My Buying Trip To Bangkok

Several years ago I went to Thailand with the primary purpose of establishing trade contacts in the finished leather goods market.

I had researched the trade directories and had compiled a shortlist of potential suppliers to call when I arrived.
My initial attraction to the idea of developing a trading relationship with Thailand stemmed from the fact that other business associates had successfully established flexible and long lasting relationships with Thai exporters.
Buoyed with enthusiasm, I packed my bags.
The first morning of my arrival I rang most of the factories on my list with mixed results.
Many did not speak English beyond the basic greetings, so my list was growing smaller.

This is one of the problems when you research suppliers on the net. On the internet they appear well established and communicative but in many cases it is only perception. In reality they are not the model you had hoped for.
Nothing beats face to face business meetings, so an initial trip to your potential supplier is a good investment. After a few of these business trips I am now able to pick up the phone, order from overseas and the production gets underway. Sometimes I do this by email or sometimes just a phone call suffices. This is the kind of relationship any small business owner would dream of.