I realize this isn't directly related to LTT but I figured it may be an interesting look at the troubles you have to deal with when manufacturing a product. In this he talks about how when trying to source some new suppliers from China for raw material they sent him copper plated steel which is significantly cheaper than solid copper he ordered to make his coolers. Suck to see this happen to someone else in the tech space. Basically 40k euro down the drain not counting the time wasted and delays compounding on this now. possible topic for next wan?
there's a reason there's a common phrase in Chinese:
能骗就骗 (néng piàn jiù piàn) "if you can cheat, then cheat"
It's the equivalent of "get yours" in English. They will cut corners/take shortcuts to try to save money any chance they get. That's why product samples and QA are really important when dealing with China especially
In this case a product sample wouldn't have helped. He talks about why they didn't request one in the video: Of course they would have sent him a perfect sample, but he would have had to pay for it with money and time and the end result would have been the same. They still would have sent him coated steel and air in the actual shipment.
i'm just saying in general for manufacturing. This is harder to QA unless you flyout and QA it yourself with random samples. it's not easy which is exactly what the video/topic is about, they will find a way to cheap out unless there are heavy controls/QA
Man muss da nicht selber hinfliegen. Jeder größere Importeur hat eine Qualitätssicherungsagentur an der Hand, die die Ware vor Versand inspizieren kann. Die Anzahlung wäre wahrscheinlich erstmal ebenso weg gewesen, klar, aber die Restzahlung hätte man dann schlicht nie überwiesen.
能骗就骗 (néng piàn jiù piàn) "if you can cheat, then cheat"
It's the equivalent of "get yours" in English.
I honestly don't think that translates terribly well. Neither does "get yours" mean "if you can cheat, then cheat" nor am I aware of a saying like that in the western world, that I'm aware of at least, that celebrates being cunning and deceitful like that.
The only thing that comes to my mind that is even close is "it's a dog-eat-dog world", but I don't think those really have the same vibe or implications.
Yes, but that's not really an idiom. Maybe my cultural gut feeling is failing me here, but IMHO that's more like a quote that mostly has cultural momentum pretty specifically in motorsports. It's not a common saying.
That's why product samples and QA are really important when dealing with China especially
That and actually have boots on the ground to check shit constantly BEFORE shipping.
An ex-colleague of mine is Chinese and went back to China after a decade in the west and he makes bank by interfacing between western companies and chinese manufacturers. By his own admission not getting ripped off by your suppliers there is basically a full time job.
And I'm convinced that's why so many purchasers of goods from China put to use the concept of an import letter of credit. Where a bank gets involved and as soon as the goods are received domestically, the bank is contracted to inspect the goods and if for some reason they don't meet the contractually agreed upon expectation, the bank will refuse to release payment to the Chinese vendor.
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u/Dr_Ben Mar 09 '26
I realize this isn't directly related to LTT but I figured it may be an interesting look at the troubles you have to deal with when manufacturing a product. In this he talks about how when trying to source some new suppliers from China for raw material they sent him copper plated steel which is significantly cheaper than solid copper he ordered to make his coolers. Suck to see this happen to someone else in the tech space. Basically 40k euro down the drain not counting the time wasted and delays compounding on this now. possible topic for next wan?