Customize Black Adam Socks

Client Profile:
LRG International stands out as an eco-conscious leader in global marketing and sales promotions, acclaimed with multiple awards. It collaborates with an array of businesses across diverse sectors, enhancing their local and international marketing efforts with a range of captivating promotional products, tailored point-of-sale materials, and innovative branding strategies. The company frequently engages with Leelinesourcing for the specialized customization of movie-related merchandise.

Leelinesourcing and LRG International have a rich history of collaborative success, exemplified by notable projects in brand-tailored merchandise:

• Custom Lyle Crocodile Bluetooth Speaker
• Custom Batman Bluetooth Speaker for LRG

Initial Steps Taken:

1. On April 9, 2022, the client outlined their initial product specifications. In response, we presented an initial cost estimate to the client on April 12, 2022.
2. On May 13, 2022, the client submitted the design, prompting the commencement of proof preparations.

Following is the preliminary design for the Black Adam socks:

Our existing sock supplier was unable to fulfill the necessary production standards, prompting us to look for a new, qualified supplier.

1. Once the client’s design was approved, the initial supplier indicated their inability to produce the item, leading us to seek alternative suppliers for quotations.
2. Subsequently, we provided the client with an updated quotation.

Proofing and Sample Dispatch

• May 19th: Initiated the proofing process.
• May 27th: Completed sample creation and dispatched to the client.

Measurements for Black Adam design: Width – 18.8 cm; Height – 6.5 cm.

Measurements for “Only in Cinema” design: Width – 12.2 cm; Height – 0.5 cm.

Legal line dimensions: Height – 0.3 cm; Width – 12.6 cm.

The client approved the sample and subsequently submitted an official order for **** pairs of socks.

LeelineSourcing obtained pre-production samples from the manufacturer, only to find significant discrepancies from the original samples.

Issues Identified:

The color of the received pre-production samples was noticeably greener than the initial samples. Further discussions with the supplier revealed that this discrepancy was due to an ink issue, stemming from the cessation of production by the original ink supplier. This necessitated the search for an alternative ink source, resulting in a different ink being used for this batch. Similar to fabric, slight variations in color between different batches are expected, though consistency within a single batch is usually maintained.

Client Feedback:

1. The client expressed significant dissatisfaction with the quality of the pre-production samples, leading to their outright rejection.
2. The print quality of the pre-production samples was found to be inferior to that of the initial sock samples, lacking in clarity.
3. The lettering color was too similar to the background, making the text difficult to read. Additionally, the intended glow effect was underwhelming, and there was a suggestion to incorporate a grey background behind the letters to enhance visibility.

The supplier created a new version of the pre-production sample.

Below is the revised pre-production sample provided by the supplier:

• Approved samples
• Initial pre-production sample (rejected)
• Latest pre-production sample

The client approved the revised pre-production samples, indicating their contentment, and consented to proceed with bulk manufacturing.

1. On July 14, 2022, the client requested the dispatch of samples, stating they would decide on initiating mass production upon evaluating the received samples.
2. By July 18, 2022, the client had reviewed the samples and gave the green light for beginning mass production.

Packaging Method Agreement

We finalized the packaging details for the socks with the client:

• Fold the card in half and place a pair of socks in an OPP bag.
• Place 25 pairs of socks into a larger OPP bag.
• Pack the socks into a K+K standard export carton.
• Each carton to contain 200 pieces.

Discussion on Product Inspection Approaches

The client proposed that our Quality Control (QC) team inspect the merchandise. However, due to the factory’s location in Zhejiang Province, deploying our QC team would incur significant expenses. Consequently, we recommended employing a third-party inspection service with whom we maintain a collaborative relationship. The proposed inspection fee of ***USD required the client’s approval. After some deliberation on the inspection costs, the client opted to coordinate their own QC review. It was agreed that the goods would undergo inspection by the third-party company V-Trust on August 2, 2022.

The products underwent inspection and were subsequently dispatched.

1. The third-party Quality Control (QC) team confirmed the products met the inspection standards, pending final approval of the inspection results by the client.
2. Upon inspection, 6 pairs of socks were found to have minor defects. The client inquired about our approach to these issues. It was determined by the supplier that the defects were related to printing errors and were irreparable. To compensate, the supplier produced an additional 20 pairs of socks during mass production, which were provided to the client at no extra cost as replacement stock. The client was satisfied with this resolution.

On August 4th, 2022, the goods were officially shipped.

Reflections:

1. Overall, the order process was relatively smooth, largely due to LeelineSourcing’s access to reliable suppliers from previous custom sock projects, enabling swift sample arrangement in response to the client’s requests.
2. However, the delivery process encountered challenges, notably a lack of stringent quality control at the factory. This laxity led to significant differences between the initial sample and the first pre-production sample. Our commitment to honesty with our clients meant we kept them informed about issues and solutions, maintaining strict quality control to ensure the second pre-production sample met our quality standards.

This experience, while resulting in time delays and additional express shipping costs, provided valuable lessons. It highlighted the need for a stricter adherence to quality control measures in future orders to enhance efficiency, ensure product quality, and minimize unnecessary expenditures.