Even though you have scoured industry publications and visited a trade show or two, you might still be wondering about how to find suppliers in South Africa.
A great first step is reaching out to your network of peers, family members, and friends for introductions to businesses they have worked with.
If you do not have connections in your target market, move on to more traditional ways of identifying potential suppliers like research online or contacting government agencies responsible for trade promotion in your area. If all else fails, do not let it get you down remember that small businesses are there to fill those unknown unknowns.
Other ways to find dependable business partners include scouring government resources for information about local businesses, contacting local chambers of commerce for insights, and starting conversations on social media platforms. If you are considering collaborating with overseas suppliers, your local Chamber of Commerce or Clearing Agents can provide recommendations on common import and export compliance issues, as well as other tips based on their own import and export experiences.
Whatever approach you take, do not overlook a solid due diligence when finding suppliers in South Africa or elsewhere, whether near or far. The best way to start is to assess the legal, health and safety, quality control, financial and risk management requirements unique to your product or service. In fact, it is a good idea to ask supplier applicants their product list to see if their output matches the needs you have described in your Request-For-Proposal (RFP) or Request-For-Quote (RFQ). It is also important that you know how much product is needed for each shipment and how long it will take for a shipment to arrive.
Before deciding on a supplier, you may consider asking The Promoter SA to shortlist your suppliers to choose from. For more information on that, contact us today.
Source: Aglius
