Before we get started: Good communications During my last blog I got some valuable feedback on the importance of communications when sourcing from China. That was such a good point. We have some clients on the East coast who complain about how difficult it is to communicate with their West coast...
“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...
This white paper was developed after a 2013 conference confronting the question: “Is China losing its competitive edge?” Much of the material is still relevant today. This white paper is second in a series of three, it discusses and depicts the birth of the Chinese Private Sector, Chinese entrepreneurs, suppliers,...
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...