A conversation earlier today made me realize that some buyers who haven’t spent much time in Chinese factories have some common misconceptions, including inaccuracies about a QC inspector's man-day, or stories like: “Chinese production … [Read more...]
What Is the Confidence Level when Working with AQL Tables?
A reader wrote to me and asked the following question about sampling plans by attributes: What is the "Confidence Level" when using the AQL Tables? How can we determine what the confidence levels are, and are there formulas we can … [Read more...]
How to Avoid Frightening a Factory with a Quality Inspection
Chinese suppliers are often quite flexible when they want a new customer's business. But they often refuse small orders, or orders with a low price, if they are afraid they will be "problem orders". One thing that frightens them is the … [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 … [Read more...]
The 4 types of quality inspection services
Four types of quality inspection services are usually distinguished. Each one corresponds to a particular step in the production process. They are all part of the toolbox of every importer when it comes to buying in China and other low-cost … [Read more...]