Sometimes, western businessmen think that no matter what – it’s always ok to try and push the price even lower when dealing with Chinese manufacturers.
Do that, and you’ll risk ending up shooting yourself in the foot.
I recently met a Danish guy who had been in China and negotiated a fantastic deal with a Chinese company. Or so he believed. But after placing the first order he waited in vain for the goods to arrive – they never did.
He was convinced he had a deal – but even Chinese manufacturers have a limit, and he stepped over the line.
In Asia, a deal is a deal – this is something I really enjoy about Asia. But it only works if the respect for business goes both ways. Both parties need to be satisfied.
It surely can be difficult to judge when it’s appropriate to stop negotiating, and I have no guidelines to offer. You need to know your partners and cultivate a long term relationship with them.
