The importance of samples to get new orders How do buyers select a Chinese supplier? Most often, they compare quotations and samples. Other considerations, such as reactivity or manufacturing capability, are taken into account by a … [Read more...]
Who takes the final decision to let the factory ship the products?
It is always amazing how some Chinese suppliers can take advantage of a situation, and then reject the fault on another party with a straight face. I just fell victim of it, because of a supplier that didn't wait for his customer's shipping … [Read more...]
You have special requirements? Then write your own inspection procedure!
One of my clients systematically controls every shipment upon arrival in their warehouse. So they have a lady who has been doing this full-time for more than 10 years. They have honed a procedure for her work, little by little. It is based … [Read more...]
Confirming quality when paying by irrevocable letter of credit
In my last article, I explained how an importer can confirm his product's quality while paying by bank wire. The other very widespread mode of payment is the letter of credit (L/C), or documentary credit. Generally speaking, buyers should … [Read more...]
Confirming quality when paying by bank wire (T/T)
This article will detail how an importer can confirm his product's quality while paying by bank wire (let's say the deposit is 30%). Important note: what I wrote below is relevant primarily for sea shipments. For air shipping, the … [Read more...]
Tie payments to quality acceptance, for each shipment
I'm catching up here on a good post entitled When Sourcing in China. Cash = Control on the All Roads blog. I wanted to write something about the relationship between payments and quality, but I don't think I can write it more clearly than … [Read more...]
An inappropriate example about China sourcing
Very good post, over at Evolving Excellence, entitled How Do You Like Them Apples?. Bill Waddell, a consultant with strong experience in operations management, analyzes Apple’s procurement of iPods. He tries to demonstrate that Apple … [Read more...]
Explain your quality standard: be simple and concrete
Many importers don't fully understand the reports they get from inspection companies. The concepts are not really complex, but one needs a little guidance to grasp them correctly. That's why I write articles such as Quality Control … [Read more...]
Preventing Chinese suppliers from subcontracting: the bike lock theory
The China Law Blog just released an interesting post, introducing the "bike lock theory of Chinese law". Dan Harris makes the point that lawyers can help prevent quality issues by crafting a good contract. And he takes an example: how a … [Read more...]
Complex supply chains in China
I skimmed through All The Tea In China today. It was written by a founder of an American trading company specializing in China importing and exporting. It is aimed at a general public and basically tries to answer the question "where are … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 152
- 153
- 154
- 155
- 156
- …
- 158
- Next Page »