As innovations in technology work to connect the world and make communication faster and easier than ever, outsource manufacturing is becoming an option for more and more businesses.

If you’re looking to outsource your manufacturing to Asia, it’s important to find the right partner. But how do you determine which supplier to go with? There are many different paths you can take when it comes to outsourcing, and many different aspects to consider.

The Fundamentals

It should come as no surprise that price, quality, and reliability of delivery are the three most important aspects to consider when choosing a location and supplier. Price is the reason you are outsourcing, quality is the reason the consumer is buying your product, and prompt and accurate delivery is the only way to make sure the operation is profitable and sustainable for everyone involved.

Understand Your Needs

Before you begin your search to outsource, it’s crucial to understand exactly what you will need from your partner. Do you want to use an outsourcing company that already has years of experience and will handle everything for you or do you want to do it all yourself? Will you need a manufacturer, or a 3rd party supplier? Do you need an in-house product development team or can you use a buy-in sell-out supplier? Everything from product development to manufacturing to distribution and all the steps in between should be considered before you begin any sort of outreach.

Use Your Existing Network

You should already have an established network of colleagues, competitors and resources. Talk to them. See if they have had any experiences and try to replicate the positives and learn from the negatives. It’s possible that you can find an offshore partner that is reliable through an already existing contact.

Do Your Due Diligence

Make sure you research every single potential partner intimately. Look at all of their websites, backlinks, ask for references, and follow through. You should have a good idea of their business’s size and services so that you can tell if they’re being honest or just trying to get your money.