A Chinese company used to hiring quickly and adjusting later finds France asymmetric: hiring is straightforward, ending an employment relationship is not. That asymmetry should shape the first move.
The three options in this direction
- Distributor. They buy and resell. Fast market access, no employment risk, and they own the customer relationship.
- Commercial agent. Sells in your name on commission. Note that European law gives agents significant protection, including compensation when the contract ends — verify this before signing.
- Your own team. Full control, full cost, and employment obligations that continue regardless of how sales develop.
A sensible sequence
Many Chinese companies that succeed in France start with a distributor in one country, learn what European buyers actually require, and only then hire — often beginning with one person whose job is quality of relationship rather than volume of sales. Hiring a sales team before understanding the market is the most expensive version of learning.