Finding shoe suppliers is now easy. You can search online, attend trade shows, or use other methods. But when you&#;re faced with hundreds of shoe manufacturers, it can be difficult to know which ones are good suppliers. What should we do ?

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Here are 8 tips to quickly identify a good shoe supplier:

1.Official website

It&#;s advisable to seek out a shoe manufacturer that maintains an official website. A reputable manufacturer is likely to have an informative and well-designed website.

A manufacturer with a website is more likely to be legitimate and reputable than one that does not have a website. This is because it takes time and effort to create and maintain a website, and most scammers are not willing to put in that kind of investment.

Furthermore, a manufacturer&#;s website can provide you with more information about the company, its products, and its services than you would be able to get from other sources. This information can be helpful in making a decision about whether or not to work with the manufacturer.

&#;You&#;ll find a ton of shoe suppliers on Alibaba, but here&#;s the thing -lots of them are actually just middlemen, not the real deal. Wondering how to spot them? Well, the first trick is to see if they&#;ve got their very own website.&#; said Tom Gater, a US importer with 30 years of experience.

2.Company Information

To get a better understanding of the company, start by checking out their &#;About Us&#; section on their website, where you can delve into their history, experience, and mission. Additionally, head to the &#;Contact Us&#; section to find their contact details, such as a physical address, number, and address.

The &#;About Us&#; and &#;Contact Us&#; sections can give you an idea of the company&#;s transparency and commitment to customer service. If the company is willing to share information about itself and make it easy for you to contact them, it is a good sign that they are a reliable and trustworthy company. It is a good way to identify a good shoe supplier.

3.More than 25 years

According to research, 85% of businesses around the world fail within 25 years. Therefore, if a company has been established for more than 25 years, it is a good indication that the company is successful and sustainable.

A manufacturer with a long history of experience is more likely to have the knowledge and expertise to produce high-quality shoes. They will have a deep understanding of the shoe industry and the different materials and techniques used to make shoes.

What is more, a manufacturer that has been in business for a long time is more likely to have a good reputation. This means that they are likely to be reliable and trustworthy. They will have a track record of delivering high-quality products on time and within budget.

Furthermore, a manufacturer with a long history of experience is more likely to have a network of suppliers and partners. This can help them to get the best prices on materials and to get your shoes produced quickly and efficiently.

4.Famous business partners

It is better to find a good shoe manufacturer that has cooperated with famous shoe brands.A manufacturer that has worked with famous shoe brands is more likely to have the expertise and experience to produce high-quality shoes. These brands have high standards for quality, and they would not work with a manufacturer that does not meet their requirements.

What is more, a manufacturer that has worked with famous shoe brands is more likely to have a good reputation. This means that they are likely to be reliable and trustworthy. They will have a track record of delivering high-quality products on time and within budget.

Moreover, a manufacturer that has worked with famous shoe brands is more likely to be innovative. These brands are always looking for new ways to improve their products, and they will work with manufacturers who are also willing to innovate. This can help you to get the latest and greatest shoes for your brand.

5.Product Showcase

You should browse their product catalog on their website to see if they offer the types of shoes you need and pay attention to the quality of product images and descriptions.

It is best to find a manufacturer that displays its products on its website in an informative, visually appealing, and user-friendly way. A well-designed website with informative product descriptions and high-quality images shows that the manufacturer is serious about their business and cares about providing their customers with a good experience.It shows that the manufacturer is professional and takes pride in their work.

What is more, an informative and visually appealing website allows you to assess the manufacturer&#;s product range, quality, and design aesthetics. This can help you determine if their product offerings align with your brand and target market.

6.Comprehensive cost

&#;You know most of those shoes that proudly claim to be &#;Made in Italy&#; or &#;Made in Spain&#; actually come from shoe factories in Asia, like shoe manufacturer in China, Vietnam, India, or Bangladesh.&#; Jack Fischer, a seasoned shoe trader from Germany,

&#;But hold up, when you&#;re hunting for a shoe supplier, it&#;s not just about the price on the quotation sheet,&#; he continued. &#;You gotta look at the whole picture, the whole shebang. That&#;s why big players like Nike and Adidas still churn out their kicks in China, even though it might seem like labor costs there are a tad higher.&#;

When choosing a shoe manufacturer, you should not only consider the product price, but also the comprehensive cost, including the manufacturer&#;s product price, communication efficiency, delivery time, etc.

It is important to be able to communicate effectively with the shoe manufacturer to ensure that your needs are met. If the manufacturer is slow to respond to your questions or requests, it can lead to delays and additional costs.

Delivery time is important. If you need the shoes to be delivered by a certain date, you need to make sure that the manufacturer can meet your deadline. If the manufacturer is unable to meet your deadline, it can also lead to additional costs.

Link to Gofar

7.Samples:

You should ask a shoe manufacturer for a shoe sample first. If you are serious about working with a particular manufacturer, it is worth asking them for a sample to ensure that they are a good fit for your needs.

A shoe sample can give you a physical representation of the shoes you want to have manufactured. This can help you to ensure that the manufacturer has the skills and experience to produce the shoes to your satisfaction.

What is more, a shoe sample can help you to assess the quality of the materials and workmanship that the manufacturer will use to produce your shoes. This can help you to avoid any surprises when you receive the final product.

8.Factory Visit (if possible)

Visiting the shoe factory is a great way to build relationships with the manufacturer and their team. This can be important if you are planning to work with the manufacturer on a long-term basis. It is also a great way to assess their materials, production processes, and quality control.

The materials that a shoe manufacturer uses can have a big impact on the quality of the shoes they produce. By visiting the factory, you can see firsthand the materials that the manufacturer uses and how they are stored and handled.

The production processes that a shoe manufacturer uses can also affect the quality of the shoes they produce. By visiting the footwear factory, you can see how the shoes are made and identify any potential areas where quality could be compromised.

A good footwear manufacturer will have a comprehensive quality control system in place to ensure that the shoes they produce meet their standards. By visiting the factory, you can see how the manufacturer&#;s quality control procedures work and get a sense of their commitment to quality.

Testing: Are you confident in your ability to quickly identify a good shoe supplier? If so, please click to review this private label shoes manufacturer to see if they meet your standards : The Shoe Manufacturer You Want ? 

How can I find a shoe manufacturer?

So you have your design concept. You know the gap you want to fill in the footwear market, and now you want to find a shoe manufacturer who can make your designs. Finding a shoe factory seems like it should be easy, but you feel as though you are coming up against a series of brick walls.

Your messages to footwear factories are being ignored. When you find a shoe manufacturer who seems keen, they end up ghosting you. So how do you get them to take your shoe startup seriously?

I am going to tell you some truths which might be difficult to hear, but if you want to find the right shoe factory it is better to be armed with this knowledge. In fact, by the end of reading this article, you will be in a much better position to plan your shoe factory approaches.

Here are my shoe manufacturer finding tips:

Are you ready to speak to a shoe factory?

For most shoe entrepreneurs, design is the exciting part, so you naturally want to skip straight to designing. Your next thought is &#;I need to find a shoe manufacturer now&#;. If you want to save money, time, heartache, and get shoe factories to take you seriously, you need to first assess the business opportunity. Sounds dull? It really doesn&#;t have to be.

Make sure you have explored the following areas in-depth before even beginning the design process, and definitely before approaching a footwear manufacturer:

• Your customer &#; Who are they? What drives them to purchase shoes?
• Your competitors &#; Of course you are planning to create something unique, so may not think you have direct competitors, but your customers are buying their shoes from somewhere. Where are they buying them?
• Your sales model &#; How are you going to sell your products?

Still feeling a bit lost? My How to Start a Shoe Brand course guides you through the research you will need to complete to be clear on each of these elements.

What does a shoe manufacturer need to know?

Trying to get a shoe manufacturer to work with you is a bit like pitching to an investor. The shoe factory representative needs to believe in you, and your ability to develop a commercial shoe business. Some entrepreneurs are surprised when shoe makers don&#;t jump at the chance to work on their exciting project. In reality, most shoe manufacturers have worked with some difficult shoe startups in the past, and feel cautious about repeating that experience.

Some shoe factories simply don&#;t have the capacity &#; or perhaps the inclination &#; to work with entrepreneurs such as yourself.

A shoe factory or footwear sourcing agent is more compelled by the size of your market, than by the tiny details of your customer&#;s lifestyle. These are the elements they will be most interested in at first:

• What your product looks like, its construction and materials
• How many styles and colours you will require
• Projected volumes &#; how many pairs you think you will order from them in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth seasons
• Target cost price &#; they don&#;t need to know your retail price &#; but they do need a properly calculated target cost price to work to

If the phrase &#;projected volumes&#; fills you with horror, don&#;t worry, you are just making educated guesses. There is a startup-friendly template for this included in the How to Start a Shoe Brand course. You also get a range planning guide to help you decide how many styles and colours to start off with, and a cost price calculator for wholesale and direct to consumer pricing.

Great, but how do I find a shoe manufacturer?

You need to know which country you want to manufacture in before starting your search. This will be based on your retail and cost price.

As a rough guide:

• Luxury or premium = Europe, USA
• Premium or mid-market = China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Brazil, Mexico
• Value = Cambodia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ethiopia

Of course there are many exceptions; there are luxury factories in China and mid-market factories in Cambodia etc.

LinkedIn is a good place to start. Find Sourcing is also a good option.

Should I use a sourcing agent or go direct to the factory?

The How to Start a Shoe Brand course goes into much more detail on finding a shoe manufacturer including:

• How to decide between using a sourcing agent or working directly with a factory
• Interviews with shoe brand founders who share their tips on how to find a good shoe factory
• A downloadable checklist of essential points you will need to find out about a manufacturer

Happy sourcing!

Susannah

For more information, please visit Shoe Manufacturers For Small Businesses.