To all the newbies,

Congratulations to making it this far. Before you ask how to import/export, take one step back and lets look at a few things.

a. Import/export is usually done in bulk. Which usually mean you can't just buy a few pieces at a time. You are looking at pallets or more commanly container loads.

b. When buying in such large quantities, you will need a lot of $$

c. You have to invest a lot of time to
- look for a suitable supplier
- have the product that meets your requirements
- at an agreed price
- if you decide to go to production, then you will need somebody to check quality and quantity. A sourcing agent can help.

d. Research the cost of shipping. Be ready to dish out $$$

e. Your customs broker/freight forwarder can advice on import duties/taxes/quotas/dumping levies. Also, transpoprt fee to move your container to your warehouse. More $$ to dish out

f. Find a suitable warehouse. Must have an area to park container and a fork lift to unload pallets. Good pest control helps

g. Distribution. What are you going to do with a container load of undies? You have to find a channel to funnel your products.

h. All products have a shelf life, so you have to consider write off and how it will affects your profits.

Are you ready to go down this road?

It is very kind of you to post this topic.

nice article jadedev.  The problem with most importers is that they want to go into this business but are only willing to buy a few pcs of a particular product. Importing can result in good profits but it also comes with substantial investments and risks.

GOOD haha  support..

i. Having knowledge of basics of export/ import terms and conditions.

Quoting from [jadedev]:


To all the newbies,


Congratulations to making it this far. Before you ask how to import/export, take one step back and lets look at a few things.


a. Import/export is usually done in bulk. Which usually mean you can't just buy a few pieces at a time. You are looking at pallets or more commanly container loads.


b. When buying in such large quantities, you will need a lot of $$


c. You have to invest a lot of time to

- look for a suitable supplier

- have the product that meets your requirements

- at an agreed price

- if you decide to go to production, then you will need somebody to check quality and quantity. A sourcing agent can help.


d. Research the cost of shipping. Be ready to dish out $$$


e. Your customs broker/freight forwarder can advice on import duties/taxes/quotas/dumping levies. Also, transpoprt fee to move your container to your warehouse. More $$ to dish out


f. Find a suitable warehouse. Must have an area to park container and a fork lift to unload pallets. Good pest control helps


g. Distribution. What are you going to do with a container load of undies? You have to find a channel to funnel your products.


h. All products have a shelf life, so you have to consider write off and how it will affects your profits.


Are you ready to go down this road?

Hot Topic Recommend

Well noted

Quoting from [Gavin Feng]:

Quoting from [jadedev]:



To all the newbies,



Congratulations to making it this far. Before you ask how to import/export, take one step back and lets look at a few things.



a. Import/export is usually done in bulk. Which usually mean you can't just buy a few pieces at a time. You are looking at pallets or more commanly container loads.



b. When buying in such large quantities, you will need a lot of $$



c. You have to invest a lot of time to


- look for a suitable supplier


- have the product that meets your requirements


- at an agreed price


- if you decide to go to production, then you will need somebody to check quality and quantity. A sourcing agent can help.



d. Research the cost of shipping. Be ready to dish out $$$



e. Your customs broker/freight forwarder can advice on import duties/taxes/quotas/dumping levies. Also, transpoprt fee to move your container to your warehouse. More $$ to dish out



f. Find a suitable warehouse. Must have an area to park container and a fork lift to unload pallets. Good pest control helps



g. Distribution. What are you going to do with a container load of undies? You have to find a channel to funnel your products.



h. All products have a shelf life, so you have to consider write off and how it will affects your profits.



Are you ready to go down this road?

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Thanks for the 101 my business class never taught me. You kept it simple & truthful!

The main problem is volume. How does the average small importer handle such large volume?  

a. Unless you have an existing warehouse, you will have to buy/lease a warehouse. Commercial properties are expensive and you have to sign a lease for so many years.  So you are now commited to this and must have so much cash flow to sustain. Don't fall begin or you might find yourself locked out one day or worse bankrupted.

b. How will you physically handle the goods? Hire a forklift to unload the container is a good cost effective way to go. After that becomes a bit tricky. If a customer orders a pallet, do you manual handle or hire a fork lift to move the goods?   Then how will you deliver? Your own truck or hire a trucking company?

c. All this while, your money is tied up in stock and you have endless bills to pay.

d. There are companies out there that handles warehousing for you, for a small fee of course.  So all thse are chipping away your profit.

So sometimes, it's worth while to buy from a local distributor/importer, less profit but also headache for you.  Also, there is less financial commitment on your behalf.

One way to get around all these is to find a big commited buyer, eg a casino in Las Vegas, who has large storage capacity. You land a container and directly sent to them, assuming all the goods arrived safely.  You inspect the goods at their premises and be warned, any up will be very embarassing.

Hello ,I am Jelly Hung,From you articles ,i know you are very thougtful.absolutely a good foreign marketting director!

Hello ,I am Jelly Hung,From you articles ,i know you are very thougtful.absolutely a good foreign marketting director!

Hey Jelly,

Importing is more of a procurement role rather than marketing.  But for a small newbie importer, they will have to do both.

 

Hello from Germany

My name is Carsten Rook, our company CRT transport & solar products is small but fine with 5 workers and a store of 80 sqm

Liked to become we in China bzw; Unfortunately, the quantities/quantity purchased are partly too high for us buy Asia goods anyway.

Furthermore this arrives if we order small quantities at it the dispatch is extremely high, airfreight of ca.30kg 290 usd.

Unfortunately, we have not managed to get favourable conditions in the dispatch yet.

It is therefore worthwhile not buy goods for themselves for small companies in Asian countries.

Can send one goods for somebody like and with whom from China perhaps whitely favourably !!

I wish all members a Happy New Year.

CRT transport & solar

Carsten Rook

P.S. excuse for my bad English