The Sourcing Decision in 2025

If you’re building a product brand, one of the biggest early decisions is how to source:

Do you hire a sourcing agent, or do you use a sourcing platform?

Both options promise to connect you with the right factory. But they work very differently — and the choice can shape your cost, control, and speed to market.

What Do Sourcing Agents Do?

Sourcing agents (or agencies) are middlemen. They:

• Find factories for you — usually through their own network

• Manage quotes and samples

• Sometimes handle communication, QC, or shipping

They can be useful if:

• You have no time to manage sourcing

• You’re launching in a new region or niche

• You trust the agent’s expertise and are okay with giving up visibility

But there are trade-offs.

Problems With Traditional Sourcing Agents

• Opaque fees: Many charge hidden commissions on top of what the factory charges

• Limited visibility: You don’t always know who’s actually making your product

• Single point of failure: If the agent disappears, your whole project is in limbo

• Slow communication: Everything passes through an intermediary, creating friction

In 2025, brands want transparency, speed, and control — not just introductions.

What About Sourcing Platforms?

Modern sourcing platforms (like NovaSupplier) give you tools to:

• Search and connect with manufacturers directly

• View profiles, certifications, MOQs, and lead times

• Request quotes and compare options

• Manage communication, contracts, and payments in one place

Instead of depending on one agent, you see the whole landscape and drive the process yourself.

Why Platforms Are Winning in 2025

• Direct access to verified suppliers

• Transparent pricing and no hidden commissions

• Search and filter by region, service, capacity, and industry

• Built-in tools for briefing, SoWs, and payments

• Scales with your team — multiple users can manage sourcing without bottlenecks

With NovaSupplier, brands use a platform that feels more like an operating system than a directory.

When Agents Still Make Sense

There are still cases where an agent adds value:

• You need deep, hands-on help in a very specialized category

• You’re producing in a country where language or compliance is a major barrier

• You have no internal capacity to manage suppliers at all

But in most cases, brands today prefer visibility + ownership over delegation and opacity.

Final Thoughts

The question isn’t just “agent vs platform” — it’s about how much control and clarity you want over your supply chain.

Platforms like NovaSupplier give you:

• Real-time access to serious suppliers

• Full visibility from quote to payment

• A structured, modern workflow built for growing brands

In 2025, the best sourcing tool is the one that puts you in control — with speed, structure, and trust built-in.