Originally Posted by
Mopheus
A mate of mine runs an import business with Australian-Chinese staff overseeing production at that end and his take on it is that it is the degree of outside supervision that generally dictates quality, not the quality requested and paid for.
He explained that it's his experience that the Chinese just don't see an ethical issue with changing materials or procedure if it saves them time or money. That's simply good business. The impact on the quality of the end item doesn't really figure in their assessment - it's your responsibility as the customer to complain if it doesn't meet your needs.
China is capable of producing high quality gear, there's no question of that. The key as a Western importer is to ensure that you (1) document clear performance expectations and minimum specifications; and (2) have staff on the ground overseeing operations regularly enough to ensure compliance with the agreement.
Also don't have manufacture anything unique over there, because if it's successful then there's a decent chance you'll find it appearing on Ali Express or similar at a lower price under a different name.
That's probably the most astute post I've seen yet...most of the others are just talking out their asses...