Product importing process – from the factory to warehouse
At MAP we take the stress out of importing products and provide an FTW service. While the exact process will vary depending on the type of product you are ordering, the importing process will generally follow the pattern outlined below.
Requirements
The first step in the process is to outline your product requirements in order to fully understand what you are looking for. Our expert team will be happy to guide you through this process.
Step 1
Product Details
- Product specification
- Packaging and artwork
- Certification requirements
- Order quantities
Step 2
Samples
Depending on the product chosen you will either be sent samples for existing items or these will be created based on your specifications.
Step 3
Lead Times
Discuss lead times with factories and manufacturers as well as the customer to gain a rough timeline.
Manufacturing
Selecting a manufacturer is an important stage of the process and one that our team will help guide you through.
Step 1
Manufacturing Standards
At MAP we will shortlist several factories for your consideration based on their experience, quality, production capabilities, accreditation and ethical standards.
Step 2
Quotations
Once you have decided on a shortlist of manufacturers we will provide quotes and calculate the delivered costs for each of the choices.
Step 3
Quality Control
During the production stages, we’ll ensure regular quality checks are carried out with inspections conducted before, during and after production. Samples will also be checked and will need customer approval prior to product shipment.
Inspection & Delivery
The final stage of the process is to carry out final inspections prior to the delivery of your products.
Step 1
Pre-shipping
- Final product inspections
- Book shipping date
- Arrange shipping documentation
Step 2
Logistics
As part of the logistics process, we’ll submit the relevant documents for export clearance as well as liaising with freight and shipping companies for full and partial load containers and organise all the logistics handling.
Step 3
Delivery
Once the shipment is underway we’ll update the customer with shipping, arrival and delivery dates and provide regular updates up until completion.