Response to Sourcing websites beside MFG.com
Hi Mark & everyone,
My name is Britni Zandbergen and I am in charge of Marketing over at MFG.com. Thank you for voicing your concerns (which are legitimate) and I may have some thoughts or options for you.
Just to give you some background, we did recently start charging buyers to use the advanced MFG.com platform. Based on buyer member feedback, we have upgraded the sourcing side of the application drastically - our Basic Edition ($100/month) includes improved supplier discovery features, a full audit trail, increased support and priority RFQ release. The Premium edition includes more robust functionality for companies who source frequently such as multi-line item RFQ's, advanced intellectual property security, excel integration, real-time tracking, advanced analysis, order management, and premium service & support. It is important to note that we still have a free trial for infrequent users with all the functionality one would need to source through MFG.com.
One reason we now offer a paid version is to expand this value on the sourcing side of the application for our buyer members (by popular demand). Giving them more reason to come back to MFG.com and source more often. Another reason, as someone hinted to above, was to ensure higher quality and value projects for MFG.com supplier members ensuring they gain access to the best possible potential customers.
If none of this works for you and you are still looking for something to take the place of MFG.com, here are a few suggestions -
- One option would to go to Online Directories; Online directories contain listings of people or companies posted online, most often categorized by demographics – location, industry, etc. The discrete parts manufacturing and machining industries are well represented, with some dating back to the dawning of the Web in the 1990s. Here you can search for suppliers for your project and call them up to find out more information. Some examples of directories are:
• ThomasNet
• GlobalSpec
• IndustryNet
• MachineShopWeb.com
- Forums, such as this one here, are also a great place to meet and do business with people in your industry.
- Trade shows are also another great way to meet and do business with the kind of suppliers you are looking for.
Online marketplaces such as MFG.com are the best option, in my opinion, because we do all the work for you - intelligently matching you with suppliers that have the right equipment, capacity, ratings, certifications, etc.
We would love to have you source your next project on MFG.com, but if you decide not to, then I hope this helps! Check out what other buyer members are saying about their experience here:
MFG.com Reviews | MFG.com Customer Testimonials
From Graham, an International Publisher and Equipment Manufacturer: "It's a really easy interface to get stuff made in a reasonable amount of time, and get exactly what you need the first time"
From George, from Pregis Intellipack Corp.: "MFG.com in large measure has enabled us to succeed as a company. The amount of effort to post one RFQ is less than it would be to contact one supplier directly. It multiplies our efficiencies by factors of 10 or 20. It's truly been a revolution. In some ways I credit MFG.com as one of the key factors in our success."
From Lou, a Machine and Defense Manufacturer: "It was very hard to find the suppliers that can do the work we need for our customers. MFG.com was a big help to us for that."
Any questions, feel free to reach out to me anytime!
Also - would be happy to speak with those suppliers who have had a hard time using MFG.com. Our retention level is higher than it has ever been, so let's take a look at your account and see what we can do about it. We would be happy to walk you through any and all of your concerns. Best of luck in all business you do either way!!
Cheers,
-Britni