I bet you are tired of hearing your Chinese suppliers say “this is made by hand, so avoiding defects is impossible”. So am I, because it’s so wrong. Some small factories have decreased their defect rate below 50 parts per million … [Read more...]
Standards for Selling on Amazon FBA Platform Are Getting Stricter
I listened to an interesting podcast on Global From Asia. It is entitled Amazon FBA Trends in 2018 with Danny MCmillan and Will Tjernlund. These two guests shared their experiences and insights on the 'Fulfilment By Amazon' platform. I … [Read more...]
How To Comply with Standards that are Impossible To Reach?
Importers are often stuck between a rock and a hard place. They are asked by customers or by regulators to comply with very tough (and sometimes unrealistic) standards, and at the same time they need to ensure business continuity -- keep … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, Part 13: Developing a Chinese Supplier
Many importers work in one or two product categories. They buy 80% of their volume from 1-4 manufacturers. And many of them make the same mistake: they don’t try developing a Chinese supplier who they are CURRENTLY working with. Instead, … [Read more...]
What Can Quality Professionals Do When Most Suppliers Are Off (CNY)?
Do you find yourself with some time on your hands, when your Chinese suppliers are enjoying their New Year holiday? Why not take advantage of it and do some work that will be important to your company's success? Here are 4 … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, Part 12: How Closely To Follow Production?
Up until now, I have written advice that is targeted at certain types of importers. I call them the “hands-on buyers”, and I know them well because many of them are our clients. They tend to follow their production closely. However, … [Read more...]
Software for your Company’s Quality Inspectors: All You Need To Know
I wrote a detailed guide on quality inspection software for buying offices, on the SynControl website. It has become a hot topic for buying offices and trading companies. Top management is looking for savings in support functions, and … [Read more...]
Do You Focus on Product Redesign Rather than Process Improvement?
Let's say you develop a custom product (based on your own design) with a manufacturing partner in China. After 2 years, they push for a price increase because their costs are going up. And let's say you cannot raise your purchasing … [Read more...]
Are Preventive Maintenance and Process Control the Same Thing?
I wrote an article a few months ago about manufacturing processes and their control. I illustrated this with the process of making a cup of coffee. A lot of things go into it: How to make a good cup of coffee? By using: The … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, Part 11: Build A Good rapport with Suppliers
Up until now, I have written lessons about “hard” issues: screening suppliers, writing specifications, negotiating the right terms, and inspecting quality. But I feel I should take a moment and focus on “soft” issues, and in particular, … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- …
- 158
- Next Page »