Technology advances at a rapid rate making electronic components increasingly obsolete. New and innovative electronic components are making their way onto the market, making it difficult for people to find electronic components at the end of their useful life (EOL). And it doesn’t help that the market is full of all kinds of vendors, including unethical ones selling fake products to naive buyers.
People who want to buy electronic components feel unsure where to start their search and which suppliers to trust to place their order. As a buyer, it is essential that you make informed decisions to make the right choice. Here are the best tips for finding a reliable electronic component supplier:
• Expand Your Reach – The first step to finding a reliable obsolete parts dealer is to search online using the right keywords. This significantly broadens your reach, as you can query local providers alongside those located nationally or internationally. There are many B2B and B2C sourcing platforms where suppliers are listed. Many of these platforms have strict criteria to allow a provider to sign up and there is a better chance that only legitimate providers will make the cut. You can go to any platform of your choice and choose a verified provider.
• Pick and Pick: Once you have a few shortlisted candidates, you can visit their websites to check their product line and customer reviews. If you are looking for CI component vendors, you need to make sure that they have been in business for a long time and have many satisfied customers. You will be able to verify this by reading reviews about their products and services on their website, as well as other online forums. A company that is ISO 9001 certified and a member of global organizations such as ERAI Inc., SMTA, among others, is always a better option than the rest.
• Use the power of social media – Social media can help you collect social proof about a vendor. You can visit the social profiles of the providers you want to work with to collect some social proof about them. If they do not have a presence, it simply shows that they have not yet kept pace with the changing times and are not ideal partners for you. An inactive profile or low tracking isn’t a good sign either. You should choose to work with a provider who is active on social media and engages with their customers. Positive and negative reviews on social media websites are mostly authentic and reflect the true picture of a provider’s products and services.
• Meet the supplier – If you are someone who likes to meet a supplier before making a purchase, you can choose to go to trade shows to meet different suppliers of outdated components in person. You can take a look at what they have to offer and make up your mind. Plus, knowing the suppliers directly ensures that you get authentic products at the best prices. This is because dealing directly with the supplier helps you get rid of middlemen, such as wholesalers and traders.
