By Annie Chan Did you get a visit from an auditor who seemed obsessed with calibration reports? Was he/she happy to see that all tools had been calibrated based on internal reports, or (even better) on third-party lab certificates? There is no doubt auditors love asking for all kinds of reports to confirm the supplier complies with requirements. However, their requests are not always reasonable. … [Read more...]
How Much Does a Quality Inspection in China cost?
Understanding the cost of quality inspections in China I am always surprised by the expectations of some importers regarding the cost of quality inspections in a Chinese factory. Some importers get to talk about their project for some time, see where we would help them, and finally (almost as an afterthought) ask: "How much does a quality inspection in China cost?" The 2 categories of buyers when it comes to quality inspection costs I say "299 USD per day of work", and I can nearly hear … [Read more...]
When To Do a Random AQL Inspection vs. Check 100% of the Goods
First, let me get one thing out of the way: not all batches need to be checked. If a manufacturer has great systems and processes, and if they have a history of complying with your quality standard, there is usually no reason to send quality inspectors to their facility. Similarly, if you can easily return the whole batch and it can be reworked quickly, you probably don't want to spend resources on checking whether they did as promised. Now, let's assume you do want confirmation of … [Read more...]
3 Common Ways Factories Try to Cheat Inspectors/Auditors
Every day in China, in Vietnam, in Bangladesh, and in India, thousands of inspectors and auditors take a bus or a car to a factory. And, in some of those factories, managers are plotting how to cheat those unwelcome visitors. Let's look at 3 very common ways this is done, so you are warned and ready to avoid unscrupulous suppliers like this... … [Read more...]
Chinese Factories Designing, Branding, and Selling on Amazon: Q&A
I wrote before about the challenges of Chinese factories to sell on Amazon. And yet, it seems to be an emerging trend. I asked Fredrik Gronkvist (from China Importal), who has also been observing the latest trends, for his opinion on this. Q: Ten years ago, Chinese factories ‘made to order’, and seeing one of them ‘make to stock’ was a rare occurrence. Have you seen more and more manufacturers 'make to stock’? What do they do with it? First, Chinese manufacturers still ‘make to order’ and I … [Read more...]
A Good Quality Assurance Strategy in China [10 Components]
![A Good Quality Assurance Strategy in China [10 Components]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/quality-assurance-components.png)
Ensuring product quality over time is one of the major challenges of all importers. But what makes for an effective quality assurance strategy in China? … [Read more...]
How much does a Chinese inspector cost?
Some importers wonder how much a Chinese inspector costs to hire full time. The short answer is: More than you might think. It's more than just their salary, so in this post, I'll explore the 5 types of people you might hire as an inspector, their pros and cons, approximate salaries, and then break down how to calculate their full cost to your business as a new hire. … [Read more...]