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Gera.Sourcing
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How it works

The process, the deliverables at each stage, and who is responsible for what.

This page exists because most sourcing relationships fail quietly:
nobody agreed in advance what happens at each stage, so nothing is
ever late until it is too late. Here is the sequence we run, and
what you receive at every point.

Timings: the elapsed times for manufacturing depend on
the factory and the product, so we set them per project in writing at the
quotation stage rather than publish a website average that would be wrong
for your order. What we do commit to is that every milestone has a date
attached before production starts.

The eight milestones

  1. 01 · Requirement received

    You send whatever you have: a product photo, a link to something you
    like, a drawing, a physical sample, or a written spec. Quantity and
    target price help us screen faster but are not required to start.

    Deliverable to you: a written clarification list — what we still need
    in order to give you a price that will hold.

  2. 02 · Supplier screening

    We shortlist suppliers against your requirement and check the basics
    before quoting: can they make this, at this quality, at this volume, and
    do they own the production line.

    Deliverable to you: a shortlist with the region and cluster each
    supplier belongs to, and why we rejected the others.

  3. 03 · Quotation issued

    Unit price, total order value, and the 5% service fee as its own line.
    Where the price depends on a specification we have not pinned down yet,
    we say which part is provisional rather than quoting a number that will move.

    Deliverable to you: a written quotation you can take to your
    own finance team without a translation.

  4. 04 · Sample and approval

    A sample is produced and sent to you. Sample cost and sample lead time
    are quoted per project. You approve it in writing — that approval is what
    fixes the quality standard for the order, and it is why the inspection in
    step 07 has something objective to measure against.

    Deliverable to you: the sample itself, plus photographs of the
    packaging and the print proof where branding is involved.

  5. 05 · Order confirmed and deposit

    Payment milestones are agreed in writing before any money moves: what
    is paid at confirmation, what is paid on which document, and what has to
    be true before the next payment is due. The factory’s deposit is covered
    by yours; you are not asked to fund anything the factory has not been
    asked to deliver against.

    Deliverable to you: a written milestone and payment schedule with
    dates and responsible parties.

  6. 06 · Production and progress reporting

    We follow production against the schedule and report on it. If a date
    moves, you hear it when it moves. This is the single most common thing
    buyers say they never get from a supplier.

    Deliverable to you: periodic progress updates against the
    agreed milestone dates.

  7. 07 · Pre-shipment inspection

    Goods are inspected against the approved sample and the written
    specification before they are packed for shipment. Quantity, workmanship,
    dimensions, function where relevant, and packing are all checked.

    Deliverable to you: a written inspection report with photographs.
    Shipment does not proceed until you have seen it.

  8. 08 · Shipment, documents and follow-up

    Space is booked, the container is loaded and sealed with photographs
    taken, and the export documents are issued. We check that the invoice,
    packing list and bill of lading agree with each other, because a mismatch
    between them is a common reason goods are held at destination.

    Deliverable to you: booking confirmation, a consistent document
    set, and tracking.

Responsibilities

Who does what.

We are responsible for

  • Finding and screening the supplier
  • Negotiating the price and the terms
  • Chasing the factory on the agreed dates
  • Inspecting before shipment
  • Checking the document set for consistency
  • Telling you the moment something moves

You are responsible for

  • The specification, and approving the sample
  • Approving artwork and packaging in writing
  • Meeting the agreed payment milestones
  • Telling us your destination requirements early
  • The final commercial decision on price and volume

The one thing we will not do: we will not tell you a date
is safe when it is not, to keep the order calm. If a schedule is going to
slip, you know as soon as we do.

Start with what you have.

You do not need a finished specification to send us a request.
A photo and a rough quantity is enough for us to tell you what
we would need to quote properly.

Send a request

One flat 5% service fee · No subscription · No tiers