There is a clear trend that people working in supply chain management have to get used to: pretty much all products are getting more regulated over time. Even apparel is going to be hit hard by the upcoming EU Ecodesign for Sustainable … [Read more...]
Misguided Legal Advice Given to Startups in China: 8 Examples
We talk to hardware startup founders (on the way to bringing a new product into production) every week, and many of them have talked to a lawyer -- which is a good thing. Unfortunately, the legal advice given to startups is not always … [Read more...]
Don’t Let a Chinese Supplier Circumvent You: 5 Tips
Some risks and frustrations never go away... One of them is Chinese suppliers circumventing their customers, or selling to their customer's competitors, all the while using the product knowledge they gained... from their customers. Over … [Read more...]
How To Fight Back Against Fake Goods In China Trade Shows
For all the talk about improvements in China's intellectual property protection, many importers are still facing very unethical behavior from their supplier base. And nowhere is it more apparent than in trade shows. The temptation for … [Read more...]
What If Your Chinese Supplier Offers To Make Your Product in Vietnam?
We heard of several Chinese manufacturers that are opening a Vietnam factory, in order to serve their American customers better by avoiding Trump's tariffs. Sometimes that makes sense, and sometimes it doesn't... If one of your suppliers … [Read more...]
Shipping E-Cigarettes with Lithium Batteries by Air from China
By Fabien Gaussorgues With the sharp increase of shipments of electric & electronic devices working with a lithium battery and new rules that appeared recently when it comes to shipments, clients keep asking us about applicable … [Read more...]
How Does the VAT Rebate for Exports out of China work?
In most cases, importers don't need to worry about the way their supplier handles the VAT rebate. They are usually better off negotiating a price under the FOB incoterm and avoid worrying about the complex paperwork involved in getting a … [Read more...]
Can Alibaba Really Avoid Counterfeit Goods?
I just read a good article in this week's Week In China on the topic of counterfeit goods. It starts by reminding us of the regular accusations of big brands against Alibaba. Last May, brands led by Michael Kors, Gucci and Tiffany … [Read more...]
The Risks of Paying Sourcing Contractors (Employees) in China
Dan Harris wrote a pretty good overview of the risks of paying an individual as a sourcing/QC employee in China. He relates a recent change he noticed. (On our side, we also heard that controls on incoming flows of money have gotten much … [Read more...]
What Regulatory Standards Apply to Garments?
Note: all free coupons were used up. But we still got some coupons at 50% discount. If you import products from another country, you should be aware of the regulations that apply to those products. Chances are, your country's authorities … [Read more...]