So you have identified a potential supplier, you vetted their reputation & legitimacy, you asked them questions before a visit... and now is time to pay them a visit in China. I will cover the different aspects of the factory that … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2017
The Risks of Paying Sourcing Contractors (Employees) in China
Dan Harris wrote a pretty good overview of the risks of paying an individual as a sourcing/QC employee in China. He relates a recent change he noticed. (On our side, we also heard that controls on incoming flows of money have gotten much … [Read more...]
What Makes Supplier Due Diligence & Compliance Harder
The OECD published a long report entitled Due diligence guidance for responsible supply chains in the garment and footwear sector. I discovered it thanks for Sophie Pruvost. It is written with the production of garments and shoes in … [Read more...]
Chinese Factories Designing, Branding, and Selling on Amazon: Q&A
I wrote before about the challenges of Chinese factories to sell on Amazon. And yet, it seems to be an emerging trend. I asked Fredrik Gronkvist (from China Importal), who has also been observing the latest trends, for his opinion on … [Read more...]
China Supplier Vetting, Part 3: Evaluating Engineering Capability
If you want to work with a Chinese manufacturer to develop a new product, you need to evaluate their engineering capability. (If you only buy off-the-shelf products, this article won't be useful.) In addition to the questions a purchaser … [Read more...]
Environmental Concerns in China Are Reaching a High Point
A friend working in Beijing wrote this a few days ago: With less than 1 meter visibility, my dog was disappearing from the haze when I took it for a walk. It seems like I was only holding the leash in the air. Now I stay indoor all day … [Read more...]
How To Cooperate With Your Chinese Supplier, Part 15: The 7 Major Risks You Run With Your China Manufacturers
I listed the 6 ways Chinese suppliers cheat importers a few years ago. But, with proper due diligence, the risk of being cheated outright goes down a lot. The major risks that experienced importers run, when working with a new … [Read more...]