About to import Borescopes & Mini Camera, or other consumer electronics from China? In this article, we cover everything startups and other small businesses must know:
- Product categories
- Buying private-label audio products
- Customizing design
- Mandatory safety standards and labels
- MOQ Requirements
- Trade shows for portable audio products
Product Categories
Borescopes manufacturers all tend to be specialized in a certain niche.
While they may cover one or more categories, you should only be on the lookout for suppliers that are making your type of wireless speaker.
A few examples follow below:
- Borescopes
- Industrial Endosopes
- Rigid boroscopes
- Fiberscopes
- Semi-flexible borescopes
- video borescopes
- mini cameras
- safty cameras
Most manufacturers are either making borescopes. These suppliers also often make mini cameras and other related products.
Borescopes Customization Options
When importing Borescopes & Mini Camera from China, you can either buy an ODM or OEM product. Keep reading to learn the difference.
Option A: ODM (Private Label)
Most of our customers, in this category, buy ODM products. This is the fast track to launch a product, as it’s based on a factory-designed product – not a custom design.
These are the products you see when browsing Alibaba.com or Globalsources.com.
There are, however, quality differences between each SKU. Most suppliers provide relatively detailed spec sheets, such as the following:
Display:TFT LCD IPS display (RGB320*240)
Image Format: JEPG
Video Format: AVI
TF Storage: up to 32GB Chass 6 or more
USB Parameters: USB2.0 (compatible with USB1.1)
Language: English (default), a total of 11 languages
Host Power: 18650 battery or TYPE-C power supply
Lens Diameter : 8.5mm 6 lights
Lens Pixels: 1280*720 pixels
Photosensitive: 1/4VGA COMS
Frame Rate: 20FS@Z4MHz VGA
Focal Length: 30-80mm
Pipeline Length: 70cm, 150cm, 250cm
ODM products also allow some customization, such as colors and logos.
Option B: OEM (Custom Design)
Nearly every wireless speaker manufacturer on Alibaba and Global Sources are OEM manufacturers, at their core.
This means that they can make any product, based on your design and technical requirements.
However, don’t expect them to develop your product ideas for you.
Most manufacturers will not even respond unless you can show the following:
- Case design file
- PCB schematic
- Bill of Materials
Sourcing on Alibaba.com and Globalsources.com
Alibaba.com and Globalsources.com are the two largest supplier directories in the world. Virtually every export-focused borescope maker in China is listed on these websites.
In fact, there are so many suppliers on these platforms, that it can be overwhelming.
That said, there are ways to identify those that are the most qualified:
a. Product scope: Are they making your type of borescope?
b. Product compliance: Do they have CE or other test reports? (This indicates that they can make compliant products).
c. Quality Management System: Are they ISO 9001 certified?
d. Social Compliance: Are they BSCI or Sedex certified?
e. Factory or Trader: Are they actually making headphones, or are they only subcontracting production to another company?
Based on these factors, you can filter down the list of potential manufacturers to 10 or 12.
That’s a lot more manageable than the 42,174 results from 1,010 suppliers and 499 exhibitors for “borescope”, on Globalsources.com.
Product Regulations & Labeling Requirements
Borescopes are regulated by various standards and labeling requirements. Importing non-compliant products is illegal, and can result in the goods being seized and destroyed.
When it comes to this category of products, different regulations apply based on whether the product is flexible or not.
a. Labeling
In the EU, all electronics must be CE marked and have a WEEE label.
In the United States, the country of origin label is mandatory. Hence, make sure the packaging is labeled with ‘Made in China.
Keep in mind that most Chinese suppliers don’t know how borescopes & mini cameras should be labeled in other countries. They might have a vague idea, but it’s your responsibility to make sure that the product and the packaging are correctly labeled.
You cannot, legally speaking, sell any product that is incorrectly labeled.
b. Lab Testing
Lab testing is the only way to be sure that your product is compliant with, for example, FCC Part 15, RED, RoHS, or CA Prop 65.
While lab testing is not always mandatory, in the sense that it’s required by law, I strongly recommend that you get your imported borescopes or mini cameras lab tested.
At least when placing the first order.
Further, retailers and Amazon will likely require that you provide test reports.
c. Documentation
In addition to labeling and compliance with all mandatory standards, you may also need to issue documentation. A few examples follow below:
- Declaration of Conformity
- Design Drawings
- Bill of Materials
- Risk Assessment
It’s worth noting that access to design drawings and bills of materials can be quite a challenge when buying ODM products.
Many Chinese suppliers are, ironically, quite strict when it comes to sharing their own intellectual property.
MOQ Requirement
Most manufacturers require that their buyers order at least 500 to 1000 units per order.
Some suppliers may be willing to offer a slightly lower MOQ (300 pcs), but less than that is very rare.
Wireless Speaker Trade Shows
As far as I know, there are no trade shows exclusively for portable audio products. However, manufacturers in this industry attend many of the larger electronics shows in Guangzhou and Hong Kong:
- Global Sources Consumer Electronics
- Hong Kong Electronics Fair
- Canton Fair Phase 1
- CEF Shanghai
- CEF Shenzhen
Do you want to import Borescopes from China?
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