What does it mean when the supplier supplies a large range of products?

We discussed in previous blog that cheapest price concept in China and the suppliers
that won’t tell their factory exact location are considered to be a huge red flags that
you’re dealing with trading company or middlemen.

Now, be wary if the Chinese supplier supply a very large range of products because a
factory is very particular in one or several kinds of products, if there are lots of kinds of
products in the catalog that presented by the supplier then it’s a big red flag that you are
dealing with the trading company.

I remember somebody was trying to tell me that—we’re buying arrow hats—their
factory made arrow hats and socks.  That’s what they were telling me.  And I
thought that was strange because the totally different production technique was
involved.  And sure enough, it was a trading company that represented those two
different products.  So when you find a factory, generally they are very
specialized in terms of the production methods and techniques, and the training
of staff.  So if they have a large product range, be very careful.  They’re probably
middlemen.  Either part of that range or the entire range is outsourced.