The Benefits and Drawbacks of Overseas Manufacturing

Manufacturing is usually the mass production and making of goods by hand or machinery. Manufacturing usually requires a large scale of machinery and workforce to transform raw materials into finalized products, which are then sold to large distributors. This article will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of using overseas manufacturers.  

What are the Advantages and Setbacks of Overseas Production?

productionFor a variety of reasons, many start-ups and product-focused enterprises prefer to manufacture their products overseas. The benefits of outsourcing production are thoroughly documented, but there can also be some disadvantages. This article will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of manufacturing overseas, allowing you to make an informed choice about whether it’s suitable for you or your company.   

It is essential to have a manufacturer who can produce high-quality items swiftly, affordably, and consistently. Companies must also be certain that manufacturers can deliver goods as well as mass production with high quality, which is difficult to find. Due to difficulty, experts are frequently required to not only locate the best manufacturer for your goods, but also to act as your advocate.

 5 Benefits of Overseas Manufacturers

Many start-ups and well-known establishments use overseas manufacturers for their products. There are 5 common reasons why product-focused enterprises, entrepreneurs, and E-commerce sellers use overseas manufacturers:

DocShipper Advice : DocShipper’s headquarters is based in Hong Kong, China, and has a variety of contacts with trustworthy Chinese Manufacturers. Please contact Docshipper’s customer service team for more information on manufacturers in China or manufacturers in other parts of the world such as in Africa, Europe, and Asia. 

A wide variety of manufacturers

Many foreign countries have a big number of manufacturers, providing product innovators with numerous options. For example, China accounts for 35% of global industrial production. Not only do they have countless producers, but many of them also manufacture large quantities of merchandise, which leads us to the following benefit. Websites such as Alibaba connect developers with a network of overseas manufacturers. However, verification of the manufacturer’s credibility is required before the partnership. 

Docshipper AlertAlibaba is a huge Chinese e-commerce giant, and one of its many features allows companies to find manufacturers in their network. However, there are many scams on Alibaba, therefore it is highly recommended to use DocShipper’s sourcing services to find trustworthy manufacturers which will save you and your company both time and money. For more information, please contact DocShipper’s customer service team. 

Cheaper labor costs

Cheaper CostsThe United States has among the world’s highest labor wages, approximately four times that of Chinese wages. Manufacturing overseas can result in much lower labor costs. Lower labor costs lead to lower production costs, allowing you to generate larger profit margins or sell your goods for less than if they were created in the United States or another country with high labor wages.

Increased Volume Capacity 

One of the major benefits of manufacturing overseas is increased production capacity. Overseas producers may frequently produce big volumes of goods in a short period of time. Volume discounts can help you save money depending on your production needs. In reality, many manufacturers have minimum numbers or orders in place to keep prices under control.

Proximity to raw material providers

Raw MaterialsUS manufacturers have typically located some distance from where raw materials are sourced, which can significantly increase time-to-market and prices. Unlike Asian countries, where supply chains are robust and easily accessible to any type of raw material. If your product requires raw materials, you will most certainly suffer delays if it is made in the United States, especially if raw materials are to be shipped to the USA from foreign countries. In addition to all-time high shipping prices and delays as a result of Covid-19. According to the National Retail Association, 98 percent of businesses have been negatively affected by transportation and port delays, while costs are soaring.

Highly skilled workforces  

Many countries have higher skilled individuals levels than the United States, due to the fact that American employees choose to avoid manufacturing occupations. Consequently, this results in a skills gap in the United States. The greatest demand in the US is for those with computer, digital, and technology expertise, as well as programming skills for automation and robotics, all of which are available in other nations. There were 508,000 open manufacturing jobs in 2018. Many countries heavily invest in manufacturer training programs to support their nation’s most profitable sector: manufacturing. To meet the demand for qualified labor, Indonesia, for example, established the Polytechnic Education Development Project.

5 Drawbacks of Overseas Manufacturers

Despite the major benefits, here are some obstacles that overseas manufacturing faces: 

Higher shipping costs and longer consumption time

One of the major disadvantages is that transportation costs in nations such as China are frequently higher, making some products more expensive than in other parts of the world. It is substantially more expensive both ways if goods are imported because overseas manufacturers frequently demand an additional price (import fees) for delivery outside their country. In fact, these expenditures frequently outweigh the financial benefits of manufacturing abroad. The lack of proximity to where products are manufactured has certain difficulties. Compared to domestic shipping and manufacturing, it requires a long time to transport commodities from abroad back into the US in order to meet domestic demand. National holidays must be taken into consideration. For example, the Chinese New Year can span a month or more, during which factories shut down completely.

DocShipper Advice: Please take into consideration that each country has different shipping charges and regulations differ depending on the country and national holidays that can delay your order. Therefore, it is recommended to use DocShipper which they will assist you with the shipping procedures and charges. For more information, please contact DocShipper’s customer service team. 

Lack of supervision

It will be difficult to hold numerous in-person meetings to negotiate terms and verify production standards with international manufacturing. Since many countries prioritize face-to-face interactions, it is more difficult to form a relationship without being present. Due to Covid, travel restrictions (especially in China) have made traveling difficult, and even if possible, traveling costs are more expensive than before. DocShipper’s solution is to work with a product development firm that can appoint a local representative to your account. The representative will act as your substitute, at whichever factory is selected, and perform quality assurance work as if you were there yourself. 

DocShipper Info: DocShipper can provide trustworthy local representatives to your account to act on your behalf, attentively report everything back to you, and solve both language and cultural issues. For more information, please contact DocShipper’s customer service team. 

Cultural and Language Barriers 

Language BarriersWhen working with an international manufacturer, you will almost certainly encounter linguistic and cultural obstacles. This can make it difficult to negotiate contracts and prices, respect procedures and ethics, and accept other cultural differences. Then again, DocShipper can assign you a local representative, who speaks the language and understands the culture, guarantees that no information is lost in translation, and can speak in your best interests. 

 Customer Service Issues 

Bad Customer ReviewsLarge shipments have the possibility of going wrong or failing to fulfill expectations, leaving all those clients who had waited patiently for their merchandise dissatisfied. If a consumer complains about delays or poor quality, you are stuck in a pickle. Since you are the face of your brand, consumers will hold you accountable for all unsatisfactory outcomes and issues regardless of whether it was out of your jurisdiction such as manufacturer issues. 

Safety Hazards 

Safe Working EnvironmentEmployee and environmental safety should always be a priority. Not every country can follow the US in providing a physically and mentally safe working environment. Finding manufacturing partners who are known for good labor practices, safety measures, and environmental stewardship should be a priority. Collaborate with a product development firm that has ties with pre-screened manufacturing. They will help you find the most trustworthy ones, which saves you both time and money from possibly working with a high-risk manufacturer. 

Conclusion

To summarize, this article has discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using overseas manufacturers. Many product-focused enterprises, entrepreneurs, and E-commerce sellers prefer to manufacture their products overseas because of the five benefits of overseas manufacturers, such as a wide variety of manufacturers, cheaper labor costs, increased volume capacity, proximity to raw material providers, and highly skilled workforces. However, there are also five drawbacks of overseas manufacturers, including higher shipping costs and longer consumption time, lack of supervision, cultural and language barriers, customer service issues, and safety hazards. It is important to weigh both the benefits and drawbacks before making an informed choice about whether manufacturing overseas is suitable for a particular company or individual.

DocShipper helps you along the entire supply chain. If you have made the decision to source from abroad, we will manage the transportation using the type of transport that suits you best, such as sea freight. We will also manage the search for suppliers through our large network. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information!

DocShipper Advise : We help you with the entire sourcing process so don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

  • Having trouble finding the appropriate product? Enjoy our sourcing services, we directly find the right suppliers for you!
  • You don’t trust your supplier? Ask our experts to do quality control to guarantee the condition of your goods!
  • Do you need help with the logistics? Our international freight department supports you with door to door services!
  • You don’t want to handle distribution? Our 3PL department will handle the storage, order fulfillment, and last-mile delivery!

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Alibaba, Dhgate, made-in-china… Many know of websites to get supplies in Asia, but how many have come across a scam ?! It is very risky to pay an Asian supplier halfway around the world based only on promises! DocShipper offers you complete procurement services integrating logistics needs: purchasing, quality control, customization, licensing, transport…

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