It seems like a given, but you’d be surprised how many products go to market without ample testing. You know those Ledraplastic medicine balls you find in nearly every gym? Well, now the first thing you find when searching “Ledraplastic balancing ball” is the lawsuit filed by NBA star, Francisco Garcia after one of these balls burst leaving him with a fractured wrist. Clearly, the quality control management was not up to par.
Even though Ledraplastic marketed the balls as being “burst resistant” up to 600-pounds, the ball still somehow burst when the 195-pound ball player used it with a pair of 90-pound free weights. So, what should Ledraplastic have done differently? It’s clear that their product could have used more testing under a variety of circumstances. Sure, the balls they tested might have held up under a 600-pound load, but they need to take other factors into consideration when testing. A high-profile athlete shouldn’t be the one unearthing your product’s flaws, which leads us to our next point…
If Your Customers Are Seeing Defects in Your Products, You’re Too Late
There are a few categories for when it comes to classifying defective products. The first is critical defects.
Critical defects include the most serious cases of product failure. These defects can endanger the customer and end in a product recall.
Major defects are next up. These are defects of which affect the performance and functionality of the product, causing consumers or customers to return the product for a refund.
And finally, Minor defects. Minor defects include small, less noticeable quality issues that may or may not be apparent to the customer.
Each category mentioned above can have a serious impact on not only your business but also your customer’s safety. It’s important to do everything you can when sourcing and testing products in order to ensure each product is safe and meets quality standards. If defects reach your customers, you’re in for some real consequences.
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Recalls and Product Liability Suits Due to Safety Issues
One of the biggest risks when running an importing business is product safety and liability concerns. Product liability issues arise when dealing with you encounter critical defects of which pose a serious danger to consumers. Depending on your industry, critical defects could be any of the following:
- A sharp edge or exposed nail in a piece of furniture
- A needle in clothing or a pair of shoes
- A failed continuity test in an electrical product
While these are just a few examples, it’s clear that any type of defect can affect not only your customer but also your business. Laws are often on the customer’s side when it comes to settling claims and customers don’t have to prove a manufacturer or brand was negligent, just that the defect caused them harm. This is why sourcing and quality control management are essential!
So, what can you do to prevent recalls or defects? Find help with quality control management
Since finding a good supplier is essential, visiting fairs, trade shows, and factories is imperative. One of the top sourcing trade shows is the Global Sources Summit in Hong Kong.
Aside from doing some networking, finding a reputable sourcing company and supply manager is the next step. Here at TadEx, we offer a variety of services depending on your company’s needs. We can provide you with an agent who can show you around the Yiwu market, as well as be a translator and help manage your orders and products.
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We can also provide logistics services, including warehousing, transportation, container booking, loading, and inspection. We’re also able to help with product branding, quality control management, sourcing and a number of other business services.
