CHINA is well-known for manufacturing goods that are relatively affordable and, at times, even considered cheap.
As a result, many wrongly assume that Chinese goods are all of poor quality.
In reality, China produces both low and high quality goods and leaves it to the buyer to decide which ones he/she wishes to purchase.
For example, if one wishes to buy a shoe, Chinese manufacturers may offer the exact model of a shoe in two or more varieties: One that is made out of an inferior sole rubber, fragile sewing string, weak glue and fake leather.
This one will be unbelievably cheap but will not have much durability.
Another shoe of the exact model will be made up of a superior sole rubber, strong sewing string, strong glue and real leather.
This one will be more expensive and more durable.
However, to the not so descerning eye, the shoes will look exactly the same, especially when they are still new.
Unfortunately, the majority of African businesspeople are fond of buying the cheapest products from China.
These, in most cases, will be of bad quality.
The reason they do this is to maximise on profits after setting a markup that will match the price of goods on our local market.
If a locally produced or imported leather shoe, with strong glue, a strong sole and good sewing string is worth US$40, a businessman who acquires Chinese poor quality shoes at US$7 a pair may set his mark up as high as US$25 to give a selling price of US$32.
This may seem like a good deal, but is a total rip-off considering the big difference in quality and narrow difference in cost price.
The high quality Chinese shoes which match the locally produced high quality shoes may only be US$25, yet unscrupulous businesspeople will opt to purchase the fake ones so as to make larger profit margins on the local market.
It is this deception that has led many to think Chinese goods are of low quality.
China supplies Europe and the US with high quality goods.
This is because the businesspeople from these nations consider quality a priority.
Yet even those high quality Chinese products are cheaper than Western products locally because China has a much larger labour resource which is relatively less expensive.
Countries like Japan restrict the importation of fake products and thus only enjoy the best that the Chinese manufacturing industry has to offer.
Some may argue that most African countries have low income earners and thus cheap and consequently fake products are ideal for our buying power.
This is not entirely true as high quality Chinese goods are often very affordable.
It is greed and impatience that leads our businesspeople to set high markups on cheap quality goods instead of setting small markups on good quality Chinese goods.
One may wonder why the Chinese even produce low quality goods.
They are aware that some people have low buying power but would still want to procure some products for clothing, entertainment, communication and so on.
Thus they make available goods of different quality and prices to serve both the low and high income earners.
Another reason is that products such as technological gadgets upgrade at a fast rate and something that is fashionable this year may be out of fashion next year.
Thus some consumers prefer not to buy high quality gadgets that are pricey and durable because they fear product redundancy.
Chinese companies often display company information such as licenses and achievement certificates on the walls of their offices.
If certified, they rarely and almost never cheat by way of supplying goods of lower quality than those ordered.
They value business ethics and, with so much competition from other factories in China, they are fearful of losing credibility and also business.
Chinese factories provide detailed invoices with pictures of their products.
They even speedily send samples via couriers within China and if one decides not to purchase their goods, they are simply sent back.
Recently, a Senegalese expatriate in China worked with another Senegalese man to purchase 2 000 pieces of cellphone covers of good quality.
These were ordered and paid for by a businessman in their home country.
After the goods arrived in Senegal, he was given a picture of other cellphone covers that were of inferior quality to the ones he had picked out and shown to the Senegalese businessman prior to making the purchase.
After investigating the incident, he found out that it was his Senegalese partner in the transaction who had cunningly changed the order at the last minute without his knowledge.
He probably opted for the inferior ones because they were cheaper and this would allow him to keep some of the money, yet deliver the same amount of pieces demanded.
It is such unscrupulous dealing that is hurting the image of Chinese products on the African market.
We are to blame and not the Chinese factories or businesspeople.
They simply supply the goods demanded and the quality determines the price.
The Chinese factories often have a policy which ensures that the longer the number of pieces ordered, the lower the price per item.
In business management and commerce, we are taught that lower prices lead to high turnover and this is better than having high prices and subsequently low turnover.
High turnover means that the large quantity of goods sold will return enough money in the business to keep the business going although not as much profit per item would be realised.
It is high turnover that the Chinese value even more than profit and this is a big contrast to most African traders who are more concerned about making profit, even at unreasonable margins.
In a monopoly situation, this profiteering may seem effective but when competition sets in, such businesses will not thrive.
The average consumer is satisfied by goods of good quality that are priced in accordance with their quality.
It is important to deal with certified and licensed businesses when purchasing goods from China.
Once this connection is established, business goes very smoothly.
In this time of social networking, company information, catalogues, invoices and money can be sent and received in a matter of minutes.
Within China, some factories offer free shipping and this is to promote high turnover.
Chinese factories often invite and host potential clients to their factories and provide accommodation and entertainment to their invitees.
They go out of their way to showcase their products at places like Guangzhou during exhibitions.
The Chinese also seek quality goods from outside China, particularly raw materials.
Everything from grain to gold has to be purchased only after samples and tests are done to determine the quality and also the price of the products.
We ought to emulate these measures that are taken by the Chinese in order to protect ourselves from being swindled, be it by the Chinese or our own business men and women.
Zimbabweans were largely concerned about quality until economic woes led to disparity which peaked around 2008.
Since then, low quality goods, notably second hand Japanese cars and clothing bales (mabhero), have been profitably sold all over the country.
The local car and clothing industry cannot thrive in such a situation.
Good quality Chinese products at affordable prices are a better alternative in terms of safety and hygiene because they are brand new and not second hand products.
It is up to our own business people to identify the goods that satisfy our needs and meet our quality standards.
Most of all, they ought to avoid overcharging on imported goods with the goal of earning killer profits in the fastest time possible.
This ‘make-money-quick’ mentality is unethical and benefits only a few, at the expense of local people and the economy.