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Sourcing Wholesale Mobile Phones From China, How not to Get Stung

Outside of high gas prices and weakening global conditions any eBay traders and online vendors will have little cause for to complaint about the cell phone market.

The number of phones and mobile phone companies has soared in the last 12 months. Besides big-name players, like Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola there are now many Chinese mobile phone manufacturers looking for their place in the international mobile communication market.

Wifi, Bluetooth, MP4 players, MP3 players, WAP capabilities, cameras, and docking ports for multiple SIM cards are all becoming common features on mobile phones with customers expecting more out of their phones than ever before.

Demand for branded and wholesale mobile phones is also strong with mobile phone use overtaking landline use in some parts of the world and consumers changing their phones every 15 months on average.

So how can you, as an online reseller tap into this profitable market, what is the best way to find a supplier and how do you source this new, profitable range of products?

It doesn't matter if you're considering stocking mobile phones through your online auction business or looking at expanding your range and taking on a different supplier. The process of sourcing mobile phones from makers of cellphones in China is exactly the same and simply finding the companies through a wholesale directory, business directory or online is just the first step.

When you find a potential supplier company which has a nice product that you want to sell in your store, or through your eBay listing you need to make sure they will act in a way that won't loose you money or cost you your repuation as a vendor. Here are some hints that a company will be less than reliable:

It doesn't have any contact details or the contact details turn out to be not working.

Their website is badly put together, has very few product photos, or stolen product photos and has little to no contact information

Many people have complained about them on dropshipping, e-commerce and wholesale forums or fraudwatch sites.

Promotional material they use looks suspiciously like materials from another wholesale dropship company

Their products are priced too high or too low

When looking at basic unlocked cellular phones (which have a 2G reception, SD card, basic accessories, a camera, Bluetooth functionality and WAP capabilities) you shouldn't really be paying more than US$100.

But with more upmarket models of unlocked cell phone (which can have everything from WiFi to dual SIM cards to 3G connectivity and more high tech cameras) you can expect to pay between US$200-$300.

Doing market research on the wholesale mobile phones or unlocked phones you are thinking of stocking is also a worthwhile exercise. By checking to see if the features are in demand or that style of phone will sell well can potentially save you thousands in unsold stock or free up a product line for a more profitable item if you are dropshipping. It will also help you determine what price you should be paying, what price you can sell it for and the profit margins you can expect.

Once you have done your online research and found the phone looks OK on paper then its time to order a sample. This is much easier if you do it through a mobile shop in China which has no minimum order quantity, like Chinavasion but you may be required to order about three or four to test when buying phone through other vendors.

When testing a wholesale mobile phone it's important to be as thorough as you can possibly be. Here are some things you might want to check:

The manual is in English and makes sense

The handpiece doesn't click or creak when it is handled and doesn't feel cheap

There aren't any bubbles in the screen, its set in the right pace and there aren't any black lines when you switch it on.

The battery takes a Full charge, it lasts as long as the supplier suggests and doesn't smell funny when it is being charged.

A component isn't missing, and works as promised.

The phone's speaker or microphone quality is clear and the buttons are easy to operate.

If the unlocked cellphone passes mustard then the next step is to put it on your stock lists.

By researching products before you buy them and testing them thoroughly before stocking them you will be able to ensure that everything that goes online will sell well, have good profit margins and keep your customers happy.

For Western quality wholesale mobile phones , at China prices visit http://www.chinavasion.com now.

About the Author

Rose Li is the PR Manager for Chinavasion, China's premier dropshipper for wholesale consumer electronics

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