Online
Marketplace

Auto
Parts & Accessories

Baby
& Children's Products

Computer
Products

Electronic
Components

Electronics

Fashion
Accessories

Garments
& Textiles

Gifts &
Premiums

Hardware
& DIY

Home
Products

LED
& Solar Products

LEDs
& Optoelectronics

Machinery
& Parts

Medical
& Health Products

Mobile
Electronics

Security
Products

Sports
& Leisure

Telecom
Products

Underwear
& Swimwear

Trade Shows

China Sourcing Fairs

Electronics & Components

Fashion Accessories

Garments & Textiles

Gifts & Premiums

Hardware & Building Materials

Home Products

Mobile Electronics

Security Products

Underwear & Swimwear

Global Sourcing Fair

Mobile & Wireless

India Sourcing Fairs

Garments & Accessories

Korea Sourcing Fairs

Electronics & Components

Gifts & Premiums

Korea Sourcing Fair

Mobile Electronics

Trade Show Center

China Int'l Optoelectronic Expo

China (Shenzhen) International Brand Clothing &
Accessories Fair

IIC-China

Magazines & Reports

Magazines

Sourcing Reports

Other
Services

Product
Alerts

Sourcing News & Advice

Private Sourcing Events

Buyer Support

About Us

Reliable exporters: find them and meet them

Path: Sourcing News & Advice
>> Import from
China Advice >> Suppliers ignoring the seemingly
obvious

Sourcing News & Advice
Home

Industry
News

Surveys

Import from China
Advice

Ask
the Experts

Buyer's
Guide

Suppliers ignoring the seemingly obvious

Posted: September 05, 2014

by Jacob Yount

Did the supplier not consider that when they gave you that update it was
going to lead you to ask more questions?

Did the supplier not think that whenever they emailed that blurry, crooked
photo of your order that it was actually going to create a larger feeling of
uneasiness and add to your concerns?

Manufacturing in and importing from China
undoubtedly leads to supplier frustration.

The biggest hurdle is not necessarily the language barriers but differences
in thinking and mindset.

One of the cans of gasoline that fuels the fire is that China suppliers don’t
seem to have a concept on what should be a red flag to them or what is
most definitely a red flag to you. It’s as if they are indifferent to facts.
They seem numb to what’s already been established and confirmed.

To the supplier, it isn’t entire project management but a series of disconnected steps,
confirmations and results that by chance form a result.

A few examples of China suppliers not catching what would seem like the
obvious:

-For weeks the supplier confirms the date of completion. Their most recent
email has a new, later date. There is no acknowledgment or explanation of the
difference.

-Ditto for pricing. For weeks you work with the supplier and hash out a
price. It’s time to move to next phases, they pass you the official quote and
the price is different. The supplier doesn’t spend one keystroke to address the
price difference. There may be some logical reason but for some reason, the
supplier doesn’t find it necessary to illuminate.

-The supplier emails you about some problem and leaves it at that. They don’t
include in their update any indication of solution to said problem, no comment
on “next-steps”, no comment if they are going to close the shop and go fishing.
Just an obscure email and that’s it…

-You received your samples and there are multiple quality concerns the
supplier should’ve caught. Was this only for reference of one aspect? Was this
purposefully an incomplete sample that was sent for a specific reason…tumbleweed
silence from the supplier.

Why? Why doesn’t the supplier grab the proverbial bull by the horns (or
dragon by the tail?) and proactively address these points? Did they miss them?
Did they not care? Is it like “where’s Waldo” where they just want to see if the
buyer is paying attention?

Confrontation: I believe the subconscious reason, like for so many
driving factors in China, is “face“. Goal número 1 so many times, is not to do the best
job possible, it’s not to have a successful campaign, but it’s to avoid making
mistakes in front of others and avoid confrontation.

Not to play too much “Dr. Phil” here but this underlying reason, makes the
mind dull to catching quality and management points of the order. This is an
example of cultural issues affecting quality issues.

Not wanting to “stir the pot” creates a dullness in being proactive and
having a sharp mind for discrepancy and quality control.

They are busy and productive but making sure
you are up-to-speed on all the in’s and out’s of your order is not top
priority

When you start being careful and attentive to detail then you’ve got to start facing
facts.

Facts represent possible errors and they do not want to face errors;
errors they either caused in poor management or errors they have to go to their
production line and handle and that leads to “rocking the internal boat” and
that’s also hard for your sales contact to do.

Wrong starting point: Supplier’s start from the mindset that
everything is going to be fine. They don’t consider:

“This is China, we’re notorious for shoddy production, our workers are low
paid, we’re developing and many problems are on the threshold waiting to happen.
We have to be super-careful in our control”

The mindset is more of:

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, no problem. Please make the balance payment as soon as
possible”

Harmony: Success doesn’t come from individual effort but, in many
folks’ mind in China, success comes from chance or favor from others.

Being on top of all their duties and all of their points isn’t, in their
minds, a necessary formula to success.

So if you catch the discrepancy or they catch the discrepancy, then great.
Let’s not get all bent out of shape over a few extra days of production,
right?

Purposeful “fuzziness”: China suppliers seem to be extremely gifted at
not covering direct questions asked and addressing issues because they like to
leave room open.

What is the benefit?

It allows for wiggle room in not being nailed down to something they’ve
agreed upon.

It also allows them to remain in that nice cozy dark room themselves.

They hope everyone will join them in this dark room. This dark room is worry
free and no spotlights allowed.

Relax and kinda’ hope everything will work out.

A problem not being recognized equals “no problem”.

Let’s go eat…

Jacob
Yount lived in China from 2001 to 2012, during which time he started JLmade.
He is now based out of North Carolina in the US and his home office is still in
Suzhou, China; manufacturing and exporting branded merchandise, promotional
products and retail gifts for distributors worldwide. Contact Jacob at [email-masked]
or find him on his blog.

Read more Sourcing
News & Advice

RSS Feed

Subscribe to get the latest China sourcing news and
advice

Ask the Experts

Feedback

Send us your comments and suggestions, or share your sourcing
experiences.

Find Suppliers Online

Browse Product Categories

New Products

Top
Products

Top China Suppliers

Source by Country

Top 20 Products by Industry

Español

Meet Suppliers Face-to-Face

Sourcing
Fairs

Private Sourcing Events

Buyer Tools

Download Sourcing e-Magazines

Buy
Sourcing Reports

Monthly Sourcing Highlights

Sourcing News & Advice

Magazines
Mobile App

Buyer Support

What
Every Buyer Needs to Know

Ask the Sourcing Experts

Learn to
Source from China

Supplier Tools

Reach Qualified Buyers

Sign up for a Free Trial

Become a Verified Supplier

多渠道曝光/推广

供应商成功故事

免费网上广告注册

高效参展

Help

User
Guide

Help
& FAQ

Contact Global Sources

Site
Map

About Us

About Global Sources

Our
Services

Our
Quality Commitment

Buyer Testimonials

Investor Relations

Videos

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Google + LinkedIn RSS

Global Sources Sourcing Sites: GlobalSources.com | CantonFair | 环球资源内贸网

Global Sources Other Country Sites: Hong Kong

Global Sources Management Site: 世界经理人

Global Sources eMedia Sites: EE
Times – Asia | EE
Times – India | EDN
Asia | IIC-China

電子技術設計 | 电子工程专辑 | 電子工程專輯 | 电子技术设计
| 国际电子商情 | 电子圈微报 | 元器件规格书网

Copyright © Trade Media Holdings Ltd. Copyright ©
Trade Media Ltd. All rights reserved.

Terms of Use Privacy Policy Security Measures IP Policy