Offshore Teams
Philippines Minimum Wage Orders in Fall 2026: What Offshore Team Employers Must Update
Metro Manila, Central Visayas and CALABARZON all have new wage rules this fall. Here is what changed and how to check your offshore team's pay.
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Offshore Teams13th Month Pay for Offshore Teams: Philippines Deadline and Vietnam Tet Bonuses
Philippine 13th month pay is due by December 24 and Vietnamese staff expect a Tet bonus. Here is how to calculate, accrue and pay both.
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Quality ControlEU Product Liability Directive 2026: What Importers From Asia Must Document
From December 9, 2026, an EU importer can be sued first for a defect made in an Asian factory. Here is the quality file, contract and inspection plan to build now.
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ShippingContainer Freight Rates From China After Golden Week 2026: Budget Your Landed Cost
Shanghai to Los Angeles is near $7,900 per container. Here is what it does to your cost per unit and how to protect margin on Q4 orders.
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Quality ControlChinese New Year 2027: A Production and Inspection Timeline for Importers
Chinese New Year falls on February 6, 2027, eleven days earlier than this year. Work backward from that date to lock your orders, inspections and shipments.
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Offshore TeamsVietnam Minimum Wage 2027: What It Means for Your Offshore Team Budget
Vietnam plans a 7.8% minimum wage rise from January 1, 2027. Here are the proposed rates, who they really affect, and how to budget for your team and your suppliers' price requests.
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Quality ControlFCC Plans to Drop China Test Labs by 2028: A QC Plan for Electronics Importers
The FCC votes October 29 on ending recognition of test labs in mainland China. Here is what the draft says, which grants stay valid, and how to build the lab question into your QC program.
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Offshore TeamsHow to Pay a Sourcing Agent or QC Inspector in Asia From the US
Paying people on the ground in China or Vietnam is mostly simple, but a few steps protect you on tax, sanctions and conflicts of interest. Here is the setup I use.
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Quality ControlCPSC eFiling Is Live: The Test Data You Need From Your Factory
Since July 8, 2026, importers of regulated consumer products must file certificate data at entry. Most of that data starts at the factory, so here is what to collect and when.
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QC ExplainerWhat an AQL Inspection Report Actually Tells You
A pre-shipment inspection that says "pass" does not mean the order is defect-free. Here is how AQL sampling works, how to read the numbers in the report, and which limits to set before the inspector arrives.
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Offshore TeamsHiring a Sourcing Agent in China: What to Pay and What to Check
A good agent saves you trips, mistakes and money. A bad one quietly takes a cut from both sides. How agents charge, where the conflicts of interest hide, and the checks to run before you sign.