Complex procurement made simple: our product sourcing and development

Over the past years we at Conrad transformed ourselves from a traditional electronics retailer into a sourcing platform with a steadily growing business customer base. Means these days, we are much more than just someone who sells high-quality products. We see ourselves as a partner who provides business customers with solutions that help them succeed. This is what we’ve set out to do! 

Our Product Sourcing & Development division is proof of the value we add to the supply chain of our customers. More and more businesses are specific products or want to realise certain product ideas – an endeavour which does have its challenges. Because the blueprinting, design and sourcing of custom products which, in that form, may not even exist yet, requires collaborating with multiple specialist manufacturers and globally operating suppliers. Building and maintaining these types of contacts takes up a lot of time and resources which may well turn out to be the make-or-break for a business. Even more so in nowadays highly dynamic and increasingly global economy.  

This is where we as a solutions provider come in. Starting with product design, manufacturing, QC, product certification, shipment, you name it: our Product Sourcing & Development team assists with implementing a tailored solution. In short, it enables true end-to-end procurement. This is how we give business customers across the board access to suppliers based all across Asia. Moreover, on behalf of our customers we also deal with all the procedures involved – which includes high volume orders for wholesalers.

One example that illustrates this pretty well is our collaboration with TOI TOI DIXI whose portable toilets are used by everyone and their grandmother. What most people don’t realise is that these loos stack more technology than you might think, including electrical fan heaters to name just one. Usually, the arrival of autumn meant TOI TOI DIXI were facing the challenge of sourcing a large number of heaters which also needed to be fireproof, waterproof and weatherproof to meet on-site requirements. This is where we came in. Our team made full use of our network of suppliers across the Far East and set up the infrastructure in basically no time. On behalf of TOI TOI DIXI, we dealt with everything including custom product design by manufacturers, carrying out feasibility and quality checks, production and shipping. Moreover, unlike previous years, TOI TOI DIXI didn’t have to make extensive modifications to the product: the only thing they had to do was sliding the fan heaters into the slots – basically a Plug & Play solution in the literal sense of the word. And all that with a lead time of as little as 180 to 200 days, despite the ongoing supply chain shortages. For TOI TOI DIXI, that’s a reason to extend their partnership with us in the future. And for us, their trust is something to be proud of.

Yours sincerely

Ralf Bühler