It has been said that there is a price to pay for working in a given industry: the intimate knowledge of its dark sides. I have already written about the perverse effects of social compliance audits and about the dangerous games of … [Read more...]
Hands-on buyers: qualifying factories and nurturing them
Last week, I described what I call "hands-off buyers": those importers who don't follow all the precautions necessary when buying in developing Asia, sometimes by choice. Now I am going to write about "hands-on buyers", the opposite … [Read more...]
Checklist for importers in China and low-cost Asia
Let's say you have done your homework, and you have decided that you should source from China/Vietnam/an other emerging Asian country. Now, what are the steps? Is there something you really don't want to forget? I got this question … [Read more...]
Hands-off buyers: accepting the risks of importing
To summarize grossly, two types of importers source products from China and low-cost Asian countries: "Hands-off buyers", who are not in a position to invest much time with each of their suppliers. "Hands-on buyers", who need to focus … [Read more...]
Useful Templates
The templates listed below will help you work in a more organized manner. Adapt them to your particular needs! What to prepare before production Infographic: how to prepare a QC checklist Template of product specifications … [Read more...]
How to manage chinese inspectors
In inspection firms, what makes the difference between a high client turnover rate and a satisfied client base? Unreliable inspectors. I am thinking of quality controllers who don't point to problems (because they take shortcuts in the … [Read more...]
Hands-on sourcing: pay more to make more profit
Many inexperienced importers think they don't need any on-the-ground support when they buy directly from factories in developing countries with immature legal systems like China. After a few bad experiences, they are usually confused as to … [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...]
The advantage of a dedicated inspection room
Many Chinese factories have no dedicated area for third-party QC inspections. We often sit down in the packing department (because that's where the cartons generally are), or in a meeting room (because that's where we can get a large table … [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...]
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