How to Deal with Jepara's furniture Exporter ?

Oneuni wrote:
Trade safely  with Jepara's exporter or supplier, read this?

To Whom that you deal with ?
- Foreigner, ex patriarch
- Non Javanese ethnic , Other island outside Java
- Non Jepara (nese), but coming from Java island
- Jeparanese, Javanese ethnic.

What is the exporter companies in Indonesia ?
- PT =  Coy Ltd are: PMA(foreigner), PMDN(Domestic), Private sectors
- CV = Joint venture by Private sectors or family's own
- UD = Personal trading /Private or home business
- Others= Buying agent, sourcing, broker or other personal services.

What licenses for being an exporter of wooden furniture ?
- ETPIK (Permanent Exporter of  wood-industry manufacturer)= export license
- SIUP= Company's Trade license (by Trade & Industry office/GOV)
- NPWP = Tax -registrar number.
- Akta Pendirian = Legal company (Notary or solicitor) for CV & PT.

How to verify company in Indonesia, especially Jepara ?
After formality or legal aspects above, further verification Must do:
- As for the papers are just papers, need to check the actual condition/activity.
  Many of those exporters/companies are sleeping company/dormant and inactive.
- The Owner/key person ? most of those companies(PT or CV) are fully controlled by
   individual act(personal) whilst all the papers are just for formality.
   On finger-counting only that are implementing "Management-role".
   In some cases, the directors and Managers are seem to be as in the Puppet show.
- Get the contact person's details:  ID card, recent address, home address and phone.
   Bio-data and family's back ground, whilst Cell/mobile phone number are unwise,
   with 3 US-D anyone can get a new number mobile phone-line.
- Whilst for the Website!?! first page's rating and page-rank !? again it is only Virtual/Maya.
  You only believe with what you'd got/proven, not from what you read and hear.!?!
   Do not 'be a Victim' of propaganda/advertising or SEO pomo ! And please check what is the rank
  of  Indonesian scamer at worldwide-forum, Interpol, cyber-cops, FBI etc. at Google.

Which resources that could be the reliable one ?
Relatively, it is return to your expectation/requirement indeed.
It is a long way to go for it, a few stage/steps for trial and evaluate Must Do !
Little Tips for it:
- Ask for the "References" about the company's reputation and quality from their last buyer
  or existing ones, then cross check it to those clients/buyers about this supplier.
- Ask and find where they had shipped/exported the furniture and see it there.
  If not, a sample for approval/presentation must acquire. However, still keep in your mind:                
  "The Sample may be fine, but how are the main order(quantity) would be?                                        
  "Will it be consistent ? The wise is:"You come down or send your QC team to monitor as prevention! 
   and do a Pre-shipment inspection !!"
- The flying hours ?!, how long they had been in the business and doing on certain range items,
   a very wide range in style/design are need specialize and experiences.  Not all kinds/categories
   that one could achieve it in a few years only.

Other articles in sourcing for doing trade:

• Lessons and Impressions from Indonesia (ben.casnocha.com)
• The China CEO Gift-Giving Scam (safelysourcingchina.com)
• You: Timber mafia fells Borneo rainforest (guardian.co.uk)
• Are You Ready For The New EU Regulation on Illegal Timber? (prweb.com)
• Partners of Custom Hand Made Solid Wood Furniture - Hand Carved Art Furniture (prweb.com)