Most new buyers coming to China want just one thing: to find one or two good manufacturers that they count on, and partnering with them. They think "if I were a manufacturer, I would try to find a few stable customers and make their … [Read more...]
Why is Wal-Mart developing business with Li & Fung?
Two weeks ago Wal-Mart announced a push to more direct sourcing. And I wondered if the trend was still toward direct sourcing (and the elimination of sourcing/trading agents). Then yesterday Li & Fung, the largest sourcing company … [Read more...]
How Chinese factories cut their costs
I often blame the attitude of factory bosses for the quality issues experienced by importers in China. But the problems really come from the business environment. Few manufacturers (in proportion) truly commit to maintaining a quality … [Read more...]
China production: what sort of hammer do you use?
A post on Seth Godin's blog (Hammer Time) got me thinking about China sourcing. So, if it's true that to a person with a hammer, every problem looks like a nail, the really useful question is, "what sort of hammer do you have?" One study … [Read more...]
Chinese makers and complacency
Last week I met with an importer who complained that her long-time suppliers don’t make efforts any more. They assume they are doing a “good enough” job, since they have gotten orders so regularly for so long. The problem is that the … [Read more...]
When suppliers contact each other
Most Chinese suppliers are fighting to get a share of the export business. Their margins are often quite slim because of intense pressure on prices. However, the situation is not always as simple as one may imagine. The exporters of a given … [Read more...]
Traveling to factories in China
I spend about half of my time traveling, most of the time to industrial areas in China. These days I am a city I had never heard of, in Guangxi province. There was no airport close to my destination point, so I came with a night bus and I … [Read more...]
Using penalties effectively
Some importers can afford to conduct business in a friendly way with their Chinese suppliers. I am thinking of buyers who give regular orders to a few stable vendors, who don't work under intense timing pressure, and who enjoy a large … [Read more...]
Managing urgent shipments in China
For some importers, everything (i.e. development, production, and shipments) is always done under intense timing pressure. Nothing can be done about it--it is imposed by their market. So, how can they ensure quick production in … [Read more...]
Risks of cancelled orders
I was talking with the boss of a trading company in Suzhou (Jiangsu province) earlier this week. I was actually doing an inspection for one of my clients from Canada. We were talking about the North-American market, and she told me that … [Read more...]
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