In a Home Office, where your work is exclusively for one western party:

A. Land line of course for home phone.
B. 3 in 1 Fax machine / photo copier / phone message recorder.
C. Laptop Computer / internet connection.
D. Microsoft Office software (to deal with western party on excel spreadsheets and the like).
E. **** for western party to pay your monthly fee and travel etc expenses into.
F. Business cards of course. English on side / Chinese the other, stating the western party you represent.

.................................

Agreement with western party, for rough example:

(a) Fixed Fee: paid monthly, first payment 2 weeks after commencement (so that monthly fee is always two weeks in arrears and two weeks in advance).

(b) Overheads: Western party to pay office expenses such as telephone, and other out of pocket expenses such as travel. No expense to be incurred without email approval.

(c) Expense Account: an agreed Petty Cash sum paid on day one. Say $500. To be replenished as money is spent so that cash is always on hand for expenses (ie do not use your own money to pay expenses when the "fixed fee" is a salary type arrangement). The unspent money in petty cash is the property of the western party.

(d) Authority: Chinese party does not have power to bind western party to any liability in China without written authority of western party.

(e) Relationship: Not employee / employer relationship.

(f) Termination: either party may terminate on 30 days notice or without notice for gross negligence and / or dishonest conduct.

(g) Confidentiality: Chinese party must not reveal commercial information to others.

(h) Restriction: during first year after Termination, Chinese party must not deal with western parties' competitors.

The response to this issue was overwhelming, we have to reopen a new thread, so as to reduce the scrolling to the number of pages. .. Moderator.

original thread: http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/10124/Your_home_office_help_in_China.htm

Replying to [Aussie]: thanks for your ideas. it's helpful for the new soho members.

Replying to [Aussie]: Thanks for posting this Informations

Replying to [Aussie]:
GOOD!

Replying to [Aussie]: good you are realy interesting.

Replying to [Aussie]:
Aussie, please contact me when someone needs help in China.
As professionals in the field of foreign trade, my colleagues and I can offer foreign businessmen with following services in China:
? Buying representatives: We are specialists in assisting foreign firms or companies procuring or purchasing commodities, merchandise and other services in China as China is becoming a manufacturing centre on the globe now. We can help foreign companies to control the price, control the quality, supervise the processing, clear the customs, access to several qualified suppliers or producers, arrange transportation and insurance, offer you with logistics support, handle the return of damaged and rejected goods, inspect the goods at any port in China etc. We?re working together with buyers instead of manufacturers in China!
? Sourcing Products: We are specialists in assisting foreign companies seeking to produce products or to source products of all parts of China. Our specialists in China can help you find the best company to produce and source your product. We?ve successfully been a sourcing and purchasing agent or representative for several American or Europe based companies so far.
? Corporate Establishment Service: We cater to the needs of U.S., Canadian, Australian, European and other foreign investors seeking to set up a company, branch or representative office in China. We provide complete service from help in developing business plans, advice on market entry, company set-up plus assistance in locating and working with local and international professionals in tax, finance, shipping and other needed services. As local Chinese, we have rich resources among local authorities in China.
? Site selection, Logistics, Licenses and Permits: We have professionals to collect the above information catering to your requirements in China.
? Verification of Chinese companies: We offer professional verifying services in China. We?ll provide you details on your target company, including its add, tel, fax, email, registered capital and so on. As more and more foreign buyers swarming into China for business opportunities, there are more and more business scammers or frauds coming forth in China.
? Business Information collection: Information about enterprises throughout China; information collection on government and municipal policies, laws, current and historical business trends; and open profiles of various enterprises and key decision makers who can have an influence on the proposed project.
? Investment services including investment feasibility analyses; business partners' credit and status reports; locating and recommending agent and joint venture partners for foreign companies; bank, accounting and legal services selection investigation and recommendations, comprehensive inquiry services.
? Product Information including research on advertising effectiveness: New product market research; competitive market situation, market saturation and more.
? Sales: Recommendations on options for sales and marketing in the target market, also we can be your sales agent in China. Also we can act as sales representative or agent for your company in China.
? Translations: Translation and interpretation services can be arranged in Mandarin, English and some other local dialects in China. Other language may require additional notice.
? Commercial Credit and status investigations, including: Company registration; analysis of corporate history; corporate structure; company background, key person information, information on executives; financial profiles; banking relationships; auditing advisor and controls, operating situation; staff size; range of products; facilities; profiles of subsidiaries and affiliates; current challenges, market capabilities and more.
My email: yuan761102@sohu.com

Replying to [Aussie]:
Good idea for SOHO .

Thank you .
But I think if you wanna to be a SOHO, be familar with international trade and experience for several years in this field .

By the way , money and time are based for you .

Replying to [Aussie]:I amnot totally agree with you. The restriction for chinese party is unfair at all. i.e. couples separate for any reason, woman said to man, you can not look for another lady in one year after we divorced, but I could. Business relationship is kind of similar relationship with marriage. If you have different thought, please notice me at (Contact via TM), Thanks for reading.

Replying to [Aussie]:
Thanks for the sharing.

Replying to [Aussie]:


Thank you very much for this post with rich information. I 've finished reading it all.

I might not fall in the category of home helpers in China, but quite a lot to share.

I will migrate to Australia by the end of 2007 or early next year. My father in law has a factory manufacturing POOL FILTRATION CARTRIDGES, ABOVE GROUND POOLS, AND FOLDABLE TABLES. I have been working part time as his foreign trade manager. I also know another factory that supplies a diversity of INFLATABLES that are especially popular during festivals.

These are the products that I understand, and I would like to help them find local buyers after I've settled in Australia. I will probably register a company there.

I have other friends engaged in foreign trade business with their respective employers. I might want to add them in my list later.

Replying to [Richard NIan]:agree.the restriction for chinese party is unfair .