How To Buy Replacement Auto Parts From a Chinese Supplier

Start With References, Not Categories

The single biggest source of wasted time in cross-border parts buying is enquiring by description. "Front control arm for a 2014 Range Rover" can mean six different parts. A reference number means one.

Send a list of reference numbers with quantities. A supplier who works from references can price a fifty line list quickly; a supplier who has to interpret descriptions cannot.

Questions Worth Asking on the First Order

Which reference exactly is being quoted, including any revision letter. What the packing looks like — neutral carton, printed carton or the supplier's own box. What the total shipping weight and volume will be, because that decides whether air or sea makes sense. What the lead time is for the quantity you want, not for a single piece. What happens if a part is wrong on arrival.

Get the answers in writing. A WhatsApp thread is a perfectly good written record and is easier to search later than email.

Sampling Before Volume

For a new reference, order one or two pieces first and fit them. The cost of a sample is trivial next to the cost of a container of parts that do not fit. Photograph the sample against the old part before you approve volume.

Shipping Choices

Courier suits small, urgent, high value items. Air freight suits medium consignments where a few days matter. Sea freight suits bulky items such as struts, radiators and body panels where the freight cost per piece dominates.

Consolidating several references into one shipment almost always beats shipping each reference as it becomes available.

Keeping Repeat Orders Simple

Keep one contact person and one thread per account. Keep your own reference list with the supplier's part numbers next to your own stock codes. Re-order by sending the list rather than re-describing the parts.

Tell your supplier when a part sells well and when it does not. A supplier who knows your movement can pre-position stock rather than making you wait for every order.

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