First, let me get one thing out of the way: not all batches need to be checked. If a manufacturer has great systems and processes, and if they have a history of complying with your quality standard, there is usually no reason to send … [Read more...]
QC Basics: What is a Quality Inspection? Context, Tools & Template
This article answers the question: 'What is a quality inspection?' and explores when they typically take place (before, during, and after production). We will cover the types of inspections most widely used by buyers in international … [Read more...]
Some Problems Can’t Be Detected During Apparel QC Inspections
A few years ago, I wrote about the limits of random quality inspections. My focus in that article was on the random elements, on human mistakes, and on the tricks that manufacturers can play. Today I'd like to write about issues that … [Read more...]
Avoiding Mold on Imported Products Shipped in Ocean Containers
Several clients asked me recently about a way to avoid mold on imported products shipped from a Chinese, Vietnamese, or Indian factory. This is a serious problem. The reason is usually a combination of these 5 factors: The products … [Read more...]
What Certifications are Necessary for a Given Product & Country?
If you are buying products from China, you probably asked the following questions: What type of certification is needed? How to be compliant? What is mandatory and what is only advised? Getting the right information immediately … [Read more...]
Must-know Basics of Quality Assurance in China & Vietnam for Buyers
Many new or inexperienced importers who are outsourcing their production to suppliers in China (or wider Asia such as Vietnam) for the first time go into the process almost blind. They're later hit with crippling issues that can make the … [Read more...]
The Different Types Of Sampling Plans For QC Inspections
1. What is a sampling plan? A sampling plan allows an auditor or a researcher to study a group (e.g. a batch of products, a segment of the population) by observing only a part of that group, and to reach conclusions with a pre-defined … [Read more...]
Transitioning to Supplier Self Inspections: Go Stage by Stage
It seems nearly every major retailer has given some thought to letting their suppliers check quality themselves. I wrote about it in Why Supplier Self-Inspections Are Getting More Popular in China. The obvious benefit is cutting costs. … [Read more...]
Why Amazon FBA Prep Services Should Be Done in China (not USA)
Michael Michelini wrote about Amazon packaging, and he mentioned the FBA prep services. I discovered a whole industry popped up and is probably growing fast. What do they do? In Mike's words: Basically, a third-party prep service does … [Read more...]
When AQL Sampling Plans Can’t Find Defective Products
A reader sent me this interesting question: I would like to better understand AQL usage and more precisely whether inspections based on AQL are effective in situations where the distribution of defects is not homogeneous within the … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- …
- 33
- Next Page »