What if you could reduce the chances of quality problems long before your product goes into production? A DFQ review can help you achieve this! What is DFQ? Design For Quality is where we review a number of factors that affect quality at … [Read more...]
Documenting Your Company’s Quality Standard into the Details
We have worked with many companies that buy products from China & Vietnam, and their most common shortcoming is probably the lack of a clear quality standard. They don't document what they are willing to accept. They start … [Read more...]
3 Quality Control Plans & Why They’re Needed BEFORE Production [Podcast]
What is a quality control plan and why do you need to approve it before production begins? A QC plan is an essential tool for buyers to drive their suppliers to produce goods that reach their quality standard. It will typically list your … [Read more...]
Why Product Safety, Quality, and Reliability Are Tightly Linked
Recently I read an article that calls for manufacturers to be more proactive in reducing risks for consumers. And they shared this (pretty scary) graph about product safety recalls: Many companies that develop & purchase products … [Read more...]
Using Reliability Engineering for Designing a More Durable Product
Many leading brands have had to address concerns over the impact of their products on the environment. And one of the best responses is "make products that last longer". Here are the responses of two iconic brands: Apple: make … [Read more...]
Undetected QC Issues: 7 Common Failures of Chinese Inspectors
Quality inspectors are human like the rest of us, and while it's usually unlikely that they will let major QC issues slip through the net, it can happen. Let's examine why and how this happens, and how to mitigate or stop these … [Read more...]
China Supply Chain Transparency and Monitoring: Not Getting Easier…
China supply chain transparency and monitoring is still as important an issue as it has ever been, and importers need to stay on their toes. Let's explore why this isn't getting any easier... … [Read more...]
Does The Safety & Quality Of Products Sold On Amazon Pose Risks?
A few weeks ago, a journalist asked me whether products sold on Amazon present higher safety risks and whether their quality is inferior (relative to other distribution channels). My guess is that yes (I have no solid data to back that … [Read more...]
Actionable Tips To Improve Sourcing From China & Develop Suppliers
Over the years, many importers have contacted me after making various mistakes, and, often, the best they can do is start things over with a new supplier, but that means a lot of wasted time, money, and energy! What if you could get … [Read more...]
Solving a Quality Problem Seldom Necessitates High-Tech Engineering
In many companies, and in particular in many Chinese companies, the response to problems is often "let's invest in technology". Unfortunately, spending a lot of resources on engineering is seldom the best solution. I just read a great … [Read more...]