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Reaching Out to Chinese Manufacturers? Do These Things First
Finding the right manufacturer is a process that every importer has to go through. If you’re new to importing, it can be difficult to know the best steps to follow. And, even when you already have the process figured out, the whole thing can be time-consuming and...
How is the US-China Trade War Affecting Supply Chains?
Back in June, when the first shots were fired in the global trade war, many consumer-product importers didn’t seem to have any major concerns. Although the US had placed significant worldwide tariffs on aluminum and steel, there was no major direct effect on these...
This is Why Product Quality Always Begins With the Buy
If you want to have success as an importer, it’s important that your products live up to the quality standards you set for them. If they don’t, it can lead to low customer satisfaction, excessive customer complaints, and high levels of returns. Quality management is...
What is a Freight Forwarder and Do You Need One?
As an importer working with manufacturers in Asia, you have to think about logistics. How will your product move from a factory across the ocean all the way to its final destination? There are quite a few steps in the process. It involves various shipping companies...
FBA Packaging Tips: How to Avoid Product Damage
As an Amazon seller, you have to be concerned about packaging. Of course, your packaging needs to be in line with Amazon’s guidelines. But, more than that, it needs to survive the journey from your Chinese factory to Amazon’s warehouse. Have you ever watched videos of...
5 Great Resources from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission
If you’ve ever imported consumer products to the United States, you probably know about the Consumer Product Safety Commission (or CPSC), and if you are not familiar with the CPSC, you should be. The CPSC is a government agency that, according to their website, “Works...
Can You Rely on Your Factory for Quality Control?
Ensuring the quality of your products is important. Take this story into account... Recently, a company that sells school supplies in the US had to recall all of their extra-large crayon sets. The reason? Laceration hazard. Let that sink in for a minute. You see, it...
How do You Find the Best Suppliers for Amazon FBA?
Are you just getting started selling on products Amazon? Need help choosing a supplier for your product? Recently, we posted an article about how you can manage quality control for your FBA products. We discussed the importance of pre-shipment inspections and went...
How to Manage Quality Control for Amazon FBA
When you’re an Amazon FBA seller, it’s important to get good quality products from your suppliers. Sell low-quality items and Amazon might cancel your listings or even remove your listing privileges altogether. Too many sub-5-star reviews might cause shoppers to skip...
A Problem Was Discovered During DUPRO… What Happens Now?
When working with Chinese factories, it is important to perform quality inspections. Most often that means conducting pre-shipment inspections, but if you are producing large quantities, it can also make sense to perform During Process (or DUPRO) Inspections. The goal...
Pre-Shipment Inspections: Are They Really Worth the Cost?
We all know that hiring a company to do pre-shipment inspections costs money. So, it’s natural to think that you can come out ahead by choosing a factory that always does good work and ships quality products. That way, you can avoid the cost of working with a...
How to Do More With Your Product Inspection Report Data
If you’re serious about quality control, you probably have a third-party inspection company perform inspections at the factory before every shipment. Your inspector fills out an inspection form with the results of the inspection and you receive it in your inbox…
Can You Really Trust Your Sourcing Agent to do Quality Control?
Working with a good sourcing agent can be advantageous for your company. They can help you locate quality factories and save you money. They can also play the middleman between you and your chosen factories. But should you rely on them for quality control? In most...
How to Avoid Quality Control Disasters: Don’t Make These Mistakes
Quality control is important. When you’re working with manufacturers, there are an endless number of problems that can occur when you least expect them. That’s why you need to take the proper precautions to ensure everything goes smoothly. In our years of experience,...
Want to Build a Strong and Profitable Brand? Quality Inspections are a Must
Nobody goes into business to fail. But, sadly, so many businesses and brands do. If you want to be successful, you need a good product idea and marketing plan. And you need to develop a solid distribution network. But sometimes companies come up with great strategies...
Is Your Factory Lying to You? How to Avoid Quality Problems
Everyone wants consistent quality. But, It’s a sad fact. In China and other Asian countries, there is no shortage of factories that will lie directly to your face. They may exaggerate their capabilities when they first talk to you. Or they might intentionally make...
Why Passed Inspections Don’t Tell the Whole Story
AQL doesn’t tell the whole story. A passed inspection doesn’t necessarily mean that ALL defects were accounted for. See the true quality of your suppliers. That’s where OQL comes in.
What Michael Jordon’s Trainer Has to Say About QA and Inspections
There’s no two ways about it; quality assurance can be a lot of work. The process starts long before the first unit rolls off of the line with an arduous search for your ideal factory. Only then are the negotiations begun, checklists made, protocols put in place, and...