I found this funny photo, and I thought all China sourcing agents should show this type of message on their namecards. Source: it was shared on Linkedin by Lisa Short (07826 546236). … [Read more...]
The sourcing process, from the buyer and the supplier’s perspectives
Sourcing a good supplier that offers a competitive price is hard. There is a lot of "noise" to filter out in that search process. But did you wonder what that process looks like on the supplier's side? Maybe it would help you improve the … [Read more...]
Background checks on Hong Kong companies
Readers often ask me questions about a Chinese supplier. They send me a company name and an associated address in China. When I see the name, I often say "this looks like a Hong Kong company name". The fact is, many Chinese exporters … [Read more...]
6 tips for background checks on Chinese suppliers
I frequently lament about the number of importers who take high risks by not doing any quality control. But the most under-rated tool to reduce risks in China is certainly running a background check on potential suppliers. I listed 6 … [Read more...]
The regained interest in china manufacturing
Looking back over the past few years, several trends have come and gone. One of them is the interest of most importers in moving production out of China. 2009 to 2011: low-cost Asia was fashionable The context was clear: prices of … [Read more...]
China sourcing: do not focus on the supplier’s FOB price
I often tell importers not to focus too much on the factory-gate price when selecting a supplier. There are so many other elements to take into account! Recently I had the chance to attend a presentation (in a FCCIHK seminar) … [Read more...]
Criteria to decide if buying from China is a good idea
Etienne Charlier, at Procurasia, just had a very nice infographic designed. It is presented as a list of criteria to be followed by a company BEFORE starting to buy in China. According to Etienne, sourcing in China is a good idea for … [Read more...]
How to find a CMT apparel factory
A reader asked me recently how he might find a good CMT factory to make garments. Here is my advice. The first question is: where? For buyers based in Europe: logical choices are Tunisia and Morocco, or Eastern Europe. For buyers … [Read more...]
New sourcing destinations in Asia: Let’s be serious.
Some importers are constantly scanning Asia for new producing countries. They are chasing the lowest wages. It is not possible in all industries, of course. In many hard goods categories (toys, consumer electronics, DIY...), there is no … [Read more...]
Anatomy of a China scam
I was recently contacted by a reader from Australia, who was scammed by a Chinese supplier. She gave me a lot of details, so I suggested that she writes what happened to her (including any suspicious signs she should have noticed). The … [Read more...]
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