A Step-By-Step Guide for New Businesses on Purchasing Bulk Artificial Plants

Importing bulk artificial plants is not easy to start, especially for those new to the business. To purchase large quantities of artificial greenery products, wholesalers, retailers, contractors and importers must know the procurement process. A new business selling artificial plants and flowers begins with assigning a trustworthy supplier who can ensure efficient production and on-time delivery.

Read on to check out steps related to ordering faux plants in bulk and matters needing attention.

Step 1. Identify artificial plant varieties the business needs.

First, a company must identify its requirements for a specific type before procuring bulk artificial plants. Since you’re a newcomer, it may be a new item that the company hasn’t previously purchased. Find out what you need and understand diverse kinds of artificial plants to make the most reasonable choice.

 

By material

• Plastic plants – made with an injection molding manufacturing process for mass production.
• Silk plants – crafted from a protein fiber spun by the silkworm, producing lifelike plants.
• Nylon stocking plants – used with simple tools and inexpensive materials to achieve outstanding results.
• Polyester and paper plants – polyester fabrics stiffened in gelatine and cut up into leaves, petals, etc.

 

By use

• Indoor artificial plants – made for the indoors only, whether in residential or commercial settings.
• Outdoor artificial plants – designed to be robust in exterior weather elements.

 

By plant type

• Artificial potted plants – produced in small, medium, and large sizes; designed to look like a natural plant or tree, e.g., a bonsai tree.
• Artificial hedges & green walls – come in square pieces, usually made of plastic, used as fences, wall/ceiling coverings, or facades.
• Artificial flowers – crafted like a fresh flower, made of resin, plastic, silk or fabric; usually designed for the indoors.
• Artificial grass – appears like natural grass and comes in grass carpets or grass rolls, classified into landscaping grass and sports grass.
• Artificial moss – used with professional reactive dyes to present different colors, can be arranged in frames as wall decorations.

Note:

This step typically involves going as far as possible into the basic details of the company’s needs, such as the precise specifications, materials, packaging or product performance.

Have nothing to do with artificial plant market trends in your region? You can refer to Sunwing’s gree wall market research report.

 

Step 2. Calculate the profitability of selling artificial plants in advance.

Take account of profitability in this business upon determining the budget and quantity you want to import bulk artificial plants. Under the circumstances of importing artificial plants from abroad, you will incur some expenses.

 

The first is the total purchase cost.

You can enjoy a discount depending on the size of your order. The larger order, the more discounts. So purchasing artificial plants in bulk will help improve the profit margin of your business.

 

Freight comes second.

Choosing an international express can cost USD 6 or 7 for every 1kg of product weight. Sea shipping cost per cubic meter of packaging may be between USD 200 and USD 300.

Note:

Take care of the QTY (quantity of package) to make sure whether the container loading is full or not. See the table below involved in loading quantities of artificial hedge panels and green wall panels. (Data is for reference only)

You have to analyze the sales price and the potential total packaging cost for retail or wholesale to define if it’s profitable.

Read more: Definitive buying guide for wholesale artificial plants.

 

Step 3. Locate an artificial plant supplier and assess its strength.

 

Once you’ve identified the type of artificial plants you need to purchase in bulk, you can locate a supplier in China, where gathers plenty of manufacturers and factories. Here are some ways to find out an ideal supplier.

When it comes to locating suppliers from China, you may have heard about some B2B trade platforms like Alibaba, Aliexpress or Made-in-China. These platforms are suitable for orders valued at USD 100- USD 1000.

While overseas, you’re likely to use search engines like Google. Since many suppliers have set up official websites, e.g., Sunwing Industries Ltd., you will take some time to evaluate a list of potential suppliers.

Other options include social media platform LinkedIn and international exhibitions in order to send your preliminary RFQ inquiry.

Suppose you’ve located a supplier/ manufacturer/ factory by online research, choosing the right is critical to your business success.

Get to know the business history of your supplier. The longer the supplier operates, the more reliable and stable it will be.

Where do the supplier’s target customers base? When importing bulk artificial plants into the United Kingdom, you need a supplier with a mature customer base in the UK. Therefore, you will get the best deals and well-packaged goods.

You may also have an interest in this start-up guide for artificial plants and flowers retail businesses in the UK.

Check the certificate provided by the supplier to see if products have access to your country.

In addition, don’t ignore the lead time. On-time delivery indicates a supplier’s integrity.

These are worth negotiating with your supplier before placing an order.

 

Step 4. Request faux plants and flowers samples.

Since you are new to the industry, we suggest you ask for samples before ordering bulk artificial plants, one of the best ways to assess your supplier and judge their product quality. Unqualified artificial plants will ruin your brand and lead to customer churn.

On the one hand, product images are often different from the real things, so be specific about your sample to make sure it is the right one you intend to buy. On the other hand, requesting a sample is to ensure it meets your requirements.

Note:

Send an address to receive your samples in a clear manner. Try to ask your supplier to mark the sample as “sample: no commercial value” on the package to stop you from paying customs duties during the import period.

Make a video call to view the sample first after the sample is finished. If it looks good, go ahead and place the sample order.

When inquiring samples from a factory or manufacturer, you usually only need to pay the freight. Otherwise, you will also pay the sample fee if it’s a customized product.

 

Step 5. Create a purchase order.

A Purchase Order (PO) is a legal document issued by a procurement part to a supplier or by a supplier authorizing purchases. A purchase order outlines what a buyer wants to buy and how many quantities they want to receive. These agreements help purchasers and suppliers record their transactions.

 

1. Determine the specific item.

To avoid the busy purchasing festival, you’d better stagger your purchases to avoid delayed deliveries or increased sea freight rates. We advise you to decide which kind of artificial plants to buy in bulk at least three months before festivals.

 

2. Draft and send the purchase order.

You can now draft your purchase order as long as you’ve identified a supplier who can supply bulk artificial plants and know how many you need and when you need them. Please send it to your sales representative or point of contact.

 

Note:

If you have little experience creating a purchase order, our consultants are glad to help you make it.

 

Step 6. Confirm the bulk artificial plants order details with the supplier.

Based on the previous negotiation with your supplier, you will take time to reach a complete agreement on the details before mass production.

Read more: Artificial plants China ultimate importing guide.

 

• Buyer & supplier basic information (e.g.): factory logo, company name, detailed address, postcode, contact name, telephone No., e-mail address, messenger online, website address
• Heading of the quotation (e.g.): title, reference No., date
• Product basic information (e.g.): item No., product’s name, image, materials, specifications including size, thickness, shape, color, quantity
• Product quotation terms: common incoterms like EXW, FOB, CIF, etc., packing clause
• Delivery time: While most artificial plants take 15-30 days to complete production, customized products and orders may take up to 60 days.
• Payment method (e.g.): L/C (letter of credit), T/T (telegraphic transfer), D/P (document aginst payment)

Note:

The quotation validity period is sometimes overlooked. You need to clearly understand that the total cost of a product can be affected by factors. For example, artificial plant raw materials (like polyethylene), technology, exchange rates, shipping costs, insurance premiums, international situation changes, domestic policy changes, etc. No product price can always be static. Therefore, the supplier may inform you of the marked expiration date. That means when you purchase bulk artificial plants next time, you’re not likely to negotiate on the original price.

So far, an order is almost completed. However, here’s another tip you may not ignore. During the post-production, you should perform a quality inspection. While it’s impractical to implement this step, you can search for quality inspectors in your supplier’s location through Google. Third-party quality inspectors will charge from USD 200 to USD 300 per day. If you purchase through Alibaba, things will go more manageable and then hire their independent quality inspectors.

 

Need any help with purchasing bulk artificial plants from China? You are in the right place when considering placing orders of Sunwing artificial plants because there’s a professional sales consulting team to help you with the details step by step to pick up the goods finally successfully.