Today, hard-to-find components are found almost exclusively on the grey market, while the official distribution channels on the other hand have resumed shipping – albeit sporadically.
China continues to be the main supplier to the parallel market, and buyers must remember that Chinese culture is very different to Western culture in terms of priorities. This requires a different approach to the management of the deal.
Chinese suppliers place more importance on the profit margins of individual deals than they do on customer relationships. For example, we might have confirmed an order and have made advance payment only to find that the material has then been sold to someone else at a higher price!
Furthermore, when it comes to non-compliant items, Asian suppliers quite often offer a discount on future orders rather than refunding money for faulty items. When faced with non-compliant items, Electronic Partner either refunds the money or replaces the material.
Independent distributors who value customer relationships must find solutions that meet their customer’s requirements. The latter is another powerful reason to choose an independent distributor.
Which approach do you prefer?
Put us to the test and ask us for a quote at info@electronicpartnersrl.com
