As 2019 draws to a close it's a great time to sit down and look at some of our most popular blog articles and resources from the last year. We also hope that you'll stumble across some great topics that you'd otherwise have missed. … [Read more...]
New Importer from China? Beware the Credulous Foreigner Syndrome!
After about 40 years of openness, and about 15 years of 'direct trade' without Hong Kong trading companies, one might expect that foreign buyers take more precautions when dealing with Chinese suppliers. And, to be sure, some buyers do pay attention to risks. They have heard a few horror stories. They have read about common misconceptions, typical pitfalls, assumptions to avoid, and best practices for supply chain management. Unfortunately, it seems that a majority of people who haven't … [Read more...]
How a China-Based Buying Office Can Add Value
If you source and buy consumer goods from several suppliers in China, your experience probably looks like this: Some suppliers are good, some are not so good and not improving When there is a quality issue, it is much better to detect it while the goods are still at the factory... and yet, sometimes, that factory plays the "do nothing and wait" game -- it means they do a very light sorting job and tell you "all is good now", simply because they don't want to do rework and discard some … [Read more...]
China Sourcing: Does Your Sales Contact Really Work At The Factory?
When I meet someone who has recently started working with Chinese companies, I often urge them not to make any assumptions. One of the most common 'discoveries' buyers make is... that they haven't been working with a factory directly when they thought they were. … [Read more...]
24 questions to ask during a Chinese factory visit
If you spend time in a factory visit, don't just record the information given to you. Prepare your questions! Here's what you should be asking during a Chinese factory visit... … [Read more...]