There is a misconception in many people's minds. They think there are many manufacturers in China & Vietnam capable of, and willing to, do a lot of the development work for a new product they think is promising. That is true if you have millions of Facebook followers, you run a popular TV program, or Apple's CEO declares they will distribute your product in his stores. In most cases, it is much harder, though. 5 product design questions you need to answer to be seen as a … [Read more...]
Free Samples from Potential Chinese Suppliers: A Positive Sign?
If you find 30 potential suppliers that all seem capable of making the product you want, how to pick the best one? With B2B platforms like Alibaba and Global Sources, many buyers ask themselves that question. And an easy answer is "I will ask for free samples and see who says yes and makes good-looking samples". … [Read more...]
What Is the APQP? (Advanced Product Quality Planning Process)
The APQP, or Advanced Product Quality Planning, is a proven approach for developing a new product to be made in high volume and under strict quality, timing, and cost requirements. It was developed in the automotive industry. (Virtually all tier-1 suppliers of car parts have to implement this approach.) It has also been adopted in other settings with similar requirements, with great success. Adding some structure to the design & development phase I have heard many people tell … [Read more...]
Bringing an IoT Product from Concept to Market: Case Study
We've been fortunate to help Ahera develop their OSIA IoT smart band from concept to prototype and to get them prepared to take the next steps (tooling, certification, preparation, production). It is actually a great case study for entrepreneurs planning to develop their own product and manufacture it in China, so I thought it would make for an interesting article. Ahera is in the middle of an Indiegogo campaign these days. I went to interview their founder, Rudy Bottin, about what it took to … [Read more...]
5 Marketing & Sales Mistakes Hardware Startups Tend To Make
John Teel from Predictable Designs (a great resource for hardware startups, with a focus on electronic design & engineering) just launched his podcast, and I thought the third episode was quite interesting. The interviewee was Dave Millman of BizDev Global, a company that helps B2B tech startups find their first customers. Here is a summary of what he shared. … [Read more...]
Flexible Manufacturing in China: How To Set It Up
It is easier than ever for foreign buyers to have a manufacturer handle high-mix, low-volume orders, with short lead times. In other words, flexible manufacturing. … [Read more...]
Low Budget New Product Development For Importers From Asia [Q&A]
![Low Budget New Product Development For Importers From Asia [Q&A]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/LowBudgetNewProductDevelopmentForImportersFromAsiaQA-1140x445.jpg)
I recently spoke with Liz Long of Learn To Make A Product, who I've worked with in the past, about low budget new product development for importers who are getting their products manufactured in Asia. New product development can be tough for importers, especially entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses who are doing it for the first time, so what advice does Liz have to offer? … [Read more...]
Don’t Send Immature Product Designs To A Chinese Manufacturer!
As part of our design support service, we have been talking to many inventors who are planning to have manufacturing made in China. What many don't understand is, there are several steps that just can't be skipped, especially in product design and development phases... … [Read more...]
28 Common Problems Chinese Suppliers Cause Importers
I was thinking of the most common problems Chinese suppliers cause for importers, especially those developing their own products. And I noticed something interesting. Most of them all linked to the way information is managed. … [Read more...]
How Long Does Custom Product Development In China Take?
Let's say you have been developing a new product. The plan, of course, is to bring it to market as soon as possible. Your company's strategy is to ‘produce it in China’. How long will such a custom product development in China actually take? Probably longer than you'd guess, as we are going to see. … [Read more...]