The idea to import from China is exciting, but terrifying for many eBay sellers because importing from China leaves so many questions.
On one side, there’s great potential for making money from reselling imports from China purchased cheap. But on the other hand, cultural and language barriers may present a slight problem.
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However, the main issue that most people are concerned about when importing from China is payment: How do I pay, is my money safe, and many other questions about how to import from China safely.
Since getting a credit card in China is an extremely difficult task with much government regulation and strict criteria, most Chinese wholesalers only accept wire transfer and Western Union payments. These are not secure payment options, so you must be cautious when importing from China.
If you seriously want to import from China, you’ve got to minimize the risk. You should start with a small shipment of imports from China so you’re not in jeopardy of losing too much money if something goes wrong. Maybe as trust is established, you might gradually build up your order over time.
For the most part, most Chinese wholesale suppliers are genuine, hard working folks who want to establish a long-term relationship with you. They need your business, so it isn’t likely they’ll intentionally try to rip you off.
Another big issue for eBay sellers looking at importing from China is the language barrier and communication. It can be really frustrating trying to negotiate business terms when the communication is so difficult. To get around this issue, always ask a new contact for their MSN or ICQ email address and chat with them online.
Chinese wholesalers tend to be friendly and enjoy talking with people who speak English as their first language because it helps them to improve their communication as well. Plus, if you’re able to get your contact’s MSN or ICQ email address, it will instantly give you a direct point of contact with your new Chinese wholesaler and make importing from China that much more easy.
With communication and a relationship established, you can import from China by proceeding to ask questions from your new Chinese wholesaler. Get them to send you photos of stock, and ask them to send a sample order so you can see if you really want imports from China.
For any legitimate company, this is not a problem. Plus, it allows you to see the quality of their goods. We can then feel more confident that the company is trustworthy, and we can feel more relaxed about importing from China.
Quality of imports from China can be another major concern for eBay sellers who sometimes have difficulty discerning whether a brand name product is genuine or not.
The vast majority of brand name products that import from China are either replicas or fakes; therefore, it’s strongly recommended you assume that this is the case in the first instance. eBay has been heavily cracking down on sellers selling fake products, so it is not an area of business you should get into.
For the most part, imports from China are best suited for cheap generic products because they’re manufactured in China; therefore, you’ll not find cheaper prices anywhere that can be sold at a high rate in western countries. For example, some of the latest trends are scooters, pocket bikes, and generic electronic goods. These imports from china don’t have to have a brand name in order to sell well, and they can be purchased wholesale at really great prices.
This should give you a heads up if you’re seriously looking into importing from China! Remember, always keep an open mind, ask questions and do your research!
To summarize importing from China and how to import from China safely…
- The vast majority of brand name products that import from China are either replicas or fakes; therefore, it’s strongly recommended you assume this is the case in the first instance.
- Western Union and wire transfer are the methods you have to use if you want to import from China.
- Imports from China are best suited for cheap generic products because they’re manufactured there.
- Start with a small shipment of imports from China so you’re not in jeopardy of losing too much money if something goes wrong.
- Most Chinese wholesale suppliers are genuine, hard working folks who want to establish a long-term relationship with you.
- Chinese wholesalers tend to be friendly and enjoy talking with people who speak English as their first language.
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