10 Tips for Quality Sourcing from China
By Sebastien Breteau
1. To find Chinese suppliers, do use the Internet (Alibaba.com, Made-in-China.com, GlobalSources.com etc…) and attend Sourcing Tradeshows involving Chinese exhibitors..
2. Perform an Audit before making your final choice of vendor in order to validate manufacturing capabilities.
3. Ask the factory for a reference sample along with the quotation (the sample is usually free and you pay for the courier fee between China and the destination country).
4. Make sure your needs and specifications are well understood, using written comments, as well as pictures and drawings if you don’t speak Chinese.
5. Provide your vendor with detailed specifications and clarify your expected level of quality by giving acceptance levels for possible defects.
6. Perform an on-site Quality Inspection systematically before shipment (PSI). It is recommended to perform an earlier Inspection to avoid last-minute surprises (DUPRO).
7. Make sure you comply with the standards / directives applicable to your product with China as country of origin (REACH, RoHS, CPSIA etc…), by asking your Chinese supplier to have a sample of the product tested and certified by an accredited laboratory.
8. Plan things well in advance and take at least 1 week buffer on the Expected Time Arrival (ETA).
9. It is good to physically meet with your Chinese vendor and spend time with them in China, in order to strengthen the business relationship through personal bridges.
10. Never take the explanation for a “no / impossible” without challenging it…
