How To Import Solar Panels From China
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_ALSO YOUR COMPANY CAN PURCHASE SOLAR PANELS DIRECTLY IN CHINA_
"DISCOVER MY SOLAR PANEL EXPERIENCES IN CHINA
ABOUT CHEATING SOLAR MANUFACTURERS,
UNBELIEVABLE QUALITY PROBLEMS
AND FORWARDER FRAUD!"
By DRICUS DE ROOIJ, SHANGHAI
DEAR READER,
The past 2.5 years I have worked and lived in China and specialized
in solar products that are made here.
In the beginning I simply traveled from factory to factory to learn
about different technologies and to build a network of contacts
amongst the manufacturers in China.
The toughest thing about visiting over 120 solar panel factories in
China is not the time away from home, it's not the traveling or the
language barrier
The toughest thing are the endless diners and the rice wine that need
to be drunk during factory visits to gain a factories' trust. I assure
you, Chinese business culture is not always good for your health!
"I ASSURE YOU, CHINESE BUSINESS CULTURE
IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH!"
Nowadays I run a company in Shanghai specialized in quality control.
Also I manage our own production facility where we design and produce
Off-Grid solar systems.
Back to companies that purchase solar panels from China..
Already 2.5 years ago there were companies purchasing solar panels
from China on a large scale.
Back then there was few information available about Chinese solar
manufacturers, and some companies feared quality issues. Such
companies were spreading the word: "We're not selling Chinese solar
panels, as we're only selling quality solar panels made in Europe".
I don't need to explain that the majority of solar cell and solar
panel production has moved to China during the past two years and
COMPANIES THAT SELL SOLELY 'EUROPE MADE' SOLAR PANELS ARE BECOMING
RARE.
Also in 2011 Chinese cell and solar panel manufacturers will continue
to take market share from European and American competitors.
As a result, in order to compete in nowadays market, many companies
purchase directly from a manufacturer in China. It's a logical step,
however it's also where often the problems start..
"HOW MANUFACTURERS SABOTAGE YOUR PLANNING"
Solar installation companies often work with close deadlines. This
applies to solar installers with residential projects and to pv plant
developers with MW projects.
Good planning is especially important when you have an installation
team on the payroll or when installation dates are forced by
plummeting feed in tariffs, as happened several times during the past
years.
From my experience over 80% of importers experience delays, some huge
ones, which is usually their own fault.
COMMON DELAY CAUSES ARE TRANSACTION TIMES, OUT-OF-STOCK RAW
MATERIALS, IN-LAND TRANSPORT CHINA, CONTRACTS AND MORE.
Besides planning, warranty is a hot topic and has been the main
reason why pv companies initially preferred to purchase European or US
made solar panels. However nowadays quite a number of Chinese
manufacturers offer solid warranty policies.
It's important to recognize the manufacturers with good warranty
policies and understand how to select them.
"5 YEARS WARRANTY? MAYBE.."
Pricing is of course the reason to purchase solar panels from China.
However it's interesting to see that many buyers only focus on the
lowest price, while there's more to negotiate on..
EVERY COMPONENT OF A SOLAR PANEL IS VARIABLE IN QUALITY. So after you
have negotiated for the lowest pricing, why not negotiate for a better
product?
A better product also means to understand what are the common defects
to expect, and perform quality control to make sure that the
manufacturer produces solar panels according to your high quality
standards.
During quality inspections I'VE WITNESSED 16% REPLACEMENT RATES AT A
NYSE LISTED SOLAR PANEL MANUFACTURER IN CHINA. Even though the
majority of shipments only show minor defects, we're still looking for
the first 'problem-free' shipment.
"NEGOTIATE ON BETTER PRICING ANDA BETTER PRODUCT"
Finally the transportation of your goods can be a challenge. I have
witnessed problems with freight forwarders that made entire profits
simply disappear.
Look in any online or telephone directory under "Freight Forwarders"
and you will find hundreds of them. Usually importers randomly select
some forwarders from this list, compare their pricing and pick the
cheapest option. Another way is to have the pv manufacturer arrange
the transport.
Both methods are the start of potential higher costs and trouble.
Your forwarder acts as an agent on behalf of your business and has a
lot of power. Therefore I advice to pick a forwarder as if you were
picking your business partner. He/she should be on your team.
"ANY IMPORTER CAN TELL YOU STORIES ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH THEIR
FORWARDER.."
Now I realize by summing up all the trouble that I experienced the
past years that I sound as if importing solar panels from China is a
risky and nearly impossible thing to do. This is not the case.
In fact I BELIEVE THAT ANY SOLAR COMPANY, SMALL OR LARGE, CAN
SUCCESSFULLY IMPORT SOLAR PANELS FROM CHINA. I just hope that by
sharing my experiences of helping dozens of companies purchase solar
panels from China, you will avoid the pitfalls that come on your way.
WHAT EXACTLY WILL YOU RECEIVE?
E-BOOK: "HOW TO IMPORT SOLAR PANELS FROM CHINA
My practical experiences of helping dozens of solar companies to
purchase their solar panels directly in China.
It includes tips, techniques and experiences that will help you avoid
pitfalls when dealing with solar panel manufacturers in China.
Learn the following by reading my e-book:
Where PLANNING GOES WRONG. Avoid the points that can slow down your
shipments.
How to select the right PV manufacturer
QUALITY CONTROL CHECKS that need to be in place at the solar panel
factory
How to negotiate on a better product
What is a solid WARRANTY POLICY?
How to SELECT THE 'ONE-OUT-OF-A-MILLION' FORWARDER.
HOW PV MANUFACTURERS CAN CHEAT ON YOU
As I like to make this e-book accessible for anyone, you can receive
it for the introductory price of USD 47 (or an equivalent in Euros). I
reserve the right to raise the price anytime in the near future. The
e-book can be downloaded directly in .pdf format.
100% SATISFACTION - 60 DAYS MONEY BACK
I want you to be 100% satisfied with this e-book.
Therefore I offer a 60 DAYS "NOT SATISFIED, MONEY BACK" GUARANTEE.
This means I will fully refund you in case you're for some reasons
not satisfied about the quality of this product.
I CAN NOT MAKE IT MORE HONEST THAN THIS!
Sunny regards!
Copyright Dricus de Rooij, Xietu Road 2601, 200030, Shanghai, China.
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