Local & Global Product Sourcing

Whether you’re a new online shop or a weathered retailer who knows the game well, you need to be at the forefront of economic and purchasing trends to make important decisions for your business. 

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Sourcing Basics

In this changing climate, it’s useful for retailers to consider options for local and global sourcing. Local sourcing means you’re drawing from your local supply chain. For most retailers, local sourcing implies you’re buying products from manufacturers or suppliers in your country, but your network is even smaller. Some businesses source from suppliers within their communities.

In contrast, global sourcing means you’re buying your products from suppliers outside of your country. Globally-sourced purchases may well be the finished product you sell to customers, but you may also look internationally to source the raw materials for a product you will manufacture.

We want to help you make the best business decisions when it comes to sourcing your products. Read on to learn about your sourcing options specific to the food and beverage industry with special attention to how your options affect food quality and the integrity of your products.

B2C Ecommerce Trending Towards Local

As you may imagine, local sourcing has become even more popular during the pandemic. Locally-sourced product sales are on the rise. There are various reasons for this, but topping the list are the logistics and transportation issues that have severely slowed transport for goods including fresh and processed food and beverage products.

Needless to say, you have decisions to make. Let us support you by offering the most important information you need to decide what’s right for your business.

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• Pros of Global Sourcing
  
  1. Choose from a wider variety of products.

     With a larger pool of suppliers, you may be able to find unique products that help your business stand out from your competition.

  2. Gain access to a wider network of suppliers,                                                                      making it easier to scale up your business when you’re ready.

• Cons of Global Sourcing
  
  • Concerns about preservation and shelf life.

    Dealing with a longer supply chain means you are limited to importing products with longer shelf-life and may not be able to sell globally-sourced perishables.

  • Quality control issues.

    Because of the distance and size of many global vendors, it can be tough to ensure the quality of your products

  • Certification and regulatory headaches.

    Countries you source from may have different food regulations and certifications than your country, and it can be complicated to navigate through all these requirements.

• Pros of Local Sourcing
  
  • Shorter supply chain.
    

    Working with fewer links in the chain has lots of potential benefits for your business. You can source fresh, perishable goods, build stronger connections with your suppliers, and more.

  • Establish trust and quality assurance.
    

    Often with local suppliers, you have more access to the goods you’re sourcing. You may be able to taste the goods first hand to ensure the quality of your food and beverage products.

  • Supporting local is good branding!
    

    Customers see your sourcing locally as an investment in their community and they, in turn, are more excited to invest in you.

• Cons of Local Sourcing
  
  • Limited supply.
    

    If local suppliers are limited, you can come up against retail competition and other barriers to entry. It can be hard to differentiate your business from competitors if you’re sourcing the same products.

  • Stock generic products.
    

    With a smaller pool of suppliers, it may be harder to find unique products, potentially resulting in a lack of diversity in your offerings.

How Will You Decide?
Are you looking for abundant, affordable, and specialized products from your suppliers, or would you prefer the transparency and control you find in local supplier relationships. Which option will best help you ensure the quality and integrity of the products you’re sourcing?

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Level Up Your Business with Supply Chain Support

At Trustana, we’re serious about our role as a B2B vendor. We’ve got a ton of experience under our belt when it comes to sourcing, and we have created a platform to support retailers like you.

We’ve done the prep work to curate food and beverage goods for you to sell. Our sourcing is reliable. Our site¹ is clear and easy to navigate. In just one stop, you can access a variety of products from suppliers and trust that you’ll find all the answers you need when it comes to your local regulations and required certifications. 

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Trustana.com Takes You Beyond Browsing

Trustana makes it easy for you to serve your customers well, and we’re excited to help you.

Order sample products to taste first hand, so you can be certain of their quality before you commit to a big purchase. Connect with in-house professionals who can answer your supply chain questions. Expand your knowledge about product sourcing for B2C e-commerce. 

Explore our wholesale store² online and connect³ with us today!

1. https://www.trustana.com/

2. https://my.wholesale.trustana.com/

3. https://www.trustana.com/support