On a buying trip to China, Priya was comparing cushion covers for a small group of shops in Ontario. Two samples on the supplier's table looked identical from a few steps away. Up close, one had a neater zipper and a heavier backing fabric.
She turned both covers inside out. Customers would take them off to wash them; she wanted to see what the seams looked like before choosing samples to bring back.
She chose the heavier fabric, then picked three colours from the supplier's swatches. She photographed their labels, noted the fabric composition and asked for a quote for covers only, without inserts. Before leaving, she exchanged contact details with the sales representative, including the mainland number on her iTalkBB China SIM.
Her next appointment was across town. While she waited in the car, the first supplier called with a question: did her requested quantity mean one colour, or a mix of the three she had photographed?
Priya explained that it was the total across all three. The representative needed to check whether the same price would apply to that split. She asked him to show the minimum quantity for each colour separately in the revised quote.
After the call, she used her phone's mobile data to message him a short recap. She attached the sample-label photos and specified the heavier backing. The pictures made it clear which covers she meant by “the better one.”
That evening, Priya added the revised quote to her comparison sheet. She still needed to review the samples with her team in Ontario. For now, she had the colour split, backing fabric and price recorded against the right item.
For supplier visits and the follow-up between appointments, find out more about iTalkBB China SIM.
