The Most Effective Method For Sending Product Designs To Chinese Suppliers

Have you ever wondered how to create a product design that catches a supplier’s eye in China?

If you’re an Amazon FBA seller, this question is more than just curiosity; it’s a crucial step in getting your products made just right!

Recently, I teamed up with Jane from Chinese Tiger, a company that specializes in helping sellers like you source and ship products from China. 

In our video together, we explored the best methods for designing your product and effectively communicating those designs to Chinese suppliers.

The response from my audience has been fantastic!

If you’re looking to improve how you create and send your product designs, you’re in the right place. 

And here’s an extra perk: if you decide to use Chinese Tiger’s services, just mention my name — Vova Even — and they will do a free inspection of your product sample. 

Let’s dive in and make your product ideas a reality!

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What is the Best Way to Send Product Designs to Chinese Suppliers

Vova: Jane! Since we need to send the design of the product box to Chinese Tiger, what’s the best way to send it over? 

Should we be sending a PDF or AI file? 

Or maybe they can even help us with the design? 

What do you think is the most effective way?

Jane: My advice would be to hire a designer who can create the design for you with all the necessary details like the sizes and measurements. 

It’s usually better not to send files in formats like AI or other designer-specific formats, because designers use different software that may not be compatible. 

The safest option is to send a PDF file. 

Make sure it includes all the important information, such as the dimensions in centimeters and the weight in kilograms.

We’ve worked with companies that design products for other clients, and we've seen that having clear measurements and standardized files really helps avoid any confusion or issues during production.

We need to be careful with the measurements we use. 

For instance, if someone designs a product using inches and gallons, our Chinese suppliers might not understand those terms. 

They often ask for measurements in meters or other metric units. 

This can lead to confusion, so it’s really important to use the correct units from the start.

It’s also best to send your design as a PDF file. 

Many suppliers in China might not have the software needed to open files in other formats. 

By using a PDF, you ensure that they can easily view your design without any issues.

Vova: Can we hire a designer in China to create the design for us? What do you think about that idea?

Have you had any success with this before? 

For example, if we provide them with a box and ask, “Can you create the design for us?” will they produce a design that meets our expectations? 

I think getting a design from a Chinese supplier could be a good option, but what are your thoughts on this?

Jane: When it comes to designing a simple box, it’s not too hard, and the suppliers in China can handle that. 

I work with a factory that assists me with these designs, so it can be quite straightforward. 

However, I had a different experience when a client wanted to create a more complicated product, like lenses for a retro camera. 

We asked the Chinese suppliers to design two lenses that would work together to capture light properly. 

It turned out to be quite a challenge, even for me, and the result was not what we expected. 

They created something that did not meet our needs.

In that case, we decided to hire a designer instead. 

This made everything much easier and clearer. 

So, if your design is simple, you might save some money by asking the supplier to help. 

But if you are looking to create something new or more complex, it’s a good idea to invest a little more and hire a designer.

This way, you are likely to receive a better product and a more suitable design.

Vova: I remember noticing that on Amazon, you often see a lot of sellers appearing in various niches, and many of them are from China...

I actually want to share a little story about my first experience selling on Amazon. 

My very first product was kitchen scissors. 

One of my competitor listings had featured a picture of the scissors with a description that mentioned something like "kill fish." 

I think they were trying to say that the scissors were good for cutting fish, but the wording was quite amusing. 

It’s funny how sometimes mistakes happen with translations and wordings. 

I understand that English is not their first language, which makes these errors a bit more understandable. 

Nevertheless, it can be quite entertaining to see these funny translations on Amazon. 

Because of experiences like this, I would definitely recommend outsourcing design work to a professional designer.

Jane: I want to clarify something about Chinese suppliers. 

I don’t mean to paint them in a negative light. They have the capability to produce almost anything you can imagine. 

However, their way of thinking and approach to work can be quite different from what we are used to. 

Their methods and mindset may not always align with our expectations. 

Despite these differences, they are very capable and generally very nice to work with. 

I truly appreciate their work.

Vova: Yes, absolutely. I agree with you.

Over the past seven years, I have been working with Chinese suppliers, primarily to produce various goods. 

Overall, my experience has been quite good. 

However, like in any business relationship, there have been some challenges along the way. 

It’s interesting to think that in the East, they might have their own videos where they share experiences about working with international customers. 

They often encounter clients who come to them with unusual ideas for products.

Jane: Yes, I can imagine. 

In those videos, they probably talk about how customers expect a lot but do not want to pay fairly for it.

Vova: That’s a fair point. 

This is why it is important to learn about different cultures and make an effort to understand them. 

Understanding cultural differences can greatly improve the way we work together. 

There are some excellent books that can help with this. 

For example, The Culture Map and The Culture Code provide valuable insights into how different cultures operate. 

They explain how people from various backgrounds perceive situations differently. 

They also shed light on how authority figures, like bosses, are viewed in the East compared to the West and in specific countries. 

Learning from these resources can make working with international partners much easier and more successful.

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Conclusion

In this conversation, we explored my experiences working with suppliers in China over the past seven years. 

I shared some of the challenges I faced, especially when dealing with different cultural expectations. 

Jane pointed out how customers can sometimes have high demands without wanting to pay fairly, which can complicate things.

We discussed the importance of understanding cultural differences to improve communication and collaboration. 

I recommended some books that can help anyone looking to navigate these cultural nuances. 

By learning about how different cultures work, we can build better relationships and make our partnerships more successful. 

It’s all about understanding each other and finding a way to work together smoothly.

Below are some buttons with important links to Chinese Tigers website and socials.

So if you want to reach them out, these buttons will be quite helpful:

Chinese Tiger Instagram (English)

Chinese Tiger Instagram (Ukrainian)

Chinese Tiger Telegram (Ukrainian)