What is ‘Made in China’ Quality?

If you haven't been to China, it will be difficult for you to understand how Chinese view 'quality' versus what an American finds as acceptable quality. For example, you can find shops, markets, or street vendors that will sell you a t-shirt for 5 RMB ($0.74) which will last maybe 1 or 2 washes. Chinese know that you should not expect a high quality shirt for 5 RMB and are quick to point out that you 'get what you pay for'. Americans on the other hand may expect this t-shirt to be like their Hanes or Jockey, and then be disappointed when it falls apart,

Remember, this is the same country that produces many high quality goods from famous world wide clothing vendors, and China is the manufacturing home of Apple, Dell, HP and many other high quality products, so this proves that China has the ability to manufacture 'quality' products if directed properly.

Many times, US companies will outsource production of products on their own to a China vendor, expecting similar quality to what would be manufactured in the US. Often, these US companies will be disappointed in the quality of their products that are made in China because the expectation was not clearly defined in the contract or in the specification, and there is a lack of understanding of the Chinese cultural mindset.

This is a simple example of the significant cultural differences between China and USA that need to be considered before doing business in China. It is best that when a US Company decides to outsource to China that these companies will find a reputable company with Chinese staff on the ground in China to provide that bridge between the deep cultural divide that exists.