Poorly Made in China: An Insider’s Account of the China Production Game

An insider reveals what can―and does―go wrong when companies shift production to China

In this entertaining behind-the-scenes account, Paul Midler tells us all that is wrong with our effort to shift manufacturing to China. Now updated and expanded, Poorly Made in China reveals industry secrets, including the dangerous practice of quality fade―the deliberate and secret habit of Chinese manufacturers to widen profit margins through the reduction of quality inputs. U.S. importers don’t stand a chance, Midler explains, against savvy Chinese suppliers who feel they have little to lose by placing consumer safety at risk for the sake of greater profit. This is a lively and impassioned personal account, a collection of true stories, told by an American who has worked in the country for close to two decades. Poorly Made in China touches on a number of issues that affect us all.

Reviews

A true story about manufacturing in China—now in a new, updated edition

“Paul Midler’s is the ultimate insider’s look at China and its dubious manufacturing, by a man who knows the language and, more importantly, knows the subtext of every deal, every gesture, every nuance. I have great admiration for the breadth and depth of this account of being an American middleman in China today, and for the way it humanizes the whole awful business.”
—PAUL THEROUX, author of Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China

“This is the story of the world’s crappy stuff and the surreally entertaining culture clash that lies behind it. It’s funny and illuminating, and I want you to read it!”
—MARY ROACH, author of Stiff and Packing for Mars

About the Author