Renaud and Adrian outline 10 common mistakes that new buyers make when buying from Asian manufacturers, especially in China. Avoid these pitfalls and you'll be far more likely to develop good relationships and get your products on time, on budget, and at the expected quality standard!

00:00 - Greetings and talking about the Hong Kong electronics fair in April 2023.

04:53 - Exploring the top mistakes that new buyers make when buying from China and other Asian countries.

Renaud wrote this list of mistakes in 2011, but it's still relevant today!

05:55 - 1. Always pursuing the lowest price.

12:37 - 2. Agreeing on crazy payment terms with a supplier.

16:16 - 3. You fail to inspect product quality before shipment. 

19:07 - 4. Failing to realize that pre-production samples are selling tools.

21:40 - 5. Not trusting the supplier at all and being obvious about it.

24:47 - 6. Not keeping 2-3 weeks of padding in the shipment schedule.

27:44 - 7. Having no visibility over your supply chain.

29:27 - 8. You forget to describe and document an important product feature or your packaging requirements.

32:47 - 9. Hoping that an unsatisfactory manufacturer will improve over time.

37:45 - 10. Not registering your trademark in China when buying from China.

40:43 - Wrapping up.

• DIY Sourcing From China Part 2: Negotiations, Terms, Leverage, & Quality Standards [Podcast]

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