Case Study: The Biggest Challenges of Sourcing from China | Insights from Mel Hawkins

Mel Hawkins is Head of Production and Product Development at Santoro Ltd, a UK-based family business specialising in greetings cards, stationery, and activity and craft products.

With extensive experience sourcing from China and attending international trade shows, Mel understands both the opportunities and challenges that come with finding reliable manufacturing partners overseas. We spoke to her about her current sourcing process, the limitations of traditional trade shows and online marketplaces, and what she believes could improve the sourcing experience for buyers.

Can you tell us a little about your business and the types of products you currently source?

Santoro Ltd is a small, family-run business based in the UK. As with many independent retailers, buying well is essential if we want to remain competitive against much larger companies. Our current sourcing focus includes greetings cards, stationery, and activity and craft products, so finding reliable suppliers and the right products at the right price is a key part of our business.

How do you currently find and evaluate new suppliers?

We use a combination of in-person trade shows, particularly in China, alongside online sourcing platforms and marketplaces. Trade shows remain an important way to discover new products and build relationships with suppliers, while online tools help us identify manufacturers that meet specific requirements throughout the year.

What are the biggest frustrations you face when sourcing from China or other overseas markets?

International sourcing can be highly rewarding, but it also comes with significant challenges. Travel is one of the biggest barriers, both in terms of time and cost. Language differences can sometimes make communication more difficult, while transport and logistics costs continue to increase. All of these factors add complexity to what should be a straightforward supplier search.

How do traditional trade shows fit into your sourcing strategy, and what challenges come with attending them?

Traditional trade shows are still one of the best ways to discover new suppliers and products, so for us they remain an important part of the sourcing process. However, attending them requires a significant investment of time and energy. Between international travel, long days on the show floor, and the overall logistics involved, they can be both exhausting and expensive.

Another challenge is that trade shows are often reactive by nature. You can only explore the suppliers and products exhibiting at a particular event, which means it can be difficult to focus your search around specific sourcing requirements or product gaps within your business.

Have you used online sourcing platforms or marketplaces before? If so, what do you think they do well, and where do they fall short?

Yes, we regularly use online sourcing platforms and marketplaces. They are valuable because they are available all year round and make it easier to search for suppliers that meet specific criteria or product needs.

However, many platforms increasingly restrict visibility and communication through paid supplier tiers, which can make the experience slower and more frustrating for buyers. It can also be difficult to distinguish between suppliers, as many factory profiles appear very similar. As a result, there is still a significant amount of work required to identify genuinely suitable manufacturing partners.

When looking for a new supplier, what are the most important things you need to see before deciding to start a conversation?

Before engaging with a new supplier, we want to understand three key things: the strength of their product range, their experience supplying European markets, and their audit or verification status. These factors help us assess whether a supplier is likely to be a good fit before investing time in further discussions.

China Sourcing Show is designed to connect buyers directly with vetted Chinese manufacturers through an online trade-show format. What aspects of that concept are most appealing to you?

The concept of supplier vetting is particularly interesting, especially if it helps buyers quickly identify credible manufacturers and reduce some of the risks associated with sourcing overseas. The online format is also appealing, as it removes many of the costs and logistical challenges associated with international travel while still providing access to new suppliers.

If you could change one thing about the way international sourcing works today, what would it be?

Travel.

While face-to-face meetings remain valuable, international sourcing still relies heavily on buyers travelling long distances to discover and evaluate suppliers. Any solution that reduces the need for repeated overseas trips while maintaining trust and supplier quality would be a significant improvement.