This afternoon, I talked with one of my clients. They got a REALLY big order from a new customer they REALLY don't want to upset in any way. They are studying their options: They can play it safe with one of their long-time and reliable … [Read more...]
The Entry Summary Declaration (ENS): what it means for China shippers
The European Union imposed a new regulation for all shipments (coming from all countries except for Norway and Switzerland): the Import Control System (ICS). It comes from the Commission Regulation 1875/2006: Those measures should produce … [Read more...]
Does your China factory sell your products on Taobao.com?
I had an interesting discussion a few days ago with the manager of a factory in China. He has big plans for selling on Taobao.com. Selling what? The same products he manufactures for one of his American customers... His customer orders … [Read more...]
Finding a good factory in china
A few days ago I wrote a post entitled Hidden Commissions Between China Factories And Sourcing Agents, which included these sentences: That’s why I won’t put my hand in the sourcing game. More and more importers are aware of hidden … [Read more...]
Can ISO 26000 be used for factory audits?
Last week, the new ISO 26000 standard was officially published. Here is its brief overview: It is intended to promote common understanding in the field of social responsibility, and to complement other instruments and initiatives for … [Read more...]
Hidden commissions between China factories and sourcing agents
Five years ago, when I was working in Hong Kong, one of my friends (who imports from France) asked me for help. I found a few potential suppliers for her, I arranged some meetings on a Saturday, and I accompanied her in the suppliers' … [Read more...]
China’s village community system
About 6 months ago, I wrote an article entitled Are Chinese Suppliers Trying To Screw The Foreigners? My point was that foreigners were an easy target because of their typical unpreparedness, but not more desirable as a target than other … [Read more...]
Training of in-house inspectors in China: too often neglected
This summer, we helped an importer understand why their in-house inspectors were regularly failing to signal quality problems. The purchasing manager was suspecting complacency, not to mention bribes. I sent one of my best inspectors to … [Read more...]
A guide for successful production in China
Dan Harris, from the China Law Blog, just published the text of a speech he gave about outsourcing issues in emerging markets (including China, Vietnam, India...). It is FULL of insights for importers. I think it makes for an excellent … [Read more...]
When a China factory invokes IP ownership
Intellectual property (IP) ownership is a frequent cause of dispute between importers and Chinese suppliers. If you bring your own design or your own tooling, they might use it for other customers or share it with other factories. But … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- …
- 158
- Next Page »