China

China is so called “the world’s factory”, lots of successful stories tell you that there are tremendous advantages to source products from China. However, it’s not that simple, before you start, it’s recommended for you to follow good practices. In following, we provide some good checklists I learn from my long-time experience. 1. Check whether you have the rights to import It is vital to check whether you have the legal rights to import certain goods with not only ease but also without incurring excess expenses (such as anti-dumping duties). You should confirm whether you need a license, as in many countries, and acquire one before buying the goods. 2. Know the goods you want to import This is the basis of importing goods from China. Identifying the ideal goods to import have a significantly great impact in both the import process and your business plan. You should carry out a…

During my daily work of helping western businessmen purchasing goods from China, I’ve seen many back and forth negotiations between supplier and buyer. But in fact, much negotiation time could be saved and the process could be less frustrating if the buyer could perhaps understand things from the supplier’s point of view before you start contacting them. Types of supplier In China as with the rest of the world, this can vary hugely. One supplier might be a factory with thousands of staff and at the other end of the scale you might have a mother of one working from home to try and pay the bills, along with many middle men in between. The difference in China is that it might not always be that clear exactly who you are dealing with. The mother is as likely to tell you that she is a factory as the factory itself. The…