A reader recently asked me how to find good sourcing agents in China. Many dark stories involving rogue sourcing agents have shaped my opinion on this topic. My response will probably sound radical to first-time importers. The way I see … [Read more...]
In China, do not look for the cheapest supplier
Many importers go on Chinese trade shows or browse online directories to find their suppliers. They find companies that display the product they look for, they ask for prices, and then they go for the lowest quotation. Most of the time, … [Read more...]
Buying products in stock in China
I remember a Canadian buyer who told me, 3 years ago, that Chinese factories should produce in advance. It would be much more convenient for importers, who would be able to replenish their inventory faster. It would mean two benefits: … [Read more...]
The real Alibaba fraud: not the one everyone talks about
Since the official declarations about the fraud committed by some of Alibaba's salespeople, everybody in the sourcing industry stresses the need for proper qualification and quality assurance. And they are right. In my mind, the fraud … [Read more...]
Some products are difficult to find in China
I was discussing with a friend of mine, who works as a purchaser for a French company. Her employer imports electrical products and sells them to supermarkets and specialized chains. Their salespeople regularly see nice new products on the … [Read more...]
Developing a prototype with a Chinese factory
I found a very interesting article about the development of prototypes on the Berkley Sourcing Group's website. It sums up nicely the technologies and the challenges associated with prototyping plastic products, metal products, and cut … [Read more...]
Price increases in China: data from Global Sources
Global Sources just published the results of a survey of Chinese suppliers (Expect higher China prices in months ahead). I reproduced the most interesting findings: The rising costs of materials & components are pushing export prices … [Read more...]
Is it really interesting to produce in china?
The China Law Blog came up with an article (China Manufacturing: "We're Bringing It Back Home") that gives a few examples of American companies repatriating their China activities: We are working on shutting down a large American service … [Read more...]
Making a hard-to-copy product in china
There is a line that I heard several times, and that makes me cringe: "well, our product is difficult to manufacture, but the good side is that it will be hard to copy". I don't give ANY value that that "good side". If the product is … [Read more...]
How does a factory audit work? [infographic]
A few months ago, we illustrated how random inspections work, and we got very positive feedback. This time we designed an infographic about the way a factory audit works in China and other low-cost Asian countries: We tried to put … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- …
- 26
- Next Page »