3 Persistent Myths about Manufacturing in China

You’ve likely heard many times that everything made in China is junk. While there are certainly some low-performing, low-cost items made in the country, there are myths and misconceptions everywhere when it comes to quality control in China. In reality, there are good-quality products made in China every day.

Buyer requirements and product functions are easily understood by Chinese factories

Common mistake novice companies make when manufacturing overseas is not prioritizing communications with their suppliers and assuming they are easily understood. You must provide your product specs early on, before your order is placed, and this needs to include all the details. When you don’t specify the quality level for the material, for example, the supplier is likely to use the lowest-priced material, and that may also be the material of the lowest quality.

By the same token, you shouldn’t assume the factory knows exactly what your product is and what it does, even if your product is an average commodity in your point of view. Provide the supplier with an explanation of your product’s application and functions, along with an explanation of the product itself. If you have concerns about protecting copyrights, you can work around it. For example, you can let the supplier known the function of each product part but outsource final assembly to a different supplier and packaging to a third party.

Poor quality is the factory’s fault

This myth is what gave the “Made in China” label a bad image. Poor quality is not necessarily because of a factory’s inability to make good products; it can be a result of following a poor or unclear design. This is why it is so important to have your design examined and tested before you put it into production.

Quality control in China isn’t up to par

This could be the case if you are putting complete control into the supplier’s hands instead of having a third-party inspection company conduct a review for you. A third-party inspector can perform various checks for you, including during initial production, during production, and at the end of the production process. They can also oversee the loading of your product when it’s time for it to be shipped.

Products are shipped even after failing inspection

The buyer has full control, but sometimes products can ship after failing inspection. Once the goods are inspected against the buyer’s requirements, the details of the inspection and a report have to be sent to the buyer for his or her review and approval. This will prevent a supplier from shipping products before the buyer has learned of a potential quality issue.

Manufacturing in China may be the right way to go for your business. To ensure it is a success, however, it pays to have an experienced third-party quality inspection company working for you during the process.