Would You Eat a Pigeon?

Would you eat a pigeon?

Probably not.

In China, it’s a delicacy, often served at celebratory dinners.?

They also eat geese. And this sea urchin that is so ugly most Americans wouldn’t consider putting it in their mouths.?

Chinese cuisine is rich in diversity, with culinary traditions that can be quite distinct from the American palate. But our culture is so different from theirs. We have different traditions and customs-and food tastes.

Once, a Chinese counterpart visited me in my town in northern New Jersey. We took her to the best Chinese restaurant in the area. As we enjoyed our meal, I asked her how she liked it. Her response surprised me. "Yes, Dave, the food is good. But it is not Chinese food," she said. She explained that the sweet sauces and spices commonly used in American Chinese cuisine were not authentic to the traditional flavors found in China.

If you haven’t been there, you just may not know any better.?

Like food, Chinese and American consumer goods often have vast differences in quality. However, rather than taste or smell, those differences can show themselves in terms of quality and materials. Chinese products are perceived as more affordable due to lower manufacturing costs, but this can sometimes lead to concerns about their overall quality and durability.?

On the other hand, American consumer goods are generally associated with higher quality standards, as they often undergo stricter regulations and quality control measures.?

My clients expect the bags, gift boxes, baseball caps and sweatshirts to meet American standards.? As a result, they buy through me to ensure that happens.?

In my import business I have learned so many nuances that come with 30 years in the business. These are factoids that would miss the newly initiated. They are easy to miss and may cost someone tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands (or potentially millions in lost goodwill with customers). Let me give you an example.?

Remember the story I told you about Kathie Lee Gifford? How her comfortable life as a celebrity was upheaved, however, in April 1996?

At that time, a labor activist involved with worker and human rights in Central America testified before Congress that a line of clothes to which Kathie Lee lent her name was being made by 13- and 14-year-old children in Honduras.

To top it off, they were working 20-hour days.

After Kathie Lee’s debacle, large companies which used overseas factories to make their products started auditing those factories. Estee Lauder, Avon, Disney-they did not want to go through, on a much larger scale, what Kathie Lee had to go through.

I have local inspectors to ensure none of my clients will ever have to go through what Kathie Lee did.?

The materials and standards of production in China for their own people do not always align with the quality that American consumers demand. It means a big part of my job is to ensure that the products I imported met the high standards of my clients.

Resolving these issues means staying on top of Chinese manufacturers and guiding them towards using the best materials available. I had to emphasize the importance of meeting the expectations and preferences of American consumers. It requires frequent communication, building strong relationships and meticulous quality control measures.

I also told you about the gift bags delivered to a client (from another supplier), for a high-end department store. After a day or two sitting in a display case exposed to the sun, the colors in gift bags ordered by the lenient began to fade.

it turns out the factory failed to apply a UV coating which was ordered.?

They did not use that factory or supplier again.??

Running a novelty import business across different cultures is like a juggling act. You've have to grasp the nuances in culture, traditions, and customs between America and China to make it work. Keeping those lines of communication wide open and making sure the products match what American consumers want is the key to satisfying both my clients and their customers. It's all about finding that sweet spot and making everyone happy.

David Quincey is the President of QualServ Imports, Inc., in Denville, NJ. He has been at QualServ for over 35 years. During that time, he has been importing candle vessels and lids, paper gift bags and boxes and other promotional items from around the world.

He knows many things can go wrong ordering, manufacturing and shipping products across the globe. That’s why he uses a checklist to make sure clients get exactly what they asked for.

And on time.

If your company is looking for quality promotional items at low prices, give David a call at 917-992 -1727 or email him at [email protected].