Safety & Quality
Practical breakdowns on sourcing directly from Chinese factories: suppliers, quality control, logistics and project outfitting.
CE, RoHS, TISI, ESMA Certificates: What You Need to Import from China
CE, RoHS, TISI and ESMA explained simply: what each certificate covers, which products need it, and how to avoid customs delays when importing from China.
AQL Explained Simply: How to Read a China Inspection Report
What AQL means, how sample size is calculated, the difference between critical and major defects, and how to read a China inspection report in 5 minutes.
How to verify a factory in China remotely: video audits and inspections
How to verify a Chinese factory without visiting: live video inspection, third-party audits, registries and digital tools. Checklist and case study.
Defective Goods from China: What to Do, How to Return or Replace — 2026 Guide
What to do when goods from China arrive defective: document damage, file a supplier claim, use Trade Assurance, and get compensation or replacement. 2026 guide.
How to pay a Chinese supplier safely
Ways to pay a Chinese supplier: bank transfer, letter of credit, escrow. How staged payment works, why you must not pay to a personal account and how to guard against bank-detail swaps.
A contract with a Chinese supplier: what to include
What to put in a contract with a Chinese factory: specification, price and Incoterms, payment schedule, AQL, defect liability, packaging, CIETAC arbitration. With a table, case and checklist.
Samples from China: how to order and check before a large order
Why order samples before sourcing in China, what types of samples there are, how much they cost and how long they take, what to check and how a "golden sample" controls the whole batch.
How to vet a supplier in China and avoid scammers
A checklist for vetting a Chinese supplier: factory vs trader, business licence, export rights, red flags and the bank-detail swap scheme. With a loss case study and FAQ.
Quality control in China: how a pre-shipment inspection works
How goods inspection in China works: types of control (DUPRO, PSI), what is checked, the AQL standard with levels, how to read a photo report and what to do about defects. A guide with a case.