Two ways to buy
A brand sourcing from India can deal with factories directly, or work through a buying house that finds, manages and inspects factories on its behalf. Neither is right for everyone.
| Direct factory | Buying house | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | One category, steady volumes, your own team on the ground | Several categories, growing ranges, no team in India |
| Factory choice | The factories you find and vet yourself | A vetted network matched to each product |
| Quality control | Your inspectors or a third party | Inline and final inspection by the buying house |
| Communication | Many contacts across factories | A single point of contact |
| Cost | No commission, more of your own overhead | A commission, less of your own overhead |
When direct works
Direct buying suits brands with a narrow range, long-term volumes with one or two factories, and the people to visit, audit and inspect them.
When a buying house works
A buying house earns its fee when a range crosses categories, when factories need to be found quickly, or when a brand has no one in India to check quality and keep the calendar honest.
The question is not the commission. It is what a missed shipment costs you.
What to ask either way
- Who owns my order day to day, and how will they report to me?
- Can I see the factory and its audit reports?
- How is the price built, and will you show me the breakdown?