Last week during our second live Twitter Q&A (#MakerChat) we welcomed guest Liz Long. Liz is the Maker’s Row sourcing specialist who you can get weekly consultation calls with our concierge plan. During these calls, she helps you find and vet factories so that you can find the perfect one for you and the product you’re producing.
During #MakerChat she answered questions about choosing the right factory that ranged from vetting a factory to how to properly pay a factory. Here are some of the highlights!
Q1 – Contacting Factories #Manufacturing #Entrepreneur #MakerChat pic.twitter.com/aE8kB27WgH
— Maker's Row (@MakersRow) November 9, 2016
Q1 / 3 Keep your messages to factories short! #makerchat https://t.co/Ma2Qa4ZrWa
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q1 (2/3) Include a short description of your product, a reference image, and a clear request for waht you need help with. #makerchat https://t.co/7vFJDJoYHm
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q1 (3/3) Always follow up! One unanswered email is not a “no” #makerchat https://t.co/7vFJDJ7nPO
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Additional Resources:
Q4 – Paying Factories #Manufacturing #SmallBiz #Entrepreneur #MakerChat pic.twitter.com/6LXvCCdRC7
— Maker's Row (@MakersRow) November 9, 2016
Q4 (1/4) Paying 100% up front. A deposit of 30-60% is fair. #makerchat https://t.co/Mjd7Wsv0ru
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q4 (2/4) Not getting comparative pricing to know if you’re paying a fair price. Get quotes from 2-3 suppliers #makerchat https://t.co/Mjd7WsdpzW
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q4 (3/4) Paying without checking reviews or reference. Do your research! Make the calls! #makerchat https://t.co/Mjd7WsdpzW
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q4 (4/4) Paying without a paper trail..use Maker’s Row Payments for added protection! #makerchat https://t.co/Mjd7WsdpzW
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Additional Resources:
- Mistakes People Make When Paying Suppliers
- How To Pay Through Maker’s Row
- Pre-Orders: 3 Tips To Pay For Production
Q5 – Factory Red Flags ? #Manufacturing #Factory #SmallBiz #MakerChat pic.twitter.com/l8qyclsatr
— Maker's Row (@MakersRow) November 9, 2016
Q5 Red flag #1 – You visit the factory and they are completely empty. #makerchat https://t.co/SDGpehyyc2
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q5 Red flag #2 – The factory is disorganized in the way they communicate w/ you or in how the prepare/present their quotes. #makerchat https://t.co/SDGpehQ9AC
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q5 Red flag #3 – They ignore specific questions, even though you directly/repeatedly ask #makerchat https://t.co/SDGpehQ9AC
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q5 Red flag #4 – They can’t produce any references or client names #makerchat https://t.co/SDGpehQ9AC
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q5 Red flag #5 – They have multiple negative reviews that tell the same story #makerchat https://t.co/SDGpehQ9AC
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Q5 Red flag #6 (last one!)- When you ask about quality control, they have not concrete information about their methods #makerchat https://t.co/SDGpehQ9AC
— Liz Long (@LizrLong) November 9, 2016
Additional Resources:
- Vetting Factories for Quality
- Our Sourcing Expert’s Top 3 Quality Tips
- 3 Things Beyond Price to Consider in a Factory Partner
Want expert guidance while you produce your product? Get monthly calls with our sourcing expert FREE with our concierge plan!
