Don't miss a post

If you need to produce in China, will you be better served by a small manufacturer, or by a large one? There is no short answer. It depends on many factors. But one major determinant is the size of your orders relative to their … [Read more...]

This afternoon, I talked with one of my clients. They got a REALLY big order from a new customer they REALLY don't want to upset in any way. They are studying their options: They can play it safe with one of their long-time and reliable … [Read more...]

I had an interesting discussion a few days ago with the manager of a factory in China. He has big plans for selling on Taobao.com. Selling what? The same products he manufactures for one of his American customers... His customer orders … [Read more...]

Intellectual property (IP) ownership is a frequent cause of dispute between importers and Chinese suppliers. If you bring your own design or your own tooling, they might use it for other customers or share it with other factories. But … [Read more...]

A reader who is going to follow production issues in China for a US company sent me a message. He asks what it takes to do that kind of job properly. Here are a few elements of response: First, it helps to be an engineer or a designer, … [Read more...]

Some of my clients are great at managing their Chinese suppliers and finding quick solutions to any issue that arises. But other importers consistently let factories force their hands--it seems they have no authority at all! For example, … [Read more...]

I just found an article on supplychain.com entitled Buyers find pitfalls of China sourcing (h/t to @MaxHenry). It is based on a survey of importers by a consultancy (Gartner). I listed below the main frustrations that were … [Read more...]

One of my friends has a small trading company in Hong Kong. Thanks to his network contacts, he got some steady orders from large institution such as the French police forces and some mail order companies. Most of his customers don't have … [Read more...]

If you have found Chinese suppliers that you can rely on, you should make sure they like you. I am not saying that you should become "good buddies who go to parties together" (don't do it!), but it is good business practice to do certain … [Read more...]

Sometimes a client does everything he can to ensure that inspections will take place in good conditions. They send me clear specifications about the product, they pass the right message to the supplier, and they keep a couple of days … [Read more...]