“Gersh, what’s the number one thing I can do to make my China sourcing program better?” Many of the importers I interact with ask me the same question, and it does not seem to matter how much time they have been in China or what industry they are involved in....
I have been looking for an interactive discussion forum that focuses on the challenges and opportunities of direct China sourcing. You know, a forum that serious, veteran China Importers would love. A forum full of useful topics such as: Corporate Social Responsibility, Pros and Cons of Trading companies, Switching operations from China...
When I interact with serious China importers I am reminded that excellence in ANY system, but especially in long distance China sourcing systems, is not an accident, but the result of discipline, persistence and, most of all, processes. As Aristotle famously said: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but...
I have interacted with a lot of China importers. I like to think of these guys as adventurers, entrepreneurs - even if they are corporate - because they dare to go where most fear to tread. Most of these people have an admirably high level of confidence and many of...
Everyone knows how ubiquitous and essential a smartphone, especially an iPhone, has become in our daily lives. The enormous success of the iPhone has created a big market for accessories. As you know, the iPhone itself is made in China (from imported components) – and so are most of...
With the 4th quarter coming to a close, most company leaders think about two elements of their management: the year-end review and the planning of the next year. That said, for those companies whose business model depends at least partly on importing from China, this is the time for a...
Just a few weeks ago, the South China Morning Post published an article about how some of China’s factories are downsizing to the extreme, all in an effort to survive the dynamics of our present global economy. How will that affect everyone who’s importing and sourcing from China? And the...
Build your own factory or work with an existing factory? Now, this is a very pressing question. Simply put, if everything is done efficiently; the more of the supply chain you own/control, the cheaper the overall product should be to produce. Using this logic if you plan to have a...