If businesses are able to find an interesting low-cost product (we're focusing on those that can already be bought off the shelf from Chinese suppliers) and make changes to it, it might be possible to turn it into a high-profit product. But … [Read more...]
10 Sourcing Mistakes New Buyers With Asian Suppliers Should Avoid!
We see time and again buyers who are new to outsourcing their manufacturing to Asian suppliers in China, India, Vietnam, and elsewhere making these damaging sourcing mistakes. Here are the 10 most common ones waiting to trip you up...but … [Read more...]
Why a Supply Chain Map is Valuable for Importers (+ a few Simple Examples)
Over the past 3 years, I have read a number of articles pushing importers to draw a supply chain map. They argue it is extremely important, to avoid getting caught by surprise again. (And most of those articles are written by software … [Read more...]
Is there a Relationship between Factory Audits and Better Quality Products? [Real Data Analysis]
![Is there a Relationship between Factory Audits and Better Quality Products? [Real Data Analysis]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IsthereaRelationshipbetweenFactoryAuditsandBetterQualityProductsRealDataAnalysis-1140x445.jpeg)
Prof. Neale O’Connor, a China business and accounting expert and international keynote speaker, recently analyzed some of our own factory audit data and other third-party data about customer complaints and came up with some really … [Read more...]
What Are the Most Highly Regulated Industries?
There is a clear trend that people working in supply chain management have to get used to: pretty much all products are getting more regulated over time. Even apparel is going to be hit hard by the upcoming EU Ecodesign for Sustainable … [Read more...]
What To Do Before Contacting a Contract Manufacturer in China or India
If you have been designing a new product and you plan to have it manufactured in China or another Asian country, when and how should you contact a manufacturer, and what should you do first? … [Read more...]
Why You Need To Know Who’s In Your Supply Chain [Podcast]
![Why You Need To Know Who's In Your Supply Chain [Podcast]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/WhyYouNeedToKnowWhosInYourSupplyChainPodcast-1140x445.jpeg)
In this episode… Consider this: If you don't know who's making your key components or product itself, or even where they are, how can you be sure that your product will be of acceptable quality or compliant with market … [Read more...]
Best Practices for Leaving your Chinese Supplier for a New One [Podcast]
![Best Practices for Leaving your Chinese Supplier for a New One [Podcast]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/BestPracticesforLeavingyourChineseSupplierforaNewOnePodcast-1140x445.jpeg)
In this episode… One listener asked us: What checklist of activities does an importer need to perform when ending business relationships with a Chinese contract manufacturer? So, in this episode, Renaud explains what the process of … [Read more...]
Are YOU A ‘Hands-On’ Or ‘Hands-Off’ Buyer? [Podcast]
In this episode... Many importers are new to sourcing from China so we've been creating a mini-series of episodes that explores the sourcing process with advice and best practices from Sofeast's CEO Renaud Anjoran. In this series of … [Read more...]
Which Chinese Manufacturing Business Model Is Best For You? [Podcast]
![Which Manufacturing Model In China Is Best For You? [Podcast]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/WhichManufacturingModelInChinaIsBestForYouPodcast-1140x445.jpeg)
In this episode… Sofeast's CEO Renaud recently wrote this guest post on Harris Bricken's China Law Blog about which Chinese manufacturing business model importers will come across when sourcing a Chinese manufacturing partner. Today he … [Read more...]