HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ARTIFICIAL PLANTS SUPPLIER FROM CHINA

We are just from a grim period, where people learned that, among other things, they need to improve their living spaces. This led to a boom in the artificial plant market. Why artificial plants? Because people appreciate their advantages over natural plants, we’ve discussed that below.

The increased demand attracted several manufacturers, most of whom are from China. This is a guide for you, a seller, designer, or homeowner, who wants to source artificial plants from China. First, we’ll look into specific regions where different types of artificial plants are manufactured.

Classification Of Artificial Plants

There are four main categories of artificial plants, each predominantly produced in specific regions. To get the best deals when looking for a particular class of artificial flowers, concentrate your efforts on these regions;

1. Plastic Artificial plants –Predominantly produced in Yiwu and Qingdao. You can also check for suppliers in Shandong Province.

2. Polyester artificial plants –Xiamen and Guangzhou. There are some cities in Hebei Province.

3. Silk artificial plants – Yiwu and Guangzhou.

4. Fabric artificial plants – Yiwu, Dongguan, and Guangzhou.

Artificial plants are loved, especially by commercial residents. Their exquisite beauty, convenience, and durability make them ideal for low-maintenance conditions. These benefits of artificial plants can only be enjoyed with a quality artificial plant. How do you find the right supplier for superior artificial plants? Read on to find out.

How To Find A Chinese Supplier

Not every supplier fits your needs. You need to find one who ticks all your boxes. How do you decide a specific supplier is your best fit? Before we get into that, here’s where you should go to find the best deals if you are looking for bulk orders.

  1. Trade fairs –There are several trade fairs held in China, one being the Canton Fair held in Guangzhou every autumn and spring. To visit the Canton fair, all you need is to be present! It’s free of charge, and better yet, you can now stream the trade fair. Visit the canton fair official website to learn more.

A supplier who takes part in trade fairs proves two things:

  • They invest in their business.
  • They cultivate customer relationships.

A supplier who makes an effort to invest in the business and build customer relationships is worth considering when choosing your supplier from China.

  • Online Market Places – The online space has grown, and most serious suppliers have a robust online presence. A Google search will bring up any online artificial plants’ supplier. Focus your search on artificial plants suppliers from China. Take caution when ordering online. The influx of suppliers has led to some unscrupulous traders; that is why you should source from a trustworthy supplier. The wholesale industry needs reliability and quality. You shall learn how to verify a supplier from China in this guide.

How To Choose The Right Chinese Supplier?

What aspects make a supplier trustworthy? Use these simple guidelines to choose the right artificial plants supplier.

Your Needs

The first step in choosing the right artificial plants supplier is determining your needs.

  • What exactly do you want – What is your customer base? Research on your customer’s or potential customer’s preferences
  • What type of artificial plant do you need – Which materials will your customer appreciate? For example, the US imports huge silk quantities from France, meaning artificial plants made from silk may be more popular with US customers. One word: research.
  • How fast do you need it?

These are just a few. Define all your needs before finding a solution. It will help you narrow down your search.

After coming up with a list of needs, the next step is research and strategizing. Follow these guidelines to pinpoint a suitable artificial plant supplier from China.

Your research begins on the internet. If the manufacturer does not have an online presence, you should probably stay away. What criteria do you use to verify a supplier from China? Use this guide.

Their History

Find a supplier who has been in the market for some time. If they have made successful sales to return customers in different regions, they produce quality products. No one will buy defective or low-quality products to sell in the European market, right? They will run out f business. These are just a few pointers.

Another perk of opting for an experienced industry player is progress. To increase sales, they continually improve their products.  

Additionally, a business that has been in the market will have a reputation.

  • What do their customers have to say? Look into their website. Does it have their business information, including a verifiable address?  Look at real reviews and ratings. What are people saying about the products on the seller’s official product pages?
  • Request customer referrals from the company. Unscrupulous companies falsify their referrals, so you need to stay alert. Contact the referrals to inquire about the supplier’s expertise. Legit referrals will be genuine rather than exaggerated.
  • Expertise. The customer feedback will tell you if the artificial plant supplier is an expert at what they do. How is the quality of their product and customer service? Do they respond to customer complaints? A well-established and customer-oriented supplier is what you should settle for. Make sure that the supplier can supply the standard and quantity of artificial plants you need.

Company Registration Status

If they follow their state’s legal requirements, they will most probably abide by product standard requirements. Verify the supplier’s company registration status. You will have to do an extensive online search through company registry websites. Check local company registries, local government administrative website, or the local Bureau of Industry Commerce.

You can as well ask the supplier directly for their registration and license number. A legit supplier will provide these without hesitation.

Their Market

There are two factors to consider here.

  1. Does the Chinese supplier export to your country? If they don’t supply to your country, and it is feasible for you to travel to China, then do not hold back.
  2. What is the supplier’s market? Does their market have similarities to your country or region regarding preference in terms of quality requirements? If your answer is to the affirmative, then go for them.

For example, if your market is in Europe, you can choose a supplier who sells to European countries. You want to give your market the standards that they are used to, or better.

Certification

Certificates build trust. To get certifications, businesses have to comply with the set legal standards, assuring you of quality. Moreover, there are usually standards set on imports. If you purchase a product that does not meet your country’s standards, it gets tough.

Reliability

Different aspects make a supplier reliable.

Samples

A reliable supplier will send you a sample of the artificial plants before you order in bulk. It is called a pre-production sample. This helps you to;

1. Verify the quality of artificial plants.

2. Determine the ease and quality of delivery: The time it takes and the condition they arrive in.

3. You get a feel of how easy or difficult it is to work with the supplier.

4. You see the kind of packaging to expect. If you plan to resell your artificial plants, the packaging needs to be appealing to your customers. If you plan to repackage, you can brush over this one.

5. You get a feel for their customer service.

Customer support.

How available is customer support? Initiate business by contacting customer support or emailing the artificial plants supplier. This is the ideal way of getting information on the terms of service and other vital clarifications you may need.

Customer support is necessary for troubleshooting. Problems will arise, and you want to be assured that you can get help whenever you need it. The interaction and speed of reply to queries indicate an effective customer service, a characteristic of a reliable supplier.

Delivery Time

Time is of the essence, not only for the businessman but also for the homeowner. If your artificial plant takes too long to reach you, you might have to spend more on marketing because your services will quickly be forgotten.

Some manufactures in China usually manufacture bulk orders after the order is made. This might take up to a month. It is called Leadtime. Do you have a month to wait for the product? Confirm how long your ideal artificial plants will take to get shipped through the supplier’s customer support.

Warranty

How long do artificial plants last? Read on to find out. However, artificial plants have a UV fade warranty. Go for the supplier that offers this and any other type of warranty. You will have to interact with the e-commerce site or customer service team to know about the product warranty.

When verifying your supplier, meeting one requirement is not enough. Go for the supplier that ticks most of your boxes, if not all.

What if something goes wrong?

To avoid purchasing low-quality products, inspect the quality of the artificial plants before shipment.

  • The best way to do a quality inspection is to visit the supplier after your artificial plants have been prepared for you. If you cannot travel to China, can you have someone inspect the artificial plants for you? Use any of your trusted contacts in China. There are some things to look into your artificial plants to ensure they are top-quality. You will learn about these things later in this guide. If these two are not your options, there are still other ways around it.
  • Some eCommerce stores offer inspection services at a fair price. When you make your purchase, the eCommerce agents will inspect the artificial plants’ quality before shipping them to you. If the product does not meet the quality standards, it is returned to the seller, and you get a report of the same.
  • The other way is to engage an inspection company in China. The inspection company will inspect the artificial plants’ quality and send you a detailed report on the quality at an agreed fee. You can then choose to continue with the order or decline it.

If you still get a faulty product despite all the measures, you can use various means to get your money back.

How To Get Your Money Back

Not satisfied with the product? Professional suppliers will offer a money-back guarantee.

Return Policy

A reliable artificial plant supplier provides a return policy or a money-back guarantee. Go through the supplier’s product return policy before making a purchase. If the policy is not clear to you, contact the customer support for further clarification.

If the artificial plant you get is not what you ordered and meets the return policy guidelines, product exchange or refund will be smooth.

Some online sellers make it so complicated and even impossible to return products. You might find it useful to return one of the first artificial plants you purchase, to get a feel of the return policy in action. If you are going to do long-term business, it is best to know all the suppliers’ ups and downs.

Investments involve risks. The worst-case scenario is when you order products from the wrong supplier and risk losing your money. One rule of thumb is to start with a small sample. If the supplier does not give samples(which is a worrying sign), buy a few artificial plants to sample their product.

You could not sue a company in China if you did not sign a contract with them. It is also costly to sue Chinese manufacturers. Your best chance is taking the necessary precautions before making your purchases. Prevention is always better than a cure. Also, avoid suppliers with deals that seem too good to be true. These come with hidden costs.

Extra tips to verify a Chinese supplier

  • Go for suppliers who provide landline numbers rather than mobile phone numbers only. Mobile phone numbers are easier to get than landline numbers. A landline number will have 12 digits, beginning with 86, which is China’s country code.
  • A supplier can provide you with a bank reference letter that will help you determine their creditworthiness. Do not hesitate to ask for one.
  • Make the first purchase through the supplier’s bank account. A legitimate supplier should have a company bank account. A bank account is traceable and legit. Avoid wiring money through untraceable modes of payment.
  • A Chinese quality control agent can audit the supplier’s production and the products to determine your best fit. They charge anywhere from $300 per day.
  • Check if a supplier has had any legal issues through the Chinese Supreme Court database. You will need someone to translate the database if you can’t read Chinese. Some businesspeople who source products from China have gone to the extent of learning the Chinese language!
  • Language barrier. Well-established Chinese suppliers have interpreters who speak in English. Stick to easy-to-understand English when communicating with your Chinese supplier.

Why People Choose Artificial Plants?

This is why you should be selling artificial plants.

They Last Longer

Artificial plants are not only durable; they can withstand harsh weather conditions that would break natural plants. They are resistant to pests and diseases, making them ideal for in-house and outdoor decorations for people who do not like bugs (which is everyone)

Low maintenance

Artificial plants do not need water or sunshine. You just prop them up at whichever location that suits you. Artificial plants make it possible for people living in dark rooms to decorate their homes with plants. Some artificial plants are not supposed to be exposed to the sun, but outdoor artificial plants are specifically designed to stand the UV rays.

Warranty

Unlike natural plants, artificial plants have different warranties against UV rays and defect lasting up to 2 years or more. That means they serve your customers longer. If the artificial plant fades prematurely despite proper care, users can easily apply for another plant through your supplier. That is why it is crucial to ensure that your artificial plants’ supplier offers a warranty, especially a UV fade warranty.

They resemble real plants.

A good quality artificial plant should mimic the natural plant. Ever walked past a posh commercial property in the middle of the city with stunning plants and wondered, ‘How did they possibly do that here?’. I have. I had to touch the plants, and as I guessed, it was an artificial areca palm tree. That is how artificial plants should look; very close to the natural plant, from the leaf veins to the stem’s bark. Whether a tree or flower, the best artificial plant supplier will ensure consistency with the natural plant.

How To Choose The Right Artificial Plant

Choosing the right artificial plant is equally important. There are many different artificial plants: from fake flowers to artificial trees, each is made from different materials, as previously mentioned. The right type of artificial plant depends on your needs.

Different Types Of Artificial Plants

As you define your needs, it is essential to know about artificial plants, just as it is to know your supplier. There is a wide variety of artificial plants.

The two broad types of artificial plants are plastic and fabric. Here’s more about each category, the benefits, and limitations.

Plastic Artificial Plants

Plastic artificial plants are mainly made from high-quality polythene. The plant might include other materials like steel to hold up the plant.

· They cost less and are easy to manage. No watering or fertilizing, or weeding is needed. They only need to be dusted regularly.

· They will not attract bugs or other pests. Natural things are almost always accompanied by other natural friends, like bugs.

· They maintain their look and color in the long run.

· They are very durable. They can last in a warehouse for a long time without losing their quality.

· They are not affected by seasonal weather changes.

The limitation of plastic plants is their smell. However, exceptional quality plastic plants (link plastic plants seller page) from a reputable artificial plant supplier are odorless.

Fabric Artificial Plants

Most artificial plants were made from plastics since the ’70s, but the artificial plants’ industry has evolved to produce fabric plants. Fabric artificial plants can be made from silk, ramie, jute, nylon, hemp, cotton, flax, and polyester. Although more expensive than plastic plants, people have fallen in love with fabric plants for many reasons, including:

· Silk flowers can easily be perceived as natural flowers, and they are beautiful. They cost more, but they are ideal for special occasions like weddings and parties.

· Fabric flowers last long, but not longer than the plastic ones. They can be used for different events over time without losing their beauty.

· Fabric plants also require very little maintenance.

· They are suitable for places that do not receive enough sunlight.

· They do not attract bugs.

· They are ideal for people with plant allergies.

Artificial plants made from fabric are not resistant to wear and tear. Silk flowers also tend to fringe on the edges as they get older. Fabric plants are also less resistant to UV rays. They need to be protected from harsh sunlight to maintain their appearance. With fabric plants, you enjoy their outstanding quality and build for a shorter time. The shorter life span of silk plants demands extra caution from a seller. For example, if you have no ready market for silk flowers, buy a smaller bundle of these compared to the plastic ones.

Plastic Over Fabric Plants. Which Is Better?

When it comes to durability, plastic one’s win, plastic artificial plants will serve longer and require the least maintenance.

What To Look For In Your Artificial Plants

How does the right artificial plant look like? It is essential to know what a quality artificial plant looks like for your quality inspection. You will need to touch, smell, and inspect the plants thoroughly. These are the factors to consider before making a large purchase:

  • consistency with the real plant. The artificial plant should closely resemble the actual plant, from the leaves’ veins to the stem’s look and feel. Quality artificial plants are so professionally-made that you only realize they are manufactured once you touch them.
  • Freshness. An artificial plant is as fresh as the material used. It is not uncommon to purchase artificial plants made from recycled or old materials. New artificial plants are odorless.
  • Color. Is the color consistent and without blemishes? It should mimic the real plant. There is more ahead about artificial plant colors.
  • UV Inhibitors. They ensure your plant’s color remains consistent despite harsh sun rays.

A Guide To Buying Artificial Plants

It is better to buy artificial plant varieties whose natural look is more ‘plasticky.’ Plants like air plants, snake plants, philodendrons, aloe, maguey stems, etc. Such plants are easier to imitate. At the same time, your market will determine the kind of artificial plants you purchase.

Carry images of the natural plant when you go to inspect the artificial plants.

  1. The best artificial plants that mimic natural plants are not overdone. For example, some artificial plants are made so glossy that they no longer look real. Extra details like fake raindrops might be exciting, but they make the plant look all the more fake. Nobody wants their artificial plant to look fake.
  2. Ideal artificial plants do not look perfect. When a stem is too straight or the leaves too sharp and uniform, they seem more crafted. Good quality artificial trees have the leaves in varying color shades to mimic the real plant. Natural plants have some leaves drying, as others are coming up, at any one time. The small details make all the difference. Manufacturers use steel wires to adjust the shape of the plant. Specific tweaks make artificial plants look more real. For example, they anchor the artificial plant in soil and dirt. It not only makes the artificial plant appealing; its value also increases.
  3. Buy fake plants that are in season. It will work better if you have different artificial plants for different seasons.
  4. Pay attention to the details of the trunks and leaves. An excellent artificial plant will have a trunk that is more rustic looking. This is not just possible with the fabric plants; plastic plants can also have a rustic look. The veins in the leaves should resemble those in natural leaves. Artificial plant manufacturers stimulate the arrangement of veins and add such tiny details to the plant.

Conclusion

It is and should always be quality over quantity; at least that is what we at FEELREAL believe. Our plants are made from the best products in the market. We endeavor to provide you with goods that will not only excite you but will keep your customers happy and coming back for more. Because for us, it’s not about how much money we make; it’s about how satisfied our customers are after a sale.

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