OFFSHORE SOURCING: Frequently Asked Questions

Why Asian sourcing?
Asia provides a broad spectrum of manufacturing opportunities. Asian countries are now manufacturing sources for the biggest names in consumer products. And with modern equipment and manufacturing management practices in place, low cost no longer means low quality. All you need to take advantage of Asian sourcing is to find the right partners...and that's where Paragon comes in.

Why do we need a sourcing agent?
Offshore sourcing involves a steep learning curve with tremendous downside potential. Within your company right now, you trust certain individuals to manage certain tasks. You handed out these responsibilities because you wanted to capitalize on specific skills, and to free up time for you to do what you do best. Let Paragon Sourcing, Inc. do what we do best; handle all your Asian sourcing needs.

Can't we manage our own manufacturing?
Maybe, but sourcing your own manufacturing may be a false economy. Offshore sourcing presents a number of problems to the uninitiated. In addition to the language and cultural issues, you must be prepared to handle goods inspection, customs rulings requests, freight forwarder selection, and many other legalities. As agents specializing in Asian sourcing, we field these issues for your company, saving you valuable time and money.

We've heard horror stories about poor workmanship and late deliveries. How does Paragon prevent these problems?
Selecting the right vendor in the first place is the key to preventing negative activities, but having “feet on the factory floor” is also critical. Our overseas offices are managed by local citizens who visit these factories on a regular basis, and who have developed personal relationships with the factory managers and owners.

How do we know if we are getting the best price?
We will request quotes from 2 or 3 of our reputable factories, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a better price to be had. However, quality & on-time delivery are equally important as low cost – and usually more difficult to achieve.

All parties must perceive the project as being worthwhile and profitable. Otherwise it can’t succeed in the long term. Setting unrealistic pricing expectations only serve to either delay the project, or to have the factories cut corners. It also shows the factory that you are “not a serious buyer” and that you are wasting their time. Having sharp (fair) target pricing going into the project shows the factory that we know what the item should cost, and that we are fair and serious about doing business with them.