In most cases, importers don't need to worry about the way their supplier handles the VAT rebate. They are usually better off negotiating a price under the FOB incoterm and avoid worrying about the complex paperwork involved in getting a … [Read more...]
Archives for August 2018
What is the “AQL” (Acceptance Quality Limit) in simple terms?
What Does AQL Mean? 'AQL' stands for 'Acceptance Quality Limit', and is a method used by many businesses to check a random sample from the production batch of their products and confirm that the risk of bad quality is relatively low. In … [Read more...]
Bad China Suppliers Quality: Still Tolerable in 2018?
When people ask me if the quality of China-made products has improved over the past 10 years, they expect me to say "oh yes, certainly". However, the reality is not that simple. I think an interesting approach is to divide the market … [Read more...]
Buying Food Ingredients from China? Can You Trust that Info?
The 'China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance' just decided that 6 types of fish can now be classified as "salmon" when sold within China. Amazing but true. According to the BBC, here is the background: New rules … [Read more...]
No Process Improvement Action Plan in Chinese Factories? Why?
In good factories, the leaders look at the future and wonder how to make their company stronger. They usually have an action plan that will support process improvement. That's how they will improve their quality, cut lead times, and contain … [Read more...]
Evaluating a Battery Manufacturer in China for Consistent Quality
Over the past 3 months, we have heard of more problems with batteries than with any other electrical component. Our team over at Sofeast in Shenzhen has been busy evaluating battery manufacturers, recently. And the average level of those … [Read more...]
Counterfeit Goods in China: Are Things Getting Better?
I was walking on the street in the Huaqiangbei area in Shenzhen and saw two guys pushing carts full of these boxes: Used boxes that were originally full of expensive French champagne. Probably collected in a restaurant or a shop that … [Read more...]