LED Displays and the Dangers of Asian Manufacturers

Demonstrating complete disregard for specifications of LED display manufacturing, Asian manufacturers continue to disappoint American buyers

For over 15 years Ultravision LED has been developing and building working relationships with manufacturers worldwide for its high-quality LED display products. Ultravision LED has learned that it may cost a bit more, but having inspection sources located at or near the source to ensure exacting standards and quality are assured is more than worth the expense and effort.

Without years of experience the average buyer of Chinese-manufactured products will likely not understand the importance of exact, precise specifications that the manufacturer must use, and without after-care follow-up and follow-through to see to it that the manufacturer abides by the specifications set forth, the buyer will likely experience an inferior product and dissatisfied customers.

Why? For several reasons. Consider the case of video and LED displays used in scoreboards, digital advertising, and digital signs. An American company contracted production of two LED display products, and placed a huge down payment with the order, and agreed to pay the remainder after the initial product approvals were secured.

The shipped products appeared to be satisfactory, but proved anything but. Customers returned the defective items for a number of reasons:

• The transparent plastic faces were popping off the units because the plastics were not made of materials specified to withstand ultraviolet light (sunlight)
• The grommets on the back, where electrical wiring needs to be sealed from the elements, were made of inferior paper-like material that dissolved in various weather and temperature conditions, or were missing completely
• Electrical current temperature specifications, different from Asian electricity, were not met and the units did not perform
• The units that were functioning emitted a pink hue due to using inferior diodes
• Wiring connections were merely hand-twisted instead of soldered
• The units were not repairable

When emailed, called, and confronted, the Chinese manufacturer would not acknowledge these problems. The Chinese firm resisted any attempts to replace the units.

The buyer must then contact someone in the middle of the night due to the time differences, and hope they reach an English-speaking person to transmit the message. Then the buyer has to repackage, and re-ship the merchandise at their own expense, and wait 30 to 60 days for a new shipment to arrive. During this time, the customers may have decided to use another source. Even if the customers remain, the credibility of the retailer is tarnished.

Often the Chinese manufacturers are unwilling to settle the dispute, and simply offer the foreign company a small amount to reconcile, leaving the foreign business with the problem of meeting orders and rebuilding the items. Sometimes items cannot be reworked and the time and investment nets a total loss to the business.

And if the Chinese company or the sub-contracted company closes and disappears, then the foreign buyer has little, or no, recourse action.

These fly-by-night businesses come and go with the breezes, closing one morning and reopening under a different name a few hours later. With these companies the only thing they can guarantee is a cheap price, and you are sure to get just what you paid for.

Part of the problem exists because entire towns profit from employing people to manufacture fake products. In China there are no knock-off protectionsno quality control standards. Under Chinese law, a person cannot be prosecuted only because he sells a small quantity of fake products. Some 35 million uneducated workers cling to these jobs.

Local Chinese government entities, acting like mobsters, often have a direct financial interest in the illegal trade and charge monthly management fees to the businesses that sell these illegal goods, and are either directly or indirectly involved in supporting the trade in counterfeit goods.

China subsidizes its own companies at trade shows, for example, paying for travel and set-up of booths, booth personnel, entertainmentthe works, in order to assist its manufacturing base to sell products.

About Ultravision LED: 
William Y. Hall is President of the privately owned company based in Addison, Texas with offices in China. Ultravision LED specializes in turnkey LED display integration from the LED display, to installation, service, maintenance and even affordable factory financing. Ultravision LED's technological advancements continue to transcend digital communications systems for wide-reaching industries including sports and entertainment, retail, urban spectaculars and digital advertising companies. Information about Ultravision LED and turnkey integrated solutions for schools, retail and advertising applications can be found at www.ultravisionled.com or by calling 214-260-4500.

Ultravision LED displays are manufactured under strict specifications and quality controls.  Ultravision LED utilizes a 10-step quality control process before any product is shipped from China.  All of the final inspection and assembly is completed in the United States.  Ultravision LED also stands behind all of the warranty and maintenance for the LED display.