OEM Specifications: Expectations vs. Reality

OEM Specifications: Expectations vs. Reality

The specifications listed on many OEM products may not be quite what you expect them to be.

It’s important to understand the full scope of what you’re getting before you buy, especially if your product will have complex requirements that must be met in order to function optimally.

This article outlines some of the most common issues with OEM specifications and their implications on your product design. For more information on this subject, read our complete guide to OEM specifications here .

An Overview of What to Expect When you start a new project, it’s always good to have an idea of what to expect along your journey. You might want to communicate expectations to your client or make sure you know what they are so you can hit your mark with perfection. It’s important that your team is on the same page and has a common understanding of both objectives and requirements before starting any project, whether it’s for a private business or a government agency or department.

Comparing Product Selection and Pricing When you’re ready to order components for your product, it’s important to understand how much you can really get for your money. You have a target product cost in mind, but often times products with similar specifications can vary greatly in price—for no good reason. To avoid paying more than you need to for parts that are exactly what you want, it’s important to get a breakdown of each part and understand where differences exist (if any). For example, if two suppliers offer you an identical part at different prices, ask them why there is such a discrepancy. Is one supplier simply trying to take advantage of your inexperience? Are they using better materials? Or do they offer additional services like faster delivery or technical support? If so, is that worth extra cost? This kind of due diligence will help you determine whether or not it makes sense to pay more for certain components—and whether those higher-priced parts actually make sense for your product.

Purchasing Options Before you purchase a product or service, do your homework to make sure it will give you what you need and meet your expectations. You should be able to find products that fit your needs at affordable prices, but don’t fall prey to brands that have built up an image around being overpriced. Check out different online sources, such as manufacturer websites and online reviews of competing products (on sites like Amazon) before making any final decisions.

The Waiting Game OEM specifications come with a bit of a wait time, typically ranging anywhere from two weeks to six months after you order an OEM part and your order is finalized. Obviously, these gaps in time can wreak havoc on your production schedule; while waiting for an OEM part to arrive, you’re either missing out on business by not having that crucial piece of machinery or making do with whatever workarounds are available at hand—and both options can result in less-than-optimal results.

Quality Control While developers and vendors may claim that they are adhering to a certain specification, quality control can be difficult in an outsourced situation. A good way to manage your expectations is to perform regular check-ins with your partners and discuss any issues you see.

This will help ensure that they are able to consistently meet your expectations over time, rather than releasing a product that doesn’t live up to its initial specifications (and potentially receiving poor reviews as a result).

Conclusion From specification to delivery, a standard parts purchase may have more challenges than most people expect. There is no single checklist that can guarantee your part will be delivered quickly, correctly and within budget – but there are steps you can take to ensure your expectations aren’t misplaced and that you receive a quality product in a timely manner. The right process, however, depends on your supply chain management goals and needs.