Why customers do not disclose his target price

At the very beginning of inquiry, the sales in the makeup brush factory will always ask customers about the target price, while, seldom customers can offer such information even if they really have a target price in their heart.

So, since they do have target price, why not tell the makeup brush factory? After knowing the target price, the factory can know the exact quality level and quote the required brushes. We believe that may because the customers do not trust us, if we know the target price, the customers may get higher price. For example, the customers’ target price is USD5.0, some suppliers will quote USD4.9 which is very close to the target price, but if without target price, they may just quote USD4.0 for the same quality level. That is the main reason.

The second reason is: customers do not want the target price show the quality level. For example, the customers would like to have brushes equal to MAC brushes, but have very low target price. If they tell suppliers the target price, it is impossible to get MAC equal brushes; the suppliers must quote according the target price.

We really understand such thought, while it is really unnecessary and customers worry too much. In fact, we know customers will not send inquiry only to one supplier since there are so many suppliers in China, and if we want to get the chance, we have to try best to quote the best price under the target price. Only with competitive price, we can get more opportunities to take the orders.

Also, what you pay, what you get. With very low target price, it is impossible to get high quality brushes no matter where you buy. If you really think you get MAC brushes at very low price, be careful of the quality, it must be fakes. As high quality brushes requires a lot on craft and must with the best material, which is undoubtedly very expensive.

Therefore, if customers do have target price for the makeup brushes, please kindly let us know, so that we can quote you proper brushes with proper quality level.

The importance of a good supplier

These days, I am really tortured by our suppliers; we buy the bristles of makeup brushes from them, but they keeps going wrong. For example, we order BJF goat hair with them, and their promised delivery date is on July 7^th, while on July 7^th, we did not receive any package and have no way to contact with the suppliers! Finally, the package comes on July 11^th, but after unpacking, it is not BJF goat hair but HJF! It is really crazy!

Although it is not easy to change the suppliers, after so many accidents, we finally decide to try new suppliers. Otherwise, our business will be destroyed by them. Their mistakes will destroy our credits.

Some irresponsible suppliers can really make you crazy. For example, they really know your order requirement on the makeup brushes, like top grade goat hair, copper ferrule etc, while as the delivery date is coming, they can not ship in time, so without any notice, they change the material or the whole brushes, they deliver their existing brushes instead of the brushes you order to you….. It is really the worst action!

If unfortunately you met such suppliers, please do not hesitate to stop cooperation with them, otherwise, they will ruin your company sooner or later.

After suffering this, we really know our importance to our customers; they undertake so many risks to give their orders to us just want to get satisfied products. We, as responsible manufacturers, should and must try our best to offer the satisfied products as promised on promised date.

The inquiry quality of makeup brushes

Due to the “low price and good quality” of Chinese makeup brushes, the Chinese makeup brush manufacturers may receive inquiries every day from customers who would like to wholesale or custom makeup brushes. While the situation is: they may receive more than 100 enquiries every month, but only one or no order. That is, the Transaction Rate is less than 1%!

I, as a sale in a makeup brush factory for more than 5 years, list the following possible reasons per my experience:

1.       The customers have no real need but just would like to know the price level in Chinese market or know other professional information on makeup brushes. For example, I once received a customer inquiry on goat hair; he would like to know the difference between BJF and HJF goat hair, through his emails, I can feel that he just would like to get this information, and as expected, after getting enough information from me, he disappeared and not reply email any more. That is understandable, many customers may just step into the makeup brush industry and need information as much as they can, they may place orders 2-3 years later to you or other suppliers.

2.        The customers are frightened by your price. That may not only because your price is too high, but also may be too low. Many international customers do not trust products quality made in china, they are afraid of poor quality. So if our quoted price is so low which is far away from their imagination, they may worry about the quality. An individual makeup brush sold in Europe may about USD10.0, but the Chinese suppliers just quote USD0.5, they do not believe the quality will be the same. Although we promise the quality is really the same, the customers still doubted and will not place orders to us immediately.

3.       The customers can not accept the MOQ requirement. Almost every makeup brush manufacturer has its MOQ requirement according to the brush type. While it is known that many makeup brush customers are SOHO or small shops, it is really hard and risky for them to order over 1000pcs at a time, which is also a main reason why many customers not place orders immediately.

4.       The customers may just order brushes from another suppliers, so will not order from us until the current quantity is sold or consumed. The customers do send inquiry to us, maybe because they are not so satisfied with the current suppliers, so would like to source a new supplier, while due to some reason, they just buy brushes from the current suppliers, so they will not buy new brushes until the existing ones are sold.

I know the above reasons do not include all potential reasons why customers not place orders immediately. There are many other reasons. If you like, please contact me and let me know the reasons you think, so that we can help each other to gain more orders.

Sell makeup brushes on taobao

Almost all Chinese know Taobao which is a Shop on-line platform for buyers and sellers, just like eBay. Now due to the popularity of Taobao, many factories and manufacturers join this platform to gain more business and profits.

After reviewing the makeup brush suppliers on Taobao, we find that the makeup brush factory will have great advantages on price and quality. It is easy to understand that the factory can offer factory direct price, and can directly control the quality. Therefore, if the factories sell brushes on Taobao, they will certainly get more opportunities.

Also, selling brushes on Taobao can really gain much more profits. For example, the cost of a makeup brush set may just ￥4.0, the selling price may be ￥60.0. That is because there is no quantity limit or MOQ on Taobao, the buyers may just need one set, so they can understand they have to pay higher price.

Therefore, comparing to traditional batch orders, the manufacturers can really gain much more profits. But it does have disadvantages. The sellers on Taobao undertake more risks. In order to deliver brushes once the buyers submit buying requirement, they have to stock enough quantity in advance, if the stocked items are not popular and less buyer like them, the sellers have to afford the cost by themselves. Also, to get higher ranks during so many competitors, they may need to pay Taobao some fees to get better service, for example, the sellers on taobao mall may need to pay ￥30000 to taobao, which can show their credit and quality to buyers. The total amount of taobao mall fee and the inventory cost may reach ￥300,000, which is unaffordable for many factories. While for traditional batch orders, no such problem, the makeup brush factory will not start production until get certain orders from customers.

Thus, if have enough funds, it will be a good choice for makeup brush factory to sell brushes on Taobao mall.

Why the makeup brush manufacturer has MOQ requirement

Some customers may wonder: since the makeup brush is a manual work, why has MOQ requirement? It should be the same for manual to make 1pcs and 10000pcs.

We should explain that, the reason to have MOQ is mostly due to the material. The makeup brush is manual work, but the material production is not, for example, the production of bristles, ferrules and handles is mechanized, so the material suppliers have MOQ requirement on the material.

Take bristles for example, the MOQ of the bristles is usually 5KG which can make thousands of brushes, so the makeup brush manufacturer has to make the MOQ of the brushes to be 1000pcs or more, otherwise the unused bristles may be wasted if no other customer needs the same bristles. The situation is the same for handles. Also, the painting on handles, the quantity in one painting may be 2000pcs, so if only 500pcs, the painting fee is the same as 2000pcs, it will increase the unit cost of the brushes.

Of course, if customers would like to accept higher price, it is totally ok for us to make any quantity. For example, the MOQ of a makeup brush is 1200pcs at USD1.0, while customers only need 500pcs or less, we have to recalculate the cost and requote, as the risks of “wasted” bristles should be afford by customers, so the unit price may become USD2.0 or more. If customers can accept such price, we are no problem to make 500pcs for them.

We know that many of our customers are not big factories; they may be the makeup artists who have a makeup studio, or the traders who are doing makeup brushes in their location. It is hard for them to order large quantity at one time. We really appreciate any chance to cooperate with any customers.

Therefore, during custom makeup brushes, it is better to let us know the quantity you need and your target price, so that we can know your exact target and act more quickly.

When customer says your price is too high

During quotation, we often face such question from the customer: your price is too high! Strictly speaking, customer with such feedback is not a kind of REFUSE but maybe a positive signal. He has such feedback may because in his opinion, he has accepted all other issues except of the “high” price.

Then how should we deal with such situation?

1.       We should show our understanding on customers, just as us, the customers also want to get profits as much as possible. It is understandable that they need lower price;

2.       We should tell the customers of our advantages, it is known that price is not the only standard to evaluate a good makeup brush manufacturer or supplier. We should specify our advantages on high level service and good quality makeup brushes;

3.       We should ask customer why they think the price is high, if they compare the price with the makeup brushes with the same quality grade, with the same material. It is known that the price of makeup brushes with different material will vary a lot.

4.       If we really have space to reduce the price, remember do not just reduce the price without change any other terms. For example, we can agree to reduce the price on condition that increase the MOQ or prolong the lead time, it can also show our strict quotation system.

Both the makeup brush suppliers and customers want to get more profit via the cooperation, of course the suppliers should give customers the best price, while it should be under the premise of protection of their own interests. A good business should achieve win-win situation.

The importance of trading company to makeup brush manufacturer

All makeup brush manufacturers are eager to establish relationship directly with the end customers like MAC, Lancôme, and BB etc. It is understandable, as they can get more profits than through the trading companies or distributors.

While for some small and inexperience Chinese makeup brush factories, it will be better to sell their makeup brushes through trading companies. The main reason is as following:

1.       The language: for some small factory, they have no ability to employ experienced staff who know English well, which may cause misunderstanding on customer requirements during custom makeup brushes and then cause complaints or conflicts; while many trading companies have experienced staffs who are good at English or other languages, they can better understand customer requirements and express to the factory in local language, therefore, the factory can make the exact brushes according to customer requirements;

2.       the location culture: for example, the factory locates in China while the customer locates in Europe, due to the culture difference, even if they know the meaning of each other, sometimes they can not understand each other and may think the other side is ridiculous and crazy; while the trading companies, have been in international business for many years and with so many countries, they know the thoughts and habits of every country, so that they can get smooth communication with the customers;

3.       the market development: if the trading company locates in the area of the target market, it will be better for market development, they know the exact demand and market situation in that area and can exploit the market accordingly, it is the advantages which the factory can not compete and will greatly help the market development for the makeup brush factory.

4.       The risk taking: doing business with trading companies will reduce the risk of the factory, the factory just need to get payment, arrange production and send brushes to the trading company. They get payment directly from the trading company in their area, it reduces the payment risks; they only need to send shipment to the trading company, it reduces the shipment risks….

The above mentioned trading company is just a generic, it includes the trading company, the distributor, the SOHO etc, as long as they are not the end customer or factory, we can call them trading company.

Of course, if the makeup brush factory is large enough and experienced enough, it is surly better to do business directly with the end customers, after all, they can get more profits.