Mixed Container Sourcing
The practical problem for most buyers in this trade is not finding a product, it is filling a container without dealing with five suppliers. This is how a mixed order is put together.
Stage By Stage
Each stage below is a place where this kind of programme usually goes wrong, and what we do about it.
Requirement List
The problem. A buyer sends a list drawn from several catalogues and no single supplier can price all of it.
How we handle it. We mark the list into what we supply as a stock line, what we can customise, and what we cannot supply. The last column matters as much as the first.
Selection And Substitution
The problem. One unavailable item holds up the whole quotation.
How we handle it. Where an item is outside our range we say so early and, if there is a comparable line, we point at it rather than quietly substituting.
Sampling
The problem. Sampling every line in a mixed order is slow and expensive.
How we handle it. Sampling concentrates on the items that carry the most risk, usually anything branded, anything on a written specification, and anything the buyer has not handled before.
Consolidation
The problem. Buying across categories from different suppliers means paying to consolidate, and chasing whoever is late.
How we handle it. Tools, enclosures, protection devices, wiring accessories and solar lighting come off one order and load together.
Packing And Marking
The problem. Cartons arrive marked inconsistently and the receiving warehouse has to re-label.
How we handle it. Carton marking is set to your specification across the whole order rather than per category.
Shipment
The problem. Part shipments arrive out of sequence and the fast lines sell out while the slow ones sit on the water.
How we handle it. The load is planned against what you need on the shelf first, and quantities per item are set accordingly.
Lines Most Often Involved
Mixed Container Sourcing Questions
Is there a minimum per item in a mixed container?
Quantities are agreed per item and depend on whether the item is a stock line or a custom run. Send your list with the quantities you want and we will tell you which ones are workable as they stand.
What if part of our list is outside your range?
We will tell you rather than substituting something similar without asking. It is the fastest way for both sides to find out whether the order works.
Can branded and unbranded items go in the same container?
Yes. Buyers often brand the lines they are building a range around and take the rest as standard.
Mixed Container Sourcing
Send us the detail and we will tell you what is realistic before you commit to anything.