How to Avoid Quality Fade Issues in Global Sourcing?

How to catch the subtle quality fading issues when there happens to be distance of some thousands of miles separating the supplier from the buyer? It would simply become impossible (or at least extremely difficult) to figure out the quality of items prior to the supply packaging process. Unless the supplier happens to be extremely honest (which is rare these days), there are minimal chances left to get the best quality product as expected. It is absolutely difficult to undergo scrutiny for the products. At the same time, ignoring quality fade issues over the time would probably through challenges to a business in staying at the top of the seat for a longer time period.  

Is it possible to avoid quality fade issues? What are the steps to follow?

1) Selecting a highly reputable supplier

Even if it costs a tad higher, still there are great advantages in going with a supplier having significant positive market repute. Whether items are outsourced from China, Vietnam, or India, primary emphasis should be given on figuring out vendors who have a strong positive market reputation. Remember, reputation is built depending on the quality of services they offer. It is advisable to carry out some kind of factory audit in order to have clear vision about the shortlisted options. Accordingly, the judgments need to be taken. Remember, it would be worth the time and troubles being invested in figuring out a supplier possessing strong enough integrity. It would definitely help in saving a whole lot of money and time in the near future. Also, the brand value of the organization would improve.

2)Having backup options readily available

Don’t rely on a single vendor, always have proper backup supplier readily available. It would be a point of threat for the primary supplier. This would also allow the primary supplier to check on the quality of items being supplied. There would always be an approach to maintain high quality standards because of the availability of a backup option. It would play in their mind that even the slightest of compromising attitude with the quality might make them get replaced with the backup options available. 

3) Setting up suitable quality control system

This is definitely a crucial part to consider. No matter how much assurance the vendor would be providing to the buyer in regard to the quality, still there might be certain related issues appearing at a later stage.

In order to prevent such issues, suitable quality control systems must be initiated via the buyer company’s representatives or through some professional and reputed third party QC experts. Some of these third-party agencies would offer additional services like pre-production monitoring, factory audits, pre-shipment inspection, etc.