| WOW, lead paint on a children's giveaway | | | | phone conference with your supplier |
| toy. WOW, a computer mouse that can seriously | | | | overseas. Online telephony such as Skype, which |
| shock the user. It seems that every new day | | | | almost everyone in China is familiar with, makes it |
| brings a wave of product recalls and safety alerts | | | | easy and free for you to communicate with |
| in regard to product coming from | | | | contacts in China. Although this may not work |
| China. Promotional product importers and | | | | for a supplier with low level English speaking |
| distributers are just as susceptible as retailers to | | | | capability, I suggest never placing an order if you |
| the disastrous effect on business and reputation | | | | have not had at least one phone conversation. |
| that distributing a dangerous product will bring. As | | | | 4. Get Confirmation On Raw Materials |
| more of us in the promotional product industry | | | | or Risk Everything - It is absolutely integral to |
| deal with China suppliers on a daily basis, the | | | | the quality of your product that you know |
| following strategies can serve as a guide to | | | | exactly what materials are being used, and |
| ensuring you receive only the highest quality | | | | request documentation from the supplier that the |
| product from overseas. | | | | materials are safe. The US continues to see recall |
| 10. Find Out Who You're Working With - When | | | | after recall of products that have been |
| you're buying product from China it's often hard | | | | manufactured with sub-standard materials. For |
| to tell if you are working with a factory, a trading | | | | example, if the item you are buying is white |
| company, or something in between. When it | | | | plastic, one should ensure that white plastic meets |
| comes to product and quality issues it is key that | | | | general flammability standards. If the item is likely |
| you know exactly who you're working with, and | | | | to come in contact with food, ensure that it is of |
| that the relationship is transparent to all parties. If | | | | food grade. You should assume that the factory |
| you are not working with the factory directly and | | | | you are buying from in China will use the cheapest |
| the supplier can not provide you satisfactory | | | | materials possible unless you specify |
| answers about the product, then they are | | | | differently. Insist that your supplier provide you |
| inhibiting the sourcing process for you and you | | | | with written verification. The FDA and other US |
| should reconsider the relationship. If you're having | | | | organizations have regulations on which plastics, |
| a tough time putting your finger on who you're | | | | metals and other materials can safely be |
| working with you should contact a company | | | | distributed. If your supplier can not verify this |
| specializing in China Supplier Verification. | | | | then contact a 3rd party QC company for |
| 9. Send Short Emails, Sweet and to the | | | | guidance. |
| Point - I have great respect for how much English | | | | 3. Definitely Ask For Samples And |
| the local Chinese staff uses having never lived in | | | | Photos - When working with China you must insist |
| an English-speaking country. However, from my | | | | on getting samples as often as possible. Don't |
| experience doing business in China for over 7 | | | | accept excuses unless there is a serious obstacle |
| years, I will tell you that your China-based supplier | | | | (i.e. no existing mold). Make sure to label and |
| most likely understands only about 50% of what | | | | store these samples properly, and each time you |
| you write in emails. Keep this in mind the next | | | | receive a new sample compare it carefully with |
| time you start a long-winded explanation or | | | | the last one you received. Never confirm to a |
| suggestion to an overseas supplier. English is not | | | | factory in China that production can go forward |
| this person's first language. Keep your emails | | | | until you approve a pre-production sample. You |
| simple and your directions clear. | | | | will be able to catch a great number of quality |
| 8. How To Pay Chinese Suppliers - Wire | | | | issues before they happen just by putting this |
| Transfer (W/T) or Letter of Credit (L/C)? - | | | | process in place. |
| Having a safe and well-communicated payment | | | | 2. Do away with just Expecting, Inspect! |
| arrangement in place before you place your order | | | | - Just about the simplest, least expensive, and |
| is beneficial to both parties and one of the | | | | most efficient way to eliminate quality issues with |
| parameters to a relationship that encourages | | | | your China-made product is to have it inspected |
| quality. Unless you have a long-standing | | | | BEFORE it leaves the factory in China. The best |
| relationship and trust with your supplier, then L/C | | | | way to arrange such an inspection is with a 3rd |
| should always be your preferred method of | | | | party QC company (mentioned above in #7), but |
| payment. If you haven't used a L/C before then | | | | it may also be arranged with your own staff in |
| contact your bank's business department for | | | | Asia, or that of your agent. You should insist on |
| assistance. | | | | seeing an inspection report in English (including |
| 7. Reduce Costs and Headaches with a | | | | photos) that documents the process. |
| 3rd party Quality Check ("QC") - Working with a | | | | 1. Go By Your Product QC Checklist - Poor |
| 3rd party QC company in China allows you to | | | | communication during the ordering process is by |
| draw on the experience of firms whose entire | | | | far the root cause of most quality issues with |
| mission is to ensure a products quality meets | | | | China-based suppliers. One sure-fire way to |
| certain standards. These companies provide | | | | dramatically improve this communication is with a |
| services such as product inspection, factory | | | | Product QC Checklist. The QC Checklist is a |
| auditing, and lab testing. The service is usually | | | | several page document that details in writing all |
| available at a fixed rate which can offer a great | | | | the important aspects of the items you're |
| value relative to the total cost of your purchase | | | | buying. It is best created with the help of a 3rd |
| (approximately $350 to inspect a shipment of | | | | party QC company who specifically offers this |
| goods). The most well known companies in China | | | | service, but you can create a simple and |
| that provide QC services are InTouch Services, | | | | effective one on your own by following the points |
| Bureau Veritas, and Intertek Testing. | | | | below. For more on creating a QC Checklist |
| 6. Validate you Production Schedule - | | | | check Quality Wars which is my blog about |
| Don't Get Bumped! - Receiving your order from | | | | QC. The key points that should be included in |
| China on time is just as important as receiving the | | | | this checklist are:a) Item details (item |
| right product. Chinese factories are notorious for | | | | number, SKU description, etc.)b) |
| bumping less important (to them) production | | | | Contents and Packaging c) |
| when a more profitable order comes in the | | | | Color d) Barcodese) |
| door. Issues with quality are more likely to occur | | | | Appearance and Functionf) |
| as a result of the supplier rushing to catch up on | | | | Specifications and Special |
| the schedule that they promised you. So, make | | | | Requirementsg) Photos |
| sure you are asking the right questions and | | | | Ensure that you have this document professionally |
| getting answers in email. These questions include: | | | | translated into Chinese, and make the QC |
| a) When will production start? Be | | | | Checklist the starting point for discussing |
| 50% done? Complete? Ship out? (Confirm that | | | | production and quality with your supplier. You may |
| these milestones are being reached) b) | | | | find that you don't have a lot of the details that |
| Have all the raw materials for this order already | | | | the QC Checklist calls for. If that's the case then |
| arrived at the factory? How about all the | | | | I suggest you make up the template and send it |
| packaging materials? | | | | over to your supplier to fill in. There's no |
| 5. Be Brave With The Phone - You can | | | | shortage of promotional product companies who |
| only communicate so much with email. When | | | | now work direct with overseas suppliers. With all |
| going back and forth with an overseas supplier | | | | of the horror stories we hear about import |
| does it sometimes seem like they're just not | | | | orders gone bad, you can distinguish yourself by |
| "getting it"? The time difference can be a pain, | | | | being able to consistently deliver excellent quality. |
| but don't let that stop you from arranging a | | | | |