Importing Electronics from China - A Complete Guide

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Importing Electronics from China A

Complete Guide
Posted on June 22, 2015 by ChinaImportal (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/author/editorial/) in Product Guides

(http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/category/products-guide/)

Click Here to Download the

Buyers Guide: Electronics (http://www.chinaimportal.com
/electronics/)
Importing Electronics from China is riddled with pitfalls, and puts high requirements on both
the buyer, and the manufacturer. In this product guide, we explain what you must know to
select a reliable electronics manufacturer, OEM production and private labels. We also guide
you through complex product regulations, and explain why hoping for the best isnta wise
decision.

Electronics Product Development and Customization

Electronics importers have two options: Buy an OEM product that is custom designed from
scratch (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/oem-product-development-in-asia-complete-

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guide/), or import an ODM product, or private label product. Developing OEM electronics is
not for every company, as it requires technical expertise and large funding. For natural
reasons, Chinese manufacturers dont oer free product development services. The buyer is
always expected to provide all relevant technical specications, and les, including the
following:
CAD les
PCB design les
Source code
Print les (.ai format)
For many Electronics Startups it makes more sense to buy an ODM product, essentially a
factory standard design that not only be branded, but also customized to a certain degree.
Click here to learn more about ODM products (http://www.chinaimportal.com
/blog/importing-odm-products-from-china-a-complete-guide/) when buying from China.

What you Need to Know Before Selecting an

Electronics Manufacturer in China
The electronics industry is highly concentrated in Chinas southern Guangdong province
(https://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&
uact=8&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGuangdong&
ei=ON6DVcP4FoT_8QW04YKIBg&usg=AFQjCNEvZMQKzNY6Uo_tc8ClsuBnRalnPg&
sig2=QYA8mAuIY2Mj6qFwitiwrQ), in the cities of Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou in
particular. That being said, components are manufactured worldwide, some by domestic
manufacturers, with others being imported from suppliers in Japan, South Korea, Germany
and the United States.
Electronics manufacturers, regardless of product, are not all equals. The industry is crowded
with everything from minor traders and agents to large scale manufacturers. The size of the
average factory is smaller than what many importers assume. Many factories dont consist
of much more than two to three assembly lines, staed by 50 to 100 workers. Electronics
assembly is not necessarily rocket science, and most components and materials are
purchased from subcontractors. When you select an electronics manufacturer, regardless of
whether you buy ODM or OEM, you must consider the following:

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(e.g. FCC Part 15 (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/fcc-certication-importing-china/),

RoHS and the EMC Directive) is mandatory when importing electronics to the United States,
the EU, Canada, Australia and many other countries. Most Chinese manufacturers cannot
ensure compliance, and therefore previous compliance (e.g. Test reports and technical
documents) must be veried before selection. Making compliant products requires more
costly components (e.g. RoHS compliant ICs and solder (https://www.gov.uk/rohscompliance-and-guidance)), as compared to electronics not made according to comply with
strict safety standards and regulations.
2. Production Capabilities: Some suppliers put together assembled PCBs, casing and
other components, purchased directly from subcontractors. Other manufacturers, however,
design and assemble PCBs in house, and some may even rene and cut fabrics, TPU, silicon
and other materials used in their products. Working with the latter type of electronics
manufacturer makes it easier to develop new products, and customize existing designs. It
also makes it easier to resolve design and functional aws, which is to be expected when
developing new products.
3. Quality Management System (QMS): A QMS (e.g. ISO 9001:2008) is applied to track
quality and prevent quality issues throughout the production process. Quality issues can
multiply rapidly, and ruin an entire batch of products, unless testing is carried out
continuously on the assembly lines. Most electronics manufacturers have at least one or
two testing stations, but few comply with comprehensive Quality Management Systems
(https://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&
uact=8&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chinaimportal.com%2Fblog%2Fqualitymanagement-systems-in-china%2F&ei=jd2DVYexIYjZ8gXsk4CYCQ&
usg=AFQjCNHIECHrjpTJDbdg9weDqGv9xqDOHw&sig2=tOVuONTRVg1sL5cxmG8xqw), such
as ISO 9001:2008. Spending more time on quality management comes at a cost, therefore
resulting in such suppliers quoting slightly higher prices. Yet, a reduced defect rate often
makes it a wise investment.

Electrical Safety Standards & Labelling Requirements

As already mentioned, previous compliance is critical when selecting an electronics
manufacturer. Most suppliers lack the technical capability, knowledge, experience and
subcontractor network required to ensure compliance with European, American and
Australian safety standards and regulations. The compliance rate diers between
industries, but less than 5% of the suppliers can ensure compliance, in most industries.

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Suppliers with the capability and experience to ensure said compliance often share the
following characteristics:
1. Main markets include the European Union and/or the United States: Many
suppliers focus on the domestic Chinese market, while others are geared towards Asia,
therefore not giving them an incentive to comply.
2. Large registered capital: Suppliers with a large registered capital (> RMB 5,000,000)
tend to be more sophisticated than smaller suppliers. Machinery and equipment may also
be included in the registered capital.
3. Price: Ensuring compliance with electrical safety standards and substance regulations
comes at a cost. Electromagnetic shielding, RoHS compliant components and lead free paint
cost more money to procure.
When importing electronics from China, you may need to ensure compliance with more
than just one regulation or directive. There are primarily four types of regulations to
consider:
Electrical safety standards / directives
EMC standards / directives
Substance regulations (applies to plastic cases and components)
Labelling requirements (e.g. CE, WEEE (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/weeedirective-what-eu-electronics-importers-must-know/)and Made in China markings)
Dierent regulations apply depending on the market, product, usage and its function. The
table below lists some common regulations that US and EU importers must keep track of:

MARKET

US

REGULATION
/ DIRECTIVE

DESCRIPTION

FCC Part 15
(Intentional
Radiators)

An intentional radiator is a device

that is intended to emit radio
energy. This scope includes any
WiFi and Bluetooth Enabled device.

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MARKET

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REGULATION
/ DIRECTIVE

DESCRIPTION

FCC Part 15
(Unintentional
Radiators)

An unintentional radiator is, in 47

CFR 15.3, dened as any electrical
device operating at over 9000
pulses per second (9 kHz) and
using digital techniques. This
denition includes most consumer
electronics containing a chip, such
as USB enabled devices, even if not
equipped with a WiFi or Bluetooth
transmitter.

UL

Underwriter laboratories
developes safety standards for
eletronics and components. While
UL compliance is not required by
law, most retailers will not buy
products that are not UL certied /
listed.

CA Prop 65

California Proposition 65 regulates

more than 800 substances in most
consumer goods. While CA Prop 65
only applies in California, you must
ensure compliance if you are either
based on, or selling to consumer
in, the state.

Low Voltage
Directive

The LVD applies to electronics, and

components, with an input, or
output, ranging between 50 to
1000 volts AC, and 75 to 1500
volts DC.

US

US

US

EU

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MARKET

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REGULATION
/ DIRECTIVE

DESCRIPTION

EMC Directive

The EMC Directive is applicable to

xed electronic appliances. The
purpose is to ensure that electrical
equipment dont interfere with
other electronics, and signals, in its
proximity.

R&TTE

The R&TTE directive is applicable

to radio and telecommunication
equipment. The scope of
regulations includes both nal
products and individual
components. Therefore, products
with radio, WiFi and Bluetooth
transmitters and receivers are
required to comply.

RoHS

The RoHS directive restricts the

amounts of certain substances in
electronics, including lead,
cadmium and mercury.

REACH

REACH regulates substances,

including lead and cadmium, in all
products sold in the EU.

EU

EU

EU

EU

Labelling requirements (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/product-labeling-regulationsus-eu-australia/), for example FCC marking in the United States, C-Tick in Australia
(http://acma.gov.au/webwr/aca_home/publications/reports/forms/rf10.pdf) and the CE mark
in the European Union, signal compliance with all applicable regulations. As such, importers
must rst conrm which regulations apply, and then verify whether the manufacturer can

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Neglecting electrical safety regulations, or just hoping for the best, is not an option.
Importing non-compliant products is illegal, and for good reasons. Cheap and substandard,
therefore non-compliant, electronics can cause electrical and re hazards
(https://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&
uact=8&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle2406185%2FFake-Apple-Cheap-phone-chargers-burn-house.html&
ei=Cd6DVaP6ENbi8AXz9KmIBg&usg=AFQjCNHaAbtnSFoJK6wPdMVdRmpCRwvm4Q&
sig2=BDIEL4TN7cBGcH-7jtCXng). Take a look at the photo below, which illustrates the
dierence between an authentic apple charger, and a counterfeit. The latter lacks
components, essential to ensure that the charger dont overload and explode.

Photo credit: Gizmodo.com

Compliance and safety comes at a cost, and is not a matter of negotiation. Some importers
assume that the manufacturer is ultimately held responsible, but that is not the case. Its up
to you to ensure that the items are compliant, and provide the necessary documentation
(e.g. Declaration of Conformity and Test Reports) to prove so.

Electronics Trade Fairs in Hong Kong and Mainland

China
Canton Fair (Phase 1) (Guangzhou)
Consumer Electronics
Electronic and Electrical Products
Computer and Communication Products

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Lighting Equipment

HKTDC Electronics Fair (Hong Kong)

Wearables
3D printing
IoT
Drones & Unmanned tech
Audio-visual products
Branded electronics
Eco-friendly products
Packaging & design
Navigation systems

electronicAsia Oct 13 16 2013 (Hong Kong)

Computer & Peripherals
Hardware
Electronic / Electrical Component & Accessories
Battery
Solar Products
Audio Equipment
Machinery
Video Game Accessories

Global Sourcing Fair (Hong Kong)

Consumer electronics & accessories
Electronics
Telecom Products
Electronic Games
Audio & Video Products
Mobile intelligent devices & accessories
Mobile intelligent terminals
Computer Accessories
Accessories for Apple
16

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About ChinaImportal
The ChinaImportal Knowledge Base is an extensive library of practical guides and articles on
various topics related to product development, compliance and manufacturing in Asia. Since
our launch in 2013, we've been featured on Bloomberg, Quartz Magazine, LUX Magazine, Global Sources
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9 Responses to Importing Electronics from China A Complete

Guide
anik khan April 27, 2015 at 10:16 pm # (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/how-to-import-electronics-from-china
/#comment-63918)

Chinese manufacturer sometimes mentioned guarantee or warenty of one or two years In case of
various electronics. how do they provide his service? what is thehe procedure? Here who bear the
cost of transportation? plz clarify in detail. thanks in advance

REPLY (HTTP://WWW.CHINAIMPORTAL.COM/BLOG/HOW-TO-IMPORT-ELECTRONICS-FROM-CHINA/?REPLYTOCOM=63918#RESPOND)

Trackbacks/Pingbacks
1. Product certication & Suppliers in China - A cautionary tale for importers
(http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/product-certication-suppliers-in-china-cautionary-tale-forimporters/) - September 20, 2013
[] certicate. Ive spotted more than a few fakes over the last few years. In some industries, especially
consumer electronics, fake product certicates are more common than real []
2. Buying from Chinese wholesalers - The Do's and Don't's (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/buyingchinese-wholesalers/) - November 6, 2013
[] America or Europe, make sure to stay away from products that requires certication such as electronics,
toysand []
3. Importing LED screens from China - The Ultimate Guide (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/importingled-screens-china-guide/) - January 8, 2014
[] capital of electronics manufacturing. This is the place where anything that ts into the consumer electronics
category is assembled, packed and exported to the rest of the world. LED screens is not an exception []
4. How to nd a good Procurement and Purchasing Agent in China (http://www.chinaimportal.com
/blog/procurement-purchasing-agents-in-china/) - January 8, 2014
[] a completely dierent story depending on the product. Certain products are very complicated (i.e.
Electronics) while others a fairly easy to get right (i.e. Wristwatches). Hiring the a purchasing and []
5. CE, RoHS and FCC Certication: Interview with Han Zuyderwijk (http://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/cefcc-rohs-certication-explained-han-zuyderwijk-interview/) - February 25, 2014
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protective equipment, and construction products are a few. But there []
6. UL, CSPC Compliance & Fraud Prevention when importing from China (http://www.chinaimportal.com
/blog/ul-cspc-fraud-american-importers-need-know-about-china/) - March 26, 2014
[] This was the genesis for my realization that small to mid sized companies needed the same allies and
resources as large ones. In 2004 I formally launched BaySource and we have counseled and managed contract
manufacturing projects involving everything from basic metal works, injection molding, cut and sew to complex

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[] smaller orders. I would say that furniture is much more small business friendly than for example electronics
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8. Importing ODM Products from China - A Complete Guide (http://www.chinaimportal.com
/blog/importing-odm-products-from-china-a-complete-guide/) - June 14, 2015
[] expertise. Take electronics for example. No Shenzhen manufacturer would even consider making new 3D
casing and PCB designs based on a general requirements list provided by the buyer. Instead, they expect this to
be []

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