Earlier this week I was with a client, during one of their China trips. They import garments, and one of the most important criteria is the respect of size charts. If measurements are out of tolerances, the garments might be … [Read more...]
QC luncheon (organized by the Supply Chain Council)
Today I attended a QC luncheon in Shanghai, organized by the Supply Chain Council. Its aim was to gather people from different QC firms and share experiences. Andrew Reich, from In Touch, was the speaker. He touched on some interesting … [Read more...]
Different products, different ways to control quality
I published an article on Smart China Sourcing, an excellent knowledge base about sourcing in China. The article title is How to control the quality of YOUR products?, and it distinguishes between 3 main product categories (see below … [Read more...]
5 legitimate reasons why your company does not need third-party quality control
I exhibited at a few trade shows and I talked to hundreds of importers. I noticed that many of them don't have their products inspected at all. Another thing I noticed is that they have not really thought about it. It sounds like they can … [Read more...]
Reducing quality risks without paying more
I published an article entitled China Production: Reduce Your Quality Risks Without Paying More, on China Business Success Stories. It is a series of 7 tips for importers: Write your product specifications Put in place a QA system … [Read more...]
Quality control inspections: basic concepts
I just posted a guest article about the basics every importer should be familiar with, on the China Sourcing Blog. They do a great job publishing very informative and practical posts. My article was a little on the long side, but I don't … [Read more...]
Inspecting quality earlier is better: the 1-10-100 rule
There are many misconceptions about quality control. One of them is the source of many problems: importers think QC inspections should take place at the end of production, just before shipment. In practice, it's true that most … [Read more...]
Defect sorting job (100% check)
Last week, a local trading company called me for checking thousands of products, one by one. They had found defects on several batches, and instead of repairing them, they had just put them aside. They were probably planning to sell them on … [Read more...]
Final product inspections: should the whole order be ready?
Most product inspections take place after production is finished, and just before shipment. It is a convenient way of checking whether all the product and packaging requirements are met. However, timing is usually tight. The importer … [Read more...]
In defense of third party inspection companies
Third-party quality control (3PQC, or 3PQA) has gotten a bad name in some circles. It might be deserved in part. But I feel there is a lot of misunderstanding. I am going to explain the basics of our job, so that non-experts can make their … [Read more...]