Asking the right question is an important skill that everyone needs to learn. With the right questions, you can grab the attention and gain the maximum information from the next person.
This is an important skill, and if you are connecting with a business or partner, you need to ask the right strategic questions before you start working with them. Like now, you are a start-up or build-up brand looking to connect with a clothing manufacturer. At this point, you need to do thorough research on clothing manufacturers.
The right question will help you find the potential clothing manufacturers, but also it’s beneficial for your business in the long term. You will be able to know whether the clothing manufacturer you are talking to can meet your needs and demands or not?
When you are doing a clothing business, there are many things to consider like logistics, inventory management, fabric selection, custom order fulfillment, delivery, etc. To clear out all of your queries and confusion, we are here to help you. In this blog, we list several questions that you must ask when you choose a clothing manufacturer to filter out a partner that will benefit you in the long term.
So without wasting any time, let’s get it started.
What to ask when connecting with a clothing manufacturers
You will find tons of options but finding the one that is a perfect fit for you is difficult to spot. Not every clothing manufacturer can provide quality apparel, communication and support, and high delivery.
Suppose you start working with a company that made all your promises to you, but after production, when you receive the product, you realize that it was not what you are looking for, so isn’t it just a waste of money and time?
So, getting started with the right manufacturer is important, and in case you have found high-quality clothing manufacturing, make sure to nurture that business partnership. Moving to the topic, now that you have done the research and listed out the manufacturers, it’s time to grab a chair and give them a call or chat and start posing these questions.
Are you a wholesaler, manufacturer, or agency?
Before you dive into business with a clothing manufacturer, it’s critical to know about the services they are offering. In this case, if you want fewer hassles and directly want to deal with the manufacturer, then alone clothing manufacturer is a great fit for you rather than a retail seller or clothing agency that connects and manages the relations between the clients and clothing manufacturers.
Do you manufacture what I want?
You might have the best manufacturers by your side, but if they can’t provide you with the best quality on the type of clothing products you are looking for, then it’s just a waste of time. If you want to sell gym wear, you must pick a manufacturer who holds expertise in the same field.
Which language do you speak?
Communication is the key to everything, so if you are fluent in any other language, it is much important to work with the manufacturers who understand your language. In this way, you will be able to make them know your requirements and design clearly with no hassle.
Who are your other clients?
You can ask them for their previous clients or other working clients. This will give you a perspective on their services. If they have a business partner, they must check who their business partners are. This can give you an idea about the work quality and dedication level.
Are they working with 3rd party suppliers?
Some manufacturers work with 3rd party suppliers for production or any other process. So, they must check which part they lack or don’t hold expertise.
Don’t forget that if they are working with a 3rd party supplier or manufacturer, it would be difficult for you and them to control that part of the process. Because including you and the clothing manufacturers you are working with would be dependent on other manufacturers.
Read more about: “4 Qualities of a Reliable Supplier”
What services do they have expertise in?
Be sure to ask them about their expertise. Can they provide you with fabric sourcing, designing, color grading, patterns, and more? The right manufacturer who produces different types of products is beneficial for your business because if you plan to spread the business clothing line in the future, you can do it easily.
What is your minimum order quantity?
Most clothing manufacturers offer you an MOQ you around 200 to 500 MOQ unless you are connecting with a resource like Zega Apparel, which is popular for providing a low MOQ of 50 per design, style, or variation. This is an important point to note as you will have to pay low initially, and if you like the design and work quality, you can move to order bulk production.
Moreover, it doesn’t cost you extra, saves you space, and helps you avoid the hassle of unsellable inventory.
What are the payment timelines?
Do they work on the full payment method or in the partially divided timelines for payment? Different manufacturers have another way of working. So you can opt for the methods that work best for you.
What is their turnaround time?
Turnaround time refers to the whole timeline from the ordering process till the day you receive your product. Choose the manufacturer who provides you with the best and most realistic turnaround time so that you can plan your clothing business checkpoints accordingly.
How would you deal if I received a defective piece in my order?
Well, that’s a commonly occurring situation in the clothing business. Ask them for their guidelines. Expert manufacturers are always open to accepting their bad and have easy processes and policies for returning the product. So make sure the one you choose has good, easy-going guidelines for filing a return.
Read more about: “Importance of Customer Experience for Developing the Brand”
These are the top questions that you can ask clothing manufacturers. Moreover, if you have any other questions or queries, don’t be shy. You can ask them directly to avoid future inconvenience
