I listed the useful articles I published between 2009 and now.
Challenges for foreign buyers
10 hard truths for small buyers in China
The lack of transparency in China supply chains
Traceability of production in China: it has a cost!
How Chinese manufacturers reduce their costs: “the sub-supply chain”
The 10 biggest misconceptions of importers about China
The lack of professionalism of some Chinese suppliers
Chinese New Year: how to manage the disruption?
Getting Prepared for the CNY Production Stoppage
Challenges of Small Businesses in China – Q&A with an expert
6 ways Chinese suppliers can cheat importers
How your Chinese suppliers might become your competitors
7 Tips to Prevent the “Different Bank Account” Scam
Partnering with a Chinese factory: a sweet dream?
Frustrations of importers in China: a Gartner study
Top 10 mistakes committed by importers
Chinese suppliers and subcontracting
China buying experience: shopping mall or contractor?
Sourcing new suppliers
Why do Chinese suppliers change names?
Scams by Chinese suppliers: what to do?
Working with small Chinese manufacturers
Tips for Selecting Chinese Suppliers of Injection Molded Products
Finding a suitable Chinese supplier is an art more than a science
Why most factories refuse to give customer references
Buying from a large private Chinese factory
What Products are Very Hard to Buy Outside China?
Maturity of Manufacturing Areas in China
An Alibaba Gold Supplier Status Doesn’t Mean Anything
The four levels of Chinese factories
Best Practices for Choosing the Right Chinese Factory
Due diligence on suppliers
Chinese Supplier Verification Tips, Based on the Business License
How importers get scammed by Chinese suppliers
Background checks on Hong Kong companies
Is it SAFE to send payments to a Hong Kong company for China productions?
6 tips for background checks on Chinese suppliers
Due Diligence for Buying a Chinese Factory
Chinese Supplier Background Check: how useful is it?
Product specifications & QC checklist
Preparing specifications for production in China
How to prepare a QC inspection checklist [infographic]
Integrate inspection tools in your QC checklist!
How to use quality inspectors to define specifications for your China factory
What should be in a purchase order (PO) to a Chinese supplier?
Be ULTRA SPECIFIC with your Chinese Suppliers
Preparing a list of quality defects for QC inspectors
The role of pre-production samples
Template for Design Sheet and Testing Plan for China Production
Product specifications template for importers in China
Quality Assurance Strategy
How Factory Audits, Inspections, and Lab Tests Fit Together
4 proven ways to enforce your quality standard in China
QA vs. QC – what importers need to know
QC inspections are only a part of your quality assurance strategy
The 10 components of a good quality assurance strategy in China
Quality decision vs. business decision
How Quality and Price are Tightly LINKED in China
Hands-off buyers: accepting the risks of importing
Hands-on buyers: qualifying factories and nurturing them
Checklist for importers in China and low-cost Asia
Chinese factories: the restaurant analogy
Chinese suppliers’ lack of reliability: 5 tips for importers
Why you Need a Backup Factory for your China Production
Switching from Acceptance Sampling to Process Control
Inspecting During Production vs Monitoring Production
QC Inspections for Hand-Made vs. Machined Products
The giant hole in China quality assurance programs
Quality control plan: defining expectations before production
Reviewing Samples in China to Save Time & Money
Payments to suppliers
RMB settlement for paying Chinese suppliers
Letters of credit when buying in China: the basics
Statistics about payment terms between importers and Chinese suppliers
China Manufacturing: Options for Payment
How a letter of credit protects importers
Confirming quality when paying by irrevocable letter of credit
Confirming quality when paying by bank wire (T/T)
Tie payments to quality acceptance, for each shipment
How to get a Chinese supplier to accept a letter of credit
How to Pay Chinese Suppliers by Bank Transfer (T/T)
International Payment to Chinese Factories: Q&A
How to Pay a Service Provider Based in Hong Kong or China?
Price negotiations & penalties
How and why Chinese suppliers increase their prices
Negotiating for Slower Price Increases from Chinese Factories
China Price Inflation: Where are Cost Reduction Opportunities?
Using penalties effectively
China: when price negotiations impact product quality
China: why pushing for faster production is dangerous
Imposing fines on Chinese suppliers
Rising prices in China: 5 solutions for importers
How to decrease a minimum order quantity
You can negotiate prices hard without being a tough buyer
Should you tell China suppliers about your target price?
When should you request quotations from Chinese factories?
Do Penalties for Poor Quality Make Sense for your Suppliers?
Factory visits/audits
What questions can you ask a Chinese factory during a visit?
What can you observe in a Chinese factory?
Factory tours in China: what to watch out for
Are Technical Auditors Necessary for ISO 9001 Audits?
Auditing a small Chinese factory: does it make sense?
ISO 9000 factory audits for your China suppliers
How does a factory audit work? [infographic]
Chinese factories: what can be checked
Quality system: a checklist for factory auditors
Engaging a Consultant to Prepare a Factory Audit
Conducting factory audits for continuous improvement
ISO Standards and Factory Certifications
Core quality tools in the automotive industry
What Factory CERTIFICATIONS Mean in China
Are ISO 9001 Certified Suppliers the Best in China?
Are there Many Fake ISO 9001 Certifications in China?
Food safety standards: ISO 22001, HACCP, GMP
Writing a procedure that is consistent with ISO 9000 standards
ISO/TS 16949: Great Improvements Over ISO 9001
Advantages and Drawbacks of the ISO/TS 16949 Standard
The Advanced Product Quality Planning Process
Laboratory tests & certificates
Do not trust Chinese manufacturers’ certificates!
5 tips for testing China products against regulatory standards
The five types of product TESTING laboratories in China
What to Do When A Supplier Can’t Provide Product Certificates?
Testing laboratories in China: dark practices and perverse effects
SAFETY COMPLIANCE: major risks for European importers
Asking Suppliers to Pay for Laboratory Tests
What are Laboratory Certifications Worth in China?
How to Check Lab Test Certificates/Reports?
List of testing laboratories in China
Supplier relationship
China production: keeping your quality standard up
Relationships with Chinese suppliers: be clean!
Managing Chinese suppliers: how to maintain your authority
Tips to communicate effectively with Chinese suppliers
What to do after receiving bad quality products from China?
How to send a container back to china
The art of granting exceptions to your quality standard
Supervising production in china
The 3 categories in your Chinese supplier list
Bad relationship with a Chinese supplier: just end it!
Negotiate about prices, not about quality standards
Moving Tooling/Molds from one Chinese Factory to Another
Setting up a Supplier Evaluation System that Works in China
Why Do Most Chinese Dislike Processes?
IT Systems for Managing your China Procurement
10 Tips for Transferring Molds between Plastic Factories
KPIs and IT Tools of Purchasing Departments (Expert Q&A)
Legal issues and insurance
Respecting contracts and telling the truth in China
Liability insurance for importers
Are Chinese courts unreliable?
Why contracts are useful in China
My China Factory Has Gone Bankrupt: How to Get my Deposit Back?
Letters of guarantee: a substitute to quality control for importers?
Improvement approach
Re-inspections: the key is to manage corrective actions
Quality control vs. process improvement
How product design can create production quality issues
Use corrective actions plans to ensure effective repairing
What QC Tools To Use for Problem Resolution?
Getting to the root cause of a quality problem
A simple method to find a production problem’s root cause(s)
How to Solve Your China Production Problems
Intellectual property rights
Preventing parallel supply chains
Brand protection in China: Q&A with an expert
How to complain about counterfeit/fakes on Taobao
China Trade Shows: Don’t Get Your New Product Designs Stolen
5 ways to avoid being copied in China
Co-development with Chinese suppliers
When a China factory invokes IP ownership
Does your China factory sell your products on Taobao.com?
Making a hard-to-copy product in china
Checking a Product’s Intellectual Property Rights Before Buying
How to Protect against Copies when you Manufacture in China
Logistics
Dangerous gases in containers
How to check the loading of a container by a factory?
Shipping under FOB or CIF terms?
Fulfillment and drop-shipping from China: Q&A with an expert
Basics of freight forwarding in China: Q&A with an expert
When to ship LCL rather than FCL? Advice for importers.
4 options for managing shipping and Customs issues with China
Avoiding humidity inside containers
Consolidating Small Orders in China before Shipment
How 4PLs Can Help Reduce Costs Across a Supply Chain
You Don’t Have to Use an Incoterm when Buying from China
How to Send Small Quantities & Samples In and Out of China
The Logistics of Exporting from China — Air and Sea
New Product Development
Product development with chinese factories
Developing your own Product and Getting it to Market – Part 1
Screening Ideas for New Product Launch – Part 2
The Stage ‘Gate’ Review Meeting in the NPD Process – Part 3
Testing the Concept (New Product Development) – Part 4
Three Different Types of Prototyping for China Manufacturing
Different Methods of Prototyping
Developing the Product – Part 5
Developing the PCB for a Product Made in China – Part 6
Designing Physical Mechanical Parts for China Production – Part 7
The Importance of Prototype Build before Production – Part 8
Product Functional Testing Before China Production – Part 9
Design Review Iterations (New Product Development) – Part 10
Build Of Pre-Production Tooling – Part 11
Initial Product Build – Part 12
Assembly Review after an Initial Product Build – Part 13
Safety and Regulation Requirements china – part 14
Technical Data Files for China Production – part 15
Packaging Considerations for your Product – part 16
Test Marketing before Producing a Large Batch in China – part 17
Commercialization of your New Product – Part 18
NPD Process for SMEs Buying from China [free e-book]
What Determines the Cost of a Plastic Injection Mold in China?
Why Does Making a Mold In China Take a Month?
Injection Molding Tool: What Design Mistakes to Avoid
Review your Business Performance in the Market – Part 19
How to Send Good Design Files to Chinese Manufacturers
Managing your Product’s Life Cycle
How HALT & HASS Can Help your Product Development Efforts
4 Tips for Production Launch of an Electronic Product in China
Your Chinese Manufacturer Can Help Improve Your Product Design!
Training your China Factory before Production Starts
What Are Your Non-Recurring Engineering Costs for Production in China?
Having a Chinese Manufacturer Make Molds and Tools for You
What Needs to Be Done Before Production Starts (PPAP)
Packaging & packing
Checking the export cartons
The importance of packaging optimization for importers
Saving money thanks to better packaging
How to test the protection of your products during transport
Packaging: How to Protect your Shipment Effectively?
Best Practices for Protecting Electro-Mechanical Products
Practical tips for avoiding mold on imported shoes
Process audits
Setting up Injection Molding Machines in China
Auditing a Die Casting Process in China
Auditing a Plastic Injection Molding Process in China
Auditing Metal Machining Processes in China
Auditing Electronics Productions in China
Auditing Assembly & Packing Operations in China
Quality System Audits vs. Process-Specific Audits
Auditing a Rubber Molding Process in China
Auditing Wood Machining Processes used for Making Furniture
Auditing Cut & Sew Processes for Garment Manufacturing
Quality inspection nuts and bolts
Final random inspection: a guide for importers
Inspection during production: a necessity?
Container loading inspection: a guide for importers
Pre-production inspection: what benefits for buyers?
The advantage of a dedicated inspection room
Sampling plan calculations for quality inspections [infographic]
Inspection level vs. inspection severity
How to check many small orders produced at the same time
Statistical quality control tool: get a valid sampling plan
Procedure for dealing with failed inspections
Inspection of textile products: what tests can be done?
How to select the cartons to inspect in a factory
Why checking quality during loading is a bad idea
QC inspections on a platform: pros and cons
How many samples to inspect? It depends…
How to reduce the number of man-days for a QC inspection
How to misuse the ISO 2859 standard: sets vs. pieces
Bundling different products in one inspection: danger!
How to draw samples for a QC inspection
Piece by piece inspection: pros and cons
Timing for a final random inspection
How to reduce the frequency of quality inspections
QC Inspectors cannot follow different quality standards
How to choose an AQL limit?
Procedure if a problem is detected during an in-process inspection
How to arrange reference samples for QC inspections?
Limits of QC inspections based on AQL & random sampling
QC Inspections: How to Read the AQL Tables
Inspections of moulds and tools in China
Common questions about what an AQL inspection guarantees
The Special Inspection Levels in the AQL Tables
Defect sorting job (100% check)
Final product inspections: should the whole order be ready?
How suppliers can play to avoid QC inspections
The Different Sampling Plans Contained in the ISO 2859 Series
Mobile Applications (on Tablets) for Quality Inspections
Defect List vs. Checkpoint List
QC Inspections: Why some Points are NOT Checked on All Samples
How a Mobile App can Help Quality Control Inspectors
How does a random quality inspection work? [infographic]
The different types of sampling plans for QC inspections
How Technology Will Support Quality Control [Infographic]
How to Prevent the Factory from Swapping the Goods after Inspection
What is the “AQL” (Acceptance Quality Limit) in simple terms?
Aligning and Calibrating In-Line and Final Inspections
How to Check 100% of a Small Production Batch Before Shipment
Social/ethical audits
Social compliance audits in factories: perverse effects
Prison labor in China: one more risk to deal with
How to ensure that your factory can pass a social audit?
Social compliance audits don’t work!
Ethical sourcing in China: a view from the ground
What a Social Auditor Should Check in Chinese Factories
The Value of Worker Interviews during Social Compliance Audits
Speed to market
Better sales forecasts and more flexible supply chains
Managing urgent shipments in China
Delays and re-inspections: what impact on delivery dates?
How to avoid production delays in china
Production delays and quality problems often come up together
Supplier development
7 Signs of a Poorly Managed Chinese Factory
Training an internal inspector in a Chinese factory
How to develop Chinese suppliers
5 building blocks for developing good Chinese suppliers
Chinese suppliers: 6 distinctive traits of forward-thinking LEADERS
Automation in Chinese factories: not a solution!
Is your factory improving its processes?
Different types of production organization
Why semi-automation is better than full automation
What should factory operators do when defects are found?
7 Common Mistakes Revealed by Factory Org Charts
7 Mistakes Chinese Factories Make in Production Planning
Limits of Statistical Process Control in China
How to Use Statistical Tools to Improve Production Processes
How to Fire Bad Managers in a Chinese Factory
What Chinese Factory Managers Don’t Understand
Chinese factory TURNAROUND: is it good to hire new managers?
Managing QA/QC operations inside your company
Giving money to inspectors? It’s normal!
Corruption of inspectors: the role of social pressure
Avoiding kickbacks in China
Training for QC inspectors: Q&A with an expert
How your inspectors can fail to notice quality problems
Choosing a Good Quality Inspector or Auditor
Challenges in Managing Quality Inspectors in China
Managing QC Inspectors, Part 1: The Hiring Process
Managing QC Inspectors, Part 2: Checklist and Equipment
Managing QC Inspectors, Part 3: Training, Coaching, and Auditing
Managing QC Inspectors, Part 4: Evaluating their Performance
Managing QC Inspectors, Part 5: Avoiding Bribery
Managing QC Inspectors, Part 6: Planning the Inspections
Managing QC Inspectors, Part 7: The Quality Manager in China
Managing QC Inspectors, Part 8: QC vs. QA
Lean manufacturing
Why few Chinese factories are adopting lean principles
Yes, lean production is possible in China
The benefits of a factory’s lean turnaround
Lean transformation: how it drives costs down
How a Chinese factory can REALLY improve its quality
How to avoid human mistakes in production? The lean approach.
Lean and ISO 9001 are very compatible
History of Manufacturing Practices in the US, Japan, and China
Lean, 6 sigma, etc.: comparison of process improvement approaches