Starting Your Own Chinese Imports - how to start
In this place, we will introduce you to how to start your own trade. There are basically two types of online shopping. The first is far more familiar to everyone, more widespread and refers to the purchase of individual products (retail purchases) via sites such as Aliexpress.com, Amazon.com or eBay.com, etc. Our site explains another type of trade, wholesale trade, more precisely imports from China. Here you can read briefly how it is done, how to find a supplier from China and review some of the products. We leave all negotiations with potential suppliers to you.
Extensive instructions, i.e. everything you should know, can be found in the purchase menu: China import guide
We can also offer you our sourcing and shipping services from China. If you need help, feel free to contact us.
In the following text there is a short instruction on how to start trading, but we recommend that if you are doing something like this for the first time, you should study the entire site carefully before starting this type of trading.
Buying from China without an agent
There are numerous sites where companies and their products are presented, and our recommendation is www.alibaba.com or www.made-in-china.com as two of the largest and most trusted sites of their kind. On our website in the main menu there is a link of Chinese firms where Chinese companies are shown arranged by activity. Many Chinese companies make products that are not really related, so on the website of some companies you can find products that do not belong there according to our division or they are traders (resellers). There are over 10,000 companies on our website, so there is something for everyone. When we posted the links, they were all active and working, however, there is always the possibility that the producers may cancel their site, change their address, company name, or due to carelessness, their domain simply expires. But it is also possible that it was an attempt at some kind of fraud.
- Find the product you are interested in. There are many ways to find the products you are interested in. Of course, the easiest way is via the Internet. There are many websites that do this kind of service, including this one. There are sites where you can register, ask about a product you're interested in, and you'll get tons of the information you want, and maybe even a price list.
- Establish a relationship with potential suppliers.Select a few potential suppliers to communicate with. When contacting suppliers, provide them with information about your company. Good marketing of your company is half the job. In order to choose a supplier, you can ask them how long they have been in business, at which fairs they have exhibited, with whom they have done business, especially from your country or region. Check and confirm everything you can. Make sure it's not a fake company!
- Narrow your choice to the supplier you want to work with.Get to know the product prices, delivery and payment methods. Get product samples and review them. Pay attention to the packaging, instructions for use, as well as all other necessary details related to the given product. You will probably have to pay some monetary compensation for this, but you can never have enough control! Consider payment terms and delivery method! Collect all the necessary information for the pre-order (that is, look at all aspects of the trade). When sending the purchase order, include as many details as possible that you can remember.
- Interpret the terms of trade for yourself and use them. Before sending the purchase order, you must determine the terms of delivery of the goods and the method of payment with the supplier. The most popular shipping methods are FOBand CIF. These terms of delivery of goods are closely related to their price, as well as the assessment of delivery risk. If the explanation of these terms on our website is not enough for you, you can contact a shipping company and ask them for advice.
- Understand the payment terms. It is customary to pay a 30% advance payment of the value of the goods per order, that is, that the manufacturer perceives you as a serious customer. Together, these funds are used to start production, while the remaining 70% of the payment is usually made when you receive confirmation that the goods are on board. These conditions are not strictly defined and can be negotiated.
- Likeimporter of goods You are legally responsible for the given goods being allowed to be imported into your country.Goods that do not meet these conditions may be stopped at the border and may cause unnecessary complications. You must inquire in advance whether the goods meet the import requirements. You must inquire in advance about the import laws of the given goods. This is prescribed separately for each state. If you are not sure, it is best to consult with one of the shipping companies.
- Choose the shipping company you want to work with.Inquire about your city and surroundings and choose the company you want to work with. If you are buying goods from China for the first time, you will need their advice more than you can imagine. Ask them carefully about the costs of customs, transportation, permits for the import of your goods.
- Write yourself a trial order. In it, present to yourself the delivery method, payment method, list of all required documents, detailed product description, packaging description, detailed operating instructions in your language, etc. This is just a suggestion on how to thoroughly prepare for the final trade.
- Choose and send one of the pre-purchase inspection companies on-site to the manufacturer's factory. Ask them to give you a detailed description of what they are inspecting. It is very important that you give them a list of things to check, because you can get information that everything is fine, without taking into account important details! These checks are often carried out at the beginning of production, and an inspection a few days before shipping is certainly desirable, when possible errors by the manufacturer can still be corrected. You can see what it looks like on the pages of the site AsianInspection.
- Track the transport and customs clearance of the goods. Your forwarding company takes care of the transport and customs clearance. However, you should also monitor this process and possibly help by providing additional information.
- Receive the product and manage and keep all the documentation. Now you can move on to the next step - selling your goods and making a profit, or starting some production or your own business.