Finally, after some troubled years, it's mainly good news when it comes to logistics from China! Importers will remember the infamous high costs of 2021 when sending a container from China to the USA cost upwards of US$20,000...well, things have changed for the better in 2023, and in this post, we're going to explore why and what challenges may still lie ahead during the year. … [Read more...]
Incoterms 2020: Simple Rules of Thumb To Pick the Right Term
Clients often ask us what their incoterm options are when it comes to shipping by sea. Our typical answer is "most buyers go for FOB, so that's probably what you want to do". But that's a bit short. Let's look in more detail at how to select the right option for our needs from all the Incoterms 2020 list. … [Read more...]
Tips For Buyers On A Budget Who Want To Start Manufacturing In China [Podcast]
![Tips For Buyers On A Budget Who Want To Start Manufacturing In China [Podcast]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TipsForBuyersOnABudgetWhoWantToStartManufacturingInChinaPodcast-1140x445.jpeg)
In this episode... You'll love this episode as it contains loads of helpful tips for buyers from China who're operating on a smaller budget from Sofeast's CEO Renaud and this week's guest, sourcing expert, Rico Ngoma from Source Find Asia. They talk you through what you really need to do and some ways to lower costs where possible, so, hopefully, you can start budgeting for what's essential and handle some things yourself. For instance, it's possible to do some due diligence on potential … [Read more...]
How To Choose The Right Packaging To Protect Your Products? [Podcast]
In This Episode… We take a close look at why packaging plays a key role in protecting your products during transit. Packaging materials, supply chain risks, and packaging reliability testing are all scrutinized to give you a good introduction to this topic and help you choose the right packaging for your needs. You'll see why considering packaging and developing the right inner and outer packaging for your needs should be done during the product development process and should neither be … [Read more...]
4 Common Ways To Ship Products From China By Sea
Our clients often ask for alternatives. And we encourage that. What makes sense for one company may not make sense for another. So, I wrote this mini-guide to the 4 main alternative ways to ship products from China by sea in order, from more to less common. Note, I only discuss sea freight here for simplicity. There are, of course, differences with air freight. … [Read more...]
How to test the protection of your products during transport
This is the third article where I reproduce the insights from Kevin Howard, a consultant with deep experience about packaging issues. Our previous Q&A are on The importance of packaging optimization and Saving money thanks to better packaging. Question: The ISTA 1A procedure (of letting a carton drop on the floor 10 times in a row) is widely used by third-party QC firms. Many factories refuse it and argue it is too hard on the cartons. On the other hand, some clients told me their … [Read more...]