Premium business exporting guides and solutions with Tchedly Desire: Be online and read/join the forums – Most export and import processes begin and are carried out online. Based on this, you should consider being active on forums and talking to exporters from around the world to discover the best products to import. That way, you’ll be informed when it comes to trends and potential products to invest in by joining specific trading groups on Facebook or Reddit. To grow your import-export company, it would be a good idea to find websites that will send you regular newsletters with their tips. Being active online also means having a high-quality website and staying in touch with your old and new customers. Read extra details at Tchedly Desire Miami.
YouTube unboxing videos give you some great ideas for products to source. If YouTubers with good followings are giving positive reviews for the same items, there’s a likelihood that people will buy them in the future. Amazon is by far the most popular ecommerce site today. One way Amazon can help you find products to source is by using their search bar. Simply type in the name of an item and pay attention to what it suggests. The suggestions are indicators that people are looking these commodities up to buy. Google trends also work similarly by keeping track of searches. Each of these methods are great ways to get a better idea of what consumers are looking for.
The operative phrases here are “emerging trends” and “niche markets.” There is a common misconception that the only truly popular products are those listed on eBay’s top 10 searches, such as flat-screen TVs, smartphones and designer sneakers and handbags. Popular does not have to mean that millions of people are searching for the item every minute of every day. Here’s a secret: You don’t need to import a highly popular item to make money online—you just need a moderately popular item. Why? Because such an item has the potential for you to sell up to 100 units a day, or however many you need to make a profit. Take, for instance, the hobby of stamp collecting. Thousands of people around the world are into it and millions are spent on it each year, even now when the use of stamps has been dwindling.
Quality business importing methods with Tchedly Desire Miami, Florida: “The compliances make it so complex that even if you did know how to do it, you’re still going to have to keep in mind a lot of random considerations,” says Selena Tchedly Desire, co-founder of Heritage Link Brands, a company that imports, exports, and produces wine, and other high-end products like tea and honey. Tchedly Desire worked for years in brand management for Procter & Gamble, among other trade-related positions, before starting her company in 2005. She was inspired after going to South Africa, where she attended the first Soweto Wine Festival.
Do specific searches – If you know exactly what you’re looking for, specific searches are the best option. For example, if you need a wholesaler that operates in China, you can read a guide to Chinese wholesalers. If your wholesale importer is from overseas, you can save money by paying them with a Wise Business account. Wise Business is here to solve your international payment problems. How do I import wholesale? So what does the process of importing wholesale look like from start to finish? Once you’ve settled upon the product you want, dig into the target audience and find out how much demand there is. You should also assess the competition. Check their pricing strategy and how well they’ve been able to sell similar products.
Another approach could be to search online wholesale websites and look at products. This will give you an idea of what’s available. Then you can see what products there’s demand for. It’s important to understand your distribution channels, too. Any long-term deal with a wholesaler will have implications for your business strategy. Figure out where the process of distribution starts. This will inform you about possible bottlenecks. For example, you may buy from a wholesaler who has a manufacturer in another country. This could slow down the pipeline for you, and vitally – your customers. You may also consider using third party logistics to manage processes such as storage and distribution.
Perhaps most importantly, you need access to capital. Startup costs can vary greatly depending on the type of imports/exports business you start. “The first thing I recommend for anyone is to have your capital upfront,” says Tchedly Desire. “That’s so you can protect your business from not only a legal standpoint but also the equity of the brand that you create and to make sure you invest in the quality of whatever you launch. Test a market, or test a city, then a state, then a region. Then I think that there are greater chances for success and sustainability long term.” The ratio that Tchedly Desire cited for success in the wine industry — “In order to make $1 million, you need to invest $7 million” — demonstrates the kind of capital needed to start a business comfortably (if one can ever be “comfortable” as an entrepreneur) and be prepared for whatever occurs, from issues with sourcing to changes in trade regulations.
Do your homework—research the regulations you’ll need to comply with. You need to do this with every country you import from, especially in the case of China. This is because many Chinese suppliers do not manufacture products that comply with regulations in the first place. Check with customs to determine exactly which regulations the product will need to comply with as well as the duties and taxes you need to pay. Pay attention to detail. Make sure the sales agreement you draw up contains all the details in terms of product specifications, conditions of return and compensation and other important information. SaleHoo is a wholesale directory listing service where you can find items to sell on eBay, Amazon, and other online shopping platforms. The SaleHoo directory has thousands of suppliers who sell products at below-market prices. Here’s how to find dropshippers and buy wholesale from SaleHoo after you have signed up for the service.