conduct Quality Inspection on the finished goods before it ships.

We combine the in-factory control with global laboratory tests to achieve compliance with the strictest country (i.e. AU) regulations.

Production Experience

Our experienced ground experts have been involved in many manufacturing projects, including production line management, staff training and quality control. We know where to find defects and will ensure the defect rate does not exceed agreed thresholds.

Quality Inspection Methodology

We work under the AQL – (Acceptable Quality Level) quality control concept. It refers to the minimum level of faults that are acceptable in a sample of a manufactured product.

For an entire batch to be accepted, the number of faults need to be lower than the AQL. If it is higher, the entire batch is rejected.

Reputation Matters

The AQL will be specified in quotes and contracts. However larger or more reputable factories will more likely adhere to the AQL compared to smaller scale / less reputable factories who may try to cut costs in order to meet quantity demands or the number of orders on-hand. 

SourceX Value-added Services

Today — an integrated, sustainable, quality management program with clearly focused networks is a decisive competitive advantage. At SourceX, we conceive your quality requirements to precisely match your business processes and offer you comprehensive support — ranging from the creation of a zero-defects culture to the development of a value-added orientation. Here, SourceX’s experienced experts always examine which quality methods are most efficient for your particular product and how requirements can be optimally applied to your needs.

You can learn more about our process here.

China has emerged as the top manufacturer for a majority of brands. Why do so many companies choose to produce in China? Here are 4 reasons:

• Low cost – according to studies, manufacturing in China can help reduce costs from 30% to 80%.

• Strategic location – China is close to growing markets like India and South Korea.

• Advanced Supply Chain Management – Chinese suppliers have updated their supply chain management processes with the latest technologies, raising their standards to international levels.

• Access to state-of-the-art technology – due to the potential of their manufacturing in the global market, China is developing its technology with new AI and electronic products.

Trading companies don’t directly manufacture products, but connect buyers with the right manufacturers. The main advantage of working with a trading company is that they can choose the best option among an array of manufacturers.

Working directly with a manufacturer can be useful if you have the expertise and the market knowledge to choose the best factory in China for your product. Usually Chinese manufacturers are highly specialised in one product type or one manufacturing process. For instance, a company that manufactures golf shoes would not make golf bags.

Trading companies don’t manufacture or retail products. Instead, they source from selected factories according to the requirements of their clients. They connect buyers with the right manufacturers for the products. At SourceX, we select and work with more than a thousand factories carefully selected by their processes and quality.

Trading companies have the advantage that they can offer an array of products, since they are not limited by what one factory can produce.

Just like every other country impacted by COVID-19, China’s economy had taken a hit. The good news is that businesses are recovering as demand for goods and services ramp-up. Factories are operating close to the same capacity as before COVID-19. We envision that demand will continue to increase whilst production costs go up due to inflation. 

The Chinese government are still taking COVID-19 precautions, but stringent measures will relax in the coming months. Trade shows are back again and at SourceX, we are attending to them all over China with the goal of finding the latest trends and products.

If the product you want to produce is not in our catalogue, no problem:

1. Contact us. Show us a drawing or a picture of a similar item. You can send us an engineering design or just a sketch.

2. We will contact you to further understand your needs. We then will suggest the best materials for the product from the top sheet metal, die casting, and plastic factories in China.

If the product you want is not in our catalogue, contact us with your requirement and we will find the best option with the best quality and the best price.

Product sourcing is finding dependable suppliers in the market to purchase and/or manufacture quality items for your business. SourceX offers sourcing services for distributors, wholesalers, retailers and other industry professionals looking to import products from overseas.

A sourcing company handles the entire process of finding suitable manufacturers, overseeing production and (if necessary) arranging delivery of the goods to your business.
Our on-the-ground team ensure the appropriate and dependable manufacturers are used, taking the hassle and unknowns out of a company trying to source goods directly.
We provide product sourcing services by locating qualified suppliers, creating prototypes, negotiating contract conditions, performing quality control during manufacturing, and arranging global delivery. Through our unrivalled access to manufacturers, we can combine supplier resources, saving you time and money.

We use our extensive manufacturer network to find the most suitable manufacturer for your sourcing order. Our criteria of qualification involve checking that the source matches your specifications before negotiating the best pricing and contract conditions. We will also verify that the manufacturers have all of the necessary permits to export goods outside of the country and to their final destination, as well as meeting any other criteria your business may have.

Before an order/design is confirmed we’ll provide you with a quote from a qualified supplier that details your product specs. We’ll provide you with mock-ups of what the final product will look like. We’ll always require the customer’s approval before sampling and production is done.

After you’ve confirmed the order and are happy with the design, we’ll ask for a deposit to commence your order’s production. The production process varies from product to product but will generally take 3-5 weeks.

Samples can be made before entering full-scale production for you to inspect. A member of our team will also provide an in-depth quality check report to ensure that the product meets your qualifications. Once you have confirmed that you are happy with the quality and specifications, we can then enter full-scale production.

Sourcing is easy with SourceX. Just follow these simple steps:

To source a product, you need to submit an online enquiry here: https://sourcex.com.au/contact/ 

Go to Products at the top menu and click on a product category. You will find online catalogues, brands and products offered. Contact us should you find a suitable product (quote product code) or let us know if you can’t find one. We can quickly shortlist some options for you.

Find our best selling products on the Best Sellers page at SourceX.com.au. Right now, the best-selling items go from smart home/desktop appliances to True Wireless Earbuds, so the list varies greatly from time to time. Check the page regularly so you can find the most popular items to source.

At SourceX we are always on the search for the latest trends. That’s why we frequent all major trade shows all over China. You can see our latest findings in our Products Recommendation page. Subscribe to us and get the latest trending products.