Most Chinese factories are very good at reproducing a physical sample... and not as good at respecting a blueprint or a set of written specifications. Importers often waste a lot of time to get to a "perfect sample", before production … [Read more...]
Probable appreciation of the Chinese yuan: effects for importers
It seems like the Chinese yuan (also called the renminbi, or RMB) will start gaining value again: The People's Bank of China said that in response to the global economy's continuing recovery, it will enhance its exchange rate's … [Read more...]
Doing quality control in China without paying twice
In China, suppliers seldom speak out about their most important concerns, but they usually do something about it. Many importers feel that factories make them pay, in one way or another, for everything they resent. A few examples: A … [Read more...]
Inspection of textile products: what tests can be done?
My quality control firm mostly works on inspections of textile products in China and other Asian countries. This type of goods is very particular, and it takes a specialized inspector to do the job correctly. Quality inspections consist … [Read more...]
Ranking my clients’ suppliers
Some of my clients have many suppliers in China--somewhere between 5 and 20. I get to know a lot of things about them, and my clients are usually quite interested in what I can tell them. One question I often get is "can you rank them, … [Read more...]
Inspections of lingerie in China: forget about fitting tests!
Several of my clients are importers of lingerie. I advised some of them when they started buying from China and they needed an inspection firm. I noticed the same issue popped up for all of them: "we really need you to do fitting tests for … [Read more...]
Avoiding kickbacks in China
I just listened to a great podcast on China's kickback culture, where Bill Dodson (who writes the This Is China blog) explains how difficult it is to avoid kickbacks. There are mainly two difficulties for foreign companies, whether they … [Read more...]
Production in large batches in China: top 5 problems
Some really large factories appeared in the US and in Europe in the early 20th Century. The prime example is the Ford Motor Company and its huge factories. The basic idea was that the higher the number of pieces produced, the lower the unit … [Read more...]
How to decrease a minimum order quantity
One concern many small buyers have in China has to do with the minimum order quantity imposed by manufacturers. It is actually the barrier that keeps many retailers working with importers/wholesalers. But some smart importers have figured … [Read more...]
Chinese trading companies and their dirty little secrets
Before you read this post, I have to emphasize that some Chinese trading companies here--including Hong Kong--truly create value for their customers. What I wrote below does not apply to all intermediaries. But I observed it so many … [Read more...]
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