I ran a guest post on the China Law Blog that sums up most of what I have learned about quality assurance in China so far. The article is called The Five Steps To Successfully Buying Product From China. It touches on seemingly separate … [Read more...]
ISO 9000 factory audits for your China suppliers
Factory audits in China and other Asian countries are often (loosely) based on a checklist inspired by the ISO 9000 series. That means the main part of these audits consists in looking for holes in the factory's quality system. Why are … [Read more...]
Finding a good factory in china
A few days ago I wrote a post entitled Hidden Commissions Between China Factories And Sourcing Agents, which included these sentences: That’s why I won’t put my hand in the sourcing game. More and more importers are aware of hidden … [Read more...]
Can ISO 26000 be used for factory audits?
Last week, the new ISO 26000 standard was officially published. Here is its brief overview: It is intended to promote common understanding in the field of social responsibility, and to complement other instruments and initiatives for … [Read more...]
Hidden commissions between China factories and sourcing agents
Five years ago, when I was working in Hong Kong, one of my friends (who imports from France) asked me for help. I found a few potential suppliers for her, I arranged some meetings on a Saturday, and I accompanied her in the suppliers' … [Read more...]
A guide for successful production in China
Dan Harris, from the China Law Blog, just published the text of a speech he gave about outsourcing issues in emerging markets (including China, Vietnam, India...). It is FULL of insights for importers. I think it makes for an excellent … [Read more...]
You can negotiate prices hard without being a tough buyer
I see many importers coming to China and negotiating prices really hard. The experienced ones know that the factory might drop the order later, or worse produce with substandard material and/or methods. As long as they are aware of it, … [Read more...]
It sucks to be a first-time buyer in China
If you have never imported directly from China before, you are probably afraid of missing something important. What costs should you plan in your budget? What precautions should you take? You probably have no idea. Most purchasers I have … [Read more...]
Is there a place for small buyers in China?
Small importers face many challenges in China (see 10 hard truths for small buyers in China). Yet they can't resist the attraction of very low prices--compared with what they have to pay wholesalers in their country. I seriously think many … [Read more...]
How to find a suitable Chinese supplier? More art than science.
How to find a suitable Chinese supplier is a process consisting of several steps, one of which is often an audit of the manufacturing facilities. But how to audit a factory? Some buyers tour the plants themselves, while others delegate … [Read more...]
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