talkmagic.co.uk

Does anyone here speak Chinese?

Ive got a phone number for the fork manufacturers in China....

I might import a crud load and sell them in packs of 100....

PM me if your interested/or speak Chinese!

I used to be able to count to ten, although I don't think that'll be muich use to you

I know a fair few people that speak Chinese. Have you tried contacting them directly and asking if anyone there speaks English? If they deal with English chain stores then chances are that a few of their marketing peeps do.

Also take into account that you will probably need to order a fair amount of them.

My good lady speaks madarin if you struggle to find someone and they have no english speakers. Chances are they do have engish speaking people though given that they import to the UK

Thanks peeps.....er yeh Ill try calling them......

And yes was going to order hundred thousands of them as I have spare warehouses at work to store and sell them !

send them your message in writing (email or fax). Chinese people (in China working at factories) typically read english better than they understand it when it's spoken to them... especially on the phone. Plus if it's written they can paste it into their language translator on the PC.

get samples BEFORE you pay the balance.

make sure they understand the "next" order will be bigger... that will be a big help when it comes to getting your first order shipped properly. never the less, expect surprises.

given what you likely want is "crappy" forks and spoons that bend "relatively" easily, you're a good chance to get exactly what you want. good luck!

I thoroughly endorse Bobbycat's comments above.

A friend of mine runs his own business making motorised thingummies that open windows.
He wanted a device made to his own specifications and found that UK manufacturers were very litlle help: Minimum orders, expensive guide prices and so on.

He contacted a chinese manufacturer and within a week he had a sample made and delivered to his door in the UK (made from scratch, and from his own scrappy drawings!).
There was no minimum order, and they were a fifth of the price of the UK equivalent.
I remember him asking me "How can anyone in the UK compete with that?"

When he spoke to the manager over in China, he said "we are always interested in your business, however small".

Oh aye, and that was about ten years ago.

Blimey!

EDIT: oh yes, and they spoke excellent English. In fact it seemed that it was encouraged.

Marvo Marky wrote:I thoroughly endorse Bobbycat's comments above.

A friend of mine runs his own business making motorised thingummies that open windows.
He wanted a device made to his own specifications and found that UK manufacturers were very litlle help: Minimum orders, expensive guide prices and so on.

He contacted a chinese manufacturer and within a week he had a sample made and delivered to his door in the UK (made from scratch, and from his own scrappy drawings!).
There was no minimum order, and they were a fifth of the price of the UK equivalent.
I remember him asking me "How can anyone in the UK compete with that?"

When he spoke to the manager over in China, he said "we are always interested in your business, however small".

Oh aye, and that was about ten years ago.

Blimey!

EDIT: oh yes, and they spoke excellent English. In fact it seemed that it was encouraged.

I'm not sure if Marky agrees with me or not since his comments appear to differ to my thinking and experience.

If I was you Chris, I would definately communicate in writing, not on the telephone. Especially if you are talking to "mainland Chinese" vs Hong Kong based Chinese.

They do love talking English to westerners... it is perceived as a useful opportunity to "practice"... however, dont confuse that with understanding everything you say though.

The word "no" doesn't exist in the Chinese language, instead they have 2 different kinds of "yes"... one means yes and one means no.

I could add a lot more, but the bottom line is just be sure of what your paying for and what is being shipped. Expect the "unexpected"... (':wink:')

Yes I got offered a job in Japan, and there is a similar thing there with the word "no" in business!

I dont have a company name or a email which is the problem, just a unit adress and phone number!

B0bbY_CaT wrote:I'm not sure if Marky agrees with me or not since his comments appear to differ to my thinking and experience.

Ooh right, maybe I wasn't too clear. Sorry about that.
There were really two parts to my post - the first part was just the first line:

I thoroughly endorse Bobbycat's comments above.

(and I still do agree - it was all very sensible stuff)

And the second part was the rest. I was relaying my own (albeit second hand) experience.

You do bring up a good point BobbyCat - I'm not sure whether or it was Hong Kong or mainland China.
There will of course be a massive difference.

Short answer no.

I have a friend that is fluent in the other chinese (not mandarin) so that is no help.

Chris, if it helps I will have something emailed to you written in Chinese asking for an email address so you can correspond. If you can get a fax number and fax it to them they should be able to fax back a suitable email.

just PM me yr best email address and I will have it sent to you.

我想要不带巧克力的....

是聚会用还是!? 我只是顺便?!

过来问候一下, 你好，我想咨询一下你们的房价信息 嘿！我已经在这儿待了一小时了，你竟然都没有注意到！

Raymond du Plessis wrote:我想要不带巧克力的....

是聚会用还是!? 我只是顺便?!

过来问候一下, 你好，我想咨询一下你们的房价信息 嘿！我已经在这儿待了一小时了，你竟然都没有注意到！

Loosely translated means:

I want not to bring the chocolate.... Is the meeting uses or! ? I only am while convenient? ! Comes to send regards, you are good, I want to consult your house price information hey! I have already treated in here for a hour, you have not unexpectedly all noted!

which is why there are always commical errors in menus at Chinese restaurants. One time while in Shanghai, I ate at a restaurant where the house special was soup. The Chinese description had an English description underneath that read:

"combination soup with a foul taste and pungent aroma".

Even the big boys cant get it right, KFC's tag line everywhere in the world was "We do chicken right!" except China where if your translate literally the Chinese tag they use it says "We have the right to be a chicken".

remember this when your ask for forks and get spoons...

Well, properly translated:

I was thinking that I do not want to bring the chocolate(brown)-coloured one...

Is it being used in the meeting or!? I only [did it] out of convenience?!

[I] came over to say hi (ask how are you etc), I hope you are fine, I want to enquire about your news/information on house prices. Hey! I've already been waiting here for an hour, I can't believe you didn't notice me!