US Vendor sourcing from WuyiOrigins?

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ShuShu
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Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:47 pm

I'm not sure that it was here, but I have heard about a U.S based vendor taht is sourcing yancha from Cindy Chen (Wuyi Origins). Anyone here heard something like this and perhaps know who that vendor is?
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Tillerman
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Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:58 pm

ShuShu wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:47 pm
I'm not sure that it was here, but I have heard about a U.S based vendor taht is sourcing yancha from Cindy Chen (Wuyi Origins). Anyone here heard something like this and perhaps know who that vendor is?
Check with Elyse Petersen at Tealet - she is the US agent for the Chen family. www.tealet.com
wildisthewind
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Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:10 pm

ShuShu wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:47 pm
I'm not sure that it was here, but I have heard about a U.S based vendor taht is sourcing yancha from Cindy Chen (Wuyi Origins). Anyone here heard something like this and perhaps know who that vendor is?
Any reason that's necessary? Cindy's shipments always come quite fast, and with pretty cheap shipping, certainly no more than the markup you'd pay from a US-based shop.
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Kale
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Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:47 pm

Support local and honest vendors.
I will pay a couple of bucks more to keep local vendors in business. They make sure there is a variety of teas to try without making an intl order
Last edited by Kale on Fri Mar 09, 2018 3:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ShuShu
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Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:48 pm

wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:10 pm
ShuShu wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:47 pm
I'm not sure that it was here, but I have heard about a U.S based vendor taht is sourcing yancha from Cindy Chen (Wuyi Origins). Anyone here heard something like this and perhaps know who that vendor is?
Any reason that's necessary? Cindy's shipments always come quite fast, and with pretty cheap shipping, certainly no more than the markup you'd pay from a US-based shop.
Last year I paid more than 100$ for shipping. specialized vendors in China that I have ordered from in the past (pu-erh, white, green, etc) charge something like 10$ for shipping (Some more and some less). One way to cut these costs is to find a good “generalist”, and preferably a local one. If, as I have heared, a us generalist that sells good puerh also sources yancha from Cindy, then that will be a good way to save.

Right now I know of at least one local vendor from which you can get some of her teas in more or less the same price including shipping (though in bigger quantities). The seller doesn’t offer other kinds of tea that I like so except for the shipping speed there is no real advantage here.
chofmann
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Fri Mar 09, 2018 3:06 pm

wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:10 pm
ShuShu wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:47 pm
I'm not sure that it was here, but I have heard about a U.S based vendor taht is sourcing yancha from Cindy Chen (Wuyi Origins). Anyone here heard something like this and perhaps know who that vendor is?
Any reason that's necessary? Cindy's shipments always come quite fast, and with pretty cheap shipping, certainly no more than the markup you'd pay from a US-based shop.
Just playing devil's advocate here, but the usual reasons are:
  • Faster shipping - Intra-US is typically 2-3 days, as opposed to 7-10 days at Wuyi (and longer on other sites)
  • Cheaper Shipping - Intra-US is often $5 or less, as opposed to $10+ at Wuyi (and sometimes more on other sites)
  • Easier to use / more familiar UI - Wuyi isn't that bad in this instance, but many Asian based sites marketing to the US are slow, have poor translations (if any), and can look a bit sloppy (not sure if this is due to converting to alpha-numeric or just poor design and site creation).
The 2nd point obviously is the easiest to translate into value, but the 1st and 3rd points also have some amount of variable value to the consumer. Some consumers don't value it at all, others may be willing to spend 5%, 10%, maybe even 20% more.
wildisthewind
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Fri Mar 09, 2018 6:42 pm

ShuShu wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:48 pm
wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:10 pm
ShuShu wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:47 pm
I'm not sure that it was here, but I have heard about a U.S based vendor taht is sourcing yancha from Cindy Chen (Wuyi Origins). Anyone here heard something like this and perhaps know who that vendor is?
Any reason that's necessary? Cindy's shipments always come quite fast, and with pretty cheap shipping, certainly no more than the markup you'd pay from a US-based shop.
Last year I paid more than 100$ for shipping. specialized vendors in China that I have ordered from in the past (pu-erh, white, green, etc) charge something like 10$ for shipping (Some more and some less). One way to cut these costs is to find a good “generalist”, and preferably a local one. If, as I have heared, a us generalist that sells good puerh also sources yancha from Cindy, then that will be a good way to save.

Right now I know of at least one local vendor from which you can get some of her teas in more or less the same price including shipping (though in bigger quantities). The seller doesn’t offer other kinds of tea that I like so except for the shipping speed there is no real advantage here.
Sure, I probably ended up paying 100-150 in international shipping last year, but I'm pretty sure that if I'd had to buy all those teas from a local retailer the markup would add up to way more than that.
chofmann
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Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:08 pm

wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 6:42 pm
ShuShu wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:48 pm
wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:10 pm


Any reason that's necessary? Cindy's shipments always come quite fast, and with pretty cheap shipping, certainly no more than the markup you'd pay from a US-based shop.
Last year I paid more than 100$ for shipping. specialized vendors in China that I have ordered from in the past (pu-erh, white, green, etc) charge something like 10$ for shipping (Some more and some less). One way to cut these costs is to find a good “generalist”, and preferably a local one. If, as I have heared, a us generalist that sells good puerh also sources yancha from Cindy, then that will be a good way to save.

Right now I know of at least one local vendor from which you can get some of her teas in more or less the same price including shipping (though in bigger quantities). The seller doesn’t offer other kinds of tea that I like so except for the shipping speed there is no real advantage here.
Sure, I probably ended up paying 100-150 in international shipping last year, but I'm pretty sure that if I'd had to buy all those teas from a local retailer the markup would add up to way more than that.
This isn't always true. Our Taiwanese Oolong farmer sells online as well, and we were able to lower our margins enough to match his prices, while providing faster and cheaper shipping. He prefers it this way, because he wants to focus on producing quality teas, not shipping small retail orders globally all the time.
wildisthewind
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Location: USA

Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:32 pm

chofmann wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:08 pm
wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 6:42 pm
ShuShu wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:48 pm


Last year I paid more than 100$ for shipping. specialized vendors in China that I have ordered from in the past (pu-erh, white, green, etc) charge something like 10$ for shipping (Some more and some less). One way to cut these costs is to find a good “generalist”, and preferably a local one. If, as I have heared, a us generalist that sells good puerh also sources yancha from Cindy, then that will be a good way to save.

Right now I know of at least one local vendor from which you can get some of her teas in more or less the same price including shipping (though in bigger quantities). The seller doesn’t offer other kinds of tea that I like so except for the shipping speed there is no real advantage here.
Sure, I probably ended up paying 100-150 in international shipping last year, but I'm pretty sure that if I'd had to buy all those teas from a local retailer the markup would add up to way more than that.
This isn't always true. Our Taiwanese Oolong farmer sells online as well, and we were able to lower our margins enough to match his prices, while providing faster and cheaper shipping. He prefers it this way, because he wants to focus on producing quality teas, not shipping small retail orders globally all the time.
Interesting to know. Do you mind divulging who's oolong you're carrying?
chofmann
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Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:43 pm

wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:32 pm
chofmann wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:08 pm
wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 6:42 pm


Sure, I probably ended up paying 100-150 in international shipping last year, but I'm pretty sure that if I'd had to buy all those teas from a local retailer the markup would add up to way more than that.
This isn't always true. Our Taiwanese Oolong farmer sells online as well, and we were able to lower our margins enough to match his prices, while providing faster and cheaper shipping. He prefers it this way, because he wants to focus on producing quality teas, not shipping small retail orders globally all the time.
Interesting to know. Do you mind divulging who's oolong you're carrying?
I can't quite say yet. We are currently the exclusive US vendor carrying his teas, but we are hoping to get that in writing before revealing who he is. Who we source from is kinda analogous to our IP, so we have to walk carefully.

With that said, I can disclose that TeaForum pros are definitely familiar with him!

(I post under my personal name, but I discuss our company, Leafy Green, in the vendor section).
wildisthewind
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Location: USA

Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:46 pm

chofmann wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:43 pm
wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:32 pm
chofmann wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:08 pm


This isn't always true. Our Taiwanese Oolong farmer sells online as well, and we were able to lower our margins enough to match his prices, while providing faster and cheaper shipping. He prefers it this way, because he wants to focus on producing quality teas, not shipping small retail orders globally all the time.
Interesting to know. Do you mind divulging who's oolong you're carrying?
I can't quite say yet. We are currently the exclusive US vendor carrying his teas, but we are hoping to get that in writing before revealing who he is. Who we source from is kinda analogous to our IP, so we have to walk carefully.

With that said, I can disclose that TeaForum pros are definitely familiar with him!

(I post under my personal name, but I discuss our company, Leafy Green, in the vendor section).
Totally fair, I assumed so. And sounds like it's who I thought it might be. Great teas!
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Bok
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Sat Mar 10, 2018 12:59 am

Not so secret if you use the farms name in the tea’s naming... might want to adjust that if you want to keep it a secret :mrgreen:
Teachronicles
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Sat Mar 10, 2018 1:43 am

chofmann wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:43 pm
wildisthewind wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:32 pm
chofmann wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:08 pm


This isn't always true. Our Taiwanese Oolong farmer sells online as well, and we were able to lower our margins enough to match his prices, while providing faster and cheaper shipping. He prefers it this way, because he wants to focus on producing quality teas, not shipping small retail orders globally all the time.
Interesting to know. Do you mind divulging who's oolong you're carrying?
I can't quite say yet. We are currently the exclusive US vendor carrying his teas, but we are hoping to get that in writing before revealing who he is. Who we source from is kinda analogous to our IP, so we have to walk carefully.

With that said, I can disclose that TeaForum pros are definitely familiar with him!

(I post under my personal name, but I discuss our company, Leafy Green, in the vendor section).
If it is who I think it is, I'll definitely be enjoying the samples i just ordered from you.
chofmann
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Sat Mar 10, 2018 1:28 pm

Bok wrote:
Sat Mar 10, 2018 12:59 am
Not so secret if you use the farms name in the tea’s naming... might want to adjust that if you want to keep it a secret :mrgreen:
While we didn't use the name of the farm, we definitely hinted towards which one it is. We are proud to be carrying his teas and would love to be able to advertise the fact more, hopefully with less 'cloak and dagger' discretion in the near future.

Not everybody can read Chinese characters AND is a good sleuth like you Bok ;)
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Victoria
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Sat Mar 10, 2018 2:00 pm

chofmann wrote:
Sat Mar 10, 2018 1:28 pm
Bok wrote:
Sat Mar 10, 2018 12:59 am
Not so secret if you use the farms name in the tea’s naming... might want to adjust that if you want to keep it a secret :mrgreen:
While we didn't use the name of the farm, we definitely hinted towards which one it is. We are proud to be carrying his teas and would love to be able to advertise the fact more, hopefully with less 'cloak and dagger' discretion in the near future.

Not everybody can read Chinese characters AND is a good sleuth like you Bok ;)
Nice going, as he’s turned down many other vendors :)
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