Whether you’re a business or an individual, the question of whether to source from a local manufacturer – or to import – is always present. There are some key differences between the two, including in key areas such as cost, lead times and quality. On the whole, working with a local manufacturer tends to establish a more positive ongoing relationship and better opportunities for accessing the products, and the service, that you’re looking for. These are some of the reasons why we think it makes sense to choose a local manufacturer over importing.
The cost question
One of the main reasons that we opt for importing products is because there is often a lower cost associated with this approach. However, it’s worth noting that this can be a false economy, especially if you find yourself in a situation where you have to return items, or where quality takes a dip. If quality is important to you – which it invariably is for most people – then a local manufacturer is going to be the better choice. Compromising quality for a lower cost can generate a lot of (expensive) problems further down the line.
High quality service
When you’re dealing with someone closer to home there are a lot of benefits when it comes to service. At a basic level there are no language barriers to overcome and you don’t need to take into account different time zones or working hours. Large exporters are rarely able to offer the same level of customer service as a local manufacturer. If you have questions or issues about your order these can get lost in a sea of other customer service requests and you’re unlikely to get individual attention. For local manufacturers, reputations are built on service and ensuring it is high quality at all times will be key.
Speed of delivery
This relates not just to the speed at which products can get from a manufacturer to you but also the lead in times that are involved. Mass exporters have little flexibility when it comes to catering to the lead times that you want, whereas a local manufacturer will be more able to tailor this to what you need. If you’re purchasing from abroad you may need to wait months for your items to arrive – and pay a lot more to get them here safely.
High quality products
Compromises can be made in the manufacturing process in order to save on costs or time. If that’s happening thousands of miles away then you will have little control over it, even if it affects the eventual quality of the products that you receive. If you’re not happy with your products then it can take weeks to return them and have revisions made so that they reach your standards. The whole process can end up being incredibly time consuming and laborious.
When it comes to choosing between importing or buying local, these are some of the reasons why it makes sense to choose a local manufacturer. We are local manufacturers focused on building positive, on going relationships with our clients – find out more.