To successfully import from China, travel to the country is essential. Even with the most experienced team on the ground, at least one trip is crucial for numerous reasons: revealing the complexities of China importing, meeting your suppliers face-to-face, forging trusting partnerships, understanding the myriad cultural differences that impact all...
Importers sourcing from China do so because they are looking for ways to save. They want to outsmart the competition and get their product to market at an unbeatable price. More than just sourcing a product at the right cost, this kind of success means getting the details right. We’ve...
By now, the need to wear a mask might seem like old news. However, as wearing a mask is part of our "new normal," it might be easy to forget the importance of using a good quality and the right kind of mask, especially in high-risk environments. The Market Sourcing...
Given the current climate surrounding China, various factors have caused importers to ask if China is still the right choice for their supply chain. Uncertainty due to tariffs/Trade war, rising labor costs and COVID-19 have sparked a lot of concerns. Is it time to search for China sourcing alternatives? And...
For most Americans and Europeans, it’s never been fun to wear masks – unless, of course, you’re in New Orleans during Mardi Gras or at a carnival – or if you are robbing a bank. Despite this cultural bias, masks make sense during the current pandemic: they work. For example,...
Napoleon said “If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.” So why delegate? Does it even make sense? We know that managers (even Napoleon) delegate. That is pretty much a definition of management. But why? And how? We previously wrote a blog about Hiring Teams vs. Individuals and...
China began the New Year with an unusually quiet Spring Festival, one that included staying at home, not traveling, and abstaining from the all-important and traditional family visits and the parties. A virus had emerged, and it had rapidly grown into an epidemic. As it spread throughout the country, social...
The COVID-19 outbreak was first identified at the end of January 2020. Conditions in China are now gradually improving as a result of the country’s vigorous containment efforts. What is it like to manage a supply chain under these circumstances? How does one mitigate risks that no-one had predicted? To...
