By Renaud Anjoran When an ISO standard is a set of “requirements”, like ISO 9001, it is often seen as a constraint. It is like a law. It is not fun. When it is a set of “guidelines”, though, it is only positive. The standard is full of advice on how to do something well! An example is ISO 9004 — which gives advice on how to be ISO 9001 … [Read more...]
Ecommerce sellers: 5 factors for choosing a supplier
By Matthew Milasius Let’s say you just walked out of a meeting with a supplier. You have a good “gut feeling” about this one. You feel like the supplier isn’t trying to swindle you. This is a supplier you can grow with. … [Read more...]
Quality auditor vs. consultant working on improvements
By Renaud Anjoran Many people think auditors go on site, look at the situation, and suggest improvements. However, it is not that simple. Auditors acting as consultants can cause several types of issues. And yet, the line between these 2 roles is often very thin… … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, part 13: The 5 steps to developing a Chinese supplier
By Renaud Anjoran Many importers work in one or two product categories. They buy 80% of their volume from 1-4 manufacturers. … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, part 3: How to verify a manufacturer
By Renaud Anjoran If you have followed the advice of part 2, you may have found a few interesting suppliers. The next step is to confirm that they told you the truth and that they are reliable. … [Read more...]