Back to the Basics: Sampling Process

A smooth sampling process is critical to successful offshore manufacturing.  More times than not, in the promotional product industry, super-fast delivery times are usually lurking around the corner, so time is not on your side.


(Hey; thanks for stopping by.  After you read this post, visit me over at the new house, http://jacobyount.com - You have a thousand things you can do in your day from work, family and things that are a million times more important than my blogs - but I am very appreciative of the community and any time you spend.  Please remember to leave a comment so we can continue to connection, thanks  ~ Jacob Yount Fri Mar 16, '12)

Artwork Hijinks with the Factory

This happens frequently.  In manufacturing branded promo and gift items;  factories have “trouble” in dealing with the artwork. 

Visit When Possible: check Pantone #'s,
films, application

Most folks working in the factories are not proficient in the software.  In general, they are not proficient in computer use.  These areas of lack, without the proper control, reflect in the branding of your item, which can lead to delays, more cost and, worse case, receiving incorrect goods. 

Communication Decreases Quality Issues

Your supplier may be helping you "in letter"
but dangerous when not "in spirit"

Working in China with a team that is daily handling factories, it is hard for me to fathom how companies, in different time zones, in a different language, do it from abroad.

JLmade is made up of mostly Chinese teammates. 

A Breakdown on Trade Companies_ the Bad and the Ugly

This is Part II.  Part I covered “the Good”.  Notice these are not blanket statements about trade companies but comparing the Good vs. the Bad and a bit of focus on the ugly.  Because it can get ugly…and ordering offshore isn’t like putting coins into a vending machine, it takes serious effort.  Now to resume our regularly scheduled broadcast… 

Companies will promise the world
...you'll get more than you bargained for

The Bad: Many trade companies are not very specialized in one area.  They fail to maintain strong contacts with their factories.  Your order risks being outsourced every time afresh, to a factory they haven’t dealt with in the past.

A Breakdown on Trade Companies_ The Good

Good Trade Companies: Better than Working Factory Direct

Vendors in the overseas promo industry, whether in USA, UK, Australia, S. Africa, when buying from China, they normally buy from a trade company.  Many people label these types of companies as traders, brokers or agents.  Technically there is a difference in the 3 terms and this article is primarily focused on trade companies. 

My weathered opinion is if you are an overseas supplier or distributor in the promo industry and you want a solid China contact, then you need to rely on the trade companies.

Know What’s Happening with Your Order

Typical Holiday Door Coverings

Chinese New Year:  for all practical purposes it’s here if not knocking on the door. 

We had an order to be rushed out, ahead of schedule because the workers were hurrying to rush home.  I don’t blame them.  The workers in factories, for the most part, work very hard for very low pay.  This is the time of year, they want to kick back, go to their hometown and slip away to a time period that was simpler, easier… They spend time with family, play cards, share memories with loved ones and for 20+ days forget about production lines, money issues and the obstacles they encounter day-to-day. Most of them have the basic goal of providing for their families that are usually in a distant city.    

Factory Communication 101: Read, Analyze, Feedback

If pics from factory not presentable to your customer (like this one):
instruct factory on what you need to see

I noticed a key cause to a lot of production problems.  It may not be a root cause, but a cause nonetheless.  An avoidable cause at that. 

Who’s Controlling Your Supplier’s Supplier?

Imagine:  there are a total of 3 suppliers providing input into your offshore project. 

Color Mixing is Sensitive: Good to be on-hand
to assure proper matching

Your supplier is only…let’s say…assembling the item.  He’s buying the material from a material vendor (dyed and specified to pantone color) and print isn’t done in-house.

The delivery time is urgent and quality, of course, is important.  You’ve hashed that out with your supplier, you’ve seen samples, and confirmed them and now ready to go with production.  You feel like your supplier has a clear understanding on the important issues and will tightly control the production time and adhere to delivery requirements.  

Then you hear one of the following phrases or receive an email with one of these phrases…

Bridge Building: Establishing Long-term Relationships with your Supplier

(This was a very popular post this month - do me a favor and visit at the new house:  http://jacobyount.com - hope to see you there!)

There's Folks Working Hard on Your Behalf:
Allow Them to Become a Valuable Partner to your Business

Everybody is a supplier to somebody and everybody is a buyer to another.  Seldom does a supplier never purchase something (whether components, machinery, material) and most buyers buy because they then resell. 

Use your communication with your supplier to establish strong bonds. 

Due-Diligence: Developing a Product Offshore (Info, Material, Price)

Don't Expect Factory to do Research, Legwork
~ Do in Planning Stages

Here’s a list of basic steps in sourcing a customized item or developing a non-existing product.  This stuff is very basic but easy to overlook and with the frequency I see overseas importers/buyers not do this, you would think it’s rocket science.

 Keep in mind non-existing could mean an item the factory doesn’t currently produce (non-existing to the factory’s capabilities) and for them it will be a first-time run.  Also this could mean tweaking an existing product but requiring quite a bit of change, creativity and design legwork.