A business analyst working for a large, luxury home furnishings retailer has received the following email from one of their overseas buyers:
“Hi I have recently returned from China, where I was searching for items for a new furniture range we are planning to release over the summer. The first thing to note is that we are not the first company looking to source these products from this market. By chance, | met a representative of HomeLux (one of our competitors). They told me that they had negotiated a very competitive price with the producers here; on condition of agreed purchase volumes over the next five years.
I have managed to source some samples of handmade chairs, which we will need to test for durability and check that they have been I made from sustainable sources. We must also investigate trade regulations, to see if there are any restrictions on the quantities we will be allowed to import.”
The business analyst is going to put together an analysis from this information.
What can be identified from the email?