middlemen

  The bait and switch strategy does happen, whether you’re dealing with the trading company or sometimes even with the manufacturer themselves.  You need to be explicit “We visit this factory; I want the production take place here at the location we visit.”  When we post about contracts as a next blog series soon, I’ll…

When speaking about a production location audit, it is assumed that the building and facilities, management staff, factory workers, production, warehouse and storage, quality, and product development are all covered on gathering good information. In China, factory audits are not a legal requirement but is required if you really want to manage the risks. Why…

Red Flag Assessment Don’t be afraid to ask for ownership papers for the factory.  If the factory has some excuse about why they can’t share with you who owns the factory or a business license, that’s a big red flag. They’re obviously trying to hide something. Example (ownership papers):   It may be awkward to go…