My very first profitable business was importing products from China and selling them online – mainly through Amazon & eBay. I started out with counterfeits at 12-years old, and by the time I was 17 I had built multiple different e-commerce brands into an empire I was proud of.

I was incredibly confused when I was first getting started. I had hundreds of questions racing around my head:

  • What product should I sell first?
  • How do I know which products will sell (and which won’t)?
  • How do I find a trustworthy supplier and negotiate with them?
  • How can I avoid scams and low-quality products?
  • Just how the hell do I get started?!

When you’re trying to start a new business from scratch, you’ll find your mind running in circles unless you have a clear direction to run into…

So my goal is to make this the definitive A-Z guide to starting an importing & e-commerce business from scratch. It’s what I would do, step-by-step, if I was starting from zero.

I’ll give you every step of the process, and also give some insights on the ‘why’ behind my strategy. I’ll also be adding to this over time (as I get questions from readers), so be sure to bookmark this for future reference.

Finally – I encourage you to follow this guide step-by-step, and to avoid jumping around. Importing products from China and selling them online is an incredibly simple business model – it’s only when you do things out of order that it becomes confusing & complex.

So without further ado – here’s the story of my rise & fall in the importing/e-commerce industry, and how you can launch this business for yourself 🙂

Basic Overview: Your Roadmap

Leaonidas this is confusing

First things first, let’s wrap our heads around the concept…

This is a simple business model that’s easy to overthink. There are lots of moving parts that can feel risky or confusing. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

“Everything is simple until you make it complicated”

Understand that starting this business, like starting any business, will require taking some risks. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s easy to end up with $1,000 worth of iPhone knockoffs in your garage (or $1,000 worth of nothing at all)…

That being said – if you’re careful, have a solid roadmap (this article), and a bit of hustle – you can build a profitable business for yourself with a relatively small amount of time/work.

E-Commerce Empire Roadmap

It’s important to understand your battle plan before going off to war…

ecommerce-empire-success-roadmap

Here’s the basic game plan:

  1. Find a good product – You’ll need to brainstorm, research, and select a product(s) to import & sell. Most people find this step frustrating and overwhelming (with good reason), but luckily I have some tools that will help make this easy.
  2. Find a good supplier – Once you’ve decided on a product, you’ll need to source that product from a great supplier. It can take some digging to find them, but there’s ways to ensure you avoid the scams & increase your odds at finding an awesome supplier.
  3. Sell some samples – You’ll want to place a small sample order to test & validate your product (I’ll show you how I do it). This is part of the ‘secret sauce’ that most new entrepreneurs miss.
  4. Scale it up – Once you’ve validated your product, you can feel safe bulking up your order quantity & making changes to differentiate your products. We’ll even talk about private label branding & expanding your product line 🙂

Here’s the BIG pitfalls to avoid (all explained in more detail below):

  • Don’t buy in bulk from a factory until you have their samples in your hands and LOVE them.
  • Don’t let any supplier convince you they can’t ship small sample orders, they are just trying to squeeze you.
  • Don’t pay with any other method but Trade Assurance or PayPal for the first 3-months with your supplier. This eliminates a ton of risk.
  • Don’t buy from a company that won’t accept Trade Assurance or PayPal. What it really means is that they were shut down due to complaints.
  • Don’t buy counterfeit crap. Not that there isn’t money to be made, it’s just a bad business to build (and illegal).
  • Don’t buy a lot of inventory in the beginning. I started off buying 5-10 units at a time until I built up the money to reinvest into inventory.
  • Don’t give these suppliers your personal email. The email will be effectively nuked and unusable for years, trust me…

Well, I hope that gets you in the right mindset. Let’s get into the beef of it. BEEF.

GET THIS CHEATSHEET FOR FIGURING OUT PRODUCT WINNERS

Step 1 – Find a Good Product to Import & Sell

Finding a great product is typically the first & last place new entrepreneurs get stuck. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s easy to get lost in the abyss of product research…

Luckily, this is also where I can help you the most 🙂

I’ll show you how this works in a moment, but first let me tell you how I discovered this method…

My First Successful Product

When I got started, I went straight for counterfeits (purses, wallets, shoes, workout guides, etc). I made a KILLING selling these through eBay, Amazon, Craigslist, and in-person – but quickly decided to get away from them. I didn’t want to build a business on a questionable legal foundation, and you shouldn’t either.

I gave away these counterfeit businesses to two different friends. One friend had a ton of success selling workout guides via Craigslist in NYC and delivering them by foot. The other friend one was not so lucky. He was hounded by lawyers and even private investigators, until he was eventually sued into bankruptcy (and had to give up all his fancy toys that counterfeits paid for).

And that’s why you should avoid counterfeit products. Like dealing drugs – I’m not saying it won’t make you money, because it will. I’m saying you shouldn’t do it because selling counterfeits is not a business – it’s a limited-time hustle. So don’t do counterfeits…

Going ‘Legit’

Since I was already selling products online successfully, I figured it would be easy to switch from counterfeits to legit products. However, I found out finding legitimate products to sell is a much different game. I had quite a few failures before I began to figure things out.

Here’s some of the bad products I’ve imported (and why they were bad):

  • Patio Furniture – Numbers looked incredible on these – I could buy them WAY cheaper than they sold for. I bought & sold 10 units, shipped them to the customer, but 2 units were damaged in shipping. All profit (and then some) was eaten up dealing with returns.
    • Lesson learned: Avoid heavy & oversize products that are expensive to ship.
  • Toothbrushes – Again, the numbers looked great – I could buy these WAY cheaper than their sell price. I bought 25 and people simply would not buy them. When’s the last time you bought a toothbrush from a non-major brand?
    • Lesson Learned: Avoid commoditized markets with high levels of big-brand loyalty.
  • ‘Yes We Cannabis’ Shirts – Obama was running for office (Yes We Can), and marijuana legalization was a big topic – so I figured, how could I fail with these? Didn’t even test them, just bought 1,000 units (because I am smart like that). Sold 200 units, then ran out of necessary cash to continue marketing.
    • Lesson Learned: Scale up slowly to keep inventory risk low & retain cash for marketing/customer acquisition

I could go on all day about my early setbacks, but that’s not what you want to hear about 🙂

Giving Up & The Big Breakthrough

After hundreds of overwhelming hours spent researching & selecting duds, I was ripping my hair out. I was trying so hard to find the PERFECT product – one that would solve all of my problems. But all I was doing was losing money.

In a moment of desperation, I was about ready to call it quits. I was going over everything I had done, and all I knew was that it wasn’t working. After many hours of thought, I decided that I would give it one more shot. I knew that the business model worked, and that I was clearly doing something wrong. So I decided to switch it up…

Up until that point, I had tried to find products in the way that most people do. I was simply looking for products that I could buy for much less than they were selling for online. But clearly, that was not working for me.

What I realized is that sourcing products is not the tough part. The tough part is finding products that you can sell consistently. So I decided to flip the entire concept on it’s head, and instead try to focus on what people were buying. Instead of simply looking for cheap products from China, I was now searching for demand in the marketplace that I could sell into – and then worrying about sourcing the product later.

Simply put – it worked…

The first product that I worked for me were Motivational Pillows, which were cheap to ship & easy to make variations. From there, I was on a roll. I sold all sorts of random products, from Competitive Samurai Swords to LED Lightbulbs – and I was making good money with all of them.

Finding Your First ‘Beachhead’ Product

You’ll probably sell a collection of random products for a while, until you eventually stumble over what I call a ‘beachhead product’…

I use the term ‘beachhead’ as a reference to D-Day during World War II. When the Allies invaded the beaches of Normandy, they secured a foothold in Europe and then expanded throughout Europe.

That’s exactly what we want to do with our beachhead product – gain a foothold in our niche and expand out into a full product line/brand from there.

For me, my first beachhead product was a specific airsoft gun. I stumbled over the product and sold a few, as they seemed to be popular. Immediately after selling these airsoft guns, I had customers emailing me asking for more. They wanted BB’s, they wanted masks, they wanted vests – they wanted to give me money for all sorts of things. So I happily obliged 🙂

Airsoft quickly became my bread & butter. I eventually stopped selling most other products to focus specifically on my airsoft business, which was selling 15-30 airsoft guns daily right off the bat.

m82p-airsoft-gun-rifle-aeg
My First ‘Beachhead’ Product

As I sold more, my relationship with my supplier kept developing and my prices kept getting cheaper. I was easily undercutting all my competition with a great product, and still coming away with a clean $10-30 profit per unit. And best of all, I didn’t even have to touch the product – my supplier even handled all shipping & returns.

I had finally done it – and it all snowballed very quickly. Hundreds of hours of frustration finally worked, and it worked fast.

That’s Great – But What About Me?

Now that you know my not-so-smooth journey, let’s talk about how you can find good products for yourself…

Finding great products to import & sell really comes down to these 3-steps:

BRAINSTORM > RESEARCH > SELECT

So let’s get started…

Step 1a: Brainstorming Products

Your goal is to find a dream supplier for ANY product you are making money on, because then you can focus on growing the sales of your business rather than on customer service and shipping.

It isn’t easy, but if you follow my advice below you will greatly increase your odds of finding a great supplier and product.

Where and how to find suppliers

Your best friend in the importing business is AliBaba. I have used it for every single product I have ever imported. I use it for my own businesses, I use it for clients, and I know a ton of people that use it. It is an awesome resource.

Don’t fall into the traps of Doba, WorldWideBrand, Volusion, or whatever other scam solutions are out there to find suppliers. I made the mistake of trying all of these when I first got started, and just ended up wasting hundreds of dollars for little to no value. Just stay away from these, trust me.

With AliBaba, you will be looking at only Gold members. I don’t care how awesome of a deal you get from a non-gold member, or how many factory certifications they have, you DON’T buy from non-gold members. Just following this rule will help you to avoid 98% of the scams and bad suppliers. Any other certifications or whatever are just icing on the cake.

You really want to find a supplier that will do cheap samples, offers PayPal payments (even at an increased rate, use PayPal), and seems to respond to your communications quickly and effectively.

Open up AliBaba for now, as you will be jumping back to it frequently while researching product to know if you can make a profit. If you need more clarity, we wrote a detailed post to guide you with buying from Alibaba and avoid scams.

Where and how to find products

There are a few limits on what kinds of items you want to sell –

  • It needs to be small and light – Trust me on this, you don’t want to deal with the headaches that come with shipping furniture or kitchen appliances around the world. You want something that is going to be cheap to ship around, because shipping is going to eat your profit margins alive.
  • It needs to be a simple item – What I mean by this is you want something that is simple to manufacture and has a relatively high margin of error. Most of these factories are not going to have the highest quality standards in the world, so the greater the margin of error you can put up with while keeping your customers happy the better. Competitive katana swords did not have a great margin for error before customers started noticing, as they were vigorously slicing sh*t with them all day (slicing rolled up Tatami Mats to be specific).
  • Keep it in the $10-200 range – In my experience, it becomes very capital intensive and much riskier if you are selling items any higher than this. Higher ticket items are usually harder to ship, require higher quality control, and really magnify your mistakes when first starting out in importing. I have yet to find success outside of that price range, so I cant suggest you take any chances in it, but of course use your own judgement.
  • Don’t sell what you buy – Devan made a great point when I was speaking with him that you can’t sell items that you buy. Most of us buy electronics, clothes, food, and other essentials. I can tell you right now that you are not going to compete in any of those markets. You really have to niche down in this and find a nice little nook for you to sit in.
  • Don’t go seasonal – You want to find items that have a consistent base of buyers. I am sure there is a bunch of money to be made in selling Christmas stuff and winter clothes from Asia, but it is going to be extremely seasonal, and you are probably going to end up with a ton of worthless inventory.

Other than that, you are really free to explore whatever comes to mind.

What I would do is go onto a few sites and browse around –

  • Alibaba – You should have this open already, but I often look around AliBaba to see what items are being promoted and check around the sites below to see what kind of margins I could get. For instance, right now there is a 4 year Gold company (online now!) selling LED Light Bulbs for $2.65/unit. Even better, they do Escrow, and have onsite inspections from Alibaba. I can quickly go over to Amazon and see these same bulbs selling for $9.50 – 11.99, a VERY healthy margin! And that’s just the first thing I looked at! There is a niche right there.
  • eBay – Check out the completed listings on eBay to see what kind of prices you can consistently sell items for. I often use eBay auction descriptions also to gain some knowledge on a product if I see it is the exact same. Prices are the main thing here though, you get a really reliable indicator of demand. You have to click on the side bar menu to get to completed listings, here is a picture.
    Completed ebay listing for imported products
  • Amazon – I go to this page and check out all of the different tabs for “Movers & Shakers” and whatnot. I click around the categories and drill down to find things I think may not have a lot of importers in already. Again, typically weird items, like LED bulbs, skateboard parts, and katanas do well, so I try to find weird things that catch my eye and compare them against stuff on Alibaba.
  • Other toolsmySimon Top SearchesShopzilla Top Searches, Kaboodle Hot Picks

Just keep looking through the market data on those sites and comparing it against what you can get from Alibaba. It may take some time, but eventually you will naturally learn what works and you will start finding great product opportunities left and right. If you really have issues finding a product, comment below or email me and I will see if I can help [will at startupbros dot com]

Eventually you’ll find some opportunities that you want to move forward with. The next step is to start talking to suppliers and getting your hands on some samples. Don’t worry, they all speak english (kind of)…

 Indentify & Mail Key Suppliers

Now that we have a product, we can start sorting through suppliers and contacting the ones that look promising.

All I would do is –

  1. Search for LED light bulb in Alibaba with the correct filters – You should have already been doing this before to check your product costs in the previous steps. At this point though, we want to switch to searching for “Suppliers” rather than “Products”, as seen in the picture below. I typically start with filtering by “Gold Supplier” and adding “Onsite Checked”, “Assessed Supplier”, and “Escrow” in that order until I am down to 20-30 suppliers. If there are still a ton, that is fine. Just try to find some way to narrow it down to the very best and take the 20-30 top ones.
    Searching for products on Alibaba
  2. Contact the good ones – Now that you have a list of the prime suppliers for your product, you want to contact them and get some additional information. I usually just ask about their MOQ (Minumum Order Quantity), payment and shipping policies, sample policy, and a price list or product spec sheet. They usually have all of this on hand. IMPORTANT – Don’t use your personal email for this stuff, as it will be spammed into oblivion for years! Asia is not quite as serious about their emails as we are 🙂
  3. Converse, get a feel for things – Now see who messages you back and how serious it seems they are taking your business. Keep in mind that they are competing for your business at this point, and have no idea if you are looking to put in a $100 order or a $10,000 order. Their customer service at this point is a good indicator of where it will be in the future. Don’t be afraid to haggle and engaging in some price warring, they are much more used to that in China. It isn’t uncommon to see an item start at $200 and be sold for $20 in a Chinese tourist market. I could write a whole post on price negotiation, but the main thing with this is you have to low-ball your first counter offer to anchor the price possibility window at a lower level. You should get by fine with that.
  4. Samples! – Ah, finally….the fun part! Now we get to put in some small orders to get samples shipped directly to us. I usually get samples from 2-5 suppliers I am considering, but never just one. SERIOUSLY go over these samples when you get them. Also take note of shipping times, costs, damage, etc. Put the items through some stress, check every last nook and cranny of them. Think about how customers will be using them and push the item harder. You need something that is going to stand up if you are going to put your name behind it, so find something to be proud about selling.

*Note on Minimum Order Quantities* – I had a lot of people mention to me that the MOQ posted by many Alibaba manufacturers is extremely high, so I figured I would paste my response here –

The minimum order they list is generally not concrete, and is most of the time their average or desired order size. There is no way to know for sure without messaging the suppliers directly, which is why I go for 15-30 initially.

In my experience, Chinese factories will go through many hoops to work with you on order sizes, unless they are a MASSIVE factory that only ships via sea. If they use normal air shipping at all, they shouldn’t mind sending out even a single item via air (which is what they do with samples anyways).

Again, with some items it will be different than other. For instance I looked into selling LED lighting that attaches to the sides of buildings, and the margins looked great, but the MOQ ended up being somewhere around $5,000 of lights due to the purpose of the item (to run down entire high rise buildings). I skipped over that one.

Another option is AliExpress.com, Alibaba’s site for smaller orders. You will generally get better prices for the same amount on Alibaba if you are willing to put in the effort to communicate with suppliers, but AliExpress is always an option. So we wrote an article you can use if you choose to buy products on Aliexpress.

After all of this, you should have at least one solid supplier for a product you know will sell. Guess what’s next…

Step 2 – Selling Your Product Through Existing Sales Channels

At this point, you are going to have to make a decision about your inventory. If it were me, I would invest the couple hundred bucks and buy 5-10 pieces of my product to get started. You can certainly buy one at a time to start and that will work, it will just be a slower start.

I guess now is a good time to mention that I have not found drop shipping to be a viable option for somebody just starting out with a new supplier. The only times I have ever had successful drop ship relationships with suppliers is after a long and prosperous history, at which point they work with me to get their American distributors to drop ship. More on that later, but I thought I would mention it as you don’t want to do that just starting out, it almost always ends with unhappy customers and banned accounts.

Anyways, you need to get a few pieces of inventory and start selling them.

I only suggest using TWO of these THREE sales channels when first starting out – Amazon, eBay, Craigslist

Notice I did not say spam your friends on Facebook and every forum you can find about it. That is a ton of work and will produce very little result for you. Not once have a I tried to sell things to my Facebook friends, I barely even tell them what I am working on unless asked.

It is relatively easy to set up shop on all of these – I would just look at what the top sellers of your products are doing and then try to improve upon that. Most of the time, the copy text used in eBay and Amazon ads is free domain from the manufacturer, so you can get a lot from other sellers and simple Google searches.

Within a day or two after getting your product up, you should begin making sales. This is when things start to get really exciting. Just ship out your products at the closest post office and wait to see what happens. Make sure you ship as soon as you can and pack everything well obviously, but I am assuming you guys know how to ship things so I won’t go into much detail. Make sure you ship immediately, and make sure you pack it up well. I would also suggest throwing in a thank you note with a website or some way to turn these guys into recurring revenue (see below for more on this).

You should know pretty quickly if you are making money and what the problem areas are.

Within a month it should be painfully apparent if you need to find a new product or if you should scale up your current product.

If you can’t make a profit with your product on those sales channels, then I don’t think it is worth it to put any more effort into that specific product, and I would look for another product to sell.

Given that you are finding success with your product and have no deadly hiccups (lucky those don’t exist…), let’s move on to scaling this baby up.

Step 3 – SCALE!

After I had my airsoft guns up on eBay and Amazon, all I had to do was keep track of inventory and shipping.  Being 15 at this time, I was ecstatic.

I slowly started to add more products to eBay and Amazon, started sending out promotional materials with my shipments, began advertising, and started a brand name behind my online business. My 20 order per day average quickly swelled to 30, 40, 50 sales per day.

Keep in mind that NONE of this would be possible if I didn’t find an awesome supplier in the first place. If you’re reading REALLY closely you’ll notice that I was 15 now, and it took a full 2 years of many mistakes and marginal success before I got to this point. Hopefully from reading this article, you can skip most of those mistakes and get right to the success.

I didn’t really know what I was doing and was kind of just throwing money at things and seeing what works. It was an awesome learning experience for me, and I learned a ton about what works and what doesn’t work in marketing and growing online sales.

Here is the stuff that I did to scale up my sales that will probably work for you –

  • Advertising with Amazon and eBay – I always made a solid return with these advertising programs, specifically Amazon.
  • Listing yourself on other sales channels – I eventually made an eCommerce store so that my products could be listen through the primitive versions of Google Shopping, Bing Shopping, and every other shopping venue I could find online. If I could put my items up and sell through them, I did. And each new channel gave me a little bit of growth for free.
  • Brand yourself – The days of branding yourself as “GreatAirsoftCompany.com” are long gone. You have to find a good brand name that resonates with the crowd you are selling to, and it will exponentially reward you over time. You can read this post to see how I decide on brand names.
  • Aim for recurring revenue – I started seeing solid growth from including coupons and promotional materials in each shipment. Eventually, I set up an email and SMS subscription that would send them deals and updates on airsoft items. I also set up a monthly subscription for airsoft pellets, which I couldn’t sell on eBay due to very small margins. The key here is to focus on siphoning off buyers from the pre-existing sales channels into your own lists and databases. That way, you can market to them for free on demand, rather than having no way to contact them after their first order.

And the stuff that didn’t work

  • PPC Advertising – Advertising outside of where I was selling never worked for me very well on this, however I was also very young and didn’t know much about running PPC campaigns. If you are already good with PPC, then try it. If not, I wouldnt even try until you have some money to lose.
  • Social Media – Just isnt going to work for importing. MAYBE you can find a way to do this if you are a really, really good social media marketer, but 99% of people are not going to get any sales from social media with this.
  • Pretty much anything I didn’t mention above – If I didn’t mention it above, I didn’t make enough money with it to remember it. I would stick to just the things I know work, which are littered all over this article.

If you are unsure about a marketing method you are thinking about trying, just comment below or email me and I will tell you what I know about them…

Keep in mind that the only money I was putting into this was reinvested earnings. You can certainly spend out of pocket to grow faster, but my goal in this post is keeping your risks low while still growing, and bootstrapping (funding your growth from internal operating revenue)  is the best way I know to do that.

If you follow this tutorial, you will eventually be where I was – making a solid 50 orders a day. At this point shipping and inventory are going to really start taking a toll on you and your time. You’ll want to work on moving in one of two directions –

  1. Negotiate better terms with your supplier – Once my supplier knows I am a valuable contact who will make him solid, easy money day in and day out, I am his golden boy. Now you can start to negotiate prices and shipping terms. I usually try to get some price cuts, but my main thing is getting the factory to drop ship (generally through a US office or distributor). If the factory can ship to my customers for me and handle returns, my business is next to automated. This is where I got with the airsoft stuff, and I loved it. A true “4 Hour Workweek“.
  2. Start outsourcing the processes – If you cant get your factory to drop ship to customers for you, you are going to want to get rid of that aspect of your business somehow. You will be making enough money by now to hire somebody to do the shipping for you locally. Try to get somebody local (a friend or family member) to start, as it is much easier, safer, and cheaper to manage a friend than an employee. Hire a VA to send the orders to your friend, keep your listings running smoothly, respond to customers immediately, and order inventory.

If you get past this point, it is really up to you where to take it. I preferred to keep it at this level (automated cash flow), but you could certainly grow this as large as you wanted to. There is no real limit on how much money an importing business can make, and you have built a solid foundation to build off of.

New Post* The Ultimate Guide to Sell on Amazon in 2019

The Fall of My Empire

At this point, there was very little that could go wrong. Short of some horrible unforeseen event taking place, I had a steady stream of automated income coming in – one of the first ones I had ever built.

Then there was a horrible unforeseen event…

I don’t remember the exact circumstances, but the Chinese ports suddenly stopped shipping airsoft guns out. For over 3 months, I couldn’t get any airsoft guns out of China.

I know it was more than 3 months, because that is when I was forced to throw in the towel.

I searched around for a replacement supplier from anywhere I could, but the prices had just skyrocketed. On top of that, I had a bunch of orders I couldn’t fill and angry customers…

With many new projects sprouting up, and being only 16 at the time, I refunded everybody and moved on…
I did make enough money to invest elsewhere, most of which was lost on other ventures. I learned more than I did in my entire schooling career with this business, and I hope I communicated everything well enough to expedite your learning curve.

The only thing to do now, if you haven’t been this entire time already, is TAKE ACTION! If this strategy intrigues you, get out there and at least try to put this stuff into action. Make it happen!

Please comment below if you have any problems, questions, or suggestions with any part of this – I will be responding to everything immediately for the next couple of days.

Good luck, and talk to you below!

Note – I have since written a follow up to this post called “Step-by-Step Guide on How To Find A Profitable Product To Sell”

Author

Avatar for Will Mitchell
Will Mitchell

Will Mitchell is a serial entrepreneur and Founder of StartupBros. You can learn more about him at the Startupbros about page. If you have any questions or comments for him, just send an email or leave a comment!

2,523 comments add your comment

  1. Hi Will. Thank you for the informative article. The sample prices for products seems to be quite high. I have a product idea that would sell for approx 10-12 dollars. The supplier is looking for 20 dollars per sample plus 55 dollars for shipping. Would you offer less than 10 dollars for the sample in this scenario?

  2. Will, appreciate all the info. I had a business flipping products on ebay and amazon fueled by the supply chain issues during the pandemic. I sent you an email on making another go at e-commerce. Look forward to your thoughts. Cheers mate 🍻

  3. can i ask, what products can i not sell from Aliexpress? like beauty products, etc ?? or does it not matter 🙂

  4. Thank you

    Me and my girlfriend have been thinking about doing this for a while because I’m sick of physical labour and would love to do something that makes extra money or even turn into a full-time thing.

    Like you said finding that product that works for me that someone hasn’t already got is the hard thing.

    We just want to spend about $500 for now and buy a few things to try it out and get them sent here in NZ and then resend to a customer.

    Your write up was very easy to understand even for me lol, it was much appreciated.

    We thought about make up because that is a constant seller and is light weight but I guess we will search Ali and have a good look, it’s exciting but man, there’s a long way to go.

    Cheers Mike

  5. This is interesting Mr Will, I want to start up and I would need your guidance on how I should go and what to deal on till we go deeper. Thanks

  6. Thank you for sharing such an amazing story of your life.
    Yes, there will be ups and downs in your business but surviving through it and finding a solution or working it out take patience I hope you will definitely get back to your awesome form.
    Gogetchina is a wholesale distributor from China to Canada that supplies various products according to customers needs and it also provides shipping service.
    Thank you for your time.

  7. Hi Will , I live in South Africa and run a small business from home however in the last two years business is just been bad , I tried social media , websites and all other social media platforms but nothing works , I sell tools,hardware , there are a few products that I no if i bring it into the country , it would sell very well however I dont have a large cash flow , so how I find the right supplier and get samples sent to me , I no exactly what can sell but just dont no how to go about doing it , your help and guidelines would be highly appreciated.

    • Hey Gerald, thank you for reading the article and for reaching out. I would love to help you. Do me a favor and send me an email to Will(at)startupbros(dot)com. And mention that you left a comment on the blog and we can continue the conversation there in more detail. Talk soon!

  8. Hi Will

    Great blog.
    A bunch of us here in South Africa are planning to start-up a business just like this and your blog has given us great inside info. We are planning to launch our own e-eCommerce platform (just because we got a guy or two in our group knowing stuff about this) for selling to the customers.

    The Rand Dollar exchange rate and import duties might be our biggest stumbling block to overcome.

    Thanks, Stefan

    • Hey Stefan, thank you so much for reaching out and reading the article! What you’re starting sounds awesome. It sounds like you have some smart people working with you. I wish you all nothing but the best. If you run into anything you think I can help with please come back and send me a message!

  9. So in all, how much could be the minimum capital? Per considering small size products and a MOQ of 5-15.

    • Hey Fred, so if you’re in the United States. Let’s say for an order of 15 at $6 USD per product you’re looking at $90 USD for the order, no import taxes on orders less than $800 USD. Then opening an Amazon account is $40 per month. And you want to spend some money on PPC ads like $50 to test the sales of the product. You can spend $180 on your first order and potentially still make a small profit assuming you can sell for 3x cost which is the minimum you should sell a product for.

  10. Hey Mitchell,
    A great article and it has really motivated me and given me a clear direction for starting my own business.

    I have few questions and it would be great if you can answer them:

    1. I have identified some products which do not fall under niche category but definitely are innovative products which are solving customer problems and not available in the market. Would you recommend to start with these products?
    2. How should i calculate the selling cost of the product? like how much margin should i add and how to factor customs cost, import taxes etc.?
    3. While selling on Amazon, were you registered as an individual or a registered company?
    I have plans to expand the distribution business to offline stores also and might have to register as a company. How should i go about it?

    Thank you so much.
    Regards,

    Shantanu

    • Hey Shantanu, thank you so much for reading the article and for reaching out. I would love to answer your questions! Just a friendly reminder that if you run into any more questions or need any help at all don’t hesitate in sending me an email to will@startupbros(dot)com. I love hearing from readers!

      A lot of your questions I answer in my huge Amazon article: https://startupbros.com/how-to-sell-on-amazon-fba/
      In there you’ll find answers to calculating costs, how to find products and everything about listing your products.

      But to answer your questions, I’ll start in order…
      1. In general you never want to start selling a product that has no history of selling because it’s new. Something I was considering reading your question was if it’s possible to sell something that’s similar or in the same area of product that has a history of selling. Then once you prove the market works you can add your new product to the catologue. Does that make sense?

      2. at a minimum you want to sell your products 3x cost. Usually when you sell for 3x cost there’s enough for a profit.

      3. You can start as an individual seller. On Amazon it doesn’t matter if you’re a registered company or not. You can be an individual seller with a brand name on your products. What you might want to register is your brand with Amazon, so no one else can sell products with your brand name, once you’re making sales but don’t let it stop you from starting. If you create your own website and start selling in physical stores what you can do is create an LLC with your brand name.

      I hope this all makes sense. If you have any more questions at all please don’t hesitate to respond back or send me an email with all your questions.

  11. Hey Will,
    I can’t thank you enough for this, you helped me gather all the info I need within almost just one link. With that being said, I just have a question about Taxes. Being a US resident who has an income is supposed to pay taxes, I have indeed gone through the comments and read that you mentioned “any order that is below $800 doesn’t get taxed”, but I’ am talking here about my profit, my income. don’t I need to have my own Corporation? and I’m hoping one day I will be buying bulk purchases that are going to pass $800. So, what I’m saying is, do I need a corporation im only buying and selling samples in the beginning? and would I be able to get it later when I start making big purchases? should i just get it now? or am I not even going to need it? thanks in advance.

    • Because you are a US resident, you are able to start a business as an individual. There is no need to start a corporation or anything. You can focus on starting small and making sales. Once you make enough money in sales you can incorporate as an LLC. But let’s say that you make $1000 in a year, as an individual you can report it as part of your income when you file taxes. Any money you make is part of your income for the year. There is no need to create a corporation.

  12. First of all, You are an incredible writer, I can’t rate high enough how I enjoyed reading this article. and can’t stop saying Waw on your writing skill,.Despite English is my second language,I still have a good taste on authors.
    On E-commerce I found this article the most useful, and valuable information,. I followed your guidance immediately,.Then I will be only working on budgeting my small project. You make it crystal clear,.Thanks so much for sharing.

    • Hey Sara, thank you so much for reaching out and saying those nice things about the article 🙂 I’m so glad that you enjoy it. Please, if you have any questions at all let me know.

  13. Hi Will I’d like to know if you have any research on how to do this in the Nigerian market where I am currently looking starting. I’d be glad to read from you

    • Hey benedict, product research is the same no matter where you are in the world. Is there any major factories or products that are unique to your country that you know American buyers would be interested in?

  14. i am still really studying this whole prosses you sound very inspirational to me i think you could help me if you are willing ?

  15. I have 300 $ do you have any ideas for me on a product that I can buy in china to get started with and if you would really help me give me an idea of wear to start selling to?

  16. Hi, Will

    Thank you for your valuable information.
    I am currently selling on ebay.
    Some advanced sellers said that the competition on ebay nowadays is too difficult, too saturated and there is no point to sell on ebay low-cost products (commodities), some sellers sell only furniture, tools to make a decent profit?

    What do you think?
    Is there a point to sell commodities or to sell furniture, tools, home & garden, to make a decent profit?

    I am looking forward to your response, Will.

    Have a great day ahead!

    Best Regards,
    Chris

    • Hey Chris we don’t recommend selling on ebay because the prices are lower there. But the important thing is not the price of the product you sell but the margin of the product. If you can buy something for $8 and sell it for $16 then it might be worth it to sell it on eBay.

      Furniture and larger items have less competition than smaller items but it might not be easy for you to import. You want to find products that you can import profitably without much headaches. Does that make sense?

  17. Love the blog, Will! I am just starting my online business from the scratch with products from Alibaba! Your process steps and lessons learned were extremely valuable. I am in the process of getting samples and will have tons of questions going forward. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

  18. Am happy I share in this platform is so encouraging and easy to go by. Thanks and best yourself. Am happy cause I almost fall victim of scam

  19. Hello Will instead of dropshipping I can buy inventory and just send from my home?

    • Yes, you absolutely can. We wrote an article about that called How to sell on Amazon 🙂 You can buy inventory, send it to your house and sell it online.

  20. Hi Will,
    Thanks a lot for your detailed guideline.
    I’ve been importing from Asia for 20 years. I want to share some lessons I drawed from previous failures.

    About supplier sourcing, buying from non-gold members is not enough. For most of the products I purchased, I still met all kinds of problems even I purchased from gold suppliers. Sometimes the sizes are completely wrong, sometimes the colors are not what I ordered, sometimes the product became all rusty or with numerous untrimmed threads, scratches, poor painting, etc. It’s therefore very important to send a third-party inspection company to help you verify everything before paying the balance to your suppleirs. Be alert! Thre are even some pitfalls when you are choosing a third-party inspection company. My suggestions are:
    1. Not to use a freelance or part-time agent.
    2. Not to use small inspection companies or the one who offers you unreasonably low price.
    3. Not to use the one without all of the necessary certification.
    The reason is that it’s quite possible for these inspectors to receive money from the factory under the table and not report you the major defect.
    Use an organised professional one who offers you reasonable price. (Btw, the reasonable price is around 270-280 USD/man-day).

    About the payment, paying only by paypal is not the best solution. Once the supplier turns out to be a scam, it still takes a lot of time and energy to get the money back. The best way is to verify the supplier before placing an order.

    About the samples – I’m sure some of you have the same experiences. Sometimes the production lot is completely different from the samples you received. My suggestion is to make a pp sample before production. Besides, write all of your comments and details about the sample in the contract and ask your manufacturer to sign and stamp.

    About the MOQ. I came acroos many situations that the MOQ is at least 1000 or sometimes even 3000. The truth is, if the product you want to buy is their standard product, it’s ok to purchase at a low quantity. But if the manufacturer needs to make a new model for the product, the MOQ is usually high and model fee must be paid.

  21. I found your article to be quite informative. I have a couple of questions about Alibaba. How do you know if a seller is a Gold Member? There are 5 things listed under the sellers name. I would think the first one is how many years they have been in business. What are the other 4?

    • So we have an article titled “Is Alibaba Safe” You should check it out because we go over so much there about Alibaba. So to answer your question if you look at any listing on Alibaba, then focus on the right hand side you can see “Gold Supplier, Onsite Check and Trade Assurance” All those are the most important things to look for on an Alibaba listing.

    • Hey Parth, the only country you need to worry about paying taxes for is your own. You wouldn’t owe taxes to a country you don’t live in. Only your own.

  22. I used to import shoes from china and sell them on eBay. They hardest thing was finding and trusting a supplier. This is a great article and a very useful guide.

  23. 1 feel excited after reading the article, there is so much hope in it but finance and contacts for me are the two major set backs, how do i overcome them? thank you in anticipation

  24. a very interesting article! OK so, will like to start up this online buying and selling business but how do i begin with no capital at all?

  25. Thanks for the valuable info. I wish the best on your ventures.

  26. Hi Will
    Excellent piece you have wrote very honest and free from any bull!
    I have a product I mind but cannot seem to be able to find anyone on Alibaba who is able or willing to supply it – perhaps it’s something I’m doing wrong , the product isn’t super complicated so I’m not sure what the problem is . Perhaps I could email you a photo of the product.. I was thinking maybe the product is patented or something.

    Brian

    • Hey Brian thanks for the great comment! We’re happy you liked the article 🙂

      Email us bros@startupbros(dot)com and we can help you out.

  27. I’m really impressed by this article. I thank you for the effort you put into making this a public knowledge, this would have cost the reader but you made it free all the same… Thanks!

    My name is Fortune and i have been so interested in imports especially from China or Vietnam but the the thing i don’t live in the US where Ebay and Amazon serve as a huge platform to promote what i intend to be selling

    Could you guide me on how to be able to sell my goods locally in my country and still make good profit?

    I will be expecting your reply and many thanks in advance. My email again is [email protected]

  28. What kind of margins are you looking for? Is there a minimum profit you are targeting? For example is a product that you can buy for 20 and sell for 40 worth doing? Do you aim slightly higher ticket? How would you compare that to a product you can buy for 5 and sell for 20?

    Thanks

  29. Everything I have found I would like to sell has a name that loiks like a brand. Am I able to sell that here in America under my business name then?

    • Hey Colleen, yes you absolutely can 🙂 Create your own brand and create a better listing than the competitors. If you have any other questions let us know!

  30. Hi Will, first of all thanks a lot for the article. Very interesting! At one point you are mentioning “If the factory can ship to my customers for me and handle returns, my business is next to automated.” Please could you elaborate it further? Thanks a lot!

    • Hey Luigi, Yea I can expand on that! It’s possible to have your supplier properly package and ship your products either directly to your customer, a fulfillment warehouse or Amazon warehouses. From there the fulfillment warehouse or Amazon would send your products to the customer and handle the customer service. There are companies like fbainspection.com that can work as the middlemen between your supplier and the warehouses. They’re the ones that will pick up your products and prepare them to go into inventory. Is there something more specific I can help you with?

  31. Good Morning Will!
    What a smarty pants you must be, starting out as early as you did and making your way thru to financial freedom early in life. I am so happy for you! I found you thru James Altuchers book Side Hustle Bible, and I am also making my way thru your blog articles. Question: If money is very tight would the trip to China with you and your team in April ’19 be overwhelmingly worth the price of admission into the business of importing? I think being in the company of those who think differently/larger than I, and the individual help from your team the answer would be a resounding yes!
    Thank You,
    H.

  32. Great tutorial. Need advice with importing goods for a weddings and events business. Can you provide advice for that, reliable suppliers and shipping as well?

  33. Hey will what’s your opinion on selling adult toys at least it’s not seasonal haha

    • Hey John, so it’s perfectly okay to sell adult toys. The only problem is that you can’t sell them outright. There are some requirements you need to meet before given permission to sell.

      Here they are:
      Received at least 50 orders on Amazon.
      Registered for more than 90 days on Amazon.

      So, you will need to begin selling other products (outside this category) first, until you meet these two requirements, you will not be able to submit an application. Hope this helps 🙂

  34. Hello Will.. I read your article and this is really very inspiring and encouraging to start a new b2b business.
    I am Abhishek and from India 🇮🇳.
    I set up my mind to import goods from chaina at cheap price and sell it over India at a good profit margin.
    My product would be kids toys.
    The reason why I chosen this product is because in this toy business 95% of toys imported from chaina.
    Indian manufacturers are not that much capable and smart to manufacture toys.

    I need ur sincere advice that is this would be the right ✔ business to start and how much profit margin I can book.

    I really appreciate your valuable comments.

    Thanks
    -Abhishek.

  35. Thank you so much! This article is an incredible wealth (pun intended) of information! Seriously! Thank you SO much!

  36. What about importing from China to US, what kind of paperwork and preparations are needed? With and without the tariffs in place by Trump administration.

    • Hey GT, thanks for reading 🙂 If you are importing from China to the US with Alibaba or another supplier directory you don’t have to worry about paperwork. They have a network of importers that make sure everything gets to the right place. Anything under $800 USD is not taxed coming into the US. If there is any paperwork for you to sign the person delivering the package to your house will have you sign it then. You are the one placing the orders but not the one who is actually importing.

  37. Great article! But I’m shocked you didn’t elaborate more on shipping!
    I’m in the process of shipping my products from China and the estimate I got was almost $1000 USD for one carton that’s only 24 kg!! The MOQ is 3 cartons, so this is $3000 USD right off the bat…I’ll be spending this on a venture unknown, and this seems like a massive risk. I understand any business can be risky, but $3000? Wow.

  38. One of the greatest things that holds constant throughout this entire piece, is the fact that you just kept spending and trying, spending and experimenting over and over again. SO, many people are afraid to let go of those dollars, that will eventually make them a fortune!
    Awesome post!

  39. Hey fantastic article any hints on or any more ideas of what to sell and how to look out for a good idea I’m going to fly out to turkey to a warehouse

  40. Hi Michael

    I am thinking of goung to China as me and my daughter are in a wedding arts and craft shop I struggle with Aliexpress had some bad luck and seem not to find any nice gift and arty stuff any suggestions on how to go along

    Thank for the excellent information shared.

  41. Hi Will,
    Great thanks for the tips very useful information. I am starting with E-Commerce just now I have made my first order on Alibaba right before finding this article. I am glad that I am not far from what you have discribed in the roadmap, I have book marked the website I’ll follow up.

    Cheers
    Amadeu

  42. Hi I’m from Australia and the idea of getting products from China to the US or UK for Amazon is a little daunting but even tho Amazon is here now I would think the US and UK markets are so much bigger it would be smarter to start there- thoughts? You also didn’t mention the Amazon packing and shipping service – did you not use that? C Cheers Lynne

  43. Sir
    Thank you for your advice. I am a new starter and want to do trading of chines product for India. But want to know how much is the investment in the beginning as I am short of money,. I have to arrange for the same. From whom we should buy and how we pay for the same. What product should we buy?
    Is there any registration for the same?
    Is there any licence required?
    Do the product come direct to my address?

    regards
    Sunil Chari

  44. Hi Will,
    This story was very motivational. I’ve been looking to start my own buying and selling business and I’ve searched everywhere for information on how to get started but no luck. Its been months and I still didn’t know where to start. Just when I was about to give up I came across this article and man, I’m so glad I did. I know so much more then I did before. I have been struggling to decide what products I wish to sell and I’ve decided to start of with Sports Equipment such as Boxing Gloves, Focus Pads etc. I’m doing things a little differently from you. I’m planning to get my goods from my home country Pakistan instead of China, and sell them here in the UK via eBay and Amazon. I have family in Pakistan who find suppliers, buy the goods and ship them to me. I’m trying to get as much information as possible before I start and your article helped me alot. You’ve even covered the things I didn’t think about which is good. I would as you for one favour if you don’t mind. How do I track my expenses such as how much I paid suppliers, shipping into the UK, selling to customers, shipping to customers, eBay/PayPal fees, Profits made etc. How do you do yours , would you have a template you could maybe share with me. I would be so grateful. It’s mainly because I have to pay Taxes and it’ll be easier for work out everything.
    Thanks Will.

  45. Hey. I’d like to start selling some specific product, like the way Lilly Ghalichi is selling her lashes, I want to sell something under my name and brand and need to find the right supplier and packaging and everything. What do you think and do you have any tip?

  46. Thank you so much Will for giving us all these information for free. E-commerce is the thing that I had in mind for long time and I really didn’t know how to start, but now after I read your article I would say that I am ready.
    Thank you!

  47. Hi there thanks for this. I was wondering what are your thoughts on attending tradeshows/expo to meet suppliers in china ? And do you have any recommendations of good ones to attend?

  48. wow.. love your post.. gained a lot of information.. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. Can’t believe you were 16. Thanks once again.

  49. Once you’ve got your product do you put your own label on it? Or simply onforward what your purchasing?

    • Hey Nikki. Depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. You can choose to test the product out first and try to sell it without a label and once you prove that the product will sell you can invest in creating a brand and placing a label on the product.

  50. Hey Will 🙂 I can’t seem to download your Product Research Workbook off this link ?

    Thanks

    • Hey Tim personally I have never imported those but it’s a great market. There is a private label brand called “Survival Life” and their whole business is tactical survival gear. That niche is becoming more and more popular so I think it’s worth a shot if you’re interested in it.

  51. Hi Sir, Thanks for support to everyone starting their business, Sir I found my product on Alibaba, but the sellers are selling the product on double price than the factory price, is there any way to direct deal with the factory management. Through that I can earn more margin, give competition to my competirore who is already from China and have knowledge of the manufacturers.

    Kindly guide me on this.

    Regards,
    Sumit Goyal

  52. I am looking for distribution tips. How to get the product to the supplier. How to get the product shipped direct. One by one.

    • Hey Kara, I think you’re thinking about Dropshipping. That method allows you to ship directly from the supplier to the customer. You might want to look at Aliexpress.com. They are able to do that for you through Shopify.

  53. Great article! I have no idea how to handle the shipping aspect. I’ve found products that will sell that I will also brand, but I travel and don’t have a home base. I need to find a distributor I guess but have no idea how to go about that. Any articles written about that? Thanks!

  54. Hi Will. Great info, thanks. Any ideas about reputable bulks suppliers that match Alibaba who supply to Australia. Alibaba deals mainly with the US or do I have this wrong? Cheers

  55. Hi Bill I am from India. Willing to be a prudent importer. I have never done it before. We have small family business where we manufacture and sell night gowns locally. I want to excel in it and looking to scale it up further with e-commerce and importing from China. Can you please guide by whatever means you can.

  56. Can you please help me as in want to start a new business? Can i have a word with you

  57. Hi Will,
    A sincere and honest appreciation, for sharing all this valuable information and insights of your journey at such a young age with every aspect of your determination and struggle that you have been through. I`m glad you have been fortunate to get all of that wisdom and understanding to such a huge e-commerce market after all your struggle and constant efforts.

    I wish you all the very best for all your future endeavors.

    Regards,

    Ashley Dias

  58. Great article. It refreshed my knowledge of importing from China and I gained new knowledge and got inspiration to take action.

  59. This is so good thanks , I’m stuck in the part of the products ,I was thinking in drones, electronic toy cars ,flags, grill accessories but my biggest fear is when I search in amazon I see to many product . I need help

  60. Sir,
    Really nice story of yours is motivational to starting up aspirants.
    I have narrowed down suppliers for buying toys. They are responding with price. But how to calculate my overall cost price.
    Shipping cost + customs cost.
    Will I get direct to home delivery?
    How much should I pay to customs?
    Can I clear goods from port directly or will the product come to my address or should I go through forwarding and clearing agent?
    How much will be their costs?
    Initially I’m planning to go with samples of around 10 to 20 pieces..
    Should I register as company then start importing?
    Do I need to get import licence?
    I have not yet started Any business.
    Pls guide me.
    Thanks

  61. Thanks for all this effort and work you’ve done, And thanks for telling it so well and so easy to understand!! about business china

  62. Hi, am edward from Malawi and am really inspired, been a lagard for a long time and looking to start over and I feel importing cellphone accesories and other consumables is a good idea pthough I see a lot of them on the street…can u advise?

  63. Thank you! That was truly one of the best articles I have read about entrepreneurship.

  64. Well your amazing mate,I’m dean uk,carnt believe you were only 15,I’m 50 next year and as well as my day job ,been doing markets and Carboot’s for years ,but always wanted to branch out,iv been told I can sell snow to the Eskimos lol,I’m getting on a bit but you have inspired me,hope I’m not to old for new project,thank you 😎

  65. Sir,
    Really nice story of yours is motivational to starting up aspirants.
    I have narrowed down suppliers for buying power banks. They are responding with price. But how to calculate my overall cost price.
    Shipping cost + customs cost.
    Will I get direct to home delivery?
    How much should I pay to customs?
    Can I clear goods from port directly or will the product come to my address or should I go through forwarding and clearing agent?
    How much will be their costs?
    Initially I’m planning to go with samples of around 10 to 20 pieces..
    Should I register as company then start importing?
    Do I need to get import licence?
    I have not yet started Any business.
    Pls guide me.
    Thanks
    Jameel

  66. Thank you for taking the time to give out such useful information. I had no idea where to start buying from China. I’m excited to get started.

  67. Hi Will, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love that. Am Prince from Ghana I also want to start up my own business with consumer products but do not know the right suppliers. So please if you can help. Thanks

  68. Hi my name is Sindi may you please help me with a product I can sell thank you

  69. Hi Will I live in South Africa and we are not as much connected to the internet like in the US, what channels can you recommend i use. Also I am still struggling with find a well profitable product, please do assist me, in choose the best product and setting up my e-commerce. Thank you hopping to hear from soon.

  70. Hey, my bf has a successful local business. He is applying for a TM for services there and one for his online biz of product sales. While some of the items are original (as in the art on the screen printed tees), some of the goods are generic unbranded items from China. He doesn’t want to spend any more $ than he has to and these items don’t really make much sense to register since they’re so widely avail anyway. What are your thoughts on this?
    Thanks!

  71. Helpful article. this will surely be useful to those who are starting the eCommerce business.

  72. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I have learned so much.

    Thanks again

  73. Heya, my bf is selling products online under a TM biz name. He is about to register his name federally, but wants to know if he has to include all classes of goods in the TM registration. He gets most of his stuff as generics from China. Not sure if he even can register these or why he would, since they’re everywhere. It’s all cat themed, which is huge right now. It works with the local biz, which is doing really well and is also set up for services registration. We just don’t wanna get caught registering generic goods that shouldn’t be considered, but at the same time don’t want to be in a spot where we should have taken that protective measure.

  74. Hi, I am m very intrigued and it seems so easy but I’ve got a few questions. I am interested but how do I get to talk to this suppliers. Most likely, how is it possible to access the delivery? And to make the online markettkng on Ebay, when there is no product yet in view?

  75. Awesome post, just wanted to know that how they sent samples ? They sent it via Fedex or DHL ? Or they sent it as FOB ?

  76. You were 16?! So, did your parents help you get all this set up? I mean you couldn’t have even had a credit card to buy samples through paypal! How much did your parents teach you or help you? We are looking for 21st century income solutions for our teenagers right now (and for ourselves) and Amazon FBA is what we keep coming back to but the time investment to learn enough to not lose our shirt is agonizing.

  77. Hi Will,
    Great information and very generous to supply it.
    My question is how does drop shipping work with Allibaba. Do you buy a bulk order and they keep it at their wherehous and how do they take the order from us?
    I may not be so clear with my question, so if you think it would be easier to email a simple break down on how drop shipping works.
    Thank you very much.

    • Alibaba will not provide drop shipping service, it is a wholesale website, qty requested is big.

      • This is not strictly true, Alibaba is just a platform for suppliers to sell on. Dropshipping depends on the individual suppliers and your relationships with them as stated above by Will.

  78. Hi Will Mitchell, I am intrigued and all I can say is that this is the most detailed article I’ve seen. Please send me an e-mail to know that you have read this message. I am new into this business and would like to know more. Thank you!

  79. Great article Will. I’m curious as to why social media advertising didn’t work for you or why you don’t recommend it. Can you elaborate on that?

    • At the time social media advertising wasn’t as robust as it is now. But I think there are a lot more things that can move the needle forward that isn’t advertising. People tend to think you can just throw up a random product and the ads are all that matter. I didn’t want to downplay social media but I do want people to focus on the product research, the potential customer and product quality. Hope that makes sense!

  80. Hi Will, I am very new to this field and I am so lucky to find your valuable article to read before I actually starting my business. It’s really help me alot. I didn’t know where to start? What to do next? But now I know. So thank you for sharing your experience with us.

    One thing I would like to ask you. I would like to buy baby unisex clothes from Alibaba.com, do you think it’s a good idea to start with?

    Your advice would be highly appreciated.

    Kind regards,
    Sobia Grigoras

    • Hey Sobia, I’ll be completely honest with you. Anything you’re passionate about or interested in is a good place to start. From there you can test hundreds of ideas but you have to be interested in first. Baby clothes is always going to be needed so it’s a big enough market for anyone. 🙂

  81. Hi Will.

    I’m still an amateur trying to find my feet. I want to buy human hair extensions from China. I initially thought of flying to China from South Africa to buy them in bulk. I thought I would be avoiding the scams of importing. I’ve learnt a lot from this article. Please help!

    Thank you

  82. Hi Will,

    I was wondering if negotiations should be done before or after the samples are requested/received?

    Thanks!

    • Hi,
      I would negotiate after the samples.
      Why are going to waste time if samples don’t fit you…..

  83. Hey , I am from India and have read your story and having the same diffuculty of finding a product as i want to source from China and start in India through ecommerce. I am already selling in India by my 3 instagram portals with 33k 28k 15k followers but want to find a product that i can source from china and sell here in INDIA

    • Hi Rishabh,

      You can try to source the products from alibaba/1688/taobao etc.

  84. This Blog is so helpful! I’m currently in China, and the potential here is amazing. This has given me heaps of ideas for when i return to Ireland. Thanks!

  85. Hello , I’ve read your blog and it’s amazing and very insightful. I feel like it’s missing one important point. shipping the items. I’ve looked into getting samples but they are charging me ridiculously for the items to be shipped to me. one supplier asked if I have my own. so would you recommend that? I have found products just need help with the shipping part of it all.

  86. Very helpful!
    Can you advise about customs, handling and shipping in general (before being able to drop ship).
    Thanks!

  87. Hello!

    Will, thank you for sharing your story and giving very

    Could you please provide some more tips to find a product to start with?

    I am having issues with finding a validate consultant. I will much appreciate your guidance!

    Best regards,
    Alyona

  88. hello just read your article and using it to my knowledge. btw thank you so much i have learn so much more then any youtube video i seen. my question was, so if i buy a product online and ship it to my country and i sell it in amazon. Do i give the product whatever name i want or does the company from alibaba supplier have copyright and i have to put it as they have it.

  89. If You Guys Read Thoroughly,you Will Note He Mentioned Not Ordering Heavy Items Inorder To Avoid A Huge Tax Payment. Plus From My Experience Small Items And Samples Can Easily Be Collected At The Post Office. Small Items Do Not Attract A Significant Tax Amount But If You Are Concerned,you Could Add It To The Cost Of The Items Inorder To Set A Suitable Selling Price(which You Can As Well Make Comparisons With Similar Items As He Mentioned Above)

  90. What about customs Handling fees? I’m in South Africa and heard it can be quite annoying.

  91. How were you importing stuff into US without paying Import Duty/Tax ? Did you use an agent to import ? All this is not covered.

  92. If a manufacturer only accepts T/ T as payment method, what does that mean, is it safe, and why don’t they accept Other methods?

  93. I would like to import things from China to Kenya but am not sure which products to start with. Your help is highly appreciated

  94. great insight mate, thanks for putting this together.
    I have a situation (self experienced) and i have a product solution, checked my competitors out, only have 1!
    price per unit plus associated cost still leaves room for extremely good returns.

  95. When Buying with Alibaba.com into UK have taxes ect to pay . Do you know if still make items profitable

  96. Wow,this is quite inspiring.Everything is well put,actually i just got precise idea how each stage needs to be handled.Thank you so much.

  97. All these look and, maybe, are so promising BUT how could you help someone living in a country other than the US ? Because the laws are very different from country to country…

  98. Hi Will, Amazing article! Quick question…You suggested against using Social Media for marketing, but what do you think about using Social Media Influencers to promote your products?

  99. Thank u sir is a good idea,but pls I won’t to join u for been selling ur product in Ghana

  100. Last nite I was dealing with some issues about starting my eshop and selling items from Alibaba, I was lost about how to start, so thank goodness I found this article, I took some notes and wrote it down just for future decisions.

  101. Where could I get the pictures of products to post in amazon or ebay.. is it legal to post photos from alibaba

  102. How can I list my product in eBay and Amazon? What are the process do I followed?

  103. This is an exciting article . Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. How can I sell or promote my product on Amazon and eBay? What are the guidelines i can

    follow to join ? I await for your reply

  104. Thank you Will for your information you have shared, what a wonderful read, you have given us the tools to start this journey.

  105. Will, you are awesome! You write with such a charisma, whatever you try work because you have a sales man blood.
    Thanks for sharing your story, it was very helpful!

  106. Do you have list of legal processes which need to be taken care while selling chines items under your brand?

  107. Well detail article. I am motivated to start up my own in the near future. Happy you stated things as it is, no polishing, you spoke the truth and its well appreciated. I will definitely contact you when I need further assistance.

  108. Whyyyyy do all of these articles make it sound so easy? “Ah, ok, I’ll just go find a product to sell! Dr. Ben reached $1,000,000 in revenue essentially selling potato chips!” I know it’s not going to be easy, and I never expected that it would be, but I’ve been banging my head against my keyboard for a week now trying to find ONE thing that looks like it’s worth a damn to sell, and I feel like I’ve just been wasting my time. Where’s the disconnect? It seems like everything I look at already has 234634 different versions from 0764309 different vendors on amazon.

  109. Hi, Do you have a newsletter or manual that would help me with this new adventure in selling online? I really enjoyed your article.

  110. I have janitorial supply company I want to know how can I purchase the item directly from China to sale at a cheaper price in the US. I sale paper towels, toilet tissue, dispenser and chemical, vacuum and etc….

  111. pls how can i sell product on amazion and ebay. most of the product from aliexpress, the shipping cost is more than the cost of the product. pls help

  112. Can you direct me to import goods from china because I want to start my own income generation field. I am Galaxy international Export Import company and I have to looking Reasonable and long lasting business reletation, products 4 star 5 star hotel Hospitality products, latest Mobil phone, Computer, Desktop, Leptop, and all excessory , all kinds of latest Watch,
    I am very much appreciated if you can help me

  113. I love plant and I’m in a group of plant lovers of almost 50k members so I want to venture on a ceramic and resin pot ang garden supplies. The price fr China supplier is so good but I’m afraid of the shipping cost and tax here In The Philippines. I am hesitant to start with 500 products but I really wanted those product. I want to start with around 100 at first so I can check the easiest n cheapest way of getting them. Besides LCL or by sea what other means do you suggest if for bulk order? I am an avid client of eBay and they send it thru ems with very little tax but I am not sure if the supplier can send them that way too. Thanks in advance

  114. Very informative. I have chosen a supplier from China and we’ve bargained already. But the problem is the custom here in the Philippines. The supplier can send to the Phil and I need an agency to release it for me for some taxes like import tax n clearance etc. And that’s the main problem since I do not have idea on the cost. Pls enlighten me. Thanks.

  115. In regards to shipping, should I always go with the fastest shipping method from Alibaba? I really don’t want to wait a month before I receive my order with the cheapest option.

  116. Hi, I’m Joseph from Italy and I need information about drop shipping. Many people and companies promote that buying from China and reselling is a good way to make money but no-one explains that if you want to sell regularly you may pay taxes and customs duty (here in Italy). Is it the same in USA? Is there a country where you can avoid this kind of taxes?

    • I have the same question, here in India, customs really suck. Need to pay alot of money for clearance.
      Would like a guide about how all this work.

    • In the USA you don’t get hit with customs unless the item you bought is more than around 800 USD. The only way I have heard of avoiding customs is to ask your supplier to mark down the cost of the item on the packaging. (Essentially, lying to the shipping company.) But that might be dangerous, especially if you you are being sent an abundance of items.

  117. If you say we shouldn’t put our personal email address so whose email address do we use? Thanks for the article.

  118. thks for sharing the knowledge, this truly helps me thinking outside the box.

  119. It’s really a life-changing article……
    I am excited to start it …….
    Suddenly i found myself confident enough…….
    I am running a panel board furniture manufacturing company and providing interior designing solution to my customers……
    I love doing that…..But nowadays i realized that it’s not as profitable as i thought…….
    I tried to export import business……. I made some exclusive products with bamboo and cane…..
    One sample (hand crafted jewellery box) i sent to belgium through courier……But my importer told that your product is really exclusive one but you need machine to get the international standard.
    I stopped doing(knowing that he was very true)

    Sir i need your special guidance about selection products, finding the immediate trend in the market,selecting right supplier, market the product(elaborately), packaging, shipment,payment schemes,how to calculate final value of my product, whether IEC required for that or not, what official papers are required…….
    Suddenly i started dreaming to start my own export import business……However i know nothing about it.
    Also I want to know , if not email then how do I communicate with them, how to be safe from fraud, how to use pay pal

  120. Hi, great article, but wish to know for the best products to sell I’m in South Africa

  121. Friend,
    I am working as a librarian in an ashram in Bangalore. Is there any way of starting business with just 100 Dollers through alibaba.com

    • Hi!

      Great article! I come from Holland and would very much like to start a business like this. But don’t know where to start/which product etc. Any thoughts and advice on this?

      [email protected]

  122. Very inspirational Will… thanks for sharing your experience. Just the motivation i need to take that step….and “make it happen”.
    As they say….there is no time like the present. 🙂

  123. hello i am interested in giving this a try. I have always dreamed of being my own boss, but i do have several questions thar would probably seem silly. I wold appreciate it if u could email me for some advice , and pointers thanks.

  124. Hi my name is Kevin this articles is amazing…. I was wondering with all honesty if beard oil was good to get into. Im open because its the only product i found so far

  125. Hi I want to import things and sell it for high margins but I don’t know what products will work and what will not work.Can you suggest me some products that I can make money with it.

  126. Hi, thank you for making this a blog. I am currently doing alot of research about glass jar canister with lid and I have been looking around on Alibaba. What do you think about glass jars?

  127. Thanks for the information. Please advice me what’s better buying produced goods from China or buy a machine and producing the goods myself.

  128. Lovely blog! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read
    some more. I am bookmarking your feeds also

  129. I plan to fly guangzhou in a few days to do this business and use aliexpress , what do u think of it and paypal is good for long term use?

  130. A Nigerian who is well aware that most of chocolate city’s inhabitants are Nigerians but I’m opportuned to be schooling here in Japan with a lot of guys from China. So, I’m open to suggestions from any angle as regards any moving product that a woman could be dealing with from China down to Nigeria and any other African country.

  131. Really interested in this business.Thanks for the guidelines.But the challenge for me is that am a Nigerian.I really don’t know how to register on some of this big sites like amazon,alibaba.Think my country is blacklisted.please tell me what to do

  132. Great stuff man. I will be re-reading this article, but I got most of it. I have an idea for importing and a direct contact. But I want to diversify and not rely on just one supplier….time to ACTUALLY do it and see if it is a success or failure – I’ll learn and evolve either way. many thanks foe the article bro.

  133. About putting coupons/directing costumers to your own web-site…isn’t that against Amazon’s policy?

    Do costumers care about that (do they maybe look at it as some sort of spam)?Or you can freely include in package whatever promotional material you feel like?

    Is breaking that policy serious thing,that could get your account suspended immediately?Or it isn’t such a big crime (you can get away with it here and there)?Your thoughts…

  134. Hi,

    After reading this, I felt it was a very honest and enlightening post. I am from India and I am thinking of importing readymade clothes and selling them online (via Amazon/eBay) as well as through a simple brick and mortar shop. Do you think clothes will sell? You haven’t mentioned the legal hurdles – import/export licenses, other legal regulations, shop licenses etc. Did you face any legal/government problems?

  135. I would like to start a business but contrary to you, I would like Amazon to store my stuff and take a percentage.
    Would you recommend that?

  136. Hey Will!
    What would you say someone should do to avoid falling in the way your first venture did? I’m trying to learn from you, of course.

  137. Dear Will
    Good day!

    Can you direct me to import goods from china because I want to start my own income generation field. Now I am working for a private company and get retire within several years. My kids are still too small and I have to look after them some more years in the future.
    I am very much appreciated if you can help me

  138. How can I get companies on alibaba to post samples out cheap? A 100g item they charge me £75 and say that’s their cheapest freight, so it’s expensive to receive a a sample from several companies and some have been poor quality
    Thanks
    Jo

  139. Great blog. The only thing I’m unsure about is that if I’ll be making enough money for my expenses, due to the competition on Amazon and eBay. Everybody is selling the same or similar product to mine.

  140. its great to read about its worth reading it although I am already into import but lots of thing are eyewash .
    I would appreciate if you could explain more about logistic ,like for part load shipment and for small container load what kind of precaution should be taken care of .

    thanks again for sharing such a wonderful experience

  141. Wow I must say thank you for this great content. I am back after one year to say thank you than you thank you.Your blog has changed my life. Finally started my drop shipping business after i found your site last year January and I can honestly say I have made a good amount of money in this one year. Thank you for all you do here.

  142. Hi!
    Mr.Will Mitchell..
    I learned very much from your post ”Step by Step guide…….” . thankyou! for this appreciable post and i find it very helpful i liked it too.. Can you please suggest me? if i am thinking to import Bodybuilding supplements like Optimum nutrition Serious mass 12lbs, 5lbs or Whey Protein. Is that good idea!?
    Thanks! and waiting for your great reply..

  143. Thank you, Will! This was incredibly helpful.
    One question though: why do you believe Facebook is not a good channel to sell stuff? I mean, I bought a lot of stuff that came up in my feed obviously from sponsored campaigns.

    Thx!

  144. Guy you are supper in this post. Everything here is practical, a case study that must not be taken for granted. Bravo!!

    • Finally a path that is very understanding and even gives you that bit of confidence that we are all looking for to make that first step, your story is amazing and for being as young as you were when you started off is just so impressive well done mate.

      You have definitely answered a lot of questions that iv been asking and searching for so I thank you buddy and hopefully when you hear from me next I’ll have my first little business up and running.

      Cheers mate really appreciate your hard work and generosity

  145. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are amazing for helping people out.

  146. Wow” very useful message ,
    Am from Nigeria and my name is Nicholas. I have been trying to know what I can be selling online in Nigeria and world wide with small and little capital please I need your beautiful advice . thanks for the useful write up .

  147. thanks so much for the insight.
    i am based in nigeria and would like to know if i can still sell on amazon and ebay or should i settle for indigenous online stores. secondly, apart from selling my products online can i still go ahead and sell to the local markets?

  148. Hi, I’m in major need of advice please!
    I’m starting my own business of selling organic play dough. I will be making the dough with homemade, organic ingredients. I’m currently interviewing suppliers on Alibaba looking for the perfect packaging.
    Here’s my question: do you think it’s important to trademark my name? I have a feeling this will be successful with so many parents going the organic route with their kids these days.
    Thank you, I’d appreciate your response. As someone who is just starting out, I’m excited, worried and confused all at once.

  149. thanks for the guide Im in the process of reading them and using them as a basis for my endeavors its funny but I first learned about importing from the mellinger Plan years ago I didnt do much with it but Im going to do something with this I also look forward to the Jan 8th webinar I wish you had one sooner but I will be checking out your vids on youtube.

  150. This was incredibly insightful and well written. This is something that I started considering a long time ago and I have slowly become obsessed with the idea of an online business such as this. I do have one question, is there any type of licensing or permits you would need to start importing like this? Specifically in Illinois.

    Thanks!

    Mike

  151. Can you sell things that have a patent on them? Can you get in trouble for trying to sell things ? I want to sell something but I’m nervous..

    • Hey Dee, what products are you trying to sell? You are more than able to sell products with patents on them. Things like potato peelers have a patent on them but multiple companies sell them. Now, you can’t sell products under a registered trademark brand that belongs to someone else. The registered trademarks are more important than patents. If only people with the patents could sell products then there wouldn’t be many sellers, brands, and businesses in the market.

  152. I haven’t had luck with this. The shipping cost from China is always so expensive. Combined with ebay/amazon fees and having to pay for additional shipping to customers, I can’t seem to make it work.

    • Good point. Very cool writing, but the topic of amazon/ebay fees is not covered here at all. I briefly looked at Ebay fees, which are as high as 25% of the COST. Still checking this in case I’m missing something, but this is just too much. The only way to make money with these fees is if you’re the original manufacturer of the product.

  153. Hi Will

    I thought about this path. I’m struggling to come up with a product which can sell and comply with all other criteria you explained. Can you please help me by giving some examples of the product can be sell as start ? It won’t affect you though as I live in Australia

  154. Hi i want to start up but I’m unsure about all the steps.
    Alibaba asks for a registered business, i have opened a paypal business account using my dads name/birthday (I’m 17). Do i need to buy a regesitered business before i can trade with alibaba, and if i do does that mean i have to set up tax revenues. So many steps, I’m getting abit lost.
    Any advice how to get started.
    Thanks

  155. “And best of all, I didn’t even have to touch the product – my supplier even handled all shipping & returns.”
    -How did your foreign supplier handle this?
    -Was your inventory software linked to your supplier’s local distribution point in the U.S. so that when an order comes in, it is sent directly to the warehouse?
    -This would makes things soooo much easier!

  156. hi there maybe you can assist. i want to buy sports shirts which is branded. can i resell in my country?

  157. Great article Will, I had a different disaster happen with importing business years ago, back in 2006 importing hot tubs and swimming pools from China, but as soon as the credit crunch hit, currency conversion rates, change of spending habits killed that high end product.

    Ever since I have pivoted and stuck to smaller and more affordable items.

    Keep up the good work!

  158. I am searching for eyebolt and wire rod supplier from the globalsources.com and Indiamart.com. Do you think they provide good suppliers ?

  159. Thank you very much! I’m starting a business of this kind in my country (I live in Latin America). This is very helpful.

  160. You should write a book about your adventures as an entrepreneur. You have a vast wealth of knowledge which needs to be shared.

  161. Hi myself daljeet from india i love the topic and it was really interesting. I looking to startup small business but not sure what product i should select my budget js 10 tk 15 pcs starti g through amazon but if its work then more.

  162. Impressive articles, I can learn a lot of knowledge, I come from China, after reading this article, I want to do business with friends from all over the world, maybe we can really brainstorm together, Look forward to working with me to exchange entrepreneurial ideas !

  163. What’s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It positively useful and it
    has aided me out loads. I am hoping to give a contribution & help different users like its aided me.
    Great job.

  164. Hi, I felt so sincere through your word and way of work ..really its enough for a beginner to get start his online business without worry

    thank you.
    sunil

  165. Hey, thanks for advice and tips about starting a business. When i was reading it i felt like my mind is not in the present. I read each word that you time without skipping it. What an amazing journey you have been through.

  166. When I try to register for alibaba, it requires a registered legal comany name? Am I missing something?

    • You can use a generic name. It’s just a formality but they don’t check if it’s a “legal” company.

  167. You did not mentioned import cost, customs, CNF agent cost and other cost related with importing from China

    • Totally agree, seems like no one wants to get into the real issue of imports , they love to go on detail the experience of their business model , what about duty tax, what about the amazon University assimilation, the own product UPC codes ,etc,etc, not easy,,do you guys know that the duty tax for importing polyester garments from china like leggings is 28%, if you buy $1000 dollars of this products you pay $280.00 only on duty tax, not counting shipping cost , wiring money fee, and before that you need to open an LLC with legal obligations on collecting taxes ,also own a computer, cell phone, camera to take pictures , own a car ,open bank account ,quick books program , have an accountant, and I can go on and on,,

      • I think you’re talking about running this as a full time operation. He was doing this as a 16 year old kid. No company, fairly small scale and probably no duty taxes, etc… But yeah, other things always apply, which is why as he said, by the time he ended this, he didn’t really have a whole lot of money to invest into anything else. Like anything else, ideas like this sound great until you start doing the numbers!

  168. I would like to thnkx for the efforts you have put in writing this
    web site. I’m hoping the same high-grade blog post from you
    in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing skills has encouraged me to get my own web site
    now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings quickly.
    Your write up is a good example of it.

  169. Hey do you ever worry about the types of incoterms used between you and your suppliers.
    Does your shipment come directly to your door or you have to pay transportation cost and so on?

  170. What angle should I approach this if I’m from Singapore? My market is generally small unless i can find a product to target Asia, mainly.

  171. I currently live in China and am looking into purchasing (via taobao) a relatively small order (100 units) of a toy that is currently extremely popular in the states. I’ll then send the product to the states and they will sell it using amazon/ebay. Do you have any advice for something like this as it’s brand new for me?

  172. Hi I am not so old either and I am thinking about starting a small amazon buisiness to. This post really inspired me, but what is the minimal starting capital? It’s fine if I can only sell 10-15 products at a time.

  173. Hi Will,

    Thank you so much for your in depth steps to importing a good product from China.

    Indeed so explicit and will give it a try.

    Have a good day.

  174. so how did you manage shipping in the beginning. you told that your manufacturers did it. but how did you manage shipping in the beginning?

  175. Such a nice write-up
    I am from Pakistan. I wanna start online business by importing from China. Any suggestions?

  176. Hey Mitchell. I just recently learned that Amazon will be building the 7 or 8 Canadian headquarters right in my backyard, hometown of Calgary…(would this reduce prices for me on shipping or could I start like ‘Ground delivery’ business delivering products to companies that request them…Or wouldn’t they just hire an in house employee to keep costs down? ) With your expertise is the anything u seen in plain site that I could try an earn a profit. I don’t understand the business world to much yet, but I’m slowly learning!!! thanks for your time, it is greatly appreciated!

  177. Hi thanks for sharing ur experience . I have no idea about shipping ,customs excise and duty. Could u please share ur experience

  178. Hi Will,

    Great info and nicely written. I do have a friend that will live in China for the next two years and come back every month for work. We think to bring back product directly without through him personally. Is this an advantage? Do we need any import permits/docs since we are not dealing with a supplier? Thanks!

  179. Dear sir ,

    I really need your help now. I want start business by trading product from China but I don’t know what’s kind of product I should trade to Cambodia market? please you illustrate me . thank you

  180. I don’t have that much question for now, but I just want to tell you that you are a very positive person you took your time and wrote all this. God bless you Abiy

  181. Great Article Will! So, so insightful.

    Could you please share more about price negotiation with suppliers.

    Thank you.

  182. Won’t I have to worry about patent infringements if I have something manufactured in china?

    • No Jason. You don’t infringe on any kind of patent by selling products that suppliers make. You would be infringing on copyrights if you try to sell “Brand New iPhones from the manufacturer”. You can’t use someone else’s brand to sell your products. You can sell anything that a manufacturer makes under your own brand or no brand at all. The inventor or the can opener is not the only person that can sell can openers.

  183. Epomall is also a cheap online shop for products like Phones, bags, shoes, hair,jewelry,clothes,accessories etc in China , they accept PayPal and credit card and offer free shipping .They accept retail wholesale and drop shipping orders.I have bought from this online shop and their products are of very good quality .They will ship your orders to your country free of charge

  184. I have some questions in regard to buying products in bulk from different distributors.

  185. Wow this sounds very interesting, I would love to do a startup of the same sort, I am from Botswana. any advice please?

  186. Hello Mitchell
    I’m from India and I want to sell in U.S through Amazon and eBay but I’m little bit confuse about going global as I have no experience in selling internationally and should I go to China for sourcing or Alibaba is a good option or I should export product from India or is it advisable to sell through marketplaces in U.S.A

  187. I WANT TO BUY PRODUCTS IN CHINA TO SALE IN U.S.A BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHICH ONE

  188. this article has inspired me and helped light that spark for me to get back after some failures ive had in the past with dropshipping.

    thank you!

  189. in the whole jungle I found some real good advice and can see a light at the end of the tunnel . thinking about starting e commerce … it was very helpfull so far. should I do any course offered by AWS to learn about better business with Amazon ?

    God bless you .

  190. nice, first online article I read whole from long time. My first alibaba order is shiping now, ka ching …

  191. Hey I’m in the process of starting one but I can’t seem to find a cheap shipping company to Africa.
    Any suggestions?

  192. Hey Will,

    Super informative article. Thank you for sharing all this info. My question is: is it normal for sample shipping cost to be $30-$60? I’m sure this may depend on the actual product but something that doesn’t weigh much. I just want to confirm so I know I’m not getting hustled by someone. Thank you in advance.

    Best,

    K

    • My advise is you just find a good shipping company with offices in your country and China and tell the supplier to send the goods to the same company and you negotiate with the shipping company yourself. Cos most of the time they exaggerate the shipping cost. Am in Zambia and that’s the method I use and it’s cheap

  193. My trip to China Yiwu helped me to explore new suppliers channel and get to touch base with my agent and face to face meeting. Seeing the real operations and how goods get loaded into container is a real eye opener. I am returning in Jan 2018 with my students and gear with a plan then you could source with a purpose, target profits and be it FBA or drop shipping, you need to be guided.

  194. Counterfeits are a TERRIBLE idea. I made thousands of dollars but narrowly escaped a VRBO on Ebay. Never again. Now I actually put in the work and also put some effort into dropshipping, which has actually done a lot more for me than my previous imports. Taobao is pretty good if you do go into the dropshipping world, although I know a lot of people say to avoid it. If done correctly, it can bring in a lot of sales. I do want to move into the import and selling model soon though, the margins are a lot higher because the advertising costs are lower.

  195. Amazing sharing my friend. I have been thinking to import things from China but until now I have not yet decided what to buy and how to do it.

    Your detail personal sharing is very interesting.

    thanks again for the information and sharing of your personal adventure when you start the business.

  196. I’m selling counterfeit beats by Dre collaborations and making quite a killing on eBay but I’m trying to go legit because I’m constantly having to make new accounts. Having success with my recent account but still I just want to go legit. I got questions on finding a product to sell but for now I’d really like help on how to sell on amazon. It’s so damn complicated for me.

  197. I have to questions…

    1. Are there any suppliers in the US who support drop shipping businesses?
    2. Are online businesses such as drop shipping, required to have a business structure and tax ID number?

  198. Amazing article! I really appreciate your effort writing this. I will definitely use most of your tips!

  199. As for the time it takes to ship from overseas to customers in the united states, how long would it take for a customer to receive an item ordered? And where would the products be placed once ordered and shipped? Would these products from Alibaba be bought from the supplier, then shipped to your house, then out to the customers?

  200. Hi Will, What a Fantastic article…… Brilliant effort from such a young age…… I’m now following you on Twitter ( @Twinxyboy )…. I’ve tried sending you a message on there but it says you don’t accept them….. I wouldn’t mind asking you a few questions about some issues i have starting up a Business importing some ideas i have….. Do you have an email address i can contact you on please ? thanks

  201. Amazing article. I have also been importing products from China and have made quite a lot. I can totally relate to all the things mentioned here. Thanks for helping out. Wish you good luck and success!

  202. I am from India got inspired by your posts and want to start of this idea. If you kindly inform me more about shipping and custom duty, and when to pay where to pay

  203. Hi. First of all thanks for the excellent summary.
    I would like to know more about duty part.
    While I importing from China to India how much percentage we need to pay?
    BALAJI

  204. Hi will am from Nigeria, and very interested with this e-commerce business. How can I overcome the issue of getting quality products? Secondly can I also make use of the sales channels you mentioned?
    Thanks in advance.

  205. Hi Mitchel,
    How we can manage the situation like you faced in the case of air soft gun
    when the chines authority banned the shipment.

    Pls reply
    Regards
    Ali

  206. Hi I am new to eat ores etc. I am just about to join Shopify to start a kids clothing store for a specific target as I have struggled to find a product. I noted your comment about drop shipping for newbies and am reconsidering the shoplfy venture but definitely want to get into online selling. I have looked at Google trends and kids clothing was trending ok. Can you provide me with any advise to get me started as I have been looking for a product/s foursome time now and seem tone going around in circles. The more I read the more a clear path becomes muddied.

    Thanks in advance

    Ren

  207. Can you talk a little bit about customs, shipping and the type of paper work required to import from overseas.

  208. I am from India got inspired by your posts and want to start of this idea. If you kindly inform me more about shipping and custom duty, and when to pay where to pay

  209. Hi Mitchel,
    Thanks for this!
    I saw a gold supplier in alibaba and they accept paypal, and it was mentioned there that “this suppliers support paypal payments for offline order” is this ok?

    thanks in advance

    • yes it is.what is means is that you can email him an order and pay offline via your paypal without paying through Alibaba.but always prefer not to pay offline

  210. Hi great stuff.
    How do I get the product on amazon? How do I get passed their question about the product

  211. Really great article… I want to get into this business but just don’t understand where to start from…. I am from Australia (originally Indian) … looking for some suggestions … 🙂

  212. It is great article thanks, I will start my own business today.

    Ibrahim Taher

  213. Tsitsi- Nice stuff indeed,l have been looking for such inspiring teaching for years now. l am gainfully employed and have been trying to start my own business..l am from Zimbabwe and still very confused on what business to embark on with the economical challenges that is in my country. l still need more of your advise and you can reply on my email.

  214. hi, I was wondering if I was gonna start my own clothing brand could I use this as a guide to get it started or am I better off taking another approach?

  215. Thanks for the article! I will start a e commerce business soon. The article was very informative! So brand names or anything over $200 dollars correct?

  216. Great article.
    I’m thinking of using Amazon FBA and let the Chinese manufacturer ship straight to amazon to avoid shipping myself. From all the research I’ve done it seems that often they have trouble meeting Amazon package requirements. Any advice? Any names of manufacturers you could recommend that do quality control as well? Also do I have to register a business to do this? (I’m from Europe)

  217. Hi, thanks for the article, I have a question, how do you tell if the product is counterfeit? thanks

  218. Hi,

    Thank you very much for article.

    How much the tax and duty will be charged when import from China. How can we find out the percentage of the goods price to be charged?

    Also how about delivery fee from china? Which delivery company you suggest? Or supplier send it without carrier?

    Thank you

    • Awesome story. It looks like your new business of selling mail order business instructions in Nigeria is thriving beyond belief. Who could’ve guessed. You are genius! Had no idea katanas were so popular. Although I am a weary of flipping weapons I have connections in China to ease importing woes and what I think is the ideal product that checks all of your boxes and more. Thanks much for your free top notch advice!

  219. What do u think of making my own activewear brand and find a good supplier to make garments with my logo?

  220. Very interesting reading. How did you manage the tax and commodity codes as heard they are a nightmare and some Chinese supplies mark as a lower value package to avoid this which sounds risky. Regards Nat

  221. Thanks for your inspiring article!
    Currently in China and been doing a boring office work for 8 years. My wife mentioned this week that she wants me to run a trading business and stop working because she met somebody who simply wants to be a silent partner just to get a Chinese visa and even willing to pay half of the Chinese business registration fees and half of the office rent!
    Then I somehow stumbled on your article while on coffee break! This has got to be a sign!

  222. while i was reading, I felt like i am in a movie. starting,running,rising and collopse… ıt was a inspiring article dude well done 🙂

  223. hi my name is Tegenu Kefene I am from ethiopia i am 22 years old so I want to start my on business to start importing from china so what is you advise?

  224. Hi, thanks for the article, simple question for you, if it is a lucrative business model, why did you not look for a new product to market after the airsoft went down?

    Thanks

  225. Hi,
    This is a real eye opener for me. I want to import and sell – I no longer want to depend on a salary.
    I need a lot of help as my usage of the computer, let alone on line ordering is limited.

    Please contact me on my email address if it is not a problem. I would like to learn from you.

    • It completely depends. Where are the students? What country? There are so many factors that go into when researching a product

  226. Hi. Thanks a lot for your sharing experience! I just want to figure out what I should do for starting: I have some friends in China who can do me a service( is it reasonable?)and I have for the first time 2000$. What is next. Taobao? Alibaba? Fake products with good quality are normal for my native country ( Ukraine). Thank you for you answer)

  227. Nice article, and accurate as well. I had already done exactly this process using a site called Tradekey about 10 years ago, and made a few hundred dollars before deciding it wasn’t really for me (I am gainfully employed and like my job, but I learned so much, and will probably get back into it at some point).

    I was selling shirts, dog carriers, and bitcoins. (Paypal, though, let people reverse bitcoin charges even after you delivered bitcoins, so, selling those on ebay was not a great idea that cost me a couple hundred bucks).

    It was really interesting to see this post follow exactly what I had done, from researching a product to haggling with the distributors to posting and shipping.

    Great article.

  228. I think selling crap from china has had its day get a trade like me you will make a good living.

    • Hi, will. I am right now working in a manufactory and trade company, if you want to get any stuff quotation, I could give you the best price.

  229. Thank you so much, you have inspired me and I have just got what i was looking for years.

  230. Reading your story was really. I was almost demotivated because as a new startup I was confused about how to flow and flourish in this business. I am what to be an Amazon Seller, but no-one to guide. I would be really thankful if there’s someone like you who can guide me in e-commerce

  231. What about licensing issues and patent issues if selling similar products from name brand in the states?

  232. Hi, I loved I. china for a year and met tons of suppliers and shipping agents.
    I am looking to start a company and selling bulk like hospital supplies, school supplies, bulk toys to toy stores etc.
    I assume this would be a different route to take but have tried to find answers and can’t find them anywhere.
    Do you have any suggestions?

  233. Thanks a lot for this guide. I was wondering if all electronics bought on Alibaba must be counterfiet? Is it possible to buy an authentic piece of electronics on that side, e.g. a Huawei phone which is actually a Huawei phone?

    Thanks a lot

  234. This is absolutely great. I have been searching for THE HOW for months. You just gave it to me in clear, simple, decisive language with a willing heart and nothing for you. AMAZING. I now can see more or less how it works. You are a true teacher. That is not a common skill in the business community as I have learned twice now. Thank you!

  235. Hey,

    I’m glad you made these web pages. They are good reads and they are honest which I appreciate. I am thinking of taking on this endeavor and this was all very useful information.

    Thanks

  236. I started importing baby clothes through Alibexpress, but delivery takes 60 days and the quicker options are to expensive. How do I go about getting my product here faster??

  237. Great article, certainly draws some parallels to the struggle I am currently going thru in creating my own strategy for sourcing and selling.
    One major roadblock I am running into is the shipping costs from Chinese suppliers which can eat out any profits I am hoping to make. Any advice on how to get these shipped from overseas at better prices ?

  238. Thanks for the article..
    I have some queries:
    1. I want to know how you handled the listing of the product on Amazon or Ebay.
    2. Also, according to me, we need some license in the beginning to start business. Is it correct?
    3. Usually Alibaba or aliexpress takes huge time(approx >20 days) to deliver the product so it would be huge time to deliver the product to end customer. How to handle this.

    Thanks in advance.

  239. Thank you for the great experiences you have taking me through indeed you are a mentor,with this step i can go a long way to be a successful entrepreneurship.i will keep communicating you as my mentor thank you.

  240. I would like to import items From China to resell in Indian market. I need your help to know how do i get shipment to my doorstep as I don’t have registration for import. I need buying agent who can do all the formalities on my behalf. I have identified few supplier from China who cal ship items to India but I don’t know procedure to released shipment from India..

  241. I would like to import items From China to resell in Indian market. I need your help to know how do i get shipment to my doorstep as I don’t have registration for import. I need buying agent who can do all the formalities on my behalf. I have identified few supplier from China who cal ship items to India but I don’t know procedure to released shipment from India.

  242. Thanks for your article.
    It’s great help me for to find potential and profitable product and sell.

  243. Wow thank you for this awesome read. I’m itching to start my own business but my friends and family doubt my ability. This article helped. Thank you.

  244. Especially interesting & inspiring this article.
    My reason for looking into importing is suffering a “Fall of Empire” similar to yours. Built the life of my dreams on local mail order in South Africa. One heartbeat after expanding out of my parental bedroom (already a jag driving private bank client). Call centre, warehouse, the works -all researched. One heartbeat after opening, SA Post Office went on a strike for over 6 months, came back broke only to steal our 3rd party monies for their own bills for another 6 months. Burning me alive with 0 cash flow but high sales. Just after a mega investment.

    I hope to soon enough blame you for my return to a strong business. But already done a few things wrong on Consignment 1 by the looks. Paid upfront! Let’s see what happens…

  245. Thanks for the information. I am a stay at home mom and I am wanting to find ways to make money while staying at home . I am going to research more and possibly go down this route of ecommerce .

    • Thank you for the experience you have taking through indeed you are a mentor,with this step by step i can follow the instruction and be a successful entrepreneur.o can always communicate you as my mentor

  246. Great stuff mate , retired sold my businesses last year , looking for a new hobby in selling , this is fantastic and sensible.

  247. Nice nice I learned a lot from this , I want to start this bussines here in Ecuador south America , this information will help me alot , thanks a lot for your information .

  248. Best advice for us newbies. Thanks for the great info. I will definitely be frequenting this website

  249. This is a really solid framework for importing goods from China and would help so many young marketers source goods from the Chinese marketplaces. Thanks a lot for taking your time out and coming up with this informative post.

  250. Hey Will,

    I really appreciated reading your blog. But of course I have some questions I am concerning right now. I live in Germany and exchange regulations are pretty tough, especially when you decide to sell your imports on Amazon.

    How did you deal with products you sold to your customers that weren’t working or they didn’t like it after the purchase? Did you offer a free exchange or a free money-back guarantee? What happened with the products that have been sent back to you? Did you keep them or did you send them back to your seller in China?

    Best regards from Germany,
    Dennis

  251. Is it legal to purchase sunglasses from alibaba and sell them on a store like shopify? Can I also have them put a logo or name on the side to brand. I know they ask you for your UPC number? What if the product doesn’t have one? What do I do? I have been highly confused but have the vision and a large clientele to work with. I started with $35 and now have over $200. I would like to keep growing. I’m just worried about legality issues. Do i need a DBA name? Please get back to me if you can!

  252. Thank you very much for this awesome 1-2-3 Guide.

    My question is the following: I am from Germany and costs for delivery are a fixed 3,5€-4€ per Parcel. Those are the cheapest prices available at all distributors. With the 10% cut, which eBay takes for a successful transaction, this leads to relatively high fixed costs.

    Would you mind, telling me how the prices in the states are for delivery and if there is a way of cutting down / optimizing fixed costs. Please take in mind, that buying in bulk is not an option as of right now.

    Thank you in advance and best regards

  253. Hi there thanks a lot for your advice, I just recently joined program called Amazing selling machine with one of my friend’s recommendation I have been watching the videos al most 2 months now. I just got lost and don’t know what to do. I paid about 4000 for that program. I wanted to sell organic beauty products and supplement on amazon but I don’t where can I get the best suppliers and I don’t know if I can make any profit out of it. I don’t even have money at this moment and planning to borrow money from a friend of mine. I’m extremely scared what do you suggest me on this please. Besides that I am looking to import things like persues and clothes from alibaba at the first now you suggest not to. Please give me some advice on this. Is it profitable to sell organic beauty products and supplement? Do you any good organic beauty products including skin care products and hair care products. Thank you

  254. Buying from Alibaba…. read customer reviews. I like to read from people from the US. They are very honest, they will tell you don’t buy from this shop, delivery time etc.

    I am doing good with Aliexpress order by selling to friends, family and social media. I think it will pick up once I start selling on a website as well as ebay, amazon and all. Good luck to you all!!

  255. Hi , I am from India selling only on Amazon right now.
    But still I hav not got the right stuff to be sold.
    Right now I have an inventory of purses…..and no sale.

    Studied a lot on right peoduct for sale in india, but could not find. Can you help me with this ?

  256. Hi,
    I’m trying to find suppliers in Alibaba.
    All the suppliers I’ve contacted have asked me to pay for shipping fees that cost a lot and this way I’m not going to be able to try few different suppliers.
    For example, an item that is $0.35 cost $55.00 to be sent to my house.
    My question is that is this something I can negotiate with them?
    Or are there any suppliers that would send their item with no charges?
    I just wanted to check the quality, and I was trying to minimize the cost for that.

  257. Out of curiosity why did you stop selling the led light bulbs if they were netting you descent size profit margin? In additon, when advertising the bulbs how did you differentiate your led bulbs from other led bulbs that were being advertised?

    Right now my friend and I are trying to look at various products for drop shipping, and are looking at doing some

  258. Very interesting article, I have been ordering wholesale items in trainers and have failed miserably , and lost a lot of money, this article has given me encouragement to try again through Alibaba, but I don’t know what to sell , can anyone help me with good ideas?

    Thanks

  259. Will, you have been such a great inspiration and your blog was just one of the outmost inspiring things I’ve ever read; and I’ve read alot of things online these days. These days you get a lot of “motivational people” doing their best to Inspire others but they don’t always seem raw and real if I may say. You and your team seem like you have been through the hardships and are genuinely attempting to help entrepreneurs like me and everyone on this forum to avoid some of the mistakes made by you.
    Thanks once again for everything and I have been looking into this wth a friend for some time and now we will go into it for sure.
    Blessings from Ontario Canada
    God bless

  260. Hi this is Ajab I am in uk London. I have a friend in China who is there because of my help. I had a Business here that I have lost now he wants to help me out. He is currently supplying Afghanistan, Pakistan and UAE.
    He is pushing me to request anything that I can sell in uk but it all looks so confuseing.
    What do you say?

    Thanks

  261. What an amazing write up.
    I am in Australia and found trying to pick the next big trend is very hard and also quite competitive with online sellers being able to under cut all prices.

    Just enquiring if you have ever had anything manufactured in China as I have an idea that could be very profitable if made cheaply and advertised properly.

    Thanks again for all your information.

  262. Thanks, Will, How did you handle the company and tax registration? I am sure Amazon needs all this compliance before a seller can be registered.

  263. One big area of business is having a new product made in China.
    They always want you to pay big for them to make a prototype for you.
    What do you know about this?

  264. Suppose I’ve identified a niche product in high demand that I can get from China. If I wanted to order a 40 foot shipping container and have it sent to an Amazon warehouse, what shipping charges are associated with a container that size, how do you handle sale tax/nexus, what would Amazon charge me for storage for the container, what happens to the container once it’s empty?

    • ocean freight, local pickup, local delivery, fuel, document handling, terminal charges, customs broker fees, duty and user fees, and bonds/insurance

    • the trucking company knows to bring the empty back to the port or directly to the next loading point once you are done with it

  265. Hey

    When you was 15 you did have already your own company to make AliBaba buyer account?

  266. Holy smokes , thank you so very much for all the info . A huge help for me starting out . Its so funny you know , i have a hair salon business in Queensland and have contacted many local other small businesses that do alot of importing and no one bar one person was happy in offering any advice at all . With myself doing a lot of charity work within my community i was blown away on how selfish people are but you have totally restored my faith . Thank you again very much for your tips , knowledge and fabulous advise . Really appreciate it .
    Tash

  267. Hey Will. Nice post
    . I’d like to get into this for some time now.

    What a out needing a freight fowarder? Do i need one and if so how do i getbone? Also… how do i find out how nuch imoirt tax i’d have to pay?
    I am canadIan living now in brasil. Have friends in both that could do the shipping for me.

  268. hi buddy,
    i reside in South Africa. I just wanted to know if you did pay a customs tax on products that you purchased from China?
    Thank you in advance.

    • Hey, there is always a tax associated with importing.

  269. Very useful tips. How do you handle quality assurance and that products you source meet set standards and what is your stand on sourcing on alibaba?

    • It’s the largest supplier network on the planet

  270. whoah this blog is fantastikc i really like reading
    your articles. Stay up the good work! Yoou already
    know, lots of people are looking round ffor this information, you caan help them greatly.

  271. Hi,I’m from Bulgaria.And i don’t know how to import products from Alibaba to Amazon.Pls,help me!!!

  272. Thanks alot for the insight. I was planning on starting an import of motorcycle spare parts, but then put them in shop and market from the shop. The market wouldnt be online- but rather, i would hire someone to move around looking for markets, but also use promotional means such as SMS. Please advise. This is in kenya

  273. Hi there,author
    Please teach me on how to do marketing and reach customer.
    Need to be helped on this matter.
    Thanks!

  274. How do younimport your items? Are you getting them shipped directly to your home/place of business or are you picking them up from a seaport or the airport?

  275. Hello. I’m vivian from nigeria. I saw this product on dhgate and iam intrested in importing it to my country from china so i contacted d seller and we got chatting in the process d seller requested for my whatsapp number and also was asking if i have made any purchase on dhgate before which i didnt reply to. What do u make of this do u think the seller is a scam. Thanks in advance.

  276. Hy I need to start a business selling china stuff, how much must I have to start this business.

  277. Sir i am from india ,i never do this bussiness so i have no knowledge , tell me what product should i import and how to sell in india , what are basic requirment for importing units in india as i have no experince thanks

  278. Thanks for any other informative web site.
    The place else may just I get that kind of info written in such
    an ideal means? I’ve a undertaking that I’m simply now operating
    on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such info.

  279. Great information! I just have one question. Instead of having products shipped to home first before shipping out to amazon, is there a way to have products shipped straight from china warehouse to Amazon warehouse?

    • Hey Ted, yes there is. fbaprep.com is the company you are looking for 🙂

  280. Hi,
    Thanks for the great and very honest article.Would it be possible to provide more information on how to use shopzilla and mysimon.
    I have done a research ,but still do not know what these website are for and how we can use them.
    Thanks a lot.

  281. Can you help me for finding out the product, Also amazon charging 40$ per month is too much for the new people.

    • You need to look at what you would be signing up for. If you are going to sell less than 40 items per month then you won’t need to pay the $40 per month. You would pay 1 Dollar per item. It’s great to start that way.

  282. The best and honest advice I have read about this topic. It is just what I am after and I feel you have given me what is needed to get started. Thank you for sharing and may you be rewarded for your kindness and willingness to help others.

    • Glad the article is helping! Get out there and kick some butt!

  283. Hi Will,

    Is there a link to download your Product Research Workbook v6.5? I was able to download another version but it looked different than the one you were using in one of your webinars. Please let me know and thanks in advance 🙂

    Lizzy

    • startupbros.com/workbook

      That link should work 🙂

      • Thanks for the reply! How am I able to use it though? It only allows me to view.

  284. Hi,

    When it comes to UPC codes when adding products to Amazon, I get confused. Does the supplier provide me with the needed UPC codes? If not how do I find out UPC codes? Please assist, also thanks for the great advice.

  285. Hi your message was very inspiring. Thank you very much, I want to buy product from ebay and sell it back to friends and family I am wondering what is the best product to buy. and sell?

  286. Great article!!! Very informative and easy to follow.. its all about the idea and the branding. Cutting costs and maximizing profits!! I’m giving it a shot… Had a friend selling Yoyo’s.. sold company for 2 million.

    • Haha there is no such thing as a bad product! I know people selling awkward medical supplies!

  287. This is an inspiring article, but my question is this, is it online that one can sell? what if one look for a store, stock the products materials after importing and start to supply and selling in retails to customers? because am about making my first move

    • You can absolutely do that! We have had people sell to hospitals 🙂 It might even be quicker and easier selling in person!

  288. A little confused on the selling on Amazon part. After reading I was just looking around seeing exactly how it would work. I saw popcorn makers were hot right now, so i imagined buying like 10 from alibaba (assume they were perfect), I then want to sell them on amazon, and that’s where I’m confused. It’s $40 a month? And every time I want to sell a different product I have to decide on a whole business name and everything even just to try to sell the samples?

    Thanks!

  289. Is there a link for us to see an example of what you would say to a supplier when inquiring about their product?

  290. Hey i love how you inspire people to buy and sell products! you inspired me and i just have a question, I’m from the Philippines and there is no amazon here, how will I now sell my products? Your reply will be greatly appreciated 🙂

  291. Wow..
    The most sincere “how-to-make-money” article I’ve ever seen online. Quite educative and inspiring.

    Thank you Will.

    • Thank you so much for being awesome! Will was pumped to write it 🙂

  292. Hi man. i’m newbie and i have a question that how can i import my goods from alibaba to my amazon warehouse?Thank you

  293. Is just uploading on amazon enough to sell? or do i also invest in marketing? If yes how and where?!

    Thank you

  294. What if i already have a product and a supplier from China.. but of course i wanna test run it.. i’m based out of India… should i upload the product only on amazon India or amazon USA also and see how that goes.. Do you really think just uploading the product on amazon can give me a realistic approach on wether how good or bad the product is ..
    Is just selling on amazon enough?!
    So i buy 15-20 pcs say for example of a piggy bank.. if it sells out quick.. what next…cause most companies take 2 months to fulfill orders..
    How many pcs would you advise i buy next?!

    Does it make sense i have the goods shipped to india first and then to the respective buyers or do i save a lot if i ship it out directly from China?!

    Eagerly awaiting your feedback

    Thanks much

    • Selling on Amazon is more than enough to figure out if a product is good or not 🙂
      If you’re not sure where to start I have something that will be a HUGE help: https://startupbros.com/import-replay

      If you sell out quick it does not take 2 months to fulfill orders. If you use Amazon FBA then you could ship within 48 hours

  295. Actually, when i first saw you on Google, i was sure it was going to be a: want to read more, buy my very cheap E-book… but you actually threw it all in there. Awesome. I recently pulled away from working for money myself, and have money work for me now, and I can honestly say: most of your ideas are absolutely spot on… and others are just absolutely new ideas to me. So thank you so much for your advice and your openness. Keep on keeping on, brother.

  296. Hi there,

    Thought this was a great article. I’m considering buying off alibaba and selling on ebay/amazon. I am unsure how the branding works though. I have seen a few products on alibaba which are already branded by a company. Would I need to continue to sell the product under their brand, or could I re-brand the product myself?

    Also, if i sell the products under the existing brand, will they take a cut of any profits I make?

    Thank you,

    Mark

  297. Hey,

    So you are saying i go on to alibaba..find an interesting product to sell..order samples (15-20 pcs of any one product ) from alibaba that is ofcourse manufactured in china and have them shipped to india..then make an account on amazon india and sell those 15-20 pcs and ship them out myself and see how well or how quickly do they sell.. and then if they do sell almost immediately, continue buying more pcs from alibaba itself or directly get in touch with the supplier, buy from them , have them ship to india and continue the process until i am selling big quantities and the supplier can himself ship out the goods from china to the respective clients..
    I am absolutely nw to this so help me know if i have understood properly?!
    Thank you

  298. Hello Will,

    Amazing entrepreneur spirit you have and after reading your article, I am more than excited to plunge and try my luck on seeing items online via Amazon.

    2 questions for you:
    1) If your supplier drop ships for you, how are you able to conduct quality control over the products shipped to your customers?

    2) When a customer complains; worse sues you, how do you handle it?

    • Hey Javier, if you are going into this with the idea that someone is going to sue you then you already failed. You cannot predict everything that’s going to happen and someone suing you is very unlikely that I wouldn’t even worry about it. If you plan on using Amazon to sell I would not recommend drop shipping. You need a third party company like FBAPrep.com in order to do the inspections for you. You want to avoid customer complaints by providing excellent customer service.

  299. Awesome post full of useful tips!
    I understand outsourcing products from China already being made, but how do you get packaging for the product with your company name/logo on it? And what about when you’re just testing out a product, selling your samples-should it be packaged showcasing your brand, or just simply in a box or envelope?

    Thanks!

    • Hey Dakota, so getting the logo on your product is as easy as asking the supplier to do it and send you a picture of what it looks like. You don’t need custom packaging to start and you don’t need to show your brand to start. prove that there is a market first.

  300. Do you recommend using “Fulfillment by Amazon”. I can’t remember if you mentioned this. Also, if I find a drop shipper, will they ship everything to Amazon for me, or is this redundant? Apparently Amazon handles the customer service if you choose FBA.

    • Hey Josh, so yes you want to use fulfillment by Amazon. Use FBAprep.com to take the products from china to the US and they will prep and send it to FBA for you.

  301. Hey thanks man for sharing. From Africa hahaha. I miss one part. If I sell my products on Amazon, do I ship the products to Amazon warehouse and Amazon ships directly to customers? Also, what do I need for Amazon, eBay and Craigslist to responsible for customers complain if I see on these sites? Thanks again man for helping out.

    • Hey so you are looking for a third party company like fbaprep.com where they would be the ones to take your products from China and prepare them to be sent to Amazon FBA. Customer complaints need to be handled by you first. But you won’t last very long on Amazon with customer complaints they will quickly suspend your account. There are companies that you can look up to handle feedback you get on your listings.

  302. Hey mate, I’m from australia and I’ve literally just went through so muuuch of what you have described!, I think I’ve also nailed a few products that will sell very well, I’ve also noticed instead of me shipping 50 of one item out of China from Alibaba.com , I can ship say 10 items for FREE on AliExpress, and just pop in several orders as I need them, saved so so much on shipping!. I may not have explained this very well but it’s just a little trick I’ve found to work, just negotiate!. I’d be interested in talking to you more and reading your other articles! Thankyou!

  303. So, to get a sample you are basically buying one to sample not getting them to send you a ‘free’ sample per say. Correct?

    • Yea, exactly. Most people hear the word sample and think free but the way we mean it is to say “small order”. I wouldn’t even say 1 but maybe about 5 to 10 so the shipping costs can make a bit more sense.

  304. What a great article… I have spent over month where to start and trying to kick myself to make a step to selling products online. THANK YOU for sharing your experience. I still dont know what i am going to sell but… i definitely know I want to do it!

    • It helps to start with what you know the most about then what you like! Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be in order to start 🙂 You want to wake up excited to sell!

  305. I really love your write up but I will like you to help me with some guide line to start up importing business with very little capital

  306. Hello,

    I found your article extremely helpful but I am curious if the importation process was difficult. I read a suggestion to pay a customs broker, did you have to do this? I am still doing my research. Do you have any insight?

    • Hey Victoria, So a lot of people make the importing process more difficult than it actually needs to be. We use a company called FBAprep.com and they are awesome 🙂 Otherwise when you order on Alibaba just use your suppliers shipping account. They will make sure that it gets to your country and if there is any taxes to pay then you will get a bill when the package gets to your front door. You can ask your supplier how much that will be and choose the best supplier that way. There is never a hidden cost if you talk to your supplier and keep an open line of communication.

    • Thank you so much! 🙂 If you ever need anything let us know. We’re always here to help!

  307. Loved your article! Very inspiring. Question for you-I currently live in China and am looking for some way to make profit on Amazon. Do you recommend this model or do you have any other recommendations for Chinese who are looking to export? Thanks!

    • You have a better chance than anyone else to do this business model. You can visit the factories and do the Quality checks yourself. You can select the best products and send them to Amazon FBA in the United States! You have an incredible opportunity being in China.

    • That completely depends but the short answer is yes. You always have to pay duty tax. If you talk to your supplier they would tell you how much it is. Just keep an open line of communication.

  308. Love your blog!!! So helpful for someone like me who is just getting into this kind of business. I was wondering what you think about trying to “pilot” sell your samples to see how well they do?

    • Hey! I would love to know what you mean by pilot selling? I recommend that you order your samples and immediately put them up on Amazon! You can sell them quickly in order to figure out demand for your product.

  309. Thank you for this article. Very informative. My question is when starting out were there specific sellers permits or licenses you need in order to begin buying from suppliers overseas and then selling them where you live. I’m am looking to get into this business and i do want to start out on the right foot and have all licenses and permits needed to conduct business legalling.

    • Hey Crystal

      https://startupbros.com/ecommerce-workshop/
      Check out out next workshop! We cover everything you need to know 🙂 You do not need seller permits or licences to get started. You are just buying products from a website and selling on Amazon totally legal 🙂

  310. Very interesting article, thank you. Can you explain what you mean by illegal. I have a great selling product, I bought it on Alibaba and have found out that it is a copy of a product which has a patent in the US, Europe, China and Japan. There is no patent in my country. So can I sell the copy product under my own brand?

  311. Is it safe to sell branded items in AliExpress? I feel like they are the most legit and easiest ones to find.

  312. Hi Will, hope you’re well. I’ve recently launched an online pet business which imports good from China. I would love to chat to you about how best to grow this business now. Thanks, Tom

  313. Hi Will thank you for writing this. It is a great article and I’m going to read your other ones. You are an inspiration to me to try this. Thanks for wanting to help me and so many other people with your valuable information.

  314. Hi Will,
    Don’t you think this is getting a little saturated? It’s very tough to come up with a product that has little to no competition these days. Almost every product you can think of is sold by numerous competitors, who have been around for a long period of time…

    • No way. Most people on the planet are not even on the internet. Every single day someone new is on the internet and every single day someone gets more money they want to spend. There are millions of potential products to choose from and sometimes you just have to try a few before one sticks.

    • Hey, I will pass on the comment to Will! I know he will be excited that you found the article useful!

  315. hi , thanks for all the valualble tips to start off new bussines ,
    my question is “how to collect the money from the clients.”?
    i barley know about ebay , open account , then to have bank account
    with credit cardholder and paypal , to accept the client transaction
    could you please descripe it in details .
    after i confirm the product is it better have the manufacture ship it to the clients or i order it to post office and i ship it to the clients?
    lebanese but i live in kuwait .
    thanks;..

  316. Thank you for this article. I am new to this, but really want to learn. I am hoping to get a little more training before diving in. I am a little nervous about picking the wrong product as I don’t have a lot of cash to invest. What do you feel is the minimal amount I would need to start?

  317. Hy Will Mitchell,
    It’s great. it’s very useful and attractive tips to Make Money by Importing From China. E-Commerce Empire Roadmap is the best option.
    Thanks for sharing this information

    • Thank you for reaching out and reading the article 🙂

  318. Really cool article :). I am from Cape Town, South Africa. My dad owns a hardware store and I’ve been encouraging him to start purchasing direct from suppliers in China as things are much cheaper.

    I know his competitor is doing it in the bicycle spares space and with great success. The location where the store is trading is lower to middle class people where price is the only factor. Quality is not important for them.

  319. Hi it’s very inspritional for me.i am a mother who wants try buy things maybe from china but don’t have a lot of money.i am blind of technology and internet.can you help me.by giving free tutorial how to import things and being enterpreneur.thank u

  320. Mr. Will Mitchell!
    This is really a cool stuff and a very good effort, i really appreciate. Can I please have your e-mail to disuses in more some extra ordinary ideas.

    Regards
    Muhammad Bilal

  321. hi , I have been on sites looking to what product will be best to resell in my country . I am still doing research on the best product and that when I came across your article and I took every note I could to help.
    I am planning to start slow and see how I go I see so far that the demand of counterfeits are very big back in my country and I tell you it is crazy money .So far I see its Jewelry,shoes,phones,phone accessorizes,beauty products..

    • When the packages come to your door you get a bill and can pay the fees online.

  322. Hello Will !
    I just read this fantastic article ! It was mind blowing hah 😀 . I have one question and I’ll really thankful if you can help me . So I’m living in Central Europe , Hungary . If I buy 500 pieces of scissors and I sell it on eBay one by one , do I have to get the whole pieces or have some way to sell them from China ?
    Sorry for the bad writing I’m trying to be perfect in English .

    • Hey! I would recommend receiving the products before selling them!

  323. Hi! Great help that was, thankyou!! Am I allowed to use images from aliexpress on eBay? I don’t find my own pictures to be anywhere near as good. Thanks

    • Hey Zoe, yes you can. As long as they are not branded photos you can. Also you can ask your supplier for some pictures and they would not mind helping you out normally.

  324. What are key components I should write in my email to get a higher chance of a response

    • Just be completely up front and honest with your emails. Tell them what you are looking for and how much you would like to pay and they are normally receptive to that.

  325. How refreshing, you simply give out a wealth of information freely. I kept waiting for the typical pop up ad for the pitch to buy the info. Thank you

  326. very helpful and encouraging, I was just searching for ideas on how to start my business.

  327. What if you are only selling through Amazon? What if your product doesn’t match a current listing? Do you add a new listing, and if so what will the brand be? Does this mean you start private labeling right away?

  328. What should i expect to pay for shipping for free samples? Each company ive contacted said they would send free samples for $40 shipping. Is this what many of you have ran into? Also, do you give out your phone number when they ask for it?

    • Hey Tony remember samples don’t always mean free. Samples mean a small order. And if you have someone willing to send you samples with a 40 dollar shipping, I think that is a great deal that you should jump on. That is the lowest you should expect shipping to be from a large volume supplier.

  329. I just wanted to say how fascinating this article is. I have been contemplating doing this for over 5 years now but not persued it. After reading this i feel ready to take the next step. Just need to source the right product for the uk market. Any advice or support would be greatly appreciated.

    • Hi Mark! In what kind of products you are interested in? I have just recently returned from Southeast Asia, spent over 120 days to do research of different markets (Visited 6 countries) and to lookup products what could have sales potential in Europe. Furniture, design elements, fabrics, different ingredients for manufacturing, foods etc. I was concentrating on 2 things – uniqueness or very low purchasing price. My conclusions – it is not easy to get low prices for products who are already being sold in EU, and if you go for new & previously unseen products, you will be taking a risk. Also market can suddenly change, product might not be demanded anymore. Always be sure about your sales channels.

      I am originally from Riga, Latvia. Maybe we can do some trade in future, as sometimes I might need some products made in UK, or some other manufacturers in my region might be willing to reach the new markets. Most of the case you can get a very low purchasing price, when they are expand their sales! Feel free to write me here or send me direct message to – [email protected]

  330. Hi Will. This article was brilliant. Kept it simple and easy to understand. I have read others and was left scratching my head. I love the blow by blow way you have done it. I am a beginner and understood all of what you said. Am looking forward to more…. 🙂 I’m in Australia and would love to brainstorm with other Aussies if you’re out there.

    • Hi Donna , agree great article, also from Australia and also new to this (e-commerce) and see great potential in e-commerce if we have the right structure and sell the right products, Johnny

    • Hi Donna another eager Aussie beginner here too. Would love to brainstorm ideas on building the right e-business model.

      • Hi Donna, yet another Aussie looking at the possibility of starting an e-business as a second income leading into retirement in 10 years or so. If you want another person to brainstorm with let me know.

    • Hi Donna it is a great article.
      I to would love to brainstorm ideas with you to.

    • I’m glad that we can help you out! Don’t be a stranger okay 🙂 Keep in touch!

  331. Great article with terrific advice. I read through the whole thing, expecting to be pitched on something you have to sell me, but I never came across it, just a reference to another site and a radio button advertising a webinar (which I registered for). Very tasteful.

    I might add that your fatal error (which I’m sure you realize) was depending on a single product. That’s like depending on one boss on a J.O.B. You were at the mercy of just one mishap, and it (mis)happened. I will take your advice and fly with it, and I will add new products as the previous ones become successful. You may already be doing that.

    • Hi,

      Loved this article! I have started on this too! Would be amazing if you could advise me on a few things? Would be great if you could get in touch

  332. love you. thanks for all these info. hopefully i can make an income with this. i am already waiting for my first product samples. the shipping is quite expensive thought.example 10 sports bra would cost 29 US dollars for shipping…anyway you are such an inspiration and a huge motivation for me…

    • just so you know 29 dollars us for shipping is not expensive. The idea is to find products that you can have a profit after shipping.

  333. @promotingsearchengine:disqus @startupbros Hello guys. I’m from Europe ( Romania ) and i was wondering what is best for me to start with : creating a new brand product or sell it without a name ? Also if i sell from Romania to US with amazon there are big fees, so is there a possibility to buy from aliexpress and sell directly to USA ? Can i make some profit with only 150$ for start ? I’ve read that at the start of the journey you need to focus on only 1 product, is it true ?

    • Hey Cara, you always have to pay taxes. You are a sole proprietor right now but even as a sole proprietor you should pay taxes.

  334. Hello Will. Thank you for all the info and experiences that you shared with readers. I am absolutely new to the world of business model and having already a few items in mind to import and sell on amazon and EBay. Now my question is that if it happened to you that a manufacturer lowered the quality of the products that you already ordered from them and were satisfied with them?. Thank you so much

    • You are allowed to return bad products and the supplier has to accept the refund. The reason why you make small orders is to confirm quality. Suppliers won’t normally change quality mid shipment.

  335. this is the best article i had read till now about how to choose product to sell on amazon .thanks man. it means a lot to me. i was frustrated too searching for items ,but now u gave me new ideas to work on.

    • Hey Anshul,

      Thank you so much for reaching out. Just keep hustling and take action!

  336. Really helpfull, thanks a lot 🙂

    I’m starting and i do have a problem finding a good niche, any suggestions? thanks man

  337. Wow, what a truly helpful and interesting article (or should I say guide). I have been thinking of getting into this e-commerce business for some time and just had no idea how to actually get started. Thank you for this wondedul guide!

  338. I am in Russia.I failed a lot,but now I hope I am in the right path.
    That is a great idea ‘Korvon’ thinking of begining the entrepreneurial game.

    I suggest you to join the free group on Facebook.Just search using following terms :” my silent team”.

    There are beginners and most successful people.Once you are there you will find out which business type is worth getting into first.

    Thank you!
    I wish you to succeed and will if you will follow the advice that you will get from the group.

  339. HI. I am from one Central Asian republics(Tajikistan). I want to start a business but do not know from where to start and what business is good. Can somebody help me or give advice on business. Thank you

    • Hi. I live in the USA and would like to work with someone in Tajikistan and or Uzbekistan to sell their local goods in the USA or the Netherlands. We could brainstorm together! Dez ([email protected]). Thanks

  340. Hi, I’ve never bought and resold items before and I’m wondering if anyone could give advice on buying from the US and shipping To China instead of from. Like, where can I find consumers from beside Amazon, EBay, etc. Thank you!

  341. I want to start importing and selling locally here, in Korea. Any recommendations on products? The market is already full with local re-sellers who have the size and funds advantage, so I need to find something in the “niche’ category.

    • I should say E-commerce is very easy compared to other businesses available .All you have to do is start and keep going without thinking about getting reach overnight .In a group on Facebook I got an inspiration message saying :”slow and steady always wins the race.”

      Maybe you want help :
      -Finding good inventory to resell within a week and get paid on Amazon within at least 1 month.
      -Setting up an Amazon business while eliminating almost completion and start making good money.
      -Setting up a team that will work for you and you keeping bringing other business ideas and having multiple income stream as an E-commerce seller and in other online businesses.
      You can get this done if you are hanging out with good people who know what to do and when.

      I would like to hear from you if you want
      to steadily and slowly start making good money online.
      There is where you should not start .In fact no all people you see on the internet are making money.

      Thank you!
      Boaz,If you want to get in touch with me my email address is : [email protected]

  342. I was wondering…do you receive the samples at home and dispatch from there, and then use FBA for the 2nd order and all bigger orders after that?

    • Hey Nicos, I think you should always get the smaller orders and send them to your house. Once you confirm that the quality is good then you can begin to use a company like FBAprep.com to take your products from China to the United States.

  343. Hi, Will, how would you settle the payment with Chinese store owner on Alibaba? RMB or US Dollar? Thanks

  344. Did I miss something? Or did he say he lost everything at the end? So why should I follow this plan again?

  345. I have a question, I’ve been looking on the site allibabba and noticed when I request a sample they want anywhere from $25 to $100 just for shipping! Is that normal? We are talking small items here.
    Thanks!

    • I have the same problem. Trying to get them to drop shipping prices is very difficult. Keep in mind that the box they are sending is probably 10+ items, and costs are much higher for oversize and heavy freight. I did some quick rates from international couriers and the estimates go as high as $250. He didn’t do a great job of explaining what to expect for shipping. Costs obviously get more efficient with larger shipments, but you can definitely expect to pay through the nose for your initial sample shipment.

      • i also want to ask this questions, yesterday i paid $29 for shipping, for 10 pieces of joggers. i think it’s too dare..is there any other option that’s cheaper when it comes to shipping?

    • Hey Jessica, yes you have to always pay for shipping. These are large suppliers and it’s expensive to ship small orders. $25 to $100 dollars is perfect for shipping. You shouldn’t expect to pay more or pay less.

  346. You sell counterfeit goods which will get U.S. sellers arrested and they will have to forfeit all their assets to cover the profits. Stop with your bullshit.

  347. This gives me so much inspiration! I just got two questions. What about buying branded products (i’m thinking about smartwatches) and selling them for a cheaper price than the brand does? Is this legal? And what about pictures you use in the information tab? Do you need to ask permission from the brand to use pictures from the product? Thank you!

    • yeah actually you can do that and its legal too.u can buy a samsung phone from a shop at a lower price as compared to a authorised samsung showroom.

    • Hey Lodi, That is technically illegal. You can’t buy something branded with the idea of undercutting the market of branded products. You cannot sell under someone elses brand. But you can buy similar products that do not have a brand and sell them. That is completely legal.

  348. And best of all, I didn’t even have to touch the product – my supplier even handled all shipping & returns… how did you manage this? How your supplier and you knew if there was a new order? How did you dealt with payments?

  349. i always read this article and it helps me a lot. now i have my own online store because of this, my small money turn out to be big and it keeps me going.. i won’t stop till my dream become reality.. thank you

  350. Hi Will. Great article and inspired me to finally take action on something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I’ve set up my store website, researched some products in the market area I want to specialise in, and I’ve also applied to register as a sole trader with HMRC. I know you’re in the US, and I am in the UK, but I’m assuming the tax returns still have to be done. How did/do you handle your accounting?

  351. im looking for a supplier for the electronics items specially the web cams, where can i find the suppliers from?

    • Alibaba.com is the best place to find suppliers! No place better 🙂

  352. Hi,
    I am thinking about ordering dresses from alibaba and sell them on my onlinestore. How do I know If the dresses are counterfiet or not and can I put my brand on them? I have seen several websites that sell these dresses around the world, with there own brand on them.

    • Hey sara, if you buy unbranded clothing you are more than welcomed to put your own brand on them and sell them as your own. Dresses are not trademarked. Dress brands certainly are trademarked.

  353. Thankyou so much This must of took a lot of time and effort much appriciated my main issue in brainstorming a product i have so many ideas on what to go for my main problem is to find the courage to do it

  354. You still looking for suppliers? My dad has been working in Asia for 25 years, my brother went out there four years ago. And is now almost fluent in Chinese. I’m gonna be moving out there soon.

  355. I love to read this article. It is very interesting and beneficial for me because I want to start online business but i have no idea how to do it. So could I have your email please so I can communicate direct to you. I may also need your advice on how to sell your products on ebay or amazon? Also I want to seek your advice and ideas on the product that will make more profit. Thank you for your wonderful information and experience that you shared to us. Happy new Year.

  356. Sir thanks very much for this information ,Please I have question ,what type payment you recommended when I order from Alibaba ,They accept just TT payment from the bank

  357. great article. however customs and import taxes terrify me from China to the US. Ive tried to find information about the costs but have no luck. where can I get info?

    • You can go to the US government website to check the tax rate, each item has a HS code, each HS code has a tax rate, if you want to get rid of the tax, you can apply low value to the custom. If you need more help, you can send email to me [email protected]

  358. Such a good article to learn from. I wanted to ask like you said we can refer alibaba for trending products. I moreover deal in wholesale so plz suggest any reputed site to understand the trending product which i can bring from china and sell in india. Thanks

    • DIY is a good source and gets you direct access to scammers and legit supplier, its really like Will said having the experience to choose the correct one.

  359. Thanks for the info. It would be great to get your supplier to ship directly to your customer, but isn’t that a problem when shipping is 6-10 weeks from china? As soon as someone realizes its from china , don’t they try and buy it themselves from china or just pay more from someone who can get it to them sooner?

    • Certain Products take longer like clothing. But DHL/FED Ex Express have plans on the ground in China ready to fly for the right price. I say all that to say 3-5 days you have your product at your door!

  360. Thanks for the article! Would you say I have any advantages selling LED controls as an electrical engineer? There’s a huge markup from Alibaba to Amazon plus I have access to high quality wholesale LED string modules direct from the manufacturer, so I can sell the best quality per dollar module available plus kit the controls for them into my own products, plus design my own controls such as an automatic dimmer that dims the LED String as the room ambient light goes down. And I don’t see these being offered by anyone but I know I would like to dim my kitchen under cabinet lights automatically instead of physically doing it every night. Do you have any advice for me?

    • Find you a supplier and have them OEM for you and get to work. Use something like FIver to help bridge any skill gaps you may have whether its website design or technically related. Fiver has it all…

  361. I do really agree with Will, these are the value experience you can not easy get from others. Every single business starts from small, and it’s a tough experience, you pay the money to the society and you learn the experience from it. Well, once you know what you are selling, you will generate your customers, you will get your suppliers, more customers, more better, and even for the suppliers, should not be only one, because you dont know what will happen on them for every order. And I suggest everybody who wants to import from China or Alibaba should be careful, you should start from samples, or MOQ, but MOQ should be small, the suppliers say it’s good, that doesn’t mean good for you, you should find the right products suitable for your market, you should get the samples to check the quality, that not means quality should be good, the quality should be suitable for your market, like the some of Arabic countries, because they are wealthy, they buy the normal quality stuffs every couple days and change them.
    And about the shipping, you can do the small volume via express like Fedex, DHL, UPS, aramex or SF express, etc, when you have big quantity, you can do it by air freight and sea freight, there are a lot of choice, you need consider about the time and the cost. And for the import tax, every product has a HS code, you can check on your local government website, then you will know the tax rate, if you dont want to pay the tax or pay less, you can let your supplier make a discount on the invoice to the custom, if you want to minus from your sales, you can tell them real, then you can pay less tax at the end of the year, it depends on your government strategies.
    I am Tiger from yiwu of China, if anybody needs help or samples from China, it will be my pleasure.
    Wish you guys all have good business everyday!
    [email protected]

    • Well, I am a supplier in Yiwu of Zhejiang which is famous for the yiwu international trade market, and also own a source agent and purchasing agent company which helps people source the right product in the market or Chinese Alibaba wholesale website factory directly, then make the QC and do the drop shipping to the customers. We sent a lot of goods to all over the world everyday. Any questions or help are welcome!

  362. Please let me know whether any basic licences, registrations, legal documentation needed – to get material from Alibaba? I mean from China to India?

  363. Hi Will Mitchell, as you know the law in China basically banned from getting airsoft , unless you get it from Taiwan or Hong Kong these place is the cheapest price you can get from . Also I have the same thought to selling light bulb but the safety issue and power supply in US must be different to the China. I dont know how you get from China from the lowest price you getting much of the airsoft possibly cheaper in USA and mainly made From taiwan. please contact my message in my box if you want to have a chat with me. Thank you .

  364. Hi ,If somebody is importing handbags, dress and shoes from ALIEXPRESS and DHgate and selling in US , how to be safe from copyright issues as u said your friend story , can u explain which stuff to buy in this category.

    • you should be careful about that, custom is really strict on it. But if you want to pay more, you can import and export, it’s really not a good idea to do that.

  365. Hi everyone. I am from Philippines. I’m working at a Brokerage Firm and i am looking an importer that can imports goods here in the Philippine. I will help you regarding in processing in Bureau of Customs.
    Let’s do Business. Thank you. Hoping to your feedback.

  366. Good guide but something is not quite right.

    How much stuff can you import from China, especially swords and knives, and airsoft guns, and anything else as well, without incurring customs import duties and taxes, probable confiscations, delays at customs, extra courier and shipping company charges for customs clearance, and a raft of other issues associated with importing merchandise for reselling (not for personal use). You may get away with receiving 50 airsoft rifles a day at your doorstep but how long before someone (the taxman and the customs officers) will want a quick word?

    The healthy profit margins will soon go when you start requiring purchase invoices on which you will pay import duties, and then taxes on your profits including NI contributions…

    To make money like this you must dodge all kind of taxes and health and safety checks and laws regarding the items you sell, and public liability insurances to cover you, for example when your LED explodes in someone’s face.

    A good guide for dodgers then.

  367. Thanks a lot. I wanted to concentrate on a certain type of jewelry. I narrowed my options down using price and seller ratings. I took customer reviews very seriously also. I just ordered for my first major shipment. Fingers crossed

  368. Hi,
    I’ve done something similar before, but the biggest problem was shipping, I couldn’t just waltz into a post office and post 20 parcels one be one… How did you deal with the scale of your orders? Employ someone?
    Thanks

  369. Just getting started having samples sent from Alibaba suppliers.
    Is $25-$30 about normal for shipping cost?

  370. Will, this is a great article and is truly amazing the fact that you started your own business so young. I will recommend this website to some friends interested on startups.

    Best regards,

    Daniel

    • Thanks for checking out the article @danieldiazmoncada:disqus – hope it was helpful.

      Fun fact: Recommending StartupBros to your friends is the quickest way to become my best friend 😀

  371. Hello
    Great article, thank you for sharing your knowledge! I am thinking about buying hover-boards produced in China and sell them in the EU. I believe the market is good, as I have seen kids driving around with these everywhere. I have an opportunity to start a business in a country where the boards have not become popular yet so I see this as a great opportunity to earn some money. BUT… You write that it is crucial to import small, light-weight stuff. The boards does not fulfill this criteria as one board weight ~10kg. Do you think it is a bad idea due to high fees etc?
    Best regards
    S

  372. Hello! Awesome article, thank you so much!
    This may be a dumb and question and for that I’m sorry….but upon looking at alibaba all the product pictures I have seen are severely watermarked. Do suppliers provide you with non-watermarked pictures once you purchase from them? I find it hard to believe all of the products I see on Amazon and eBay have gone through photoshop witchcraft or Internet trickery to remove these. Thanks!

    • The watermarks on Alibaba are just so that people can’t steal them from the site to use elswhere.

  373. When you are looking at amazon and it says you have to request permission? Asks for upc?
    If you are ordering from alibaba, how do you answer this information or will it be impossible to get permission?

  374. Quick question for you guys, if i wanted to import led down lights will they need to comply with any Australian standards before selling them and if so how do i find them out in sites such as alibaba

    • Hi Steve, anything electrical sold here in Australia must comply with Aus Standards

    • No.
      Although I use it for business, my wife has her own account that she uses to buy random things.

  375. A question regarding the LED light bulbs,
    1. Does the supplier already have the certifications for the electronic goods to import in the US or sell on Amazon when you order the LED light bulbs?

    • Hi Natalie
      It is a complicated thing about certification there, since my company ever worked for some LED importers in US to take care of the quality control in Shenzhen China, i have to share with some common tricks there:
      1, >80% of the suppliers you meet on Alibaba or somewhere else are actually traders instead factories.
      2, >90% may tell you they get their own UL or DLC certification (or Energy star), but actually very few of them (around 5%) has real certification.
      3, many factories has perfect sample for applying the certification or getting an order approved, but when mass production ,they still can use different components, such as the different brand LED chips,or same brand but different efficiency class of the SMD, the most important thing is the AC driver, it has too much cost difference by using different components (example a 18W LED tube, the driver’s cost can be 0.5USD to 2USD/pcs), and the power driver is always the 1st parts get blew out.

      Solutions to above problems:
      1, To request their certification code, and confirm it is real while checking UL or DLC official website.
      2, Do sample testing before ordering or you can hire some labs there to do a simple test , and seal the approved sample as golden sample.
      3, To have during production inspection or pre-shipment inspection before paying the balance payment(usually 70%). and check the inspection company’s old report evaluate their capability in LED industry.

      Hope it is helpful.

      [email protected]

  376. Good day Will, this was such a fantastic read. Thank you so much.

    I am a 22 year old mechanical engineer working in New Zealand. I love my job but would like to start my own export-import business.

    The question I have is – say if I purchased a product (for eg: 360 degree camera – quantity: 5) from alibaba, how do I sell it? I didn’t quite understand that. Will I need my own website or can it be done via something else?

    In your opinion, what products do you think is a good way to begin with?

    Thank you.

    Best regards,

    Huzaifa.

    Could you please send me the reply on: [email protected]

    • Hi! I believe he started on selling platforms, such as amazon or craiglist. Then he grew his customer circle and started adding mkt to his shipments (clients) then the business started growing. Later on he mentions he opened an e-commerce site and redirect his public to it, thru all the mkt he sent on the packages.

  377. Hello Will,
    I am looking for some samples from china as i am going to start my business very soon. but they are offering free samples however theor shippimg cost is very high .. like $45 and $27. even the worth of the sample will be way below . How to save yourself on custom duty.
    I am from India your information will be a great help.
    Rupali

  378. Your Article is really helpful and co-operative but just tell me how do you select the products is there a specific study on that or just check what is trending on e-commerce sites.

  379. This is fantastic. Is there any legal issues about setting up the business or where you are allowed to sell from? especially if you are not from that country?
    and do you think having presence in china could help at all?

  380. Thanks for a really informative article. I’m new to all this and would love to export jam /wine from South Africa to China. Any help out there would be highly appreciated

  381. this is a great read thank you i have learnt so much thanks hayden from the fast lane forum

  382. Hi Will, thank you for this useful article. My question is, at what point you should be forming a legitimate company before you import your products? Would that be ok to start importing samples as a “person”, before forming your company? Or should you have your company ready before you start doing any imports?

  383. Great article.I am about to start importing business and been cracking my skull on where and how to start.Thank God I came across this.Can you please be my guide my email adress is [email protected]

  384. I really find this article fruitful
    I am from India and going to start online business and I am new to it and love to do business with you or under your guidance.

  385. Will Mitchell, I vouch you for sharing your realistic journey of ecommerce experience, learning’s and earnings. You have a great heart of training people before starting up this business.

    I am sharing my email id, as I would like to take my first step into the business under your guidance only.
    [email protected]
    Would be happy to hear you soon.

  386. Hi, when I ask for samples, should I be paying for the postage or should the supplier cover the postage cost? The supplier was suggesting express post via DHL (will cost USD21) as the normal post takes more than half a month and it’s not common to do normal post.

  387. Great post bro! It is really inspiring and motivational. I started out like you by selling designer iPhone cases with the top designer logos. Profitable, but I was shut down by eBay for selling cases with designer logos. I am currently trying to find my next high margin product. DO you have any suggestions for the current market?

  388. Great article! Thank you. I am looking for printing services for a custom daily tear off calendar that will print and compile for me. Any suggestions? Thank you!

  389. Hi,

    I am an Chinese businessman. In China, we can send FBA warehouse directly, and deal with tax issues. So FBA is convenient too when import from China. Leah

  390. Hi colleagues, I am from Pak. And paypal is not allowed here. What other method I can use for money transactions?

  391. After posting my email address in this comment I think I may have been harrased by scammers

  392. wow !!!
    it was an amazing and fascinating article.
    your article give me a lot of Things to think about…
    in this days i’m doing my first steps to sell a product in amazon…and now i’m search for a good product , i hope i find one that bring me money… (:
    any tips from you will be excellent !
    thanks

  393. I am under 18 and can’t legally open a paypal account, what do i do? and i’m looking forward to the webinar tonight!

    • Open a PayPal account under one of your parents’ names with their permission to manage it.

      Disclaimer: I am not liable for any problems you may have from using my advice, whether legal or otherwise.

  394. I am very interesting to get in touch anyone in china to find some products that small , less than $20 , profitable , not counterfeits email me [email protected] , I am in United States , experiences in ebay and amazon selling.

  395. Hello,

    I am new to all this and very interested in starting this business in partnership with a friend, We are only 17 and don’t have a clue about all this and right now to be honest it all seems pretty scary but his post of yours has made things simple and understandable for me. i live in uk, and on alibaba the currency used is $ so how would that work for me as i only have £? And would i still be using the method of Paypal? I look forward to hearing from you.

    Thank you

    • Hello Mihit, I live in the UK also and am only 16. This is some pretty awesome stuff and I’m getting into it too. To help you out, it doesn’t matter that we use pounds. The currency converts and you can buy anything in dollars. Don’t worry, just have to use google to translate the currency and work out your margins. Hope that helps and good luck!

      • Hello Oli Gilpin,
        Thank you so much for the reply it has taken a lot of my confusion away. I wish the very best for your business. Good luck.

          • i have listed a few things a few days ago but have not managed to sell anything just yet. How about you? Do u have an email or any social media account?

          • About 4 years ago I did some selling, at the age of 12 on ebay and buying from China. Only recently started doing it again, looking for new stuff, but yeah, bought some phone cases but realised the market was saturated. So no luck there. But maybe we could keep in contact via email? It would be nice to know each-other’s progress and maybe advise each-other on what we’ve learnt. A good way to improve.

            My email is: [email protected]

          • Hi there,

            I’m from UK too – I’m not sure how the shipping/ import tax side of things works. I don’t want my product left in customs somewhere! What’s involved and how can you predict tax costs?

          • I’m not too experienced with taxing, but basically they take 3.4% of the value of your products that you import and then they make you pay a fee – hold it for a day or two – once you pay the delivery company sends it to you. Not too complicated! Just 3.4% of the value of your delivery. Also the VAT although unless you’r a large business you won’t have that

    • Hello Mihit,

      I am in China, a supplier on Alibaba. Hope we can sort out your concerns when importing in China.

      Young teenagers can do very good on E-commerce like Amazon and Ebay. When you buy samples or small amount orders, it is OK to pay via Paypal to China supplier.

      Leah

  396. I really love this article ,it’s a great one… I have been surving through the net for awhile now to get started with my online business, tried it before but the store I was buying from stopped selling bags and it has been difficult getting a replacement at a low cost.. Thanks alot Will, I got a huge inspiration from you .

  397. when setting up a paypal for this type of business, should i select the personal paypal or business?

      • Select business if I were you. I believe this is necessary once you start earning a certain amount of money, I used to have a successful Gaming server business and had to switch for a business account. I’d recommend business, but serach more online for more information.

  398. Very informative article! Thanks so much! I read it twice. I am also signed up for your seminar.

  399. Hello, every one

    I’m from china, In my last company, I was responsible for procurement, I found I had an amazing talent in this regard, I could always found the best products and lowest price supplier, but my weakness is, I lack of marketing ability.

    I want to say is, If who want “Make Big Money Importing From China” like will said, maybe we can cooperate.
    My email: [email protected]

    • Hello Yadiel Yan. I can help you with the marketing. I will email you soon.

  400. Can i open up an account with Alibaba with out having a registered business?

  401. i was thinking about having my own business and try something new ,i felt that i can’t and it’s impossible to do it .but after reading this i’ll try and no matter what happened i’ll keep working on it .thanks alot

    • haha, I wouldn’t recommend it you’ll just get into deep shit. Similar to the counterfeits issue,

    • HI, we are a Chinese supplier.

      From our experience, they are some shipping method can help avoid taxes in USA, But it is for small orders, below 1000 USD is possible .
      Leah

  402. Q:1 I am from India where E-commerce is yet to be setting up and Amazon Market of India Compared to U.S. Store is very much infant level and people generally don’t do ratings, reviews so how I can scale up sales??

    Q:2 And can you provide some tips on how to choose products as China is market where you get from a 0.1 cent needle to thousands of dollars huge amount products such as machinery??

    Q:3 Will it be benficial to go for a trip to China or else any other method where we can easily get the product hassle free??

    Nice post & Somewhat helpful & tnx in advance

  403. Great article. 2 quick questions: 1. Would the fact the I’m an attorney
    be of benefit to me in any way, and 2. I understand most of your selling took place on sites like EBay and Amazon, but couldn’t you use Adwords for this as well if the CPC is low enough? Thanks again for your advice.

  404. fantastic and strong notes even i am a chinese, admire your efforts and colletctions. seems to be the same what your describe in china.

    • Hello Bruce, are you selling on Alibaba? I saw a manager called Bruce Lee, probably not you but if you’re selling tech decks if you could reply to my enquiry that would be much appreciated!

  405. I have a product that i import from China. The concept is different for what it really is. I went trough Alibaba. I have a great supplier. We communicate every day. I started out with a sample sample. Then 10 units and now i get 100+ a month. All the advice the author wrote, is spot on. Follow the steps and you can’t go wrong! Take action. I am a woman owned business and English is not my first language, it was not difficult to talk to the Chinese. They are very smart and understand English. .. so you know.

    :’)

    • Hi ! Do you need to get an import license/certificate in order to be able to sell in USA products/clothing legally ?

  406. Hi Will,
    thanks for everything, your blog is amazing.
    I want start business in England. I want fly to China in October cos Canton Fair and my products. Could anyone say what you think about it? Is it good idea? Or is it better use just ALIBABA etc.?

    thanks for any answer.

    my contact: [email protected]

    Martin

    • Hey Martin, Canton fair is a good idea… there you will be able to find a dozens of verified manufacturers from whom u can directly do your business…

    • Hello Martin, I am Vivien from China. We supplier handbags, backpacks, wallets wholesale from China. do you interested in our products?

    • Hello Martin if your plan includes leather footwear, jute products and apparels, you can import it from Bangladesh at the most competitive price without having to sacrifice your quality. Do let me know at [email protected]

  407. Hello Will,
    Great post. I’ve been researching on import and export. I’m lucky to dive into your great blog.
    I’m from West Africa. I’m into agro products and foodstuff. How can I get good clients overseas to supply my products to and make profit.. My email is [email protected]. Thanks for your time.

  408. Hello Will,

    I am a 41 year old, husband of ONE, and father of three. My wife and I are starting our first company. I really found your blog very very HELPFUL. thanks for all the tips.

    my question, How can you tell if you should import a particular product from China? I am in the “placing orders and selling” phase. One of my vendors told me he has a product that they do not have “certificate of authorization to sell”. Can you shed some light on these products?

    Regards,

    Ricardo Villarreal

    • Hi Ricardo,

      I am not sure exactly what your vendors meaning, I guess it maybe a counterfeit products, if sell or export, cargo maybe hold on customs, as the original one has patent.
      Leah

  409. hi I’m form Bangladesh, I want to start business by importing product form China. Please advise me

  410. Hey everyone…Paul here…i have an idea on on opening an odds and ends online store with products not normally see in dept stores also products that are being sold in europe but not here in north America..my question is where do u find the wholesalers overseas ..Alibaba are mostly for products that we see in all our stores…any help would be greatly apreciated…Thankyou

  411. Hi,
    thank you for all the vary valued information
    I just wanna know more about liability protection
    Do i need to have it? If not what happaned if someone get injured by my product can they sue me?

  412. Hi, anyone reading this,

    I have an idea of a product
    I want a company in china to manufacture it for me
    Then ship it to me
    Any recommendations?
    Websites?
    Companies?
    Advice?
    Anything

  413. Hi will,
    I want to import pet produtcs from China and ship to Brazil, I’m considering going to China soon, do you know what city will be best to find a good supplier?
    Thanks,
    Fe

  414. Hey, how did you go about paying your taxes at 15, assume you met the tax thresholds at the time.

  415. Did these suppliers private label your product or did you use their label name?

  416. Hey

    Question for you – Say I have started to communicate with a seller on Alibaba about a certain product and they are willing to send me a sample. How much can I expect to pay for shipping – freight vs. air? Is there a more preferable method? Is there an appropriate vs. inappropriate time to share my address with them? (I am a small startup and will be beginning this process out of my home – so I want to make sure I am making a good choice) Obviously, they have to know where to ship it at some point, just thinking about safety. Thanks!

    Katelynn

  417. I dont know why you spent so much in shipping costs, even if you used a medium flat rate priority box it should have been around $13.50. Make your own box and use standard shipping, and it should have been even cheaper. – Enjoyed you story with the phones.

  418. Hello Will
    i am starting an online store in US and importing products from china by dropshipping according to orders from customers, i have uploaded products from website of suppliers in my store suppliers are ready to send products according to orders by drop shipping but i haev a confusion that my trademark is US based so will i face any problem in my business as my business will be linked out of US or do i have need of any type of registeration for this process? reply me soon

  419. Hello Will
    i am starting an online store in US and importing products from US by dropshipping according to orders from customers, my trademark is US based so will i face any problem in my business as my business will be linked out of US or do i have need of any type of registeration for this process? reply me soon

  420. Hey everyone,

    What is the legality surrounding reselling 3rd party products?

    For example, hardware products that are used for popular products, Apple, Android etc. Adapters, chargers and such.

    If they are not sold as OEM, is it completely legal to sell them on the open market place?

    Thanks everyone.

  421. Hey Will,

    Thank you for this great article it was really insightful and helpful. I was wondering if you had any helpful information about tariffs and duties that you could share?

    Thank you,

  422. Hey will, it was indeed a great post. Well can you help me out how to find a best freight forwarder for getting products imported from china to India? Is there any other better way?

  423. Thanks so much, i’m planning on important some clothing items, specifically branded items to fit the current pokemon GO gap.
    Inspired me bro!

  424. Dear sir, I want to start importing and selling GPS devices for motor bikes and scooters I have seen some on alibaba. I want to start with 20 pieces only.. please guide me…

  425. Great article Will! Thank you for the valuable information you shared. This is an informative post that can help millions of people who would like to start their own business. Importing and exporting goods can be both challenging and rewarding. It’s nice to know about your inputs on the subject. Cheers!

  426. Even I have same question. If shipping is so costly, whats the point in buying products at cheaper Rate
    But after reading the post i realised , he has already mentioned that keep products light weight so that you can cut down on shipping cost.

  427. Great post, thank you for sharing, all this information, you just save me a lot of time and money I guess 🙂

  428. What an interesting and inspiring article. I have a career but desperately need a change in my life and working from home would be best ootion at this stage to support my husband with his medical condition. I am very much interesting to receive any guidance in selling clothing, tekkies (Nike, Adidas, etc), probably street gear for the younger generation and everyone who is interested. I do not have a registered company and I was doing research when I came across your post. I realky do need guidance please. Thank you for sharing valuable information to assist people like us.

    • Hello Will
      i am starting an online store in US and importing products from US by dropshipping according to orders from customers, my trademark is US based so will i face any problem in my business as my business will be linked out of US or do i have need of any type of registeration for this process?

  429. Hi Will,

    Great read! I am in a privileged situation where I have been given an opportunity to start an importing business with a good friend/investor. He has many connections in China and claims to be able to get virtually any product for cheaper than most. He is utilising my desire in swapping my 9-5 for something more rewarding with the fact that he has always wanted to start an import/branding company. He has put aside $20k to cover stock, start up costs and a wage for myself for 6 months. After that he has offered me 33% of lf all profits. What would be in your opinion the best way to start this and also with the money behind us could you see the business taking off to a large scale providing the product/multiple products is right? It’s a nerve racking decision for me right now as I know technically it should all work fine, but I do have a family to support as well. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Charlie

  430. Greetings I am so happy I found your weblog, I really found you by
    accident, while I was searching on Aol for something else, Nonetheless I am here now and would just like to say thanks a lot for a incredible post and a all round entertaining blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over
    it all at the moment but I have saved it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read
    a great deal more, Please do keep up the fantastic jo.

  431. Sounds very similar to my startup on Amazon and eBay. Your article does put a very real and accurate spin on how one can make progress selling online and importing new products.

  432. I really liked ur article. I am also planning to start something beside my job. Lets see what happened with me next. 🙂

  433. hey Will, Great article! Thank you! Inspired by your article to finally take action after years of wanting to start my own business, I came up with a product line idea after some research, researched suppliers, found a few and got samples. Now we’re talking about a first order, but what’s really in the way for me is the shipping costs that seem very high – $250 USD per carton of 60 units to be shipped to Canada (DHL), and they agreed to minimum 2 boxes to begin with, which basically doubles my cost/unit. Is there any suggestions you have for getting around this and paying less for shipping? Thank you so much!

  434. Hi, great blog, glad I found you! I am in a different position to most and would like your thoughts. I live in China, have a good supplier, but want to find someone who will post the goods on in the Uk. For example, I send the goods to uk, sell on eBay or wherever but am not in UK personally to send item to buyer. You suggested finding a relative or friend to do this but are there people that do this as a business? Also, not small items so not something that could be stored in the corner of a garage for example. Any ideas?

    • You can ship as using this service. “we deliver the world” (just google it)its a broker and allows you to arrange collection and delivery without actually being either sender or recipient. I use this as I am based in Australia, have items collected from China and sent to the UK.
      Nice and easy.
      Cheers
      Jim

  435. Thanks for the article Will. I lost my U.S. import supplier and would like to know the best way to locate a Korean or Chinese manufacturer for microfiber mitts and cloths. I have samples of the product line I carry and would like to match the quality my customers have come to expect from me.
    I have no experiance importing direct and would greatly appreciate your input on the steps I need to take to get the quality I need and the legal steps required to purchase direct. Two years ago we ordered 10,000 units and sold out in about a 18 months, via convention center shows.

    Thanks again for your help.
    Richard

  436. Hey Will,

    Thanks a ton for this great and informative article.
    I was curious what is the start up capital for this venture? You started when you were 13 so i imagine it is a little more now. Also do i need to form an LLC, INC and get a business licence? Can you include that in the start up cost with a breakdown please? Also how can i get into the coaching program? Where can i find that info

  437. I am struggling to find a solid product to sell. I have bought a few things from aliexpress and have sold about 30 units. It’s not consistent .
    Can you help me with a product. I love your advice.

    Thanks
    Kenny Tagge

  438. Hello,
    First I would like to thank you for writing this post. It’s great and very detail but I still have some very specific question though.
    I went through the post and some of the comment and got concern about the illegal distribution like the faked otterbox in one of the comment and your friend sold some counterfeit things. I saw on Alibaba.com that BanDai stuff like gundam that cheap. The seller does listed it as a Bandai’s stuff. Should I trust that and resell them as Bandai’s stuff or do I actually have to have permission from Bandai to sell those? In case you have no idea what Bandai is it’s a anime company that has a lot of anime in licensed in US. Would it be illegal to sell their stuff without permission? Any help would be greatly appreciated.’
    Thank You

  439. I just wanted to say thank you for the article. Very inspiring and easy to follow. There is a couple things I’m unclear on. When trying to contact the supplier on Alibaba, I am forced to join. When I try to join it requires me to enter my legal business name. Now, I was under the impression that I didn’t need this right away. That I could just buy straight from the supplier. Am I missing something? Thanks

  440. Hi guys, thanks so much for this blog…truly insightful! Was wondering, once you purchased the items you planned on selling, how did you compete with China on sites like eBay and Amazon, when their selling price is listed so low? Competing with their low rates won’t generate any profit. How were you able to get around this??? Your reply and advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

  441. Will thank you for your informative advise on how to start up this selling business with Alibaba.com. This is something l ve been planning to do but needed to learn more about it. Thank you so much for your help. I will be searching for the right product not the ones we buy. Good to know. Thank you.

  442. Do you need a resellers license to sell stuff I really want to start but all the tax and paperwork stuff seems confusing?

  443. Morning, I live in Australia Brisbane and have been wanting an eBay business for awhile but can’t find a niche
    market to sell in have you any suggestions help!!!!!!!
    Kind Regards
    Jillian

  444. hello Mr.WILL !
    h r u?
    i have few questions ,first of all can i get ur skype id?
    i want to talk u on skype ,secoundly thank u for quidng us all,
    my main question is that u talked about AIRSOFT GUNS ,so supose u bought airsoft guns from ur supplier n what then ? can u put that airsoft guns stock in to ur wear house through shipment or u directly send to ur customers from china?
    i think u can get my point ?
    plz reply.

  445. Sir

    Could you pls tell where to contact to know all type of taxes levied on Imports from china for a smartphone.

    if a phone is imported of value 170$ then what would be the final cost after taxes if you could tell.

    thnx

  446. Hey how’s it going… My name John Munoz I want to be an importer from China.. I’m leaving to China on the 23of this month for the first time. I do have people in the business already out there expecting me. To tell you s little about me, I am bien and raised in new York, but I’m from Dominican Republic where my father owns a hotel business. I use to be a multi millionairo but lost it all.. My business was check casing business in new York city. It’s been almost ten years since and im still broke. I have three kids which one is going to college in two years. I can tell you a bunch of shit. If you are real I need your advice and help. I’m going to China with about $10,000 dollars and I don’t want to come back till I have a well established business where im headed to make a multi million empire. Please let me know if any advice that your have for me my phone number is 646-724-5017 I do use what’s app.. I’m so hungry for success and u have the talent to me great.

    Thank you for listening

  447. hello will…
    so to see if i undestand correct.were is the profit for me .why my customer wont bye from ali baba straight and will bye from me ?

  448. Hi Will..

    Good to see someone who is helping others without any expectation..Cheers..God Bless u..

    Like others i also have few queries..i am from London want to import led lights from China..i have read that it has to be CE marked..so how easy or difficult to get it marked and get the lights passed through customs…and what other rules and regulation are there in UK which i have to meet..

    Thanks in advance 🙂

    Regards,

    Abhijit

  449. Dear Will,
    My name is Andrey Bakhilin. I’m from Canada. I like your ideas about on line business a lot. I’ve got some experience in retail business and I know about competition and market volume for some items you were talking about. I start working with Alibaba and I love this site. The only problem I have so far that is to find a good product. I tried some small jewelry items for teenagers, some multi purpose pens and folding keyboards. But what makes me concerned right now is huge competition and possibility to work with small sales amount and very slow growth in the future. I would like to ask your advise as great market specialist can you point me which direction I should take? What kind of products are good to start with?
    Best regards,
    Andrey

    • Andrey,
      jewellery items are a great idea. What you need to do is add value to the pieces with something everyday people recognise like Swarofski crystals. These are cheap, add perceived value $$ big time and make sure the pieces are plated in gold over 925 silver. I did some items for a private school with the cost around 8.00 and selling for 25+
      Good luck.
      Jim

  450. Great read, I’m finding myself in same shoes you were at one point. I started buy led DJ lights from supplier found on alibaba. I want to start selling but they are similar to other “branded” products but not the same. How do I legally sell these or find out if they have own pattent? [email protected] thanks!

  451. What’s better, shipping and paying duties and taxes through DHL/Fedex or involving a customs broker and sourcing your own freight/creating your own account with a courier?
    Ordering 500 of this and that so defiantly not truckloads.
    Thanks

  452. Hi, this is an awesome article and it helps a lot even though I intend to start a similar business from India. Can you please share with me the “reliable Chinese vendor” that you keep mentioning about? Please do email it to me if it’s not too much of a hassle. Thank you in advance.

  453. Hi Will, I am wanting to start selling some Korean skincare products in my city since there are not very many, Canada. Will any of these site be the authentic products? Or will they all be knockoffs? For example Chanel products. And as I know that the cosmetic world is extremely competitive, what are your thoughts of starting something like this? Currently there is only one store that carries any Korean products. My advertising is to get ppl to come and do makeup parties so they can actually try the products.

    Any feedback would help. Thanks!!

  454. I loved your story!!!!! Excellant & Impressive!
    I wish I could get my son into it.
    Actually I’m trying to find that “one” product. And its driving me crazy.
    I have tried a few products & had good luck. But can’t find that “1” where people just have to have !
    Its driving me crazy!
    I’m still trying to get rid of my products now.

  455. Hey buddy,
    I am very attracted to you article, that’s great, detail. I’m a Vietnamese. I wanna make money by importing things from China and sell in my country as well. so here is my question that is there any chance for me to trade not only in Vietnam but other countries? Have you ever sell things abroad? And how did you do that?
    I’m looking forward your sharing!
    Thank you!
    Quan

  456. Hi Will,

    Pertaining to not using your personal email address.
    The supplier can still acquire my email address via my Paypal transaction. Should I use another email for that as well?

  457. Superb post. I read complete article and it helped me a lot to take my decisions now. Thank you. Raj Punarvasi – Software & Life skills coach

  458. Hi. Great article.
    Can I ask you, that do I need to make an LTD to start importing from China and to sell those items, or to private label itmes?
    Thanks.

    Kind regard,
    Gabriel

  459. Will, were you dealing directly with the manufacturers or using a Sourcing Agent in China?

  460. Will- Awesome article! It’s so cool to have all this info in one place. This is the first time I have seen an article this detailed. Very cool!

    I have not been able to find the right product. I’ve been searching and can’t find something with a low enough cost. I have followed your tips to a T and am ready to go. But all the products I find on Alibaba seem to sell for just a slight markup on Amazon. Any suggestions?

  461. Thanks Will
    Informative article. I’m about to begin importing from China, and found some great advise….and for free
    Thanks again
    Guy

  462. Dear Will,

    This was probably one of the most straight forward articles I’ve read so far on selling online. Thanks to you big time!
    I have one question:
    – Do you have any suggestions on selecting a product that people need vs a product people want? I find myself overloaded with products when I search on Alibaba and to be honest I constantly think will people buy this? Can this be turned into their need or will it fail? Do you have any idea how to cope with this?

    Thanks,
    Deemz

  463. Is there any particular reason why you should have an actual inventory instead of just taking orders through your eshop (perhaps on shopify) and then just order the item from aliexpress (which don’t necessarilly sell volume) and put the delivery address of your client?

  464. I spent a long time on reading your article, I am a Chinese, I sepnt 5 years on selling on Alibaba, the stuff I am selling now are extremely expensive, and business is not good, after reading your article I found the reason.

  465. Hi Will I just wanted to clarify about item pricing. Did you mean look for items that sell (Per piece) on alibaba between 10-200 dollars or did you mean they have resale values of this amount. Just read this article today, very interesting.

  466. Everything I try to buy on alibaba is already being sold on eBay or Amazon by a company from China. How do you deal with that situation?

  467. Hi Will,
    great blog, very useful informmation. It very seldom that you get people that are so infomative about their business sucess, especially the details of what not to do. Thank you for your post.
    I’m looking at alternative ways to earn income, and came accross your article. Its really inspired me to try this opportunity.
    I’m living in Thailand, and looking to sell to a global market. I will definitely follow the steps and work at it.

    many thanks

    Navin

  468. Dear Will,
    Greetings! It’s nice to read your posts about cross-border trade with China.
    This is Lavie from Osell team, DinoDirect-China’s cross-border E-commerce platform, which enables you to directly purchase from China factories while staying at home. In 2014, DinoDirect introduced the B2B platform of online mobile cross-border trade-OSell APP. OSell enables suppliers and purchasers to communicate without boundaries. OSell has function of releasing news based on users` demands. OSell also provides third-party services include translation, logistics, customs clearance, advertisement(coming soon), etc.
    As for opportunity, OSell has built showrooms around the world so that suppliers could display their products and buyers select goods face to face. Besides, OSell Cross-border E-Commerce Trading Fair would be held termly to create more opportunities for users.
    We are looking forward to cooperation with you, and hope you to reply me at your earliest convenience.
    EMAIL:[email protected]

  469. hi Will i read your article and i have a question how do know a supplier is gold member?

  470. Hello,
    Thank you so much for your post. It was written well, and quite informative. Great job! Your testimonial is inspiring, and motivating me towards a similar direction. I wish to start importing from China as a future business. However, I have yet to decide on the specifics. The product which I have been looking into are hair extensions, as hair is a passion of mine. Would I be able to get some advice about this niche? As of now, I feel determined in my goals, but am finding it difficult to start. I am aware that businessmen always say to just go for it…nevertheless, I would prefer to go about it in the best way possible. What is your advise on this? Thanks again for your time. I am ecstatic to be finding you on the web!

  471. Hi
    I don’t know anything about advertising please help me with this.And I from India so suggest me some
    products which is suitable for my country.

  472. More net-buttkissing 🙂

    You clearly possess common sense and so no matter the state of your wallet, you sir, are rich. Had a couple more comments about this that came to mind. Regards that powerful call to action you broadcasted here. My brother long ago expressed a condition called analysis paralysis. And no matter how many times I see the TAKE ACTION, it’s always helpful and as true as the first time.

    Analysis paralysis: Trying to run before walking or being to grandiose, thus being overwhelmed vs setting realistic goals and rolling up sleeves. I also tend to think of this as the eating an elephant analogy. One bite at a time vs the whole thing. With myself noticed I tend to try to learn too much and thus things don’t get done. Believe there’s a reason why so many people are smartly focusing on specialization in their field, Whether niche marketing, affiliate, social media marketing, rep management … whatever.

    Thinking it’s certainly best to focus on SOMETHING/ONE thing. Rather than digest em all. Too friggin complicated to be effectual. Learn as you go and expanding a persons skillset and scaling as circumstances permit. Blahblahblah. Probably getting annoying by this point, sorry folks. Last thing, where do you stand on building up a reserve. Was thinking and you mentioned a successful venture you’d established failed due to supply being strangled off for several months. Where do you stand on building up a reserve to avoid such disruptions. If it’s a non-perishable item, worth the overhead …. no ? No extra overhead storing if you can keep in your shed or garage. Bound to be potential disruptions in supply occasionally regardless. Makes sense to me to try and keep a reserve on-hand.

    Did you ever experience other shipment losses ? You mentioned escrow ( thanks), where do you stand on shipping insurance … worth it … not, tips ? Terms of escrow were enough to render it moot ? Just some questions, another thanks and hopefully some sense to common sense tit for tat. Need to bkmark this site.

  473. Just wanted to throw another thank you onto the pile. While the vast majority of this imo is just common sense and techs/tactics anyone who stands a chance as a marketer is going to assume goes w/o saying. Still amazing to me how complicated so many make topics online, how much is re-regurgitated and pretty much non-helpful spammy junk cluttering up the internet. I applaud you though, you reinforce being detail oriented, methodical and to anticipate possible complications, backend/direct sales etc. and roll it all together into a very useful overview ending with a call to action.

    Thanks for adding useful and intelligent info onto the interwebz rather than more worthless content. Thanks for sharing your experiences too. Wish you nothing but success in your endeavors. Lol … but you make it clear that, that is totally up to you to a large degree and appears that you are in good hands. 😉

  474. While some vendors responded in rage, others have transformed the situation right into a teachable minute on just how trst works
    on the darknet.

  475. Do I need any license if I import LED Lights from China and sell them in USA ?
    Any any safety measures that need to be taken from my side, to avoid electrical hazards due to these LED lights ?

  476. Great article. Well written and overly informative. Not the least…. honest!
    I was so impressed by this and what you lay out here……. 10’s of ideas and opportunities comes to mind. So pleased that I even whitelisted your URL on my ad blocker. (That is not often!;)
    Hoping to learn more from you and your expertise, as well as following your future success in online marketing.

  477. Hi guys,
    If you are have an FBA relationship with Amazon, can you get your produce sent straight from your supplier?
    Thanks,
    Tom

  478. Thank you for writing this, it was very helpful. I do have one question about import fees. I have found a few suppliers that I am requesting samples with, and am wondering how the import fees work. I have found that some suppliers want to send the product to a port and have you pick up, and some can deliver to your door, but either way, with the products I am buying, I have a huge dumping fee I need to pay. How do I know how much the dumping fee will be, and how do I pay that? Is it worth it hiring a import broker to take care of this? Thank you for your time!

  479. Hello Will,
    Thank you so much for this post. I really want to start my import export business ,but i am having some trouble finding the right product. Could help me with that please? I live in Portugal,Europe, so we have to pay taxes for every product that comes from outside the EU. Is there a way to avoid this? Could i try to make it more autopilot, so the supplier would send it directly to the client? What do you think? Thank you.
    Lourenco

  480. Hi will. I am really thankful to you for sharing all your failures and leading all of to success. Bro, my question is why should we not buy branded mobiles when the seller is ready. If its crime then why are they selling. Implies, Are we smuggling? Can I buy branded pen drives and memory cards in bulk? Thank u

  481. Hi will. I am really thankful to you for sharing all your failures and leading all of success. Bro, my question is why should we not buy branded mobiles when the seller is ready. If its crime then why are they selling. Implies, Are we smuggling? Can I buy branded pen drives and memory cards in bulk? Thank u

  482. Hello,
    Really great read, thank you !
    I was wondering what your opinion was regarding the amount of products one should start with when importing? For example, should we look for a few different products and try them out? or just one? and from there is it better to think long term or short term? like is changing products every few months advisable or not??
    Thank you in advance for your reply.
    Nathalia

  483. Hello I read your article loved it by the way! I have some questions about the start up. I live in Canada and for start up do I have to get a business license before I am able to buy and sell? Or do I have to get a Vendors Permit to buy and sell? Thanks for your time

    Crystal

  484. Hey,
    I wanna start an import and sales business on a product.
    I needed information about the licences and procedure for importing goods from China to India. I live in India.

  485. I am about to order 10 samples. Because the shipping is so high, my cost per item went from 2.50/item to $7/item. The item only sells on amazon for 9.99, eBay for 11.48. When you sell your samples, do you just plan on a lower profit margin as you are testing the product in the market? Or should I find a cheaper supplier for samples?

  486. Hey guys great article but when was it published? Things and methods change. You’d help your users by inserting a date. thanks

  487. I really would like help with a product. Selling counterfits from Lima, Peru and would to do this business the right way. Very very interested. Thanks

  488. Will, great article and very informative. I could not find anywhere in the post or comments about why it would be a bad idea to set up a dropship relationship with the supplier from the beginning. In your experience what are the cons to starting the relationship with dropshipping? I’m assuming you find a niche, great product and great supplier.

  489. hi simon
    re -warehouse
    we have exciting new patent pending product being made in china
    please email us -maybe we can help each other
    thanks

  490. Hello, thank you very much for a great article. It is very honest and informative. I am searching for a good supplier for the gloves. I am wondering if I should use my own designs or I could use the manufacturer’s existing designs and patterns (and colors). I am cautious about using the manufacturer’s designs since I don’t know if those are owned, patented or licensed by someone else or not. I do not want any problem with this kind of thing. It is very tempting though to use their (manufacture’s) designs because it is easy (just selecting them). What do you think?

    If I use my own designs, is that called OEM service? When suppliers state that they have OEM service, what does that mean please? Can buyer just put their brand name on any products that the OEM suppliers provide ? Could there be trademark problems with other buyers that buy the exact same type of products (with same designs and patterns) and put their brand name on? If no, we will see a lot of same products (with same designs and patterns) with different brand names in the market? I am confused and concerned about that. I want to do the right thing from the beginning without problem later on. What is your opinion on this please?

    Thank you for your time,
    G.C.

  491. Hi will
    I liked your blog very much,,its very interesting
    but few questions are unanswered though.. please help me coz i am trying to setup import business in india
    1. will the products be directly shipped to my address ?
    2. do i need an imports license ? which is very tough here
    3. i got some stuffs decided for samples and contacted few suppliers as well, they offer me FOB price, how will i receive the shipment from there ?
    4. do i have to find someone who will ship it for me? if yes then how?
    5. can i use another importer’s license to import stuff ?

    Really looking forward to hearing from you, thanks in advance
    Regards
    Sunit

  492. Hi Will. Thank you for this well written informative article. I have recently resigned from my full time job and have become a stay at home mom and am trying to start a small business selling unique and fashionable baby clothes. I have placed a small order from Aliexpress and am waiting in anticipation to receive it so I can start selling. I have heard so may negative things about Aliexpress and I am worried about quality. I guess it’s just a waiting game now. I made the mistake of not ordering sample items. Too hasty. What was your experience with Aliexpress (if you made use of them) would you recommend them or am I wasting my money? Looking forward to hearing from you.

  493. I want to start online business with Amazon, ebay etc. Which product should I choose to import from Alibaba. Please help me out…..

  494. Hello this is vicky from India i Found Your Write up Such A intresting thing.i am starting a business in clothing and accesories for kids.i have researched suppliers on alibaba and found some really good gold suppliers who deals with kids garments .I have zeroed with two to three gold suppliers,They are in touch with me through whats app.i have ordered a sample peice to check the quality,prise and delivery cost.I am taking loan and starting the business.As you told the price range i am deal with is 2$ to 15$ maximum.I wanted to get help from you how can i move forward with this now and suggestion on ordering bulk and delivery cost and taxes and so on!! please help me with this.

  495. Great articles – thank you very much! I am just about to order my first samples but wondering if you have any advice on how many products to order as a sample? I was thinking of ordering one piece to begin with to check quality, then ordering 10 to see how well they sell, before ordering a larger amount (of maybe 100). Reasoning is that I want to keep outlay low at the moment as this is my first ever order.

    Thanks in advance!

    Colin (UK)

  496. I loved your article but missed if one thing was addressed. Did you have a license to resell these items? I am interested in starting up a business for boutique type clothing and wondered about the licensing… Thanks so much!

  497. Hi, great article, appreciated. I have also developed an interest in imports, I will follow your advise as it makes a lot of sense.

    Thank you again

    Regards

    Busisiwe

  498. Hi
    I’m just trying to start out. I’m just setting up a PayPal account and was wondering if I set up a business account or personally, I’m guessing business but just wanted to check.
    Thanks
    Michelle

  499. Good morning, I’m from Argentina and I can provide sending of originating products. I can send you to 2 kilos door to door.
    Some products may be nuts, almonds, walnuts, raisins with excelent sale now. But also wool scarves, economic portfolios, mates, etc.
    I am available for whatever they need.

  500. Hey bro jahangir here from pakistan. your site is owesome and i really impresed that u knw about all procedure about import a product on this age…anyways m not good in english so plz manage :-p there is some issue to me that i want to start import business from china and the issuing point is that what kind of good i will buy from china and sell it n pakistan..there is lots of people who import from china and they usually import shoes,purses, jewerlerry etc bcz they have a shop..but i want to import and sell it online or in wholesale markets in quantity i want to work like that and the issue is there i have no contact to buyers bcz whole day m with my father and do office work…but there is a market of everything but how i knw that the goods i import it is sell easily on profit…main point is that plzz guide me what kind of goods is valuable which is use in social life…what kind of goods i import how i start from on which thing…in pakistan there is ladies item is very valuable but which item i select ???

  501. I read a lot and I must tell you guys that this has been the most enjoyable article I have read online relating to starting a business and making money online. You guys are super comprehensive, a real life story to follow. Your experiences seriously came off the page to the point that I copied it entirely and I re-read it daily. Thank you guys so much. I’m happy to be a subscriber to your views and products.

  502. Hey dude I came across this article when I was trying to find tips for new products to sell because I didn’t think Airsoft was working. 🙁 that website really helped me find many good Airsoft products for amaizng prices! I just can’t believe I can across this article searching for something that we both have in common. This will really help me grow as these prices are crazy good! Thanks a ton for all this help and the good expiation!

  503. I’ve tried to make extra income, starting with DS Domination – I learned the E-Commerce business but all they wanted was more money for upgraded packages etc. I began in March 2015 and I owe more money than I have ever made on eBay. I hate eBay with all their rules and policies and high fees. Bonanza is so much better. I don’t trust Alibaba at all. I’ve ordered two items for myself – one never showed up, and the other item was shipped to Mongolia instead of Minnesota. I also ordered a pair of earrings on eBay that happened to be from China …and the seller finally gave me a refund after I waited for 2 1/2 months and they never arrived. I would never purchase my items ahead of time to sell…I just don’t see the point of investing money for items to sell when you don’t even know if it will sell on any platform. There’s no magic formula to be able to tell what items to sell. I’m disabled, live on SSDI and this one check barely gets me through the month. Because of the PayPal 90 day hold for beginning sellers, I owe Amazon a bloody fortune. It’s obvious to me that in order to make any money with e-commerce online selling – you need to have quite a bit of money to begin with unless you follow the method with DS Domination…which is never having to buy your products upfront, and never needing to ship anything yourself. The cruel joke is that I was never in debt until I began an online business. Oh well, live and learn.

  504. Hi have been reading the blog. I already deal with alliexpress. And have not had a problem with any one yet. But that’s not to say I won’t. I have found it very useful. Reading what you have to say about how much to buy in. As a result I am going to be looking to sell else where.

  505. hello i have been on alibaba and aliexpress and i just cant find i pruduct when i look on ebay and i do the calculations i normally find that im not making a profit or making a 1-20p profit please help me find an item. However, this was very helpful!

    Thanks

    Olly

  506. Do you have any links or suggestions in regards to keeping track of profits for tax purposes? It’s an overwhelming thought for us.

  507. Its great reading so many of you want to get into importing. Its kept me in a great standard of living for more than 20 years.
    One of the common things I read is that you see the cost of your sample and the shipping so high. As a gold supplier on Alibaba I get so many enquiries from people who really re trying to save a few bucks.
    Here is an easy lesson for you, recently I had a buyer who wanted to buy my crazy contact lenses.
    Commercial qtys are normally 200 pairs. She wanted 10 pairs.
    Firstly how can you make a living on 10 pairs?
    She was actually pricing herself out of the market by looking at only 10 pairs and heres why.
    10 pairs @ 2.00 per pair = 20.00
    Shipping 100.00
    Total 120.00 (12.00 per pair)

    200 pairs @ 2.00 per pair=400.00
    Shipping 100.00
    Total 500.00 (2.50 per pair)

    I hope you can see why you feel you get ripped when you are looking at buying one or two items. Shipping is normally a minimum up to a point and this example shows you why its important to think a little further forward.
    Thanks
    Jim

  508. Hey Will
    Great writeup, extremely helpful, thank you !
    Question, I am super security conscious and prefer not to use real names of
    employees when setting up account(s) on the foreign sites you mention to obtain product, meet distributors and manufacturers, etc – so any potential problems using “screen names” on these accounts ?
    Thanks !
    Mark

    • Mark,
      if you met a distributor and found out they used false names for their employees and in their company details I think you would be extremely worried that you were about to be ripped off. They will think the same about you if you do it. If you get to the point of wanting to start trading you will look like a moron to your suppliers and will NOT BE TRUSTED. You need to choose carefully your supplier and check them out. This can be done easily without disclosing all your personal information. Treat your suppliers like real people not thieves waiting to take you down. Security I am all for.
      1. Check the supplier out, 3rd party references, certification, trading time,
      2. Ask for their trading address, photos of the employee you are dealing with
      These checks can be made with just a gmail address.
      Happy trading
      Jim

  509. I am an Australian living in Shenzhen China and have my own LED company and Alibaba. I agree with most of what you say except the part about Paypal.

    Chinese Paypal is not the same as the western version and it costs a lot more to take your money. We a customer wants to pay for a sample order this is okay but I have had customers want to pay 20000 USD buy Paypal which is not logical, First I have to charge 10 % of the total for fees I am charged, then send to the money to my Australian Paypal in USD, change to AUD then withdraw, send to my HK account, change to RMB then send to China….. so it is not always the case that Chinese people have got too many bad rating at all, Paypal is great for the person paying but its not easy for the receiver to get there money.

    Please if you need any LED products or any other goods from China visit http://www.anboge.com

  510. I had a question. I’m looking to order stainless steel part from China to build exstration machines.but it goes against your light stuff only rule.its a open market in the USA with only a few people doing it.i can build a machine from China for $600 and resale it here for $4000 to $5000 return.but it is heavy.what would be the best way to ship heavy things to Washington state.they told me by sea is cheapest. Do I need a tax I’d number to do this?

    • Rob,
      sea is by far the lowest cost way to ship heavy items. I ship cut and weld products from China to the UK and i pay about 0.50c per 2lb of steel door to door. A freight forwarder will help you out and have the know-how to do this for you. Upon entry you normally have to pay your taxes so get them to work out the cost for you to make sure you have it ready.
      Good luck!
      Jim

  511. Hi, am really seeking your help. I want to start a hair business, where people from all over the world, especially the carribbean buy hair from me. I also want the best supplier. Help me make this happen

  512. Awesome read I am glad that everything worked out for you, right now I buy things on aliexpress and flip them on eBay but sometimes the products in aliexpress are cheesy and you can easily tell they are fake the margins are great as long as a customers doesn’t complain or ask for a return, long story short I eventually got kicked off eBay and banned because too many customers were returning my products, I need some help and advice from you. I had some fake eBay accounts but I can only sell so many products each month and I’m always hitting my limit, what other products can I sell and what else do I need to know to make some money….please please help me id very much apprecIate it, thank you

  513. I came across this article by happenstance. The article isn’t timestamped, so I don’t know if the points in the article are still relevant. I looked at Alibaba. Is it normal for shipping cost to be half of the value of the shipment?

  514. Hi, I have read several articles for you and I am impressed on how you delivered the idea so smoothly.

    I have several questions regarding doing small business with Alibaba:

    1-When the supplier and I reach an agreement on specific product, do I only pay for the units to be delivered to my house? Pay for units + shipping? Or that depends on the supplier?

    2-Once I get the products and found customers, how can I deal with shipping the products so I can get the most of the profit? Since I checked several carriers websites and realized that they cost slightly more to cut the profit.

    3-Lastly, I have this supplier and This is the website:
    http://fdpromo.en.alibaba.com/company_profile.html#top-nav-bar
    Does the supplier look trustworthy based on the video uploaded, certificate, and clear contact information?

    Lastly, I would like to thank you guys for mentioning this kind of information to people. It is very helpful.

  515. Hi Will,
    I am currently in the works of getting my first product imported to sell on Amazon. I have read several of your articles and have found them very very helpful and easy to read. I especially love the top 25 ways to get your product to rank on Amazon. No one else breaks it down step-by-step like you.
    One area of this whole process that is still rather vague to me (as I haven’t actually had s shipment imported yet) is how the whole importing process works. Do you use a customs broker? Could you shed some light on the whole import process? Maybe even do what you seem to be so good at doing and walk us all through the process step-by-step!?!
    Thanks for all you are doing to help others help themselves!
    Angela

  516. I read this blog and am super impressed! Guess what you just did… You have just made not just my day but my days of existence. We gonna have a millionaire coffee chat someday!

  517. Hi,
    I am from India. I was figuring out what products can i consider to sell as a start up.
    I came across your blog & it gave me good knowledge about the business.
    I was searching through internet what is the shopping trend. I figured out that smartphones sells the most.
    But which smartphone?
    Also smartphones become obsolete as the time passes.
    Could you help me what product should i sell. I am completely new.

  518. Hi bros! I have to say first of all that finding this website was a life changer for me. I have a question: I initially considered a product category that I wanted to sell in and started looking for deals in that category, but I’m not sure yet if that’s the category I should definitely be in. I’ve created an Amazon seller account and started selling a single product in my category. I’ve already started some initial branding work, such as creating a company name, logo, etc. Now I’m considering products in other categories might be better bets. Should I convert my category-specific account into a general account to try a broader array of products? I’ve thought of creating multiple accounts for the different categories, but I’m concerned that would dilute my ranking and feedback. Or do you think I should stick with the first category a while longer and try to make it work? My results so far haven’t been spectacular, but I can try to reduce costs, improve conversions, etc. Thank you very much for your website. There’s nothing else like it out there. We’re all lucky to have you here.

  519. Hi! Thanks for this article!
    The only thing I think it’s missing is something it really “worries” me, or maybe I just really wonder how it works with the “importation process / fees / taxes / being a certified importer”… or is just “let’s order $5000 worth of products” and they come to your house? I’m pretty sure is not that second option. Would you give us some tips on that? Thanks a lot!

  520. Hey Will,

    Great Article. Good luck on what ever you are doing now. It’s like in a movie, I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. Btw, would it make a difference on ones physical location on shipping from China? I live in Kansas City area where shipping might be steeper than in East coast or west coast. Should I move to out of State like in NY or LA or to Baltimore? Thinking of moving anyways. Please advise.

  521. Hi Will,
    I read your article. Really awesome!
    I started searching for that “single profitable product” with high margin, and thought of waterproof pouch for Iphone. Light weight and simple…
    Anyway, I contacted like 10 suppliers of this crap (filtering only Gold members with PayPal), and they’re all willing to negotiate the price for a MOQ of 100 pcs. The margin selling on Ebay/Amazon is brutal, almost 1500%!
    My problem is…how difficult it is to buy samples? They’re all telling me “USD50 for one sample”.
    Can you help me? Is this usual when you order samples from China? Are shipping costs that high in Asia?
    I’m looking forward to your reply.
    Thanks

  522. One of the easiest way to have money dealing with China is Drop Shipping scheme. You may privide intermediary servise, selling goods from Taobao.com for example.

    All you need is someone in China, who could purchase, consolidate and ship your clients orders. And a site which let people to place an order.

  523. Hi Will
    I live overseas, South Africa to be precise and I am exploring this venture, but I am thinking of using amazon as a fulfilment agency (FBA) as well as selling the products on amazon as with the latest bandwagon to hit the market, so that I am able to explore the US e-commerce market, I know that one of the golden rules to succeed with amazon is that you should always make sure that there is available stock for amazons clientele. How does one adapt your strategy with ordering minimum quantity in order to test the market first, like you pointed out in the above article, also please give me your view point on selling on amazon, am I just a goldfish swimming amongst sharks in the ocean or is it a viable avenue for me to venture into?

  524. Hey Will!!

    I sent you a inbox message on Facebook. But it might of went to the other folder! if you could check it when your not busy!!

    Thanks so much

    Melissa 🙂

  525. Hi Tim
    Is Western Union reliable to make payments to China. Never deal with them before.

  526. we need to know all gold members from alibaba.com are genuine if not how can we find.If supplier having paypal payment option those are genuine suppliers?

  527. Great Article!

    Do we need to register the company name before contacting suppliers in Alibaba? Alibaba is asking for a company name just to create a user id? Cant we just get a few samples to try before registering a company?

    Thanks

  528. I would like to add a very important thing. If you want to import from China you should have eyes there. When you do a big order some times they send you bad items or do some things that can cause you loose money. We are an american company offering the service of being your eyes there to check merchandise, shipping, testing samples and others things in China. Which is very important for big orders.

  529. Hi. Thanks for the article.
    I have a question. It would seem that avoiding electronics would be the way to go from what I’ve researched so far. I’ve read that largely they are cheaply made, often counterfeited when you are talking brand names etc…
    I was looking into gaming laptops specifically.

    Everywhere I’ve read they I was told to NEVER BUY ELECTRONICS FROM CHINA.
    Maybe I’m naive but isn’t this an incredible irony? I mean most of the worlds electronic gadgets are made in China!? Selling electronics seems to be one of alibabas major exports!? It’s like a highly suggested against path of action yet the source of all the action!?
    What do you have to say about that?
    Thank you.

  530. I am very glad that I found your blog. I am looking to start my own business very soon. I was going to go the route of starting it as an ecommerce website and advertising on social media. But now after reading this article (which I don’t know when it was posted) I feel like Amazon and eBay are the ways I am going to go. I read another blog of yours, I live in NYC, any advice on how I can do this? I am not that outgoing so I wont be handing out business cards or asking people to check out my page.

  531. Hey Will – Have you ever used Alibaba.com to find suppliers and source from China? If you have, how was your experience like? Or do you have an article / blog that talk about Alibaba.com? I just started following your blog entry so I might have missed your previous posts.

  532. What do people say about a skincare company that says that they do not send samples as it is “against company policy” but that I can send someone to visit their facility. Does it sound like a scam? Should I even consider placing an order with them? Their minimum order is in the low thousands.

  533. Hi Will, thank you for writing this article and sharing your experience. I found your information very useful and it inspired me to start thinking of my own business venture:) You only mentioned alibaba.com to order from, what do you think of http://www.alixpress.com I think they are great just to test if the product is going to sell or not since since you don’t need to get minimum order. The only down side I find is kind of scatchy is that they don’t use paypal payment system. What are your thoughts on that?

  534. Fantastic enjoyable read, I am 25, in the UK and will be researching extensivley over the next 2/3 months to invest into a good product.

  535. Will thanks for the very informative article. I am starting a business that actually exports herbal medicine to other countries via Alibaba. we have just started operating on Alibaba, and want to connect with wholesalers, predominantly in China. Do you think this is viable on Alibaba or are there any alternative sites you would recommend me to use to gain more options in the market?

  536. Thank you so much for the article which I found to be super helpful.
    Any advice for where I am at at the moment. . I found a great supplier and ordered a product after trying a sample to the value of £330 (I am in UK) those costs included the customs in China and shipping costs so looking at what my competitors where selling the item for I was on to a winner. . UNTIL now! The products have arrived in the UK and all of a sudden I am hit with a freight handling bill, UK customs bill, Tax bill, moving and handling bill, bill to get the goods from the port to my house, a bill for basically everything and anything which totals over £500 which I didn’t anticipate. . Is there anyone who can give me advice on how to avoid or curb some of these costs?

  537. I’m wondering about the legal ramifications of purchasing products from China. What about the customer who buys a product that is for example, electrical in nature, and the customer gets hurt from it and wants to sue someone. If the product had the Black&Decker brand name on it, the customer would sue Black&Decker. But Since it’s a product from China that is a no-name brand (or I’ve placed my brand on it), I’m going to assume that they are going to sue me. What do you think of these types of risks?

    Do Chinese products shipped to the U.S.A. have to go through Customs or some type of inspection? Does the U.S. government let U.S. Citizens import anything and sell it?

    How do you know if the Chinese product has been patented in the U.S.A. which could create another liability?

    Lastly, if the Chinese supplier is shipping F.O.B. then do you think I will have to incur any other expenses to get the products to me?

    Thank you so much for taking the time to read these questions. I appreciated any insight you can give. I really found your blog very helpful!

  538. Great article thanks for the info! Question: how is the fitness market. I spotless lime to begin selling fitness items and was wondering if they’re was too much competition. Any suggestions or advice? Thanks.

  539. First off let me thank you for this post. I have tried for many years to wrap my mind around importing things to sell. I understand the basics of everything that you have said in this post and your others. I am still having difficulty on finding key items that will sell without breaking the bank initially for me. There are so many products out there that it get really frustrating. If possible could I get some leads that will give me the momentum needed to start of on this journey

  540. Hi Will,
    Thank you so much for your useful information. Can I keep in touch with you by your personal email ? I’d like to ask some questions about business.

  541. Hi , i just want to say that this 2 gentelman know what they talking about !
    I like your site and your advise. I deal with chinese people since `95 and i can confirm anything you advise here. D’ont bargain with them BUT check the items very well …be friendly and understand that 90% of the time price reflect quality . I start with jewellery ( cheap one ) and i made a Killing , but you have to control products because the chinese have another vision about a material, size , defect , and they are very approximative in general. I now deal in fashion ( ladys dress , belt , bags, sunglasses , caps and more ) i have a shop and i do good money selling 5 to 10 time my purchase cost BUT i have to check quality ALWAYS ! Even if i deal with the same people since years i cannot trust them and i have Always to check piece by piece ,if i don’t want surprise…Dealing with them is great as long as you don’t make to many stories and you know what you are doing .
    Thanks a lot for the post i really enjoy reading.
    P.s. to all the people starting a biz with China , you can make good money but don’t go big right away , start slow , understand , and then scale it up BUT Always be aware and keep 2 eyes open .That’s biz after all….

  542. Hi, thanks for the Article but I have a question.
    How many things can I import from china and don’t have problems with U.S. Customs.

  543. Hi Will,
    Thank you very much Mate for sharing your tips, how tos, to dos and not to dos on your blog re; importing items. While i was reading this blog I feel im destined for success. It seems i have pretty much covered 90% of what you have explained. So you blog was more like a validation for me that im heading down the right path. The only 2 things i could see which i didn’t do was buy a sample from 2- 5 suppliers and and i have selected a semi- electrical device [it has gained a lot of interest however]…i did test the single sample and it has proven to be very good…that said…My first method of reselling was to go direct to industry related businesses for the product and also asked friends who were interested to jump on board by offering them a wholesale price to which they had a decent amount of room to earn as well…to my surprise most were very keen to help my business grow and excited to resell the item.
    It would be great to hear from you and any feedback you may have with what i have written.
    Regards, Troy
    Sydney Australia

  544. I have been absorbing your information for the past two days and will continue to do so. One of the subjects I wanted to be sure of is only use “PayPal” to begin with.

    Regards,
    Pete

  545. hi will.in the things not to do,you said not to give these suppliers your personal e-mail.is that from the supplier or suppliers you getting the your goods from. thank you.

  546. Hello Will,

    I’m in the process of launching my own Custom Neon Sign company called Neon Chic. I just formed my LLC, working with a few possible suppliers now in China. One in which is building one sample out for me now. Once the order is placed the Sign takes 4 weeks to create and another two weeks to ship by boat.

    Not exactly an easy 1,2,3 product but I’m passionate about this so I’m willing to go the extra mile to assure this is going to work for me. I have a few questions below if you don’t mind looking at

    Questions:

    Shipping: I’m currently having the supplier send products to nearby port in Long Beach. I’m having it shipped there instead of my location to cut cost down in the beginning. Neon Signs are not small objects so this has been a pain in regards to having to drive, rent a large U haul and transport it to my home location ( garage) I’m hoping that at some point I can find a company that will be able to handle the packaging a shipping once the product hits the US. Is there a point where I should start looking for this to be done???

    Supply and demand: My biggest fear is that I’m spending a good amount of time creating this brand ( Neon Chic) getting the website built beautifully, Taking great product shots, top logo design, etc that I wont be able to fill orders out the gate and prospective customers will not be happy. This could hopefully be a huge success based on the uniqueness of the custom signs I’m creating I can’t have this be an issue so I need to try and avoid this in anyways possible

    How many products should I order at a time? I have designed 10 custom neon signs with different meanings . How can I prepare myself if I do get multiple orders at once ?

    Paypal
    I must say this is a great takeaway. I have submitted my first order for a sample last week and was forced to go through Western Union and pay a $50.00 fee just to transfer the funds to an account in China. The supplier only provided me the name of the women that the money needed to be sent too and Id#

    This was scary to me because not only was this my first time I was paying a total of $450 in just shipping changes grand total $590 for the product and shipping. What is the best way for me to request my future supplier to take Paypal??

    Negotiating Sample and product price
    How much should I suggest they built the sample for considering it only costs $87 USD to make. She charged me $97

    Thanks again Will,

    Best regards
    Fahad Alshahrani

  547. hello
    i glad to read this article . it is great .
    but i have question . how can buy from Alibaba then sell in Ebay or Amazon with out shipping to me . because the cost of shipping in my
    is very high .

    thank you

  548. Hi there, Its very interesting article and valuable knowledge, really enjoyed reading. Thanks for sharing.
    I just started in this import and export business. Just recently got problem, one of the supplier asked “express No” i don’t know what it means, can you tell me if you know what they are asking and they are from aliexpress. all i asked for some samples thats all.

  549. Clear, concise advice. The wealth of experience and knowledge of the ecommerce market is invaluable. massive thank you
    Clare

  550. Very well done, so much good info.
    The gist of what I have read (correct me if I’m wrong please) is to find a product and try to sell it for less than what everyone else is selling it for? Unless you are inventing a product, the product is already being sold by someone, somewhere, therefore to get part of their customers/market share you must sell the same for less as it is highly unlikely you will find a new place/market for the product. Certainly if you q.a. your shipment, provide better service etc that helps but in the very beginning you won’t have that reputation until you make sales. Which to me means you must be cheaper.

  551. Wow…what a wealth of knowledge. Had many plans for the weekend. Now i am stuck and glued on every word. Hahaha! Going to open every link. Thanks a ton. Do you consult?

  552. Hi Will !!

    First of thanks a ton for sharing your experience with every one. Will, i am planning to start my own import business in india and woould like to work on the same platform suggested by you.
    In you earlier messages you mentioned that to start this thing better would be to order the product in the small quantity and i have the same view on that. But the problem is when i approached two three suppliers problem which i was facing that my product pricing is very less and the double is the shipping charges. Just because of this landing cost my product is cost reaches to high and in that price i wont be able to sell my product because product price is not competitive.

    So you suggest what should i do but tell me a solution keeping in eye that first i am plannning to import with zero knowledge.

    Regards,
    Sandeep.

  553. So is importing no longer a cash flow stream for you and why or why not? I’m about to read the 2nd article and then go back and read the other links. If you answer this question in another link I will end up reading, please disregard and thank you for this info. I currently buy from thrift stores garage and resale shops and sell on offer up 5 mile AZ fb groups cl and eBay. Desperately trial-an-erroring my way to figure out what sells and what system(s) will work.

  554. Hi Will,

    I am interested in starting my own import/export business and thank you for sharing your experience. Why would you not recommend buying a product from China at a low price and sell in US? The example would be coffee cups that have brass knuckles for the handle. Would I have to be an affiliate of that company to sell their product to local coffee shops?

    Thank you,

  555. hi i was reading your web page and i learned alot.i have been ordering fr aliexpress now for about 3 months.only had one bad experience so far.i would like to start selling at flea markets but i need a connections to some factorys in china i can start buying in more quantities. and mayb get a lower price then i get from the sellers. would u b able to send me some information on factories and how to contact them.im disable and im kn a fix income i would like totry and start a little business and hopefully be successful. thank you.any information and advise would b participated. thank u

  556. Hey dude. I’m seriously thinking of buying and selling, I simply typed in google “most profitable product to sell on the Internet” and you were at the top. Just wanted to tell you how helpful and interesting this was for me to read. I had a business that didn’t work out but reading what you wrote has helped me understand what I need to do in this market.
    Thank you
    Rich Hannah

  557. Hi Guys, I am a second year Gold supplier on Alibaba (Go Pro Now Ltd)
    its so great to see so many people still excited about importing. I have been doing it for twenty years and still get a buzz out of trying new things. 15 years ago I set up a web site selling watches. These were all Chinese made but nice finish and sold well. The problem is trying to get the value of the non branded piece appreciated by the customer. So recently I decided to go back into watches (just a little toe dipping exercise) and I hunted down 3 licensed Tissot dealers. One in Hong Kong, one in Sydney and one in the USA. Why Tissot I hear you ask? well they are a great mid range watch, have a high customer value and look great. I decided to go with the supplier in Sydney so I could avoid the import duty and put a few on EBay to see how they went after making sure there was a middle gap to make some $$ after the high fees ebay set. Well I sold them all over a 10 day period and cleared after fees 925.00 in profit. The cost of the investment was 964+tax but I claim tax back being a business. I plan to build on this and now have some Burberry and Armani moving through as well. The point of this is to show you that you can find something in your back yard that you can make money on. Look for a branded product you can buy locally from big importers. It saves you the hassle of all the associated paperwork and you get the benefit of their buying power. So look me up on Alibaba and say G’day!
    Cheers
    Jim

  558. Hi Will and other readers,

    Thanks for the great post with heaps of useful information. Interesting to find my go to for buying from China, Alibaba or Aliexpress, in your tips.
    Guess I’m on the right track!

    I found a website that is posting the best Aliexpress products recently and it has cut out most of my researching time. I thought it may interest you or your readers http://thieve.co/

    You still buy through Aliexpress but I find I now spend way less time finding good products for good prices!

    Thanks again!
    Mike

  559. Hi Mitchell,

    First of all I would like to say this was an amazing article! Thank you for sharing all these information.
    I’m struggling with finding a product to import. I live in Ottawa Canada. Please advice. Thanks!
    Dilshan

  560. Hey! I was SO happy to stumble upon this article! I am currently living in China, teaching, but have had this GRAND and simple plan of having digitally printed leggings/swimsuits/simple stretchy dresses made here and sell them on Amazon. I don’t want to go into specifics, but reading this makes me think I may be onto something! These prints could be considered copy wright no-no’s, but, since I’m in the land of ‘who’s gonna do something about that, really…?’ I’m wondering if that’s an issue. I’d love to ask you a few questions, but don’t want to in a public setting. If you have time/interest to send me an email I would be SO STOKED! Thanks!

    • Kevilina,
      your plan sound great up to the point about who cares about copyright.
      If you infringe a copyright particularly a powerful companies one they will hunt you down no matter where you are. If they cant find you they will go for your customers. There’s so much out there you just need to look a little more in depth and choose something that’s not going to come and bite you later.
      Regards
      Jim

  561. Hey Mitchell,

    I can definitely say that it’s an inspiring, and useful article without any doubt. Thanks for sharing your experiences in order to help people to noll fall into the same mistakes. This url link is now in my bookmarks to be honest. I just wonder to learn how to buy some goods from AliBaba without a company brand. I know it’s B2B, but is there any way to do that?

    Many thanks.

  562. Great article. I do online sales of gently used clothing and sports memorabilia. I’ve decided to take the plunge and have been looking to import. I’ve identified a few products and have samples on the way. A few of them have payment terms as T/T. Is this something I should avoid and stick strictly with PayPal?

    Thanks!

    • It depends on your risk tolerance and how much you trust the supplier. Without protection there is always the chance you get burned.

  563. Hey Will! annnnddd now there will be no sleeping for me! This article excites me. 🙂 Can you explain escrow to me please? I understand what it means in terms of my mortgage (and maybe it’s a similar thing, I don’t know, but I am going to play stupid here), but I am confused as to how it is used in this context. Also, I am doing some simple, getting my feet wet, research and noticed that one product I thought of is being sold on Amazon by it’s manufacturer only and no one else. Does Amazon have special contracts with certain manufacturers to allow the sales of products only produced by it’s sole manufacturer?

    Thanks for all this information! I seriously have NOT been this excited about starting something in a long time! I can’t believe you guys post this information for free. It’s nice to know there are good people out there willing to help people they don’t even know for nothing. I’ll definitely be paying it forward somehow. THANK YOU! 🙂

  564. Everything is very open with a really clear explanation of the challenges.
    It was really informative. Your site is useful. Many thanks for sharing!

  565. Read this a while ago, maybe one or two years. Come to reading it again and it is such a great article. Perfect advice for anyone starting out and I will definitely be following it.
    Thank you!

  566. I must admit, reading through this article got me thinking and re-evaluating my present situation. Great article mate *thumbs up*.

    I ventured into this importing business way back in 2004 to 2007 in London when I was in college. I must say i made alot of money selling Gucci shoes, Ghd hair straighteners, Nike shoes and other stuffs. Honestly, then i didn’t know they were not authentic until i started getting lawsuit letters and my items getting banned on ebay, despite that my customers were always satisfied.

    Anyway, that was then and now it now. I am seriously looking to going back into importing business, to deal on authentic and genuine items with the hope of owning a branded business someday. But my major challenge is that, I have since moved to Africa as a result of my job.

    Is there any advice you can give to me to tackle the Africa market knowing that there are a lot of individuals in importation businesses here.

    Thanks!

  567. The reason I haven’t started anything (I’m in Canada but I’m sure there are similar things in the US) is because of all the legal paperwork that keeps bringing me down. Before I can even start looking at products there is;
    1. Getting a Business number
    2. Business Name registration
    3. Import-export program account
    4. Product insurance
    5. Customs broker (Unless you do it yourself which is another whole ton of work step list here: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/guide-eng.html )
    I could go on and on.

    Yeah sure maybe you could a few items shipped and they might think your buying for yourself and get past customs. But how long will that last before you get caught or get sued because someone stabbed themselves with the fork you were selling on amazon etc etc.

  568. Thank you! This method is golden… We have flipped our affiliate money we have been saving since early 2010 into some serious money using this method.
    Just tip: Use this method as a rough guide. it works as it is. But you need to climb the ladder and get as far to the top as possible.

    Basically, we are now buying wholesale directly from the manufacture and selling to vendors on alibaba, DH Gate, Made-In-China, etc. as suppliers. All this while still profiting on Ebay and Amazon. Never stop!

    Thanks again for the guide. You have really helped us achieve success in our new business.

  569. Great article thx for posting just starting out in the business a lot of great info
    Thx Bob

  570. Hi Will,
    Thank you for this very helpful blog.
    I am interested in your input on how to contact buyers locally. I am interested in buying LED lights for cars and sell initially to car body shops locally.
    I appreciate your prompt response and thank you again!
    http://www.Komercoinc.com

  571. Wow, marvelous weblog layout! How lengthy have you been blogging for?
    you make running a blog glance easy. The full glance
    of your site is fantastic, as smartly as the content material!

  572. Great article!

    However, it did bring me to one question. You discuss buying samples from these companies to ensure the items you may purchase are of good quality, etc. Despite this, I’ve noticed that many companies want to charge anywhere from $23 TO $50 in shipping costs. Therefore, if I’m only ordering one or two sample pieces, this ends up costing me quite a bit just to see if I like something.

    How did you negate this when ordering 3 to 5 samples at a time?

  573. Last year, I sold some items on ebay as an affiliate – to be exact, a seller hired me to sell her items as there is a limit on the number of items a seller can sell on ebay. But some customers found out they are counterfeit. So I have stopped selling on ebay any more. I wonder if I can do the same for you.

  574. Your advice has helped me decide on my path in life. It has been of the utmost help to me and can’t thank you enough.

  575. Fantastic article and webinar!
    Do you have any Australian client success stories?

    • A ton! Australia is one of the three biggest non-US countries for clients. (The others being UK and Canada.) A ton of people do really well Down Under 😀

  576. Good stuff. Its all about a niche for sure. This has been on my mind importing and selling. I have a great career and a side service business. My curious and creative brain knows there is more.
    Thanks for the quick info and motivation!

  577. Hey, I noticed that most shipping required a very expensive cost for shipping. Is there a way to get free shipping either on samples and regular small/bulk orders ?

    I appreciate the article very much and thank you very much.

  578. G’day Mate!!!!!
    Love your website. what motivated you to set up a website to help others? what’s in it for you? Don’t get me wrong, I am very grateful!!!!!
    I am in Australia and need an online business idea.
    I am willing to try anything but don’t want to lose the little savings I have.
    Any suggestions?
    Thanking you in advance, Chrissy

  579. Hi startupbros!

    Great website. So much info, and for free 😀

    I’m at the stage where I’m ordering samples and the manufacturers want $50+ for freight! Is this normal? Or are they just trying to see how foolish I am with my money. I’m only looking at small items.

    Thanks,
    Siobhan

  580. What if I cant get paypal or a bank account- any other paying methods?

  581. Hi Startup Bros. I love the information you provided in this article. Its such good information that I had to bookmark it, to reference back and forth. I’m still having issues with properly researching my items. I’m looking at grip tape for skateboards, oven gloves and Kinesiology Tape. I have no knowledge in these fields. I’ve been looking at Amazon, Ebay and Alibaba. Any suggestion will help.

  582. Mr. Will Mitchel plz I would want you to give me a personal training and direction on how to import safely from China. I jst graduated from school and have a big passion for business. I reside in Nigeria. Thanks for you reply.

  583. Hi,
    thank u about this article,
    i want to ask you something, i live in israel, so what can i do? because u write in the article to ship to me and after that to ship to the customer that i selling to him, and you for sure live in USA and if you are to send the product it will come sooner than i will send something, so what can i do?

  584. Thank you for all the info. I’m wanting to import from OZ. Finding info is hard!. Thanks again! 😉

  585. Hello Will,

    Fabulous article!
    I am looking into starting an online boutique selling handbags, accessories etc.

    I would love it if we could chat. I have been researching manufacturers on alibaba and you have provided excellent advice for the appropriate steps to take. Thank you kindly and I hope we can chat in the near future 🙂
    Armaveni

    • That’s great Armaveni! I hope you make it to our free live training on this on the 6th!

      startupbros.com/importing-empire-online-event

  586. is these information still apply to 2015? or something changed. i guess my question is if these information is outdated now 2 years after or no…?

  587. Hi thank you so much it is very valuable to me all that is written. I dont have a website and not computer savy but other than that quite wise enough to know yr words are true and valuable. I wanted to start a business as I have natural Talend to pick good things and yr article is very good.
    what made u part with this knowledge I wonder? Mostly people wouldn’t? Unless u r a good soul? Thank you from my heart. God bless u

  588. Hi,

    Great article! I have dabbled a little on Alibaba but mostly with the wholesale side. I recently read your article and started stripping my searches down to Gold Suppliers only, but Ive found it a little difficult to find many Gold suppliers who take Paypal. Most are T/T L/C Haven’t done huge shipments from China since we dabbled in the knockoff market in shoes until Ebay shut us down. we were using Western Union in the $2000 range per shipment. Luckily we never got scammed but that is still my biggest fear. Is Paypal the only way you would purchase a large order now even if they have the Trade Assurance Program?

    • Hello,everybody here,I’m Gavin,I found this blog occasionally.
      I am a supplier in China & I think Mr.Will Mitchell’s viewpoints are not 100% correct, at least many points I’m sure he is wrong !
      Firstly, I’m very surprised so much guys are confused the problems that we think they’re too simple & clear & normal. I’m writing this message is only for eliminating the misunderstanding between you&us, and for knowing more friends here. I don’t wish to get business here.
      1. Many good suppliers are not in Alibaba. The current Alibaba is not 10 years ago’s Alibaba. Many suppliers don’t like it.
      2. “Golden suppliers “in Alibaba don’t stand for ” they are good suppliers” . Anybody pay 20,000RMB per year to Alibaba, you can be Golden supplier.
      So,Golden suppliers only stand for they have money, don’t stand for they can supply good quality, good service, good transport.
      3. About Paypal, nobody like to use it in China. There are many reasons. I only say using Paypal or not, don’t care about the suppliers credit.
      4. I read some messages following this blog. I think I can answer almost questions. Because they’re too simple & normal for a professional supplier in China. If anybody have the questions, I’m glad to answer you.
      5. @Mr.Will Mitchell, I hope we can communicate each other.
      My email: [email protected]

      • I agree but nobody likes to ACCEPT paypal even in the US, it is needed to protect the buyer sometimes

        • Hello Kylie,
          I am now trying to make a deal through Alibaba but why they always charge so much for the sample?

  589. Just starting out with the import/e-commerce business. When ordering samples or product from a supplier, what address do you use for shipping – your home/business or a P.O. box?

    Thanks!

  590. Hi, I am sourcing product in China, they always ask me for shipping account which I don’t have. Could you tell me how can I create shipping account?

    Thanks!

    • if you want sample free, you should afford the shipping cost, and if you have your courier account, the delivery will be on your account.
      Then they will not ask for shipping cost from you.

  591. Hi will, great article! this might sound dumb but how does the shipping and handling work? A supplier is asking for $20 shipping on a $2 product. Would that $20 apply the same as if i ordered 100 units instead of 1? Or do they calculate it by quantity because paying $20 for S&H on a $2 product defeats the whole purpose. Any advice from you other readers is most welcome! =)

  592. Moreover, you talked about your clients ? If I become a client it means you do some consulting with me ? How can I become a client and what are the costs ? Thanks again !

  593. Thank you for your repply. Now I am a bit confused : should I sell on the Amazon.ca to canadians, or should I sell on Amazon.com to americans. If I sell to people in the US I am afraid of the shipping costs. Do you have any ideas about how to lower those costs while shipping from Canada to the US ?
    Thank you !

  594. Hello,
    If I live in Canada, can I find a way to ship to people in the US at a competitive rate ? The Canadian Amazon is not interesting, so can I still follow the advgices you give and succeed even if I am in Canada ?

    • Hi Meryem,

      Absolutely! Actually, some of our more successful clients live in Canada. This method can be used anywhere in the world. It’s just a matter of selling into countries with healthy markets.

  595. Hi Will!
    Thanks very much for a very informative blog which I read it again and again when I work with my start-up project. Yet a question raised for me in the legal aspects. Since we just start the business with small stock shipped from China, can you suggest a company who are willing to handle the importing procedure for us?
    For example, DHL/ Fed-ex, can they handle this matter and is it mandatory that we must be a company to import the goods to US?
    Thanks very much!
    Chloe

    • A lot of times you can use your supplier’s shipping account for the first several orders. Flexport is great for handling customs and stuff like that.

      • Thank Kyle for your advice?
        Can you share a draft estimation of how much percentage the shipping and custom will contribute to our cost in your experience?

  596. I really like what you guys tend to be up too. This type of clever work and exposure!
    Keep up the good works guys I’ve included you guys to our blogroll.

  597. hey guys, how do i get into the workbook spread sheet. what do i have to do??

  598. I placed a reasonably small order from a seller I found on alibaba. I communicated with them through my personal email and after an exchange of about 40 emails we made a deal. I sent them my payment…less than 500 bucks.This was to cover the order and shipping thru DHL. They sent me tracking number which does not work. I contacted my seller only to have my email bounce back as undelivered. This happened 3 times. I went back to Alibaba and used the contact option only to receive a new quote (lower price btw) from a different agent name. I tried my original contact email a 4th time and found success. I was told that my order was in customs not to worry. That was 3 days ago. I just now contacted seller for an update and received this in response.

    Dear Vikki,
    So sorry to inform you of your orders were hold in customs. And you need to pay for tariffes. I am dealing with it these days. I can’t encounter the issue just like your order situation, i am feel sorry for you. I have paid 80% tariffe with my last salary and commision, but still don’t enough. Would you pls pay for 20% for yourself, that is $ 180. Customs will release your orders when you pay for $180. So sorry for that. How about your opinion about it???? Looking forward to your reply,tks
    best wishes
    celia

    So…just tell me…I can take it. I am screwed right? What do I need to next? I am determined to make this a success so quitting is not an option for me. I believe we live and learn. Any advice guys?

    • Tell me you used Paypal or Escrow? If you did you are covered by what seems to me like a scammer. If you didn’t you are right, it is a hard lesson you will have learned from.

  599. I have to say this is the best article I’ve read, by far, on importing from Alibaba. One tip I can give that I don’t think has been brought up yet: If you have any computer/design/engineering skills offer to work with the Chinese for a while. They pay comparable or more than US firms and you will pick up on how to talk and deal with them VERY quickly. I was fortunate enough to have this kind of opportunity but it is really not hard, having a US trained engineers on staff is almost a status symbol for the larger companies and will open a lot of doors, if you can’t find the products you need with the family you work with (They tend to be extremely oriented toward family ties in business), then you will learn how to present yourself to other manufacturers.

    Also: It’s worth noting you are selling your story and your company to a manufacturer, even though you are technically their customer you can never forget this.

    Will: I’ve been a fan a long time, keep it up ’cause most the entrepreneur blogs lose sight of what’s real.

  600. What type of ebay account should I use to sell? I already have a personal account tho. And do i need to get a license to sell on ebay like sell alot on ebay? What happens when the tax filing comes? Youre suppose to report everything on irs right.

  601. yes i stardet and i find suppliers and their sent my quotations and i am waiting to sent my crt catalog but i dont know with wat price i will list product in ebay amzon etc tell my how i now and supplier to sent price of product and charge of me

  602. hey I’ve come accross this chinese supplier he doesn’t accept paypal nor escrow. BUT he is a 9 year gold supplier has complete assessments and I CAN’T find anything on google that says that they have scammed anyone. nor have their names been listed at alibaba scammers . they are true manufacturers so should I go for it. My heart tells me yes even though it’s gonna be my first time transacting not through paypal

  603. When your importing do you have to pay huge shipping costs on top of the per item rate for products? Just curious about what I should expect in that area of it. Thanks for the great article!

  604. hey.. i have question…if anyone can answer it for me, will be highly appreciate that…
    i have listed up a hoodie for sale (auction starting at o.99c)
    starting at sat 5pm for 10 days . didnt get a single bid for 10 days.

    next time i came up with a mountain bike (used) perfect condition.. good photographs…but no bids again..

    is it because i am new on ebay and i dont have much reviews?
    i have just one positive feedback from a seller .

  605. Thank you so much for sharing all of this information. I have found a cell phone accessory I would like to sell at craft fairs, trade days ect.. What are the legalities of selling a product I purchased from China then re-selling it – do I need to know what company made the actual product – would I be violating any copyrighting/patent/royalties another company may have? If the accessory happens to be a fake/nock off are the any laws I would be breaking? Thank you in advance for your assistance.

  606. Wow, great read!! So helpful.

    I’m ready to order my first product from China soon. I have a very tight budget starting out. Can you give me a few ideas of small items I could get for under $4.00 (cost, plus shipping) and turn around and sell for 13 – 17 bucks? Right now, I’m looking at water bottles, a lot of different silicone products and small kitchen items.

    Thanks!! I would appreciate your reply. 😉

  607. Thank you very much for sharing your experience online, really i found the way to start the business with this blog. Kindly let me know how can i reach you in terms of business queries. Thank you.

  608. Hi, thank you so much for helping our and writing this blog. it really helped me out A LOT! I do have one problem though and i’m sure i’m not the only one. I can’t seem to be finding an item to sell. I don’t know where to start. I looked through the amazon movers and shakers, but it’s really hard to find any of those items on Alibaba.
    Looking forward to hearing from you! thanks again, Meir

  609. Wow, super helpful article! Thank you! I am Amazon FBA seller and just starting my import business. I’m on a very tight budget…would you mind giving me some ideas of products to start with for less than a buck? 😉

  610. Thank you for sharing! I’m in the start up process right now of looking for a good niche, going back and forth between beauty products and jewelry. This article has been very inspirational 🙂

  611. You can request for the FREE copy of this CD at and make your business grow from an acorn to
    a mighty oak. When setting up a description on You – Tube, place your URL
    at the start. The main issue is, nobody is all SEO experts,
    exactly how should we optimize our sites for SEO when we hardly understand it ourselves.

  612. Hi will, i would like to know if you ever ordered in bulk like 10000 items for instance, how it was delivered and how did you go pick up the stuff?

  613. what about these barcodes? Do I need a barcode or upc to sell these items. I do not have a upc of my own.

  614. Thank you for this article! I have a question about shipping from China. I have ordered my product, and the supplier asked for my FedEx number so they can ship it to me. Do you have any idea what they are asking for? Do I need to sign up for a certain FedEx account or something? Please help me, I’m stuck! Thank you!

  615. very nice article. I am an entrepreneur myself, i have been to china, i currently am importing from China, i sell on ebay, my 7th account 😉 and amazon, I also have 3 retail kiosks in the mall, I have some really great ideas and i am looking to work or collaborate with some like minded people. I would like to talk to you and pick your brain and you can do the same. send me an email if you are interested. Thanks.

    • Hey George im intrested in speaking with you about business opportunity, I’m located in the US and by business partener in guangzhou China.

  616. Hi Will,

    Enjoyed reading the article..very excited to read the follow up. However, one thing that’s intriguing is – how/why did you lose money ‘most’ of your money in other future ventures? Didn’t the 2 – 3 years of solid build up experience teach/protect you from failures in the future ventures? I’m not a very risk taking person, I’m trying to understand what/how went wrong in your subsequent ventures, which made you lose most of the money.

    Thanks much in advance for sharing your knowledge and experience!

  617. Hi Will. Thanks for this amazing article…answered a lot of questions. Could you give me a ballpark timeline on how long it takes for an order to arrive from across the seas to the midwest? And approx. how much it cost for your initial orders from your article here. Like if I ordered 30 coffee mugs?

  618. Hi Will, I am just contemplating doing some business on Amazon and have been following your advise to find the best product to sell but I am overwhelmed, can you help with any one product to I could start with?

    Thank you

    James

  619. Do you have to have a DBA to start up on alibaba? Is there anyway around this??

  620. Hi Will,

    First of all, I gotta say really enjoyed reading your insight and thanks for sharing it.

    My question is when you request a sample of simple product should I expect the supplier to pay for everything including shipping?

    Are there any key words that really grab attention of these Asian suppliers.

    Let me know.

    Thanks

  621. Hello! Awesome info. There is a product I am very interested in working with but cannot find any on alibaba with a gold member standard nor a verified supplier status. I am so frustrated bc I really want to order this product. I have emailed an unverified supplier in S Korea explaining my lack of confidence. Any ideas? THANK YOU!! Looking forward to the webinar!

  622. HI
    THIS IS AREALY INTERSTING AND HELPFULL ARTICLE . I AM ALSO DOING SOME WORK TO START MY ONLINE BUSINESS AND WAS LOOKING FOR SOME IMPROTANT POINTS. THIS ARTICLE IS VERY HELPFULL.

  623. Hi Will, great read! Inspirational in fact!
    I’m english and it’s maybe an American expression but I’m not really understanding the “low-ball to anchor the price” comment. Do you mean go in lower than you are prepared to pay so they can bid you up and feel they’ve won??
    I’ve booked on the trading session so looking forward to that.
    Many thanks
    Jill

    • Hi will, great article! this might sound dumb but how does the shipping and handling work? A supplier is asking for $20 shipping on a $2 product. Would that $20 apply the same as if i ordered 100 units instead of 1? Or do they calculate it by quantity because paying $20 for S&H on a $2 product defeats the whole purpose. Any advice from you other readers is most welcome! =)

  624. Hello sir. I am very interested in this importing business but doesn’t have any idea where to start from even I don’t have any knowledge from the business registration to making our own business website. It would really really be very great if u guide me through and I am very eager to do this . Currently I am in Sydney australia

  625. Hello

    April 6, 2015 is a Monday guys, can you confirm please as I am intending watching – thanks!

  626. Hi Will,
    I’ve been following your articles, very interesting indeed. Awesome stuff.
    I have a start- up question. Do you need to purchase Windows Pro to legally operate your system?

    Cheers,

    Mike

  627. hello
    ihave ordered twice from aliexpress. haven’t received either order yet. I bought a small quanity- 10 of each item. I opted for “free shipping” and the product is in china. I am wondering if I order and pay for the Fed Ex shipping would they take the order more serious and would I get it?
    thanks please help
    really trying here

  628. Hello there, awesome article by the way. seriously. But i’ve got a question for you. It is about shipping fee. I really don’t get how private people at all can sell from ebay and make a profit. Lets say a german guy imports sunglasses and sell them for 10 dollars each. He buys them for 4 dollars and make a 6 dollars profit. Eventhough, here goes my question: if you are selling on ebay and the buyer is from any other country but german then the seller must ship the sunglass to the buyer and pay a ridiculous¨shipping fee? the shipping fee will be like 20 dollars+. but the profit was 6 dollars so now its 20-6=-14dollars? How are people doing this? this might be a stupid question but i really don’t get the logic here.

    /Mikkel

  629. Thank you so much Will.. Really I am so happy, Thank God for finding your article, it is really great help. I just want to know is fulfilment by amazon same as dropshipping? If yes, it is a good one and safe? Secondly if no, is it advantageous to use that system of course after having ordered samples and check then sending the shipments there?
    Thank you a lot for your assistance.. May God Bless u and Guide u.

  630. So you are only using Alibaba as a guide? You are not suggesting we purchase from their site?

  631. I have read your blog and would like to know more dealing with alibaba.com. please explain me about that.

  632. I come from a Chinese factory, we don’t accept PayPal just because the buyer protection in US. If a fraud order our products via PayPal and then open disputes, we get nothing even when we submit the evidence. To avoid the risk, you can choose C/C for large amount transfer.

  633. Great article, and i’ve read almost every comment and reply and learned a lot from this as well. I’ve been doing a lot of homework on importing products from China and this article and QnA in the comments has been the most useful.

    I am working on importing and branding stainless steel water bottles. My concerns are:

    1. Samples, product cost is $2-3 at MOQ yet they are asking $60 for 4 samples and another supplier is asking for $90. Seems unreasonable.
    2. For samples they are asking for courier account, should I ask them if I can pay PayPal? I noticed you address this a fair amount in your comments and say PayPal only, but I also saw that you said DHL is ok as well in a couple comments. I also see you mention “protect yourself” with Pay Pal a lot in your comments, can you explain this in comparison to a DHL account? How does PayPal “protect you”?
    3. You do not mention anything about hiring a quality control agent, which is something I read about getting for the production of a product, do have any thoughts on this?
    4. Should I expect the company to have a export license? Or do they typically have export agents?
    5. I see you mentioning the LLC for the company but more specifically for products with more liability. Would you recommend this for products of lesser liability like mine?
    6. In verifying the company, I learned that I should ask for customer testimonies or companies that they represent. A company I am looking at will not provide a customer list, should I be concerned?
    7. Should I only get products from the manufacturer, or do you think trade companies are acceptable as well. I was told to try to source only from the manufacturer, but it seems like the manufacturers I am considering are all Manufacturing/trade companies which I assume are also larger companies. Do you have any thoughts on this?

    Thank you and ALOHA from Hawaii.

    • Robert,
      a detailed question sheet so here goes the answers which will hopefully help you!
      1. Standard practice for the factories to ask for many times the worth of the product. This weeds out the buyers looking for freebies. Most factories will agree to refund the costs off your order when you place it.
      2. Courier account is pretty standard. I did however have a bad experiance with one company using my DHL account to send samples out at my cost. I normally ask for them to quote the shipping with the samples and pay both together.
      3.Quality control is a good thing if its a product that needs it. If your talking to a company that makes water bottles then I think the samples you check out should be ok to run with. You need to find out what grade of aluminium they use to make sure its a food grade one.
      4.If the factory does not have an export license then you will have to go through an agent. Down fall here is obviously another middle margin and some agents tend to deal with many factories so they may switch from one to another depending on the price they get.
      5. I’m based in Australia. I always incorporate a company for my business dealings as it gives me tax breaks on the VAT/GST when its applied to goods i import.
      6. I wouldn’t give out my customer base either. You might own a water bottle factory and try to undercut me!
      7.Go with the manufacturers when you can. Its a much cleaner deal when theres just the two of you in the mix.

      Heres a couple of factories for you to check out. Remember the golden rule, everyone needs to make money so be courteous toall that you deal with. As a 2nd year gold supplier myself I cant believe how rude some people are.
      http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/750ML-aluminum-water-bottle_1982317789.html?s=p
      http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/BSCI-Factory-Promotional-Aluminum-Water-Bottle_60125395901.html

      Both have FDA approval.

      Good luck
      Jim

  634. I like your program and have listened to your workshop training.
    My concern is that I live in Hawaii and shipping costs to the mainland add to the already high overseas shipping costs and customs brokerage.

    Any suggestions?

  635. Hi,

    Thanks for the Thread, found it more than Helpful !
    On the Alibaba website, some things may state, 100 Pieces & some may say 100 units –
    Please may you advise what these terms mean/stand for

    Thanks !!!!! James

  636. Hi I’m also researching importing some electronics products from asia. The problem I’m finding is this. Imagine an items costs 45 dollars. At the end of the road, the item will cost more than double that amount due to shipping, customs and taxes, VAT; etc… Then I still need to add a markup to be able to earn some cash.

    So let’s say the item’s real cost is actually 100 dollars (hardware value = 45 dollars), I can then sell it at 110 dollars to make a measily 10 dollars…. it gets even worse when you have to calculate in broken units. Customers expect excellent warrenty (replacing broken stuff) and that means every once in a while you’ll lose 100 dollars (the broken item) so that means you’ll need to sell 10 items just to break even. I don’t even calculate how much it would cost to send the units back to asia because that would really cost too much!

    Next, customers expect free (or extremely cheap) shipping. Loads of competitors offer it so here I am wondering how to even manage to get SOME profits going when I have to give it away in the form of free shipping…

    You could say, why not pump the price up to 120 dollars then? Well that’s easier said than done. At the price of 120 dollars, the customer will quickly run in the open arms of competitors with much better prices. I sometimes feel I have no chance but then again I don’t want to give up. There HAS to be a way to make ends meet no? Any advice? Have I chosen the wrong product? I can’t seem to find products with 100%+ markup, only around 10% because otherwise I would be too expensive!

  637. A further question,

    Is there much i need to think about with regards to VAT, Customs, Duty or any other tax ?
    Or can i literally just Buy from a supplier, get it here & sell it via which ever channel i choose?

    Thanks YOU !
    Vince – UK Based

  638. Hi, Great stuff. This seems a very good idea with some hard work and good ideas !!

    My question is, is Albiba good to use for me being in the UK. Or any alternatives you know of which are good for the UK ?

    Thanks
    Vince

  639. Very well done on the business opportunity. Iam allittle skeptical though. The prices on the electronics are just really hard to believe. In your experience are the phones,TV’s,laptops,notebooks,what have ya. Is that stuff lagit???

  640. I have a good supplier of stuff (led lights), I need to make something I designed.
    Only thing, I need to have a factory put it together (Sewing) for me .
    So I can sell my thing on amazon/ website and not be back ordered. I can put together my self but not for many orders.
    Any suggestions you could give me would be much appreciated. Thanks

  641. Will you please email me and let me know how I can order things from Alibaba? I want to try using T/T, but I do not know exactly how to place an order except maybe message the supplier and let them know to help me place an order.

  642. Hi Will,

    Thank you for posting this article. This is really an amazing article that I was searching for long time. Still I had not started anything, but searching for more information to make myself clear and finally landed here.

    The things whatever you said here is more understandable.

    I always used to think about one thing in all kind of business.
    “IF US, WHY NOT THEM?”
    If we are buying from suppliers and selling at higher cost to make profit means, why wont the suppliers sell by themselves directly to the customer to make a good profit? Waiting for your answer.

    Thanks once again.

  643. HI,

    Great article. Reading this at 2.00 in the morning.

    I am struggling with what to sell in the UK. I seems that many sellers on ebay/Amazon are undercutting everyone by selling for 99p. What products do you think are worth looking at?

    Thanks

  644. Hey will,

    I was just wondering how you make a company name as alibaba is asking me to put one in. is it possible for a 16 year old to create a legit one or did you use other means?

  645. Hi Will,

    Thanks for the great article.
    I had a couple of follow up questions and it would be great to hear your advice:
    – Where you incorporated as a company or did you pursue this business as a private person? And if yes how was it possible?
    – I don’t know how it is in America but in Europe we have to consider custom taxes and VAT when importing goods from outside the EU. Was it the case for you and how did you manage still to make good profits?

    Thanks!

  646. Will,

    I just read your blog from the start, then I got to the point where you mentioned you were 16, I am really impressed. You are quite amazing and considering you had no one to help you it makes it even more impressive.

    Well done and keep at it, you are an inspiring chap!

  647. My question is about marketing. You didn’t really go into detail about what exactly you do to market and also you talked about coupons and promo. Where do you get these coupons or where they just coupons you created yourself? Thirdly. At what point did you create your own site to sell through?

  648. The best. What you think about sale of mobile phone? have one supplier of iphones 6 per $169 genuine.
    Thanks.
    Mario Castro

  649. Hello,

    This article is an AWESOME READ! I’m trying to find something my wife can do from home so she doesn’t have to work. Thanks for these tips and your valuable insight.

  650. Hi Will,

    Thanks a lot for you post. I found it very useful! Very powerful article!
    Have few question for you if you have a time for respond, please.

    I am from Ukraine and have some understanding of how importing and sales works in my country but I don’t know at all how it works in USA. I want to research this because I’m planning to move to Canada and want to build smth similar there.
    1) Taxes. As I understand that is very critical and accurate thing in USA/Canada. For example, in Ukraine, everybody tries to avoid paying taxes and the system is so bad and buggy so it easily allows working “in grey”. So you can work with cash up to rather big values – let’s say you can buy your own house and several sport cars having almost zero in your bank account’s cash-flow. So my question is – how this organized in importing + eBay/Amazon business? Is taxes handled in eBay/Amazon or Paypal account automatically or how? What should I do to avoid jail in a new country? =))) sorry if the question is very silly, just everybody in my country knows that taxes and laws in USA/Canada is tough =)
    2) Limits. Are there any limits to work with Importing+ebay+paypal – can I earn a lot using this simple (I suggest it is simplest) scheme? Let’s say – will this work for turnover = $5000 and income $1000 per week? If yes, then what about turnover $15000 and income $3000 per week? Or I should create unlimited LLC and all other stuff like office, registration, fees etc?

    Thank you very much for you post again, hope you can find few minutes for answering me.
    Regards,
    Ivan

    • how many auctions were you running when you were selling 50 a day and how many auctions did you run consecutiveely for the same product?

        • Hey Will

          I would like to thank you very much for your great insight into this,actually i was inspired by your post to start my own blog as i have been doing this as a full time job for the past 5 years,if you would allow me to share a link to my blog i will really appreciate it, i share tips and advice for those who want to import as well and don;t know where to start.

          • YEAH SIR PLEASE SHARE YOUR BLOG, ACTUALLY I WANT TO START IMPORTS FROM CHINA. CAN YOU SHARE THE TIPS AS YOU KNOW. I AM FROM PAKISTAN

  651. Hi

    I have several questions! Specially regarding shipping costs/options and what kind of margins did u keep for your products in order to make a decent profit. I am planning to import home decor accessories and I can not start with 500 and 1000 pieces. And prices on Alibaba are pretty steep if I add the shipping and customs duty costs here in india. Any thoughts? Thanks

  652. Hi,

    Thanks for this post. I have 10,000 feedback on ebay selling homewares etc however my uk based supplier has decided to create about 10 different fake profiles on ebay and has undercut me and other buyers and has quickly built 150,000 feedback ‘under the radar’ so his larger customers (ie amazon) do not know that he is competing with them directly! I would do the same myself to be fair but I was really struggling to compete and eventually gave up trying to sell these goods and eventually sold all my stock (some of it at a loss to just get rid of it)!

    I have stumbled across some goods I picked up at an auction and sold them quickly on ebay making decent money..as a result I have now managed to source the products on Alibaba from gold supplier, have recently had samples delivered and I am happy with price/impressed with the quality. These goods are from a branded US company so I would imagine they are ‘copies’ as they are coming from China however they are identical to the ones I have already sold without 1 single concern so I am happy to proceed if there is money to be made. I have made contact with shipping company who will deal with the import for me and once they arrive in UK I can uplift the goods in my box van (few runs to storage!) and they are located only a few miles away!

    My questions are:
    1) Qty v Price issue/question?
    The supplier has quoted a very good price for 20ft container (800 case) ..i can buy for £5.00 case and sell at £72 (superb mark up) however this is slightly risky as I don’t want to order enough stock that will last me 10 years if they don’t shift quickly!!…his price for smaller qty is almost 3 times higher so the maths suggest I should just take the risk as would be getting extra 3rd stock for same overall price really? What would you suggest?

    2) Payment of goods?
    I paid my gold supplier for the samples/shipment of samples through paypal. Should I insist on paying for the goods with paypal? Should I ask for terms or just agree to pay all in advance? Should I ask for a pro-forma invoice and is there anything else I should do/agree on to help the negociations run smoothly?

    Although the overall amount of money is not too large (£3000) I still want to make sure I operate sensibly here as wouldn’t like to send £3000 to foreign lands for nothing!!!

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Stephen F

    I will keep in touch with you and will get back to you with any questions.

  653. My one friend got it some kind of trouble doing this kind of business.
    My one simple question is legal without paying anything like tax thing or we pay that somewhere???

  654. Is it the same steps if I want to import items to supply hotels, restaurant etc. Have anyone done this before?

  655. Great article and very sound advice i am going to try my luck or should I say plan well to succeed using your ecperience

  656. Hi,
    I have a question for you. Recently, I am trying to ask for a sample products, the products only cost $4 but the shipping cost is $30. does it sound right? do they usually offer free shipping ?
    thanks

  657. Hi
    I have one quick question that confuses me all the time, so how do you deal with the bar code issue? Do I really need a bar code if I sell things on amazon?
    Thank you!

  658. I am at the point where I have found a few products I’m confident will yield a healthy return.

    My question pertains to logistics. Will the supplier ship a sample right to my door? At what point do I need to start incorporating a courier service, freight forwarding, etc.. and dealing with CBP?

    Thank you, you guys are awesome!!

  659. Hi

    I like the content of your blog as it is easy to imbibe and informative. I am from Delhi , India and I want to import some niche product from alibaba china. It is cost effective as far as rings etc are concerned and I can expect some profit margins but when it comes to handbags or jackets etc I do not see any profit margin for me.For eg if I purchase 1 smartwatch fully loaded it is costing around 70 USD including all costs , but there are already sellers who are selling same or even better stuff at same or frctionally lower rates so why people will buy from me. Same goes for handbags , clothes etc…. in a local market here I can purchase 1 handbag for around 8 USD and I can get discount if I buy in bulk so what is the benefit of sourcing from alibaba and going through all that complexities of customs etc…and as far as local chinese goods are concerned they are not known for quality or durability … so is it actually profitable to source via alibaba and then reselling it..

  660. Dear will,

    I am justin from vancouver, canada.
    My idea is to import car dvr .Selleres quoted me 17.3 usd/pc for 100 pieces a particular model.

    The same model is being sold for 44 cad on e bay by a seller from china

    What do you think will be a good price to buy 100 pieces for start?

    Thanks, awaiting your reply

  661. Thanks for the information i have plan to starting importing staff this year but i have been wondering what products can give me good returns.Iam from Nairobi Kenya and a lady .Iam hoping to raise a capital of 10000 $ .I have been thinking may be i can start with phones accessory because i have someone who can supply but as i wait for the release of my finance i just hope i can get a clear direction and be sure.

  662. I am interested in going into the import business but I can’t decide which product I should try to market.

  663. hi ,
    I had started Chinese import since 3 years but none of the product I feel is getting me profit as I see many things from China are imported here on large scale and I live in a town where still people are not aware or they buy from bug cities. I would like to start my business of furniture and other small gift items. Please if u could let me know some suppliers from gaungzhou.
    Thank you for your time.

  664. Nice to see that every person has to struggle and very few reach destination. However we can try rather than to sit and watch the ship sailing. Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst.

  665. hi will

    i am delighted to have read through your experience !

    i am based in south africa and would very much like to do the same. will i need a import licence ?

    rgds,
    melinda

  666. Hi, I’ve been thinking of doing this with IPHONES but I don’t really want to take the risk of them being counterfeit items, is there any sellers you would recommend and any products in particular you’d recommend?

    • Counterfeits are a bad idea… counterfeit iPhones are a REALLY bad idea.

      Follow Will’s instructions for product research and finding suppliers above.

  667. Hi
    Really liked your article. The information is so valuable. I have communicated with a seller of a product through Alibaba and they have shipped my sample and it is in route. I have established a new LLC, and a new website for this young business and I am planning on importing a specific type of sock to USA to sell. I would very much appreciate your input.
    My question for you is: Are there any regulations and/or licenses I need to be obtaining in order to sell these socks?
    In other words a product like this one coming from China: Does it have any regulations to go through before I actually sell them?
    Thank you so much in advance and thank you for giving all of us such valuable information.

    I have a question for you Will, and would really appreciate your insight.

  668. thankyou for sharing your experience with importing, I have been reading and researching for a while I am new to this and wanted to start with something small and simple. I have found a product on alibaba and contacted the supplier, asked a lot of questions and he has been very prompt with answering me back. I am currently requesting 20 samples of the product. the question I wanted to ask was did you put your brand and change packaging during 1st set of samples or did you just get them to send out generic? also did you collect the freight charge or do prepaid freight? not sure what the best way to go?

    • Christine,
      Start as you man to go on. If the item you want is readily available and recognized because its packed in a certain way you may want to continue with that. If you want to build your own brand then do your own packaging.Make the packaging awesome, first thing the customer will see so make sure they love it before they get to the product.
      Regarding freight you might ask the supplier for his cost. They get great prices in China and although I have a DHL account cant get near their prices most times.Most also take PayPal so its an easy transaction and safe if there are any hiccups.20 samples will be great as you can look and compare quality.
      Have a good one
      Jim

  669. Thank you for sharing a great information. I tried to do an online business for 3-4 years now but unsuccessful!!! I actually know how sad 🙂 a really difficult part is an issues to find a product. If you can advise me that I will really appreciate 🙂 just a hope that one day I can be a successful person by doing online business.

  670. Great Great article. I wanted to read such a guide to sell stuff for months. Thanks for sharing your real time experience. It’s time for me to ACT now.

  671. Hi,I would like to ask to talk a bit more about your following comment
    “Don’t sell what you buy – Devan made a great point when I was speaking with him that you can’t sell items that you buy. Most of us buy electronics, clothes, food, and other essentials. I can tell you right now that you are not going to compete in any of those markets. You really have to niche down in this and find a nice little nook for you to sit in.”

  672. Nice article very interesting and motivated myself. Thank you for sharing your experience. I was searching for a job and I end up here in your website. i have a lot of knowledge and multilingual and I am searching the “Niche” the right one that does not required much investment of course….Thank you again for you valuable experiences.

  673. Where were your parents during this activity when you were younger? And if you had neither father nor mother with you, then where was whoever else?

  674. Hello ,
    First Things first. I would like to Say BIG THANKYOU for your Detailed Article which help people like to who are looking forward to start some business.

    Note : I am from INDIA , looking to Import from china
    I would like to know..
    1. lets say, i have purchased some mobile accessories . so if i pay for order in alibaba. Does i need to pay any extra money for ‘customs’ etc before i got product to my hand?

    If yes, where and how can i pay?

  675. Thank-you for a very sensible article with wisdom acquired from the school of hard knocks. You can speak with authority that comes from experience. Good luck in all your endeavours. Kind regards,
    Marion.

  676. Hi, Will this an awesome article! I am telling myself that I really have to start. I am living in Thailand now and I am italian Chinese, will start with your first step. Thank you so much for the help! hope I can be lucky find the product that rocks Lol. Sure will keep follow up

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

    • Yo, I think you could make money on those camel-clinching yoga pants. I really feel like they are a good investment, especially since they are trying to outlaw the public showcasing of them. You could make the world a better place one nylon-knuckler at a time.

  677. Very interesting article, congratulations! I started a company in France in 1991 with 2 partners and we imported clothing from Asia for large distributors. I sold my shares after 2 years. Bad idea, the company now has sales of over 30 million euros / year. In those days, internet did not exist. I am now contemplating importing from China again with the help of the internet and your input is very helpful. (there is no date so I don’t know how old or how recent your article is). Regards.

  678. Hey! So how will I know if my item will actually sell on Amazon…how can I be certain. No one seems to clarify that. Yeah terapeak but what shows a solid sign.
    Say if a item isn’t the same on Amazon as alibaba Is that okay, also?

  679. Hi Will,

    Nice article and awesome
    You really motivated me and i want to do this business in a small step
    I hope you will guide me in this journey.

  680. Dude, nice job! This is exactly what I was looking for. Its the way I was workin but I needed validation! Thanks.

  681. Thanks for the awesome work, Sir.

    Most people think too much and do little. It’s always the right time to reach out Chinese suppliers. Starting from samples or small quantity can’t be wrong.

    Some valuable experiences can only come from practical importing processes.

  682. Hi wil,
    Awesome article.
    I have some questions–
    1) i’m willing to import five-fingered shoes from china; with my brand name on them.
    I have contacted the supplier and they agreed but the problem is their MOQ is around 1000 pairs;
    please tell me how can I bring it down.

    2) Can I order a single sample.

  683. hi,
    I would like to know whether it is possible to find a manufacturer through Alibaba who would be able to turn my ideas into products ?

    thank you

  684. Hey,
    Did you have problems after ordering products from China and then try to add them on amazon with upc and ean numbers?

  685. Hi Will,

    Thank you for posting this article, it is insanely helpful. My name is Steven, I’m 21 years old and I plan on diving into this importing business as a starting point to generate capital to take forward into future ventures.

    I have a limited amount of capital and am being extremely careful with choosing my first products. I was planning to buy products in small quantities and sell them 1-5 at a time but I’m finding that when shipping and customs charges are added, the profit margins are nearly eliminated.

    In your article you mentioned that you were selling only 1-5 products at a time in the beginning. Did you hone in on one product and buy in bulk to lower shipping/customs costs, or did you manage to order small quantities and still make a profit?

    Hope to hear from you soon, it’s amazing to hear what you accomplished at the age of 13-16.

    Keep inspiring!
    Steven,

  686. Nice post. Thank you. I wish I had read it sooner. I have already made some of the mistakes you mention.

  687. Great article, I’m looking to start an importing business those tips were amazing. Looking forward to the next article. Again great work!

  688. Hello Will,

    I am trying to import some food from China to the Netherlands. My order quantities are too low to make the use of seashipping worth it, so I wanted to use a courier service, but it would cost me around 400€ in shipping (500$) to get only 20kg of food in Europe, which is too expensive to keep a good margin AND a decent price. Are these costs normal? And you know any way to pay less in shipping when you order in small quantities?

    Thanks
    Mike

  689. I am Chinese supplier of storage products,very useful and enjoyable reading your article.
    Most Chinese suppliers are nice and honest.

  690. A+++ This method works very well. You just have to make sure you do your research on the products starting out. Compare the products from Alibaba to Ebay and Amazon to make sure their isn’t a ton of competition, and also that the product is going to be worth it.

  691. Hi will
    I’m looking at starting out importing to Aus
    I’m having some trouble in find a niche – I was maybe thinking Somthing in the horse industry – but not sure on where to start
    Could you help me in the area or guide me in the right direction – even if it’s completly off topic I would appreciate your help
    Thanks Nicole

  692. Hi Will
    I am dealing with one of the manufacturer in China and after so many back and forth in email we figured out the products that i wanted to buy from them and the prices. I asked them i prefer Paypal but he said their paypal doesn’t work because they have to release money from paypal to Chinese bank.
    Below is their reponse:
    “Friend, for the unit price, I’ve gave you the best price. Because your order is trial order as you know, while I gave you same wholesale price. I hope you can kindly understand, next time, for your formal order(buck quantity), I will give you discount, ok?
    For the payment method, nowadays, our paypal doesn’t work cause of we are releasing money from paypal to our Chinese bank. If you don’t want to pay via T/T or Western Union and you want to pay via “safe ” way for you, then, you can pay online, as you know it is even more safer than paypal, but there’s 5% handing fee, so the total cost turns to be:395.9+395.9*5%=415.7$.
    If now everything is clear, I will make the link for you to pay tomorrow morning.
    Best regards”
    The company name is “Shenzhen Hawtai Trading Co., Ltd.”

    Could you please suggest me on this .
    Thanks

  693. Hey Will,

    I had more questions concerning on what to sell right now. I am interested in all that you wrote and would like to act now. But I don’t know what would sell well . That can continually sell of course. Any good suggestions?

    Thanks!!! For a great article 🙂

  694. Great article! Quick question. Intellectual Property Infringement… I am looking into purchasing the small plastic army men from China to resell in the U.S. with other products. My issue is finding out whether or not these little plastic army men are patented, therefor… I would not be able to sell them. How do I figure out if these little guys are legal for reselling in the U.S? Looking around, I found army men made of not only plastic, but PVC as well. Please let me know how I can figure this out before I move on.

    Thanks guys,

    Johnny

  695. I’ve been a successful 3rd party reseller for po’s equipment for about 5 years, but throughout those years, I’ve noticed more and more competition, and less deals to find. I need to find a different product and fast. No counterfeit items. You talked about a few good items, but I’m in a bind and have a chunk of money to invest in to something, but I can’t figure it out.

  696. Hi I’m just starting out I have a product but it’s not very profitable and there is so many others to choose from I’m stuck and need something bad! If you could help me will be much appreciated ?

  697. Hi Will.. very inspiring article. .i wonder how did you get the orders from customer and forward them to your supplier? And how did you transfer the money once you collect it from your customers? Did you use any ready made solution?

    • Hi Hana,

      You can use Fulfillment by Amazon to get the product to your customers.

      The way you collect your payments will vary depend on the sales channel you take advantage of.

      These are some big questions! You should definitely watch one of our webinars (email for link)–they answer these questions in MUCH more detail!

  698. Hi Will, I am new to this business. I have question regarding shipping and customs. Say for example I am going to order 100 Iphone cases from China Can you tell me the estimate for shipping costs and Is there custom fee too?
    Thank you.

  699. Hi Will I am baagi, I am very new to import business. I have gone to your article. I refer to the alibaba.com website as well. I dint understand the price.
    ( US $1-2 / Piece ( FOB Price). ), What exactly the price per piece. Is it $1 Or $2. What exactly the FOB is.

    • This is Echo from China.I work in one China factory and have 7 years work experience as foreign trade sales.This website is very good, i think i also can help you know more about China factory.

      FOB means free on board.Take USD 2/piece FOB Shanghai as example,China factory/company should pay all the cost before the cargo is delivered.Such as send the goods from factory to Shanghai port, the declaration charges includes all document fee.

      You need to pay other fees,such as freight,insurance fee, customs clearance fee,tax……

      Wish my explanation can help you.

      Echo

  700. Hi Will,

    I came through your website looking for information on import from china. I want to start with Toy import from china as india is a potential market. Can you suggest supplier(s) like you had for soft guns. Any suggestions are welcome.

    Thanks in advance

  701. Hi Will,
    Thank you for a great article. I really appreciate all of it. I am still confused about one thing, though. What kind of products can I bye from alibaba? If they sell a product with a brand, how do I know if it´s a copy or not? And if it´s not, how do I know if I am allowed to sell it without breaking any law? I guess I should´t bye anything with a brand like IKEA, but what if it´s a brand that I don´t recognize? Thank you very much/Ann

  702. my question is that can i sell made in china products in india with made in india tag.if not then why ?

  703. Thanks for the great article! Now I know that I would need a new email, but I was wondering if my PayPal and the accompanying credit card info would be safe if buying stuff over AliBaba as my account security is Auber-important.

    Thanks again and I hope to hear from you soon

  704. Hi. I found this article extremely helpfull! I’m 16 and very interested in this but have some questions and would like some advice. Is there an email I could contact you on? Thanks?

  705. Hi, do I pay money for asking China supplier to send me the sample product?

    Thanks,
    Wannlong

  706. This is awesome and is being the only guide i’m using to import goods from China. I’m in the stage of selecting suppliers and asking for their samples.

    Do you think i should negotiate them first their MOQ, price, policies, before requesting for a sample of their product? Or it doesn’t really matter?

    Thank you!

    John

  707. Wow. Hours to read through this article. As a Chinese sourcing agent for small foreign orders, happy to find out what is in my customers’ mind. Both parties involved should be reliable to make a successful deal.

  708. Hello,

    Many thanks for this article, very very informative. I am having issues finding the ‘one product’ I can start with. And will be extremely glad in you could point me in the right direction. Thanks alot in anticipation of your help.

    Regards.

  709. I am a newbie trying to break into the importing business and I must say I was clueless before I read your article but it helped a lot.

    Thanks so much!

  710. HI Mitchell,

    Amazing piece of information.
    Just had a query that i have started my own company for Home Automation products in India and the problem is OEM for which the supplier says that they want a minimum order of 500pcs.
    I have been to there factory and office in China and found it genuine but still feel jittery on ordering and starting the business.
    Please help.

    Regards,
    Pratik

  711. Hi Will,
    I have been looking into sourcing a product from China. My only concern is that potential customers will enquire where the product was been made. With my particular niche, most people prefer to buy the goods made in USA or UK as they associate goods made in China as cheap and possibly faulty. (My potential clients are quite snobby) I’m currently awaiting samples to test the quality myself, and if satisfied I would like to purchase a small order and see how the selling goes. My only concern is dealing with the questions regarding “brands” or “where it was made”. How would you handle these questions? I fear if I answer honestly that it was made in China, I won’t make any sales. Do I have to disclose this? Would it be better to brand the products with my own business logo or something? Some people just have to know where it was made. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

  712. Thanks for your wonderful article. I had an idea a few weeks ago about a niche market after I couldn’t find a product I needed to buy. My question is though, what if it’s the kind of product that demands a range of choice to suit various tastes and colour schemes? Let’s say it was teatowels and not everyone wants yellow. Is it worth getting a product that you have to buy large quantities of in various colours? Or best to stick to a product that has no variation- like a ‘black’ airgun (I’m guessing you never sold them in yellow!).

  713. Hi guys,

    Im from the UK and i think iv found my product its $7 (£4.50ish) a piece on alibaba and £16 on ebay, however after iv tested the sample and happy with it (which i havent done yet), for me ship 1 carton (18 pieces) via fedex they’re charging me £271 and for 5 cartons £1483 and this is before duties and taxes. The supplier also says it would be more expensive to send these smaller deliveries via sea. So this leaves me confused. Have i missed something or not doing something right? Or do i need to order larger amounts and go by sea? or is this just a dud product? Its hurting my brain!! lol Please help!!

    Many Thanks

  714. Thanks for all the insight! I am studying International Business in Ningbo, China and I’ve learned much more about the subject than I did in the class in the last 2 months. Thank you so much!!!
    It is much easier to get samples here in China from Chinese suppliers. What do you guys think is a good idea to start with? I was considering selling creative office gadgets to Turkey thru Turkish channels, even though the quality is an issue with cheap goods here.

  715. Dear My, Ur saying that we should have to go only from Paypal, but some are using western union, money gram, etc is this safe to transactions with this.

  716. Hi Will, This is a wonderfully informative and well written post. Exactly what I’ve been looking for since I sort of stumbled upon the idea of importing and have been trying to hammer down the details for the last few days trying get things rolling. So i originally was interested in purchasing clothes, having a good eye for fashion. I am quickly coming to find the margins on most apparel products is basically non existent, especially being a small buyer, maybe with the exception of shoes. Can you suggest a product, or several? This would be greatly appreciated thank you so much.

  717. I’d like to start ordering samples from Alibaba, but it appears only businesses can create accounts and make purchases. I am an individual, not a business. What is everyone else doing?

  718. Great article. I thought importing from China was only possible for large scale corporations. It’s good to know that anyone has the ability to do this.

    I wanted to know your thoughts about using this process to wholesale to retailers?

  719. Will

    I was thinking of selling adult sex toys. Do you think this would be a great market?

  720. Hi, I was looking around on Alibaba and found that the sell gaming consoles. Do you think that this is a good idea and promising or should I stay away??

  721. Thx for sharing ur experience in this blog, I really enjoy reading this! I always dream abt having my own business but just how! So now I find ur post n it’s very helpful. I’m really motivated to start doing it now. Anyways, just a question, when u ask for the sample from you supplies, do u have to pay for that it?

  722. Really great and informative article. I agree that most difficult thing is to find a reliable and trustworthy supplier in China. That is why I visited china for many times to directly meet people and build business relations. And make sure my goods are delivered and I am not a victim of any scam. Now I have very good business terms in China. If any one from Canada is planning to buy anything from china I can help you.

    • Hi, I was planning to buy RAM i.e memory for desktop & laptops. I would be glad if you could suggest me some sellers. I would like to sell them in Canada.

  723. Dear will

    Thank you very much for the article, in action i have already request some quotation from alibaba.com but im facing one problem, none supplier accpect paypal payment i contact more tham 20 supplier but no one accept, only T/T or western union.

    What to do now?
    please help me!
    one more time thank you for the post.

  724. Hi Will, thank you very much for this valuable article. I’m thinking about resistance/strength bands for fitness. It’s a niche. However, there are already sellers on amazon, ebay, etc. Is it a good idea to go ahead and sell still? Not just bands, but also other types of products in the future.

  725. Great article! Thanks for taking the time to write this up – bookmarked for future references!

  726. Hey this is my fourth time attempting to start a sellable inventory. I already have products that I can sell. My biggest problem is negotiating a better MOQ. One product I wanted the most, the supplier wouldn’t go down lower than 500 units!. They came out to be 1k + 5.5% for the PayPal fee! I have already been through lots of samples, but they stiff me on lowering MOQ. Any help?

  727. Hi Will, awesome post. I’m wondering about how taxes fall into all this? How did you report your taxes to the IRS and did you apply for a business license? If so what are the benefits in doing so?

  728. Dear Sir,

    I am from India, I would like to know whether any import license needed to start business from China. Please guide me in this regard

    Thanks

  729. I’m leaving in japan and want to get started on this now, how much money do you think i will need and how about advertising, solo ads?
    Thanks great work.

  730. Hey, what do you know about the wedding market? I was thinking of starting out with jewelry or shoes in that market because eventually (LONG time down the road and after a lot of financial foundation) want to design and market wedding gowns. I figured, wedding and evening wear jewelry is more stable than gowns- changes less. I also know a girl who is selling fandom jewelry- like from Harry Potter and LOTR, etc, who is making a lot of money going to comicon’s and other conventions like that. I thought maybe if I start out in the wedding industry in a small way, I can get my feet wet while making money and then when I have resources to invest I can get into designing. I have sold wedding dresses before:)

    Thanks for your article!! It was much more informative then anything else I have read on this subject. And I have been studying this for about 2.5 years now.

    Lisa

  731. This is a helpful blog, I search “what is your opinion toward Chinese products” on Google and I found this article.
    Thank you Will Michell for sharing his knowledge.
    and I agree that Chinese guys are not good at creation, to be honest, in China, most of the owner of factory are richer but not knowledgeable. Yes we can copy any products existed in this world. so we marked as made in China, not create in China.
    But I believe few years later, create in China will dream come true.
    This is Patrick, manager of Jinjiang City Jiakeey Plastic Shoes Co., Ltd.
    we are manufacturer of various slippers, sandals, clogs and canvas shoes.
    but in fact, we copy Fitflop, just similar with the shape of Fitflop. not same brand, we have our own brand, IRSOE.
    I know that copy is illegal, but we have to do it, coz create a new brand is not a easy job.
    Next year, I will leave from this company, and set up trading company with my friends, one of them got a factory which is producing sports shoes, another one is a designer, we have our own goal, to create new shoes, not copy, be original.
    I hope that someone could share some ideas with me, how to operate it.

  732. Buddy,if i want to import from china and sell it on amazon for eg,do i havto register my company or any legal docs. neaded?

  733. I really did find this to be helpful. I was very much looking into buying phones,headphones, and other electronics. Do you think this is a good idea? I use aliexpress which is to me easier the alibaba, and I only buy from sellers with a percentage of 90% or higher.

    • Andrew,
      another source of electronics is http://www.stepfly.com
      good honest chinese supplier. You can value add to things like a DS with a card with 400 games for very little. A great way to get a little more and a point of difference against the same item.
      These guys accept Paypal as well so worth a look.
      Regards
      Jim

  734. Hi Will,

    Great read, and a compliment to your ability to simplify a complex topic.

    My biggest question is, in your opinion, how would this fair in an Australian market with a tenth the population of the US? I understand you can still engage suppliers internationally, but unless you could drop ship immediately there would be no viable way to competitively deliver to US customers?

    Perhaps its a good excuse to travel 😛

    Shane

  735. I have a question for you, when ever we want to list an item in Amazon.com, you should specify the UPC or EAN code, where do we get this codes when we order from ALi baba website? is there any way, we can move around this?

    Thanks

    Parastoo

  736. hope I don’t seem dim – but please could you explain why you would absolutely not buy from a chinese supplier that would only send 1 sample? I have been speaking to a gold rated Alibaba supplier who will only send 1 free sample but then you have to pay if you want more than one sample – do you think I should be at all worried by this?

    • Claire,
      Finding any supplier who is going to give you a free sample is amazing. Imagine 10,000 Clare’s each asking for a freebie, the supplier would be bankrupt. Samples should not be expected free, you are looking to start a business relationship not screw someone down to giving away products.
      In a good will gesture most factories make you pay for samples and offer to credit the cost from your order. This covers them for tyre kickers which there are many of.
      As a gold supplier myself I cant understand the mindset of many who think Asians don’t have a right to make profit. That’s what feeds their families just like ours.
      Have a fun!
      Regards
      Jim

  737. Hey Will
    Thanks a lot for your helpful information and i wont be the same in import business in terms of knowledge as a learner as before.

    My question is if you order online like alibaba is your product delivered straight to your house and the corrie company like fedex clear it for you or do you have to be a registerd importer with customs?
    second is,is there a safer way to buy online and import to avoid scams and that paying methods like paypal can be a risk if parcels dont get delivered or im not happy with my orders.
    last is what do you thinkof everbuying site,is it legit or not because i am skeptical about it.thanks Will 🙂
    l

  738. Hi guys. Great information. Invaluable. I do have a question though, and would like some insight on what to do.

    Every time I request a sample, I am quoted a ridiculous price. What am I doing wrong? How do I get sample in my hands for a few bucks rather than paying some $40-90 nonsense for a single sample? Or are they misunderstanding me when I ask to get a single sample for testing?

    Best regards,
    Jason W

  739. Hello!
    Thank you for this great blog post. It helped a lot. A lot of things I already knew and did and most of them I realized I should be doing differently to avoid challenges later on. Not going to lie, I did not read through all the comments above, but I do have a few questions. If you wouldn’t mind answering, it would be great.
    – You mentioned that the samples should be cheap. Now how cheap? I got my samples for 50$ each and the item itself in bulk order is below 5$. Is that a bad sign? or is it normal?
    – What do you know about taxes and what procedure do you undergo at the border? I will be importing to Canada, not US. So procedure is different, but it would be good to know at least approximately what it will be like, or what you have gone through.
    Basically I get the procedure up to the point of shipping. That’s when it gets all cloudy. I know that there will be taxes and papers, but I’m not even sure where to start looking. Any advice or suggestions will be great.
    Thank you!!

  740. Came across this post today and was very encouraged! Thank you for being a open book and willing to help. I greatly appreciated this!!!! I had a question…. I was actually thinking of visiting China to see if I could find even better deals then what is online at aliexpress and alibaba. Do you recommend that or should I save myself the cost of trip and go through the websites? Thank you again

  741. is getting into selling p90x now a good idea or not because a lot of people stream get it for free and so on?

  742. Hi,
    Thanks Will for being generous enough to let us know about that. I’m trying to start the business like you’ve written. I’m not familier with this tupe of business but i wanna do it. So i need your idea about what’s good for sale and how i should get money from the customers? I mean about transfering money? And if you don’t mind, would you please offer me some good supplier in any product think is good. I’m a girl and i really like to work in clothing and women stuff. I don’t know if it’s good! And the another thing is I’m new in U.S like 2years(i have green card)I don’t know many people to get advice from them. I want make money to bring my family from Iraq and from war over there. i really apreciate if you help me to find a good one in supplier

    Thank you

  743. Very well put together post. Your insight and knowledge helped to clear up the majority of the confusion in regards to this process. One thing still confuses me though. I am importing a couple hundred custom hats from China and the preferred shipping method is DHL. Do I assume that the shipper will take care of everything to get these to my door step or do I need to be prepared to have shipping documents and forms ready? Also, should I be prepared to pay duties/taxes/tariffs? Any insight is very much appreciated. Thanks!

  744. Hello Will. I have some questions please:

    1. What’s high margin of error?

    2. How to find out supplier had it’s PayPal shut down due to complaints?

    3. On eBay for purposes of seeing what sells ,what’s the difference between Sold Listings versus Completed Listings? If listing that is complete can end without sold outcome, how does that serve as an indicator?

    4. Although small and not heavy, LED bulbs are more of a risk in terms of keeping quality control consistent and product liability. At least for quality control, one must not only find good supplier but also develop long-term relationship to ensure consistent quality control.

  745. Boris C. I use a company who are brokers in the UK. The reason for this is I ship from everywhere and don’t have to be the sender or recipient to use these guys. I sit in my Brisbane office and arrange a pick up in London to deliver to Denmark (did this today). I download and email the shipping docs and the company sending it just sticks the prepaid docs on the parcel.
    fastlanecouriers or we delivertheworld same company and easy to find. They also have a link to pay via PayPal so its easy as.
    Cheers
    Jim

  746. I read that most suppliers will not work with you if you do not have a LLC or some form of legal business name setup.

  747. Just a quick note to give you all a little help with your Halloween shopping!
    Use this discount code VTOR1CVVQJQJat checkout to get $5.00 off your order for Halloween crazy and color contact lenses. FREE shipping worldwide!
    We also wholesale to budding Entrepreneur’s. Low cost, low weight, ships for almost nothing and is virtually indestructible. Not many items you can triple your money on at a low start up! email me http://www.wholesalecontactlensco.com

    Thanks Will for being generous enough to let me on here!
    Regards
    Jim

  748. This is an answer for Boris C. Hi Boris, I use a couple as I ship containers and do airfreight on other products. Try Aussie Freight based in Brisbane. I have had them bring stuff in from the states and right now are doing a full container from Holland for me. 07 3268 2800 ask for Colin, he owns it.

  749. Hi mate nice artical ..I have a big group on f/b ..27k+ users so was thinking of this as a bas platform for me to start ..What kind of knickknacks would you consider i was thinking watches etc ?

  750. Hi,
    After reading your article quickly realised I have made several mistakes too late already before I start.
    I’ll keep this brief looking for a supplier in China for cheap florist supplies after deciding to set up some kind of floristry/craft business ( I have been running a small dog grooming salon for 20 years) and after deciding to work less hours fancied a career/hobby change was amazed that uk prices are quite expensive compared to Chinese suppliers.
    I contacted Alibaba unfortunately I naively gave them my correct e-mail and name all set for an identity take over now !! and my request for cost ect was perhaps a little naïve too.
    Would I require an import license and would this save me money ?
    Regards Deborah Bell

    • Hi Deb,
      the only drawback in the UK for importers like you is the VAT and duty is due as it comes in the country. You do of course charge it on if you are VAT registered so only pay the difference to the Govt but if you are not you will have to pay it and wear the 20%.
      My advice to you is this:
      1. Spend money on samples to give you a range good enough to show potential customers.
      2. Get pre orders on your products which will hopefully weed out any duds and give you a fast start.
      3. Make sure you deliver what you promise.
      Good Luck!
      Jim

  751. Hey guys
    I am looking at getting some samples from China. The company is willing to ship me one. The product is free, but the shipping is $63.50. Is this normal or are they hitting for shipping and cost of product? I realize there is a cost of doing business. I just want to make sure this seems correct.
    Marc

  752. Great Article, I enjoyed reading it. I’m looking at getting into whole marketing and using FBA to move the product. Having a hard time finding a good viable niche, but it will come sooner or later.

  753. I heard back from a supplier and this was their payment terms:

    “Formal order: 30% pay in advance by T/T, and 70% balance payed before lamps out of our company”

    Is that something that I need to negotiate through Paypal? Or is T/T fine?

    • Hi Josh,

      Just had a look at your question, it is pretty much standard for suppliers to ask for 30% advance by T/T and then 70% on sight of B/L. Its therefore really important that you double check, do payment fraud screening,

      Paypal is somewhat safe but remember once a company has the money in their paypal account they can withdraw and Paypal can’t retreive the money if there is a dispute. Ideally you want to use 100% Escrow or a third party to help you with this in terms of negotiations and dual language conrtract drafting with the suppliers

      This is a common question we get asked every day.

      Hope this helps

      Kirsty

  754. Thanks for great article!

    but something i couldnt understand. please help me to understand it.
    We found a perfect supplier,
    We got samples,
    We liked the product and decide to buy,
    We sent money and they sent us for example 100 pieces of the product,

    everything is good till here but when 100 pieces of the product arrive my country’s customs house, they will ask me “what are you doing? you ordered 100 pieces of a product but you dont have a trading company. so you are trading without paying any taxes.” then i probably get punished for that.

    this is what i can not understand. i cant order bulk of products to my house as a regular person who doesnt have a legal company. But you are saying you did this when you are 16 years old so you didnt have a company either… Didnt you have any legal issues?

    My question is; is there a way to online trade without physically have the product in my country? or is there any service who forwards products to customers? i mean; i pay money to supplier, suplier sent product to forwarder, forwarder sent product to customer. or something like this?

    Thank you again.

  755. Hi,

    Thanks for posting such a wonderful post regarding buying from china. Its helps to clear my 50% question. Enjoyed a lot to read your article.

    Keep posting such wonderful post.

    Regards,
    Santosh Paswan

  756. Its that time of the year which is great in our business.
    Crazy contact lenses sell by the thousands leading up to Halloween.
    I have been a wholesaler for some years and guarantee you can triple your investment.
    The beauty of our business is you can order as little or as many pairs as you want, they are virtually indestructible and small enough to ship as a standard letter rate of 2.60 worldwide!
    Low cost, low risk, high return. Drop us a line to see what the potential is on colour and crazy contact lenses.
    Great trading to you all!!!
    Jim

  757. Hello Will. I am so happy on finding help on all this. I’ve been bidding and buying stuff on ebay for two years now, my next step is to sell but I didn’t want to get a bad name or reviews. I want to make sure everything is right before I start. Im getting to know ebay inside out and I only work with them so far because they use paypal.no luck with Amazon. I’ve been wanting to buy more bulk and wholesale in stead of nickel and dimming it. I only win 10% on my ebay bidding, so alot of time just for handful of stuff. But it was fun and a great experience. I’m over 40 yrs old and need to change my income, I can’t swing the hammer forever. So far I read this page and LOVED it, I will be reading everything you have and probably be hearing from me again. Thanks Will.

  758. Hi! Thats very impressive and accurate description!! I am thinking in start a baby clothing business in Mexico, any recommendations? thanks!

    • Hi Grisy,
      Baby clothes sound great. Lots of new customers everyday. Think a little outside the square on this and you could make it awesome. New mothers and fathers want only what’s best for baby, price goes out the window closely followed by money (trust me I have 3 kids). I think there is a good market in Organic fabrics. I would only want what’s best for my kids particularly when babies. Also think a little more niche again and do a range for premature babies. Ultra small sizes. Good Luck!! and don’t forget to get certificates backing up the organic side of things to give real value to the customers.
      Regards
      Jim

  759. Hi, interesting post, a little overly simplistic, certainly for anyone shipping into the UK. Here are some drawbacks from importing small quantities.

    – Factories are largely not going to be interested as they ship containers. (This is the same for anywhere in the world). Small orders are fine for samples but will be a lot higher in price and you will have very little haggling power for 5 or 6 pieces.

    – Shipping that few is very expensive, with import and export taxes you are going to have a very small profit margin if any.

    – Agencies in Hong Kong and China now sell directly through Ebay and Amazon. As they are selling single pieces they are rarely taxed and this makes them able to buy at better prices than you and sell without your expenses.

    – Not many big Chinese players use Paypal. It is TT or WU for payment. I agree always order samples first to make sure there is a genuine company. If you are only ordering small numbers you are not going to go bust anyway, even if they are dodgy.

    How do you do it successfully?

    – Order in large quantities and ship by sea. You will then have lower expense per item increasing competitiveness and more haggling power with the factory.

    – Manufacturing your own take on a successful brand or product is definitely a good way to gain market share and stand out.

    Remember if it was that easy everyone would be doing it. You are competing, often on the same platforms you are looking to sell onto, against the same wholesalers and manufacturers who are supplying you your goods. Ordering small never gets you good prices anywhere, you are wise to be aware of that.
    Just trying to balance the argument.

    Thanks

  760. Hello! I’m really inspired by your post and is now taking actions!

    but I have a problem, I’ve contacted the supplier and just need samples.
    the problem is what will I use to ship the free sample to my door. I’m from the Philippines and the supplier said to use EMS express but it cost $22 just for the shipment.

    Is this really the price ? or should I tell the supplier to use escrow, fedex or something

  761. Hi Will

    You really helped mankind by sharing this article. Very useful!

    Stay blessed!

  762. What a great article! Really enjoyed it, Will.

    I have a couple questions…if you order a product that’s already branded and is selling well on Amazon & ebay, is there any way you can wind up in legal trouble with the brand company? (If you’re selling on amazon under their listing?)

    Also….what if you take that product and private label it with your own brand. What kind of legal trouble can you get into? What if that product design was created only for the original brand?

    Thanks!

  763. Great article, but have just 2 question;
    1. Will it create any problem if my suppliers shipped directly to my customers where the the customer can see the original price tagged on suppliers Product where i taking up excess price at this product? What should i do, will it better to ship on my place and then tag my Price as per me so that Customer can’t trace the original price?
    2. If It’s ok with direct shipment then all the transaction may be tax free as foreign income (made through PauPal)? don’t know. Plz expalin.

  764. It’s really informative..I like it will Michel.
    Actually i wana got some samples of jeans trousers and t shirts because I wana start a big shop of pents and shirts…so plz tell me about some suppliers n how can I contect with them..

  765. The flower gardening is the hobby of growing flower gardens for decorative purposes.

    Special tools and techniques are needed for Bonzai gardening and those people
    who enjoy this type of gardening really enjoy the challenge of nursing
    these trees into the shape and style they want to create.
    You may berate yourself because you didn’t handle the situations effectively.

  766. HI
    IS ANYONE INTERESTED TO IMPORT HYDROPONIC GROW TENTS?
    WE HAVE FACTORY – http://www.hydroponicsfactory.com
    Great article, not sure that Alibaba is the best place but its good to start somewhere like that i guess. The only way to really do business with china is not to do it only over the net, its important to finally meet the person you are looking to do business with, get someone who speaks Chinese to go with you and get them to ask questions, find out who owns the business and in this way you will eliminate middle men/woman. remember just because someone picks you up at an airport, takes you to a factory and walks around with you like they own it does not mean they do or even employed by that factory.
    It is important that the person who goes with you to the factory talks not only mandarin but also Cantonese or even better the local dialect of the area you are doing business.
    it is also worth remembering that most factories for similar items are usually only made in a few localised areas. It is (a) important to know which of these localized areas are generally making the better product, usually this will be in the south but not always (b) how long not only the salesman has been with the company but also the factory manager as well, often the factory manager is looking to set up his own factory one day so try to get his details to.
    (c) chinese protocol IS important, appearance is important. courtesy is important forget these all at your peril, being kind, honest and not to chatty but smile and shake hands and look clean shaven and wear business suit and offer to pay for the meal and be a little pushy about this, even do it quietly without them knowing. it is a sure way to impress. no one expects it and that is why it is impressive.
    do not think of them as your supplier but more as a friend. offer to take them out for dinner if they pay and say next time i must pay.
    Although business is done more like the way the snake move it is not the case with courtesy. this is much more straightforward. Kindness is appreciated. Small compliments also nice, but never let them think they have the deal sewn up, say very little yourself, your face should not give the game away, if you can just stick to the pleasantries this would be best and if possible let someone else negotiate for you. This can be helpful as most westerners do not know how to negotiate well, but be careful that no backhanders are being offered. If you ask for a lower price they will give it to you. no problem, they will also automatically lower the quality, that’s how it is done in china and in fact at the margins worked on there is not really an option most of the time, however, it might be that you can consider some alterations that might assist in getting the costs down, i recently wanted an inline fan, i asked my brother in law to get the price down, he said if we alter the casing for recycled plastic we can get it down by $1 as i felt that this was probably a good thing i said go for it. Good Result.
    middle easterners buy differently than western people and frankly i think they have it right. they find out the relevant areas that the goods are manufactured. then set up many appointments, as many as 4 – 6 a day which is manic! but they get the prices and the samples and stay in the area for sometimes up to 2 months figuring who is best to buy from and negotiating to get the best deal.
    Although this is most definitely going to get lower standard goods a lot of the time, it is also true that the price will be very very competitive.
    hope this helps someone, if you need any help in china i have some good friends some who are extremely honest and can speak english.
    terry

  767. Dear Will thanks a lot for your article. I’m from Russia and also work with Chinese people, I agree with every point)
    What was your business after 16?) online business as well?

  768. that was a great article it really insired me and with very good tips..Other people will ask for money to share this.You are a great man thanks a lot and i wish you the best!!

  769. Hey Will, thanks for the great article! I have one question though, can all of this be done by people outside US? Because I live in Portugal and I would love to try this out and make some good money.

    Thanks

  770. Wow! I managed to finally reach the bottom of this page! 😀

    Great work Will! And I also have to say thanks to Jim, who has given some very insightful answers.

    I have recently started my own company, importing a variety of products, and creating a webshop that I belive will stand out from the rest. Not so much design wise nescessarily, but I will be offering a service nobody else does. Yeah, I am basically skipping a step (Ebay). It is bound to be a trial and error thing, but I belive in learn by doing and screwing up. And you never learn better than when you do mistakes.

    My advantage vs competition is that I am a manager of a large warehouse, quite close to the port in Oslo. That means free storage for my products, and I can also offer better freight terms than basically anybody else in Norway since we ship a lot of volume around the country. I have also good connections with both Schenker and the local transporting company in Norway, so I can push freight prices even lower.

    One of our clients is importing from China, and he is using our service for drop shipping. Anytime he receives a purchase on his webshop, an order is generated and printed out on a dedicated printer in our warehouse. This is then packed and shipped the same day. His customer then receives the package the following day. It works out really well, both for him and for us. He is currently on vacation in Spain, with very low shoulders!

    I have made a deal with him, and I will offer some of his products on my webshop aswell. This will hopefully see me off to a flying start, as each product I sell has a hefty margin.

    If anyone in Norway is in the process of expanding their business, let me know. I can offer a very good 3PL solution. My warehouse also offer pickup to customers, so they avoid freight cost. 10 % of the population in Norway lives within a few kilometers of our warehouse. And if any foreigners want to expand into the Norwegian market, our 3PL solution fits the bill aswell.

    Eirik

  771. Thanks for the info Will. Good stuff and to the point! I’ve got a hypothetical situation for you. Lets say you worked for a large dominant distribution company like a Wal-Mart for instance. You had access to all of their information, as well as all of their parts in their primary warehouse at a small markup from cost, allowing you to buy at lets just say 10% over cost. You can’t buy from Wal-Marts suppliers directly. Do you take the same approach you’ve taken and begin making side income on eBay/Amazon,…or take a different approach? I’m fairly new to the e-commerce biz, but do know I’ve got a lot of potential $ sitting in front of me that I’m not taking advantage of.

  772. Is it typical for Chinese manufacturers to indemnify their resellers of product liabilities? I suspect not and given that claims and lawsuits are likely to fall on the shoulders of the reseller (as if they are the manufacturer), I suspect general and product liability insurance is a must — even for an LLC. What’s your advice on the need to secure product liability insurance?

    • Absolutely you need product liability insurance! The first person a lawyer comes after if there’s a case of personal injury/property damage will be you. With that being said, if you’re new to importing, you should not begin importing a product where there is a relatively high risk of injury, stick to dining room sets over trampolines.

  773. Will,

    I became very interested in importing car audio subwoofers after reading about how successful your friend has become. Would you be able to briefly explain how he very first started importing and selling “no name” subs. In your opinion, do you think subwoofers are potentially a good product to buy and sell as a small side business starting out small?

    (Yes I already had an interest in car audio, as I have my own subwoofer set up in my car, prior to reading your post)

    Hope my question makes sense, I would really appreciate any help you could give me.

  774. Will – You are an inspiration to us all. Fantastic advice. Thank you for allowing us to benefit from your experience. I’m curious what your take is regarding product insurance. I already created an LLC. I wonder if adding product insurance would be like adding a belt to suspenders for a small company. We sell low voltage security cameras for the home and business. Given the manufacturer is in China, insurance companies quote insurance as if my company is the manufacturer. Not cheap!

    • Steff,
      as a company you should have liability insurance. This kind of insurance is cheap given the product you sell.
      You need to offer a product guarantee off the back of the one you get from your factory. They offer a one year warranty then that’s what you offer. Any claims then you are covered. Make sure a card goes out with the units that states they must register their warranty with you within a certain period to initiate the warranty.
      Good luck!
      Jim

  775. Hey Will im really interested in doing something like this, but even after reading i still have so many questions. If you could at all help me further through some of this stuff it would be greatly appreciated man.

  776. Hi,Will,
    Awesome article has lots of good information. The question is how to calculate the deliver cost from China to the US into the Alibaba product price and then compare that price with Ebay or Amazon prize in order to decide if a product is worth selling ( or having a good profit)? Because Alibaba’s price is just FOB in China port, and the deliver cost from China to the US can be so high that in the end a good markup product might not be a profitable product to sell on Ebay.
    Thank you.

    • Hi Mary,
      One of the best ways to get around the double up of handling charges when your starting out is to look for a supplier who will drop ship for you. That way its from China factory direct tot he customer. Nice and easy!
      Jim

  777. Great article Will I loved it, I have to get on top of this do some more research mad start my importing thanks a lot for sharing.

  778. Hi Will,
    Absolutely great article!!! Following your guide i found a product! I contacted few suppliers and i notices they’re all working/getting the product from the same manufacture. In this case do you still recommend getting sample from more than one supplier?
    Thanks,
    Jenny

  779. Hi Will,

    Absolutely fantastic article/information, I’ve always wondered how to get started importing and you have provided some invaluable information .
    I’m sure I will be back with questions, as you seem very willing to answer.

    Many thanks Will,

    Eddie.

  780. hi.. i am from kolkata, india and want to start a new business in low investment and more income.. can anybody help me or guide me in my new journey

  781. Hi Will, great article! I was just wondering, non-branded products, such as light bulbs. Did you ever have any safety issues? do these kind of things need some kind of certificate? I don’t know much about safety standards in Asia. I don’t want to buy something that could get me in trouble, like if it burnt down someone’s house.
    Thanks,
    Liam

  782. Hi will
    Great blog we are just starting out in the importing business, we have been thinking for years to do this and never done nothing about it, time to go for it ,my father in law has a shipping business in china with his Chinese wife and he said he will help where he can, I am just asking for any product advise and how we can take advantage of his contacts.
    Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.
    Many thanks tony

  783. Hi, 🙂 im interested in starting to buy stuff from china. Since I read all this article but theirs yjis website called replicacheaponline.com but I dont know if it save?? Can u help me

  784. I just have one question, would alibaba provide proof of purchase? cause I know ebay or paypal will ask where i bought the products and ask for proof of purchase.

  785. Hi great article
    Is it nessasary to find a niche or can you just buy and sell what is “on trend” at the time instead of heading for one key demographic?

    I am new to the import business and looking for a career change and im sure i have the right head to do this properly. I have the start up cash but can’t but dont want to take unnessasary risks.

    Any advice much appretiated.

  786. Hello Will,
    I am a teacher and I’m working with a group of middle schoolers on a summer project about international trade. We were simply going to take a field trip to the local port to see cargo ships and study the subject. However, after reading your article, I think it would be really cool if they could experience international trade firsthand by finding a product in China and selling it online. Our program is very short and starts in a week. Because we lack the time to do adequate research, it would be GREAT if you could help us identify a specific product that would be cool for a group of middle schoolers to try their hand with. I have looked through AliBaba and ebay but I just can’t gauge what would be a good start for them. I thought about garcinia cambogia, the weight loss supplement but then I browsed through ebay and that item did not seem like it was selling well. Your assistance with identifying a good product for them would be MUCH appreciated. I have left my phone number. Please feel free to call me or respond via email.

  787. I found your piece on product selection interesting after a google search via how to sell on amazon and how to select product, as I was looking into start selling on amazon and a terrible failure on ebay where after selling for 3 years and 9 months I was DEVASTATED by some bad business loans through kabbage and pay pal working capitol. All these mistakes were mine and no one else to blame but myself….

    I am forced to debt consolidate and get two part time jobs just to keep from losing a rental house my grandfather left me which he earned with the sweat of his brow for his 73 of his 80 years. I am the worst business mind I feel now since US GRANT and I have no Unions to lead to victory in the civil war so I refuse to give up but simply and accept my failures, be it a very COSTLY learning exp…..

    However I have a VAST knowledge of vintage toys in many genres and my heart sank as I read your tell tell NO nos via high cost large shipping items, simply branching into too many unknown genres from everything from vintage die-cast Japanese die-cast robots that bring hundreds and often thousands of dollars to main stream items like Lego, G.I. Joe, Star Wars, transformers, etc…..

    I felt after reading it I knew that all now from my own short comings and if I could go back in time 3 years and 9 months with knowledge I have now I could make it all work….

    After reading it all I realized I had fell victim too many of the bad ideas you had to learn yourself via trial and error, and now after getting boxes for free from USPS many different sizes and types I know EXACTLY what it will take to box it up and move it….

    I did have a 2100 plus feedback 100% and 100k moved for both of last two years so I know how to find product that works, NOW I must realize I can never fall victim to this credit trap which has ruined by bus….

    Kabbage alone had took 5k a month from me for 2 years until pushing me up to nearly 6k a month owed which FORCED me to sell everything at LESS then what I had in it more often then not. One month you can recover from this but I had 30k worth of stock 6 months back and I have 1k now and shutdown, had to close bank account just to keep them from over-drafing me into oblivion. Its a shameful situation as all I ever wanted to do was provide good product at fair price always buying back if not happy etc. and keep a roof over my fiance and my 20 month old baby boys head. But in the end ebay and the all the online lenders wanted too much, couldn’t get anymore credit, couldn’t even get loan verses my rental home, rough times, robbed Peter to pay Paul 476 times over until there was no way to keep doors open any longer…..

    Anyhow sorry about rant but I just figured here maybe I could learn the CORRECT way to run a business as I never kept good books and like that old guy told the American pickers, bear the guy from Texas-Like my daddy told me buy everything for a dime and sell it for a dollar you don’t even need to keep books. so in the end that is it I am not clearing anywhere close to 90% lol…..

    Anyhow thanks for time any tips much appreciated/advice best of luck and take care…..

  788. Hey Will

    Just happened to stumble onto your blog, and I must say that I have never been so inspired before to start with the import venture!

    Thanks a mill!

  789. Am a kenyan but very new in the world of imports and exports where can i start because i wanted to sell computer accessories mobile phones external hard disks pls help coz i have a small capital and want to start real small to grow.

  790. This post is really great! Hope you are still answering questions.
    Recently when I was doing the source on alibaba I noticed two almost identical companies but quoted with me two hugely different prices. I’m really confused. here are the links, can you explain from the links?

  791. I’m so glad I found your article I’ve been thinking for a while about setting up my own business importing from China and you have given me that extra push to start the steps to do it! Thankyou. Jen

  792. Hi, Will
    thanks a lot for sharing information and helping us to see clearly about small activities we can make or build. i am living in China since 5 years in the biggest trade City at Zhejiang province, and i saw that most of the people on this post doesn’t believe in Chinese Suppliers. i will be moving soon to New York but while i am here i will be glad to help anyone regarding shipping samples and sourcing because i am having a big support from Chinese companies.feel free to drop me a line…! thanks again Will to show us the way….

  793. Great article!!! I would like to start a small business by importing items from China,where do I start?I already have Ali express I tried buying few items but unfortunately the amount I paid came back to my account what can be the problem??

    • Frankly many people in Aliexpress dones’t know English and does’nt know how to account the cost. They even don’t know that some product can not be exported easily by express…

      I’m here in China, and talked with many people on aliexpress. That’s what I got from them…

  794. I have a good understanding of the whole import process from China and I am looking to do FBA with around 3 products in the same category. My issue is the whole branding idea. The products I am planning to import are generic but should I place my own logo, trademark my logo and go from there or should I just sell them as a generic brand.

  795. Hey Will

    Great Article. I’m curious on branding. I had a friend who imported eye lashes from overseas and rebranded it by changing the packaging. Is this how branding is done? How do I know if I’m not infringing on any patents IE. (pump up bra, or cushioned socks, etc) How do I know if something is ok to rebrand and which ones are not?

    Thanks

    W

    • Hey Will,

      You can just search to see if you’re infringing patents. Something like “(your product) patent”. That’s how most branding is done, pretty awesome, right? As long as something isn’t trademarked or patented you’re free to rebrand

  796. I am so thankful to you, though I am not in this business yet, but this world becomes better with people like you those who wants everyone to live a good life. Thanks a lot buddy, may god bless you and grows your business even more.
    thank you for doing such a great work!

  797. Really nice article!!

    But I have question about how did you ship your inventory from China to US? Did you ship via sea or use DHL? and i also think USPS take a lot of margin from the sell, do you have any suggestion?

    Thanks

  798. Hey,

    It was really instructive article to read, thank you for sharing your experience.

    The part i fail that online selling is choosing product.I live in Turkey and when i check the local websites like ebay i see that seasonal items are trending with summer.But if i try to find product from alibaba to sell this season it will probably be too late to get sample and than the real shipment.

    What products would you suggest me to focus on ?

    Thank you

    • Product selection is certainly one of the hardest parts.. it’s important for you to spend a lot of time with that. See Will’s other post on product selection for a step by step process

  799. Hi I just wanted to know how exactly do you know who’s a gold member.

  800. I really enjoyed reading this. You captured my interest and most definitely kept my attention. Thank you so much for sharing!

  801. First great job , it was really interesting and list of knowledge .
    I have a question regarding shipping.Lets say I ordered 20 what ever item , is there is any kind of clearance or tax to be paid .or it will be received as a regular package to my location .
    Thanks a lot
    Moe

  802. Brilliant descriptive infomation. How and where on alibaba can you check if someone is a gold customer

  803. Hey Will,
    I am planning to sell airsoft bb guns online was wondering which type of airsoft guns have more demand and attract more customers.Please help me on this.

  804. Thank you very much for this read. I found it very informative. Look forward to reading some more from you.

  805. Great article Will.. Quick question though, Do you still think there is a market for toy guns and money to be made in it? you gave me the motivation to sell exactly that on the common selling outlet sites.

  806. We are looking for someone to partner in US. We are registered company in China that supports SMB and Entrepreneurs to make a safe and professional purchase. We have bee doing this for a long time and recently we designed our own wholesale of selected products of qualified suppliers.

  807. hello wim
    i am from india & i see people here quite often go to china to buy such products. do u think only Alibaba can do the purpose or going china is worth it?

  808. This is a great article! Thank you so much, this has been a tremendous help!! I do have a question though.

    I ordered some samples from a supplier and paid via paypal. Once I was.satisfied with the product I contacted them to arrange a larger order. They emailed me back and asked me.to send the payment to another paypal account different from the one I sent.the samples payments to. They are a gold member and I was wondering if I’m worried for no reason. Should I be.worried about the sudden paypal account change or is this normal?

    Thank you!

  809. Hi Will,

    Is there a good email that I can catch you on at all. I would like to discuss a couple of things with you regarding this type of business.

  810. Good Article …..very informative..and enjoyed reading…learned a lot.

    Thanks a lot

  811. Isn’t almost everything trademarked though? How do you know what is safe to buy and sell without copyright issues.

  812. Hi there,

    I’m from Australia and I’m thinking of importing memory storage goods such as SD Cards. Many suppliers offer custom branding and sell their product at such a cheap price. Does anyone have any experience in this area, or know about the amount of money I should expect to pay for cards and the shipping?
    Shipping is currently on average $30USD.

    Many Thanks, and amazing article,
    David

  813. Hi Will, what a great article. I am doing some research on starting an ebusiness but would like to import goods from Korea. What are your thoughts and/or experiences regarding importing from countries other than China? Thank you.

  814. Hi mate enjoyed the read.One thing that stands out is you got your product form Alibaba, i recently read a few articles on how this site is a scam and gold member’s are ones to stay away from!!! How many suppliers did you go threw to find the right one?
    Cheers..

  815. Hi,

    I was wondering the shipping and paying to process.
    Could you be more especific, please?

  816. Hi! Thos article is wonderful! Do you have an email? I’d love for your guidance on my journey of making some money on alibaba. Gotta figure out a better way to support my family.

  817. Hi, Really informative article, we’re looking to have our products made in China, are there reputable brokers you would recommend that might make the whole process easier and safer?

  818. Are we suppose to be paying tax for this? How would we go about this? Thanks!

  819. Hi, do we need to create a company for the customs? when you order a lot of products from China or France for example?
    I like your blog, very interesting!!!

    jeremy

  820. Please advise a product. I have imported generators, but it wasn’t very profitable. As you said high costs incurred. Please advise me your facebook nme.
    Thx
    Hannie

  821. Hi Will,

    Great blog explaining all the important stuff.
    I lived in England and when I was 14 I tried importing Ralph Lauren jumpers. Unfortunately they didn’t sell at all and then I realized clothing was a hard market. I’m now 19 and living back in my birth country South Africa. I’ve followed all your instructions and imported and inventory of 5 watches. You say that you didn’t market on Facebook, but with the growth of social media as it is today do you think it would be a good idea to attempt a Facebook sale or should I keep my selling ideas discreet?

    Thanks for the help, any other personal tips will be great!

    Matt

  822. Will thankyou so much for sharing – it’s an awesome article.
    Just a couple of questions if that’s ok..
    -when you order a sample is it usually sent for free or do you pay a single unit cost + shipping?
    – when researching and working out margins etc would you add around 20% to cover shipping/ customs / inspections costs etc to get an idea of profit?
    Thankyou again all the way from Australia
    Loz x

    • Hi Loz,
      I am also in Australia.
      20% would be a big stab in the dark. It really depends on the duty rates and how many you ship in. Send in one and the freight could be 1000% or send in 500 and it could be 5% of the cost.
      If the shipment is under 1000.00AUD then there is no GST or duty to pay for Australia. Hows that!

      I ship in many containers and some airfreight so the costs vary for shipping but its easy to calculate. Under 1k its freight costs divided by the amount of units being shipped. If you are doing a container then contact a freight forwarder who will tell you what it costs to ship including duty, GST (payable upon entry).
      In my experience try something low cost with a high perceived value. I chose colour contact lenses as they are light, cost very little, sell for many more times than the cost and post anywhere in the world for 2.60 per pair.
      Im a wholesaler also so if you wanted to give them a try let me know as I stock in Australia and the UK
      Hope this helps!
      Regards
      Jim

  823. Thank you for your online blog it was very informative regarding the dos and donts.
    My husband and I are thinking of travelling to china as we’re wanting to buy and sell in Beriut, Lebanon.

    Do you know much about travelling to china and dealing with the exporters directly?

    If I find good contacts through alibaba.com is that a good place to start?

    Otherwise we are just travelling to china, hoping to hire a Chinese guide to take us where we need to go.

    Please let us know your advice and thoughts.

    Regards,

    Vanessa

  824. Nice article! I can relate to everything you talked about, Thanks.

  825. Hi,

    I have a quick question on the best shipping method. Here is the dimensions and weight for a product I want to ship from China to US:

    Weight 260kg. 70cm-40cm-40cm and 13 cartons. I went through all my calculation from couriers to ocean. But I am still not sure what hidden cost at the end. The charge for courier is much more expensive. I am looking for air freight company but not sure which one is good. I calculate ocean freight and it costs only $200 but I am sure the landing cost and everything will be much more. The custom duty is 6%.

    Please let me know your opinion,

    Thanks.

  826. Been wanting to do this for so long and now im in a position to try really enjoyed reading your article very helpful thanks . Jon

  827. hey , i found here amazing information how to start up , i just have a one question for example i would like to buy and sell fly cam stabilizer for camera but i have one problem to sort out and i thought you could solve it , so the problem is why people wanna buy this of me (im baying from albibaba ) and exactly same product is on ebay and people can buy for same price how i bought it

    Thanks Hubert

  828. Hi Will,
    Its really superb………the way u explained is very good. i need a small favor from u… how to courier to particular customer…can u just brief out…
    Tq..

  829. Hi.

    After contacting a supplier, how long would you usually wait for a response before concluding that perhaps they are not reliable enough to work with? I suppose I’m generally impatient, but just interested as some suppliers do seem to never respond.

    Thanks.

  830. I liked your article as well…could you break down the importing costs…say you have a small 1 pound product…say others are selling it for 100 dollars and you can buy it for say 30 dollars…what part of that 70 dollar profit will be taken in shipping to me and any fee’s etc to get it in my hands…is there a rule of thumb for estimating this etc…thanks

  831. Hi great blog, wish I had come across this 6 months ago, I jumped on the band wagon thinking I could just buy anything and sell on ebay/amazon & didn’t do my research, bought adult themed toys/lingerie. The lingerie sold pretty well but didn’t realise you are not aloud to sell adult toys on either of these sites, big learning curve for me. I am now looking for a good suitable product to re invest in, and will definitely do my research.

  832. Will,
    I have done the work and found a reputable product to import. My obstacle is understanding how to get it shipped. Is this something the manufacturer should set up? How do I handle it once it gets to the US? Customs? I just don’t know how to start this part.

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  834. I have read so many articles regarding the blogger lovers however this post is
    in fact a good article, keep it up.

  835. Hi will,

    Is it common to pay a sample charge of €80 or is this a scam?

  836. I read your article and it is very insightful but I was looking on info regarding the shipping process and the cost.

  837. Hello,
    I read this article more than 10 times. I found it very helpful. eventually i decided to order from china and I ordered 3 samples of cases. When i got them, i posted on amazon and sold it in 20 mins. Then i ordered 50 more from the same manufacturer. After i sold 13 items on amazon, my amazon account got suspended. I have 37 more items for sell, i do not know where to sell them. I am so confused right now. I was inspired and agitated to sell more and change my income this year but now i am stuck. don’t know what to do, don’t know where to go. Where else i can sell. Plss help! thank you!

    • Great article! I do have one question though. How did you handle the challenge of being new to the Amazon or eBay community? It seems that it may be difficult to get people to trust you as a seller in the early stages. If this wasn’t a problem, then what advice could you provide to someone looking to get into this business?

    • I’m wondering why your account is suspended, is it illegal of the products? and what’s the cost of the case,.

  838. Hi Will,
    I have just read your article and Wow how good was it!! I am all pumped up now. I have a question. I am based in Australia so therefore everything I read I have to keep in mind I am not in the US so I was wondering what your thoughts were as to getting a sample ?? as I intend to never touch the inventory by having the supplier send to a Company that sorts all the labelling ect and then sends to Amazon for me, I would therefore not be able to see the product before selling. Is this the gamble I would have to take?
    Irene

    • Hi Irene,
      Samples are a breeze here in Australia. We are closer to Asia than most other western countries so the freight is not normally too bad.
      Finding a drop shipper shouldn’t be too hard. I would get a sample though. A lot of sites don’t like people using generic pictures of products and if you get a sample you can take some pictures yourself which will be special to you!
      Remember you will be paying a fee for them to pick and pack. Try and Google a question like “has anyone used xyz company” if they have had reviews they will pop up in forums and you can get an idea of how they perform. Most forums only tell bad news story’s so if they aren’t in them its probably a good thing.
      Have a nice one
      Jim

  839. Do you know anything about DHGate.com? The reason I’m asking is because they have EMG guitar pickups at a fraction of the cost of retail price. They look to be the real thing, but they could be fake. If they’re real they would sell really easily on ebay, but I don’t want to sell fake pickups. Just wondering if you knew anything about them. Thanks!

  840. Thitirat my experience (short one) is that there are many quality issues at least with products under $10. Out of three suppliers I have received samples from, I had to walked away because the products were really, really cheap quality. The suppliers were OK responding emails and even misrepresenting the value of the bill- lowering it (without me asking them to that) BUT quality is a bit questionable. I am now waiting for some “upscale” samples of some products with costs in the $15-$25 p/units range. I keep fingers crossed.

    This whole importing thing is a bit harder than what I thought. I have a full time job and this is taking all my free time. Again I am new in this field and I want to do things right, but between assessing competitors in Terapeak, suppliers in Alibaba and looking for products? oh that’s a lot of work!! If I were you I will be very diligent and even using a quality check before supplier drop anything… I can tell you if the suppliers I have contacted had dropshipped my products, my business will be ruined before starting…. no to scare you but be careful.

  841. I probably am the only one at the other side of the bridge here. I am Thai who live in USA for 10 years already. I do have a lot of connection with manufacturers in Thailand. I am now about to start my new business as an exporter agent.

    I do a lot of research about importer in USA as well to pin my business target. The only problem is China! I have heard a lot of products from China is cheap but most likely you would get low quality also. I try to point out with better quality and service with reasonable price but it seem too hard for me to fight with pricing in China.

    As you were deal with China in the past. Did you have any other problem that importer should be aware of? I just try to make that weak point of them improve my business tragedy.

    I thinking about drop shipping also but the shipping cost is huge. Should I consider forming another business here in USA import my customer order and to act as distributer in USA and do the drop shipping. Is that too much risk?

    Thank you very much

  842. Very informative post. Wishing you continued success with future endeavors.

  843. Dont you have to pay import duty to US Customs when importing large quantities from China ?

  844. Is it really possible to start making money like this. I was just let go from a good paying job and the market is crazy.

    I have read everyone’s comment and people are still confused and asking the same questions

  845. Hello Will,

    Thanks for the article. Looks like I am struck. I have a question hopefully you can help me. Most of the suppliers that i talked to so far, say they will ship the main order only to the port.
    And also they come with weird questions like Do you have CBP or ANNUAL BONDS etc. This is where I am lost.

    Do you think, i should avoid such suppliers. They are gold members, have escrow account, also assessed suppliers.

    When they do come up with shipping prices for door to door, they come up with very higher price. How should I proceed further, any suggestions that will be helpful.

    • Hi Ruhu,
      Most Chinese factories quote FOB (free on board) this means they get it to the ship and your freight agents take over from there. If the agents are FedEx or DHL they normally charge high. Look for a local freight forwarder in your town as they will all have connections in China. They will walk you through the process and they will also tell you what duty rates apply to some items. The government puts high import duty on products that could hinder the local producers.
      regards
      Jim

  846. Hi Will,

    Absolutely brilliant article. Thanks for you’re insight. It was only last week that I came across Aliexpress.com after looking for a pair of trainers which are quite hard to find and if you do find them are very expensive. This website then popped up with those sneakers and a great price. I ordered one pair as a trail, and figured I could sell them as they are very sought after. Im a bit thrown back a bit now, reading your paragraph about counterfeit goods, as im sure these are but not 100%. I’ve managed to find a pair on aliexpress which are identical to a pair i brought legitimately in the UK, which i’m going to compare with once they arrive. I’m thinking about delving into maybe smaller goods now, things which are legit and wont cause any trouble in the long run. I guess its time i start looking for a supplier, if you have any tips, they would be more than welcome 🙂
    Jon.

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  848. I ordered some samples and the price is like double the price on Alibaba. I ordered itbecause it is a small /cheap product and I have not choice but “inspect” it before I place my orders. However they have not given me the price for the orders just for samples. Is that normal? they said they will prepare a list price for my products as soon as they know the MOQ. is this a bad sign? 4 years gold supplier, uses paypal etc. Does anyone knows if this is the process?

    Thanks

    • Hi Wendy,
      the fact that they offer PayPal is great. You can get your money back by lodging a dispute up to 45 days after the transaction should there be a problem. Its normal to get hit hard for samples. Many people try to get things cheap by saying they want to do business then don’t. Most reputable companies will refund back the cost of the samples when you place the order.
      Knowing your MOQ will allow them to give you a price based on this. Don’t tell them you want 5000 pieces then try and order 100 with the 5000 piece price.
      Good luck!
      Jim

      • Thank you Jim, I want to be honest from the start and I expect that for them too or I will walk away immediately. At this point I have not “revealed” what my order will be but I will keep it real for sure (no games playing). They have been answering promptly and sent me the tracking # for the DHL already. Now I just sit and wait for my samples!

  849. Hello Will,

    Im currently in China touring and teaching English. I want to take a shot at the import export business. Can you provide details for a Dummy? Step by Step.
    Thank you Will I appreciate your discernment in this matter. I look forward to hearing from you.

  850. Great article, exactly what i was looking for. I am interested in importing fancy electronics, car stickers, toys, cell phone accessory etc. but i am not able to find it on any of the websites you mentioned above. Can you help me in searching the suppliers of such goods?

    • Naman,
      try a company called http://www.stepfly.com.cn I bought some thing from them for personal use. They take paypal so nice and safe.

      You might be badly surprised at potential mark ups though!
      Regards
      Jim

  851. Great! I started the first step and contacted Sellers for samples. I have this idea for an electronic device for guitars, so I’m gonna start selling guitar accessories first. Like capos. I’m thinking it will help me incorporate my product into the market when I finally get it going. I’m still new to all of this, so do you think it’s a good plan? Any advice?

    Awesome article, as always.

    Thank you,

    Latasia

  852. Will,

    I am curious how you identify non-branded products on Alibaba. It seems that almost *every* product (even those searched for using “non-branded”) has a “brand name” once you click on the item. Granted, I haven’t heard of many of them, but I still want to be sure I’m avoiding them. Can you shed any light on this issue? Thanks a ton.

  853. Wonderful article, came just in the nick of time when I’m facing a mid 20s crisis. Thank you…

  854. You can definitely see your enthusiasm within the article you write.

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  855. Hello,

    I am 20 years old and crave to build a nice importing business, I currently live in Uruguay, South America, which is a country with a little delay on developement, this may seem as a drawback but I look at it as an opportunity to import good and high earning items which nobody living here even thought of.
    I would really love if you could help me out and chat a bit.

    Thank you very much,
    Best regards,
    Marc

    • Marc,
      great to see you have a burning ambition!
      Looking to import something nobody does currently is a big one. You would have to create the market, advertise and hope it becomes popular.
      Look at something like a garbage bag…..WHAT?? I hear you say. I import over 4 million per year in products that are placed in the garbage daily. Gloves, cling film, aluminium foil cloth wipes and garbage bags.
      You can buy bags easily from a good supplier and start selling them to restaurants, bars etc. They all use them and need them everyday. They throw your product each time they fill it going through them fast. You need to know a couple of things about the disposable industry. Everyone wants items at the cheapest price for the least amount of money. You cannot run out of stock, your customers cannot wait and will go elsewhere if you do.
      Make sure the product is a good standard item. The most popular garbage bag size is 75-80ltr with a star seal. That seal means the bottom of the bag fully sits in the garbage can making it easy to fill.
      There’s money in garbage!!!
      Cheers
      Jim

  856. Hey there Will,

    I’ve enjoyed every bit of your blog. However, I am slightly inclined to believe that most of your advice in your blog is meant for people in USA (correct me if am wrong), nonetheless, I am opting to use it for my end. I am from Uganda.

    I am new to this kind of thing (importing, buying and selling stuff from other countries). I want my Co. to deal in items such as tents (sell or rent them out), and wedding or events or party decor. I’ve followed your guide on how to get products from suppliers and am yet to contact them but am still not sure how the VAT in my country works. Guess you can’t help me on this one.

    Anyway, you also mentioned that you prefer to use air to deliver your supplies, isn’t that quite expensive? However, I did notice that some suppliers have provisions for other delivery options including shipping and various courier methods. But perhaps air is safer and cheaper in a long run since one’s products arrive in just a few days and will probably be received in good condition.

    Thanks again for the blog, it’s been very helpful.

    Kind regards,

    Kay

  857. Hi I see you started business as a very young boy. Did you need to own company to import from China?

  858. Man , thanks for the insight how to import from China. I found your articles very VALUABLE . Here in South Africa this days doing business is very complicate, but always their is niche where small margins can be done.

    I am Civil & structural Engineer and for last 6 months become very difficult get a job. Therefore I have start my own business HIRING trucks for delivering construction materials and others stuff. Since yesterday I haver start think import printer and consumables for small business. Also I am looking for very good supplier from China that can supply aluminium profiles that can be done windows & door.

    if you can advise your are welcome .

    Regards

    Mr P

  859. Hi Will,
    Very nice of you offering all these information, I would also like to point a question, how can I do all these things legally? I mean I own an e-shop in Greece and I would like to import things from China and resell them in my website?
    So, do I ask for an invoice? Do I have to pay extra customs?

    Thanks in advance! 🙂

  860. Hi There, I found your post tailormade for me,its exactly the advice I was looking for. I have one question about taxes, I know you said each country is different. I want to know if you know how I can find out what dollar value goods can be imported into canada without paying duty or tax ? I am importing kids apparel and kids accessories caps, hair clips etc… thanks a lot ! Garni

  861. Hello Will,

    Really liked your article. Quite helpful. I am from Pakistan and have been looking for a guidance to work online safely and with a little more knowledge which you gave in your article.

    I have a few products which I am dealing in already and have a huge demand in the U.S.A . I am still not able to get through some one who could actually promote and guide me through and get me clients there. So far I have been dealing locally.
    If you think we can work on this please email me.

    Regards,

    babar aga.

  862. Hi thanks for your most informative read!
    I am wanting to use Alibarba but do you have to have an ABN…yes I am an Aussie…Australian BUSINESS number??
    In finding a supplier,though he is away I did join but with my own email therefore after reading your book I have gone back in to use another email but now they are asking for a ABN. Now is this correct as I didn’t need one before or I just not joined properly? Really would appreciate your imput!
    Cheers Joey

    • Hi Jo,
      I too live in Australia and import a lot of product for various business’s I have. For small business start ups you don’t need an ABN and if you keep your imports to below 1000AUD each time there is no tax or duty to pay. Australia is very entrepreneur friendly!
      Good Luck!
      Jim

  863. Hi there, I am interested what are you doing now? do you mind to send me msg. Thanks

  864. What is the best way and will save you money when shipping from china to u.s , do you need a custom broker, tryn not have problem with customs thanks.

  865. Hey!
    Thanks so much for this cool article. I laughed so much when you said that you learnt much more with this business than when you were in school. I seriously feel identified and I feel like I’ve wasted so much time in subjects that aren’t even relevant.
    I’ve been curious for the past 2 years about starting selling online. of course there’s always the fear of what if something goes wrong, what if you can’t handle it.
    I love the way you explained everything so easy and so straight forward. You tell exactly what to do and HOW to do it.
    School misses the point in HOW to do it and keeps with a bunch of theories that I will barely remember after semester is over.
    Thank you for sharing this valuable information! 🙂
    Andrea

  866. Wow, thank you so much for this article. There are few like you who are willing to share information into this business in such depth and detail. Thank you so much.

  867. This article is great. I have been planning to export from China from a while but have been hesitate due to the risks involved most of which you have already mentioned. I am from South Africa and I here import tax and import regulations are tricky as item by item has its own regulations that one would not be aware of as a beginner. Even though I am in South Africa most of the things you touched on also apply in my case. You have given me confidence and I will immediately seriously pursue my dream and follow your tips. This was very helpful.

  868. Awesome article us you mention in the article if some one need help to find a good profitable niches . I am from Australia have not trade online before could you guide me please

    Best regard
    Bassim

  869. Hey I Loved your articles but I have a Question:
    Can I sell things in u.s from India?

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  871. This is ken in China, I work at a factory for several years now. I want to say this is the best guide on importing I have seen, it’s very accurate. Thank you.

  872. Hii…I am from India your post was very helpfull… I am planning to import mobile phone accessaries and bluetooth headst from china…Can you please guide me to that on how to do the shipping and how to list the products on E Bay

  873. Awesome article! Really opened up my eyes about the issues on importing and resale.

  874. Hi Will,

    Regarding requesting samples when you are researching products and suppliers, do you think it’s worth trying to get free samples of the products or is this just out of the question? Thanks a lot.

  875. hello! this is really nice and helpful article, I was thinking about that recently, im from Egypt,i dun have an experience yet but I think in Egypt I have to have a tax card if im gonna order like about 50 pieces or more from one item, cuz u work in trade, sure u will not ordering them to urself, so is it the same in usa or what? im asking cuz if the rules there is close to Egypt rules, I wanna know what r u doing may be there is a way I stil dun understand.

  876. What a supportive Page this is, Great work everyone.

    Anyone got any advice they could share on importing into Australia from China. I’m a young ambitious women looking for a career opportunity and wanting to know a little bit more about importing goods to Australia.

    thanks 🙂

  877. Can you comment on the whole human rights piece of this? Is there any way to find out if your supplier is using workers that are treated fairly? I guess I just don’t want to build a relationship with a supplier that has Chinese people in prisons building my product (as I’ve heard places like Walmart does).

    Any way to check that?

    • Jason,
      nice to see you want to know in depth who you are dealing with.
      Ask for a GWP certificate (Good Working Practises) which will be a start. Personally I always visit any factory I use because they can tell you anything but seeing is believing. Ask them for a customer reference.
      If they have nothing to hide you should get a great feeling.
      Good luck!
      Jim

  878. This was such a good article. I have to say that reading this article it was like going through my experience all over again. I had started an import business during the days of the video game accessory boom. We learned things the hard way and found out what was considered legal and illegal. We tried to jump on the hot items but we took a few hits that were not in our sight. This led to a few immediate changes. And then came some restrictions and unknowns.

  879. Hi Will,

    Great article and very helpful, thank you! But I still have three specific questions and would appreciate a lot if you could answer them.

    I’m a foreigner college student here in the US and I have been thinking to start importing stuff from China and reselling them online, but from what I heard, you need a social security to start a business/store on Ebay. Besides that, I’m not able to have an american credit-card nor a PayPal (seller account) either, since they ask for your SSN when opening up both accounts. Thus, the only ways I can get paid by buyers is by cash, deposit or transfer to my bank account.

    – Do you think it’s possible to get a reasonable profit under this circumstances?

    – How badly do you think these payment methods would affect my business?

    – Do I need to provide any information to the customs or are shippers able to send the products by companies like DHL, Fedex, directly to my door?

    Sorry for the english mistakes I may have written.

    Thank you Will,

    Otavio Silva

  880. awesome read, really informative, just one question.
    who did you sell to?
    how did you sell your product to the target market?
    were you selling mainly large quantities or individual?
    would you be selling to shops or small businesses?

  881. Hi Will,

    Great article and site – very helpful thank you. I came across your blog after I became a bit confused by results of my Alibaba searches and responses I received from a company that I wanted to receive samples from in China (my first time doing this). I’ve found several different suppliers on Alibaba for the product I’m researching. But I’ve noticed that several different companies all have the SAME picture (I mean EXACT same picture) of the product. Now, only one company must make the product. What’s going on here? I then contacted one of the companies (Gold Supplier 5yrs) and they led me to believe they made this product but when I asked for samples, they told me – in not so many words – that they don’t manufacture this product, and sent me a picture of a similar, but different product. Have you encountered this? (oh and they also said it would cost me US$100 for a sample for a product worth less than $10 and VERY light – but I guess you just bargain this down?)

    • Hi Lucy,

      I’m interested in hearing how you eventually got on with this.
      Did you eventually find a legitimate supplier?

      LT

  882. I have a question on importing medical supplies…the supplies I want to import will be sold to medical and nursing students…do I need any sort of license to be selling that kind of merchandise?

  883. I want to start this but don’t know where to start please help me what should I sell or do to make a difference in my life thanks

  884. Hello,

    Has anyone ever used DIYtrade China, it looks like the same platform as Alibaba, just wondered if anyone could give me some insight as the type of products I’m looking for are limited on the Alibaba

    Thanks Ben

  885. Hi Will,

    Great article mate! Really excellent reading and very informative.
    The article has prompted a lot of excitement and I feel ready to take on the task. However I am absolutely overwhelmed with what items to sell.
    I am based within Australia but would envision to sell almost anywhere, therefore my product will definitely need to be substantially priced in terms of its available markup/profit margin. I’ve been looking from custom shower screens to multi coloured tyre pressure gauges and even skull shaped shot glasses. What are your thoughts on these items? Am I too generic and should dig deeper or am I on the right track?

    I look forward to hearing from you Will!

  886. Small question . Has anyone ever orderd iPhones from China or is this a section that it should stay well away from.
    If anyone has any information Any advice would be great.

    Thanks guys…

    • Hi Darren,
      I looked into iPhones (who doesn’t!). The only ones you will get are rejects that have been sold into the local market and “fixed”. Apple control the iPhone market with a steel grip.
      I nearly bought 10 of them but a gut feeling told me it was going to be a pain so I stepped away from the deal.
      If you want to buy DS units or that type of thing I know a very reputable company in Shenzhen. http://www.stepfly.com
      they accept PayPal so you are safe, great people work there who are glad to help. They even supply game cards with the DS units loaded with like 400 games.
      You might be a little disappointed to discover the margins as electronics return low ones that’s why stores try and sell you extended warranties which is where the money is for them.
      Oh and a little trick I have learned. When negotiating at a store for say a TV, mostly here in Australia you talk to the sales guy then are sent to the cashier to pay. I always negotiate the price hard with the biggest extended warranty they offer and then when I go to pay I just tell them I have changed my mind on the warranty, get the low price on the TV and leave very happy!
      Happy trading
      Jim

  887. Hi mate an amazing piece of information. I live in the UK just wondering how different it would be compared to the US in terms of restrictions of products and weather I could do this with no experience,
    I’m looking to create something good and what is your thought on Bar/Club equipment & accessories I.E cocktail equipment… Glassware

  888. Hey I have a question more so to cure my curiosity but when you sold counterfeit items did the buyer know they were counterfeit and also did you buy them off of alibaba?

  889. Hey there Will, been kicking things into gear and the moment just waiting to hear back from a few suppliers, the last couple of replies have been good and bad,
    Good in the sense that its a good looking product, they do paypal, door to door sample courier, cheap, OEM but bad because he’s still quoting me a minimum of 200piece order i only want to order like 20 max!

  890. Firstly I would like to thank you for taking the time out and sharing all the brilliant insights with us fellow newbies. I am very keen on starting my own business, as I consider you as my bro, I would appreciate your help in starting up my own business. Coming from a family where everyone is interested in doing their own business and my brothers and have father who already have their established business. I am still on the learning curve.

    I wanted to know what products will you suggest me that I should look for, my market is Bangladesh which is a developing nation thus comes the trouble. I have tried looking for products but as there are many obstacles such as we are not uptodate to modern technology, I am helpless here in finding potential buyers or clients whom I can sell my products.

    Your blog has been an inspiration to me and I wish I came across it while i was studying in New York, If you can give me a piece of advice old friend I will be forever generous to you. There are many products in Alibaba and very hard to choose from, as you have mentioned electronics and knock off bags are a ‘big no’ if I am considering a long term business. I am in a stalemate at the moment when it comes to finding the right product.

    If you can recommend me three items and how to find potential buyers in Bangladesh or other sub continental countries, It will be very generous of you buddy.

    Regards,

    Zhardi Yahya

  891. Hey great article!… just one question: When I search ebay I see that almost all of the products are actually from china and thus match the alibaba prices… is there a way to get around this or do I just keep searching?

  892. Wow, thank you for putting this up. You really did have an experience at a young age and seem to have had a taste of success. I watched my mate start out selling automotive LED lights. 5 years on, he doesn’t work a 9-5 job, he runs his own shop on eBay and other places. So I know it can be done. Your post has given me that last bit of inspiration to go out and do it. Thank you very much

  893. Hey guys!

    I know that Will probably doesn’t read these responses anymore, but I have very important question and if ANYONE who is in this topic could respond I would be so grateful.
    So, I’m wondering about this part:
    “Now you can start to negotiate prices and shipping terms. I usually try to get some price cuts, but my main thing is getting the factory to drop ship (generally through a US office or distributor). If the factory can ship to my customers for me and handle returns, my business is next to automated.”

    And my question is: even if company in China could ship goods to my clients from ebay(after I gave them client’s adress right?), what happens with all the Duty Rates and Vat Rates??
    I’ll add that I live in Europe and from what I read you have to pay these taxes when your item is in my country. Who and how pays these taxes ,Will wrote goods could be going exactly to client from ebay, not to my house(and I resell them after paying taxes).

    Sorry for my English, I hope my message is understandable 🙂 And it would be great if someone could respond! Thanks

    • Hi Hatsbby,
      The easiest way around this is to either buy from someone else who imports and dropships from within the UK or use a UK based freight company to bring the goods in for you. They will contact you for each shipment and you pay the Duty and VAT over the telephone by credit card.
      Failing that you disclaim the duty and VAT making sure the purchaser knows they will be up for it.
      I would go with option 1 if it was me starting out. Less messy, someone else has the buying power to bring in mega amounts of stock and warehousing which allows you to offer a better range of products.
      Regards
      Jim

  894. Hi will, I was wondering if you had any tips on shipping/airmail. Ie what is the cheapest way to get a carton of goods shipped from China to England after buying from a manufacturer via alibaba?. Also what method is the most reliable and fast? I have some great ideas about products to sell but the prospect of goods being safely delivered to my home from a Chinese warehouse on the other side of the world seems surreal and daunting at best

    • Hi Terry,
      I lived I the UK for some years and I used a company called “we deliver the world” AKA fastlane couriers, you can get a quote online in a matter of seconds, they give you several options of couriers (all the big ones such as DHL, TNT etc) and they then send you a PDF of the airway bill, invoice documents that you send to the place of collection in China or wherever via email.
      Like most companies doing lots of work they have bad reports as well as good. For my money they were good and any problems were dealt with fast at their office when I telephoned.
      Regards
      Jim

  895. Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking a few minutes
    and actual effort to make a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.

  896. I’ve read a lot of vague/nonsense on this topic online. This is probably the first useful article I read on how to get started in import/export. Being the 1000+ person commenting here, I don’t expect a response, but it would be really helpful if you could go over the licenses required to import/export, dealing with customs, etc.

    • Hi Ariana,
      I have been importing for over 15 years and am an Alibaba Gold supplier so I sometimes answer a few questions if I can.
      You need to get an import agent. Make contact with someone who handles sea and air freight. These guys will negotiate with the factory for freight collections, let you know what the duty will be, freight costs etc.
      I have used one for years here in Australia and they are worth every penny.
      As for a license you don’t normally need one unless your importing something a bit special such as a medical device, trademarked items. For run of the mill things its normally not required. What you do need to check is the $$ amount before duty is levied. Here in Australia any shipments under $1000.00 is duty free and tax free. In the UK its 15.00 so big difference.
      If you find your item has a massive duty (wire coast hangers from china have a 300% duty for the states) its because it stops cheap imports undermining local manufacture. Pick something not made in your own country for best rates of duty. Check to see if your country has free trade agreements with any Asian countries. I buy some product from Thailand as its duty free. Makes me an extra 5%.
      Good luck
      Jim

        • Hi,
          Which country are you in? If i know a good agent in that country I would be happy to let you know.
          regards
          Jim

          • Try these guys.
            They should be able to tell you the duty rates on the products you are looking at and give you a rate per cubic metre (square foot) for goods. Your supplier would tell you a weight and carton dimension and you would ask these guys

            Good Luck!!
            Jim
            ACGI Shipping Inc.

            111 West Ocean Boulevard

            Suite 1025

            Long Beach, CA, 90802

            Tel 562 491-5361

            Fax 562 436-3296

            Operations 562 491-5361

            Documentation 562 491-5361

            email [email protected]

      • Hello Jim

        Who is your freight forwarder (import agent?) in Australia that you mentioned?

  897. I’m considering purchasing children’s clothing through Aliexpress. But I’m very confused and scared of the whole import taxes, tariffs, and fees. Some articles say you have to pay the delivery service, others say you have to pick it up at a port. And no one can give me a percentage on what you pay for such items like this. Any info or advice would help. Thank you!

  898. I have been looking at several products on alibaba but am concerned about trademarks. how do you know if a product is trademarked or not. and how do you go about avoiding trademark infringement? obviously i know not to buy counterfeit items but what about unbranded items that look exactly like brand name items. I would like more information on this subject

  899. Hi Will,

    I really love this article. This is one of the few articles that i have read through every single words. It was fun, exciting and not least, tought me ALOT! THANKS ALOT!

    I have a question, maybe somebody already mention it in the comments, but i havent gone through all the comments.

    Talking about asking for samples from the suppliers. Is it “okay” to ask for FREE SAMPLES to check out the quality, or do you normally pay for the samples?

    Thanks alot for this great article!

    Cass

  900. Hi,

    I am very thankful and happy I stumbled upon your blog. I’m new in this field of importing and I know and feel my business will be a success. I’m curious to know how can you tell the supplier is good I see suppliers with more than 90.0% feedback and some items never had a order, but the product they have you know people who’d buy it. What do you do in a situation like that? Also, can a supplier with good feedback scam you too, like saying they shipped a package but tracking say it can’t be found how many days does it take to track shipment? Also did you buy your items upfront than sold them or you’d advertise then order the items. I’m asking as I see a lot of pop-up online stores using these websites and I notice a lot of their items say pre-order so I’m curious to know what are they doing why is it pre-order instead order now etc….

  901. Hello Will,
    I hope everything is OK there,I have a question. If Chinese supplier quote a price between $15 – $20 per pair,unit or piece , What will be the chance of negotiation. Please reply,
    Thanks.
    Rajeev Kapoor

  902. Hi Friend I am an Indian and I want to import medical machine from china what I do first such as any licence or import card. please reply.
    Thanks for this great article.

  903. Thanks for this advice! I’m a bit worried about the samples. I have a couple of things in mind I want to sell (women’s dresses, makeup brushes, hair oils, and small electronics like audio cables) but I’m stumped as to how to ask the company how to acquire any samples from pieces of clothing. Do you just do the minimum orders and see if they fit the description? Any advice would be appreciated.

    • Hi Jen,
      I am actually looking into some “fashion” right now. I have identified a bit of a niche in school uniforms where parents (that’s me) get ripped something terrible. I have a friend who manufactures in Asia so let me know what it is your looking for and I will pass your details to him.
      Normally you have a design and know the spec of material, cotton etc you want. Then you go to a sample then to production.
      With regards to hair oils and make up be sure none are classed as dangerous goods. I set up a website selling makeup, nail polish and my very first order was to Canada. It got destroyed by Canadian mail because it was classed as dangerous goods. Just when I thought I knew it all!!
      Electronics is a heavily saturated market. Never did much on that but good luck as I think the margins will be small due to the completion around.
      Hope all goes well for you.
      Regards
      Jim

      • Hey Jim,

        Thanks for replying to my comment. I appreciate the advice on the makeup and hair oils. I had no idea there were some things classified as dangerous goods. I am going to have to look into that.
        As far as fashion is concerned, I am looking into selling formal/evening dresses for going out as well as some casual clothing like tops and bottoms for women.
        Thanks!,
        Jennifer M

  904. Amazing article written with so much of sincerity, passion and with no axes to grind! You seem to have got a wise head on your young shoulders.
    Great work and keep it up, Will! This article seems to have put an end to my unending research, time to act now!!

  905. Hi Will,
    I have moved to Norway and know of a product that doesn’t seem to exist here, but I saw it in Australia. I am considering looking at the option of either importing and distributing to retailers, or alternately, direct sales via on-line. Do you have any advice as to checking legality of copying (or very slightly modifying the original) and how to go about finding a manufacturer in Asia? This is preferred as this would increase my margin, rather than going to the current manufacturers and distributers in Australia. The product is basically a small wool pad that you attach to the end of a pole.
    Also, do you have any experience or advice as to developing a market for selling to retailers?
    Many thanks.

    • Hi Rory,
      The product you are talking about doesn’t sound like it would have any patent protection since its very basic.
      I live in Australia and cant for the life of me think what it could be used for.
      If you are looking for someone to make the product from scratch you need to post a buying requirement on Alibaba. Be specific, make sure your not vague otherwise you will be snowed under with factories trying to sell you a mop.
      You can refine your search by asking for gold suppliers only but this can mean big MOQ’s (minimum order quantities) I ship in the UK some castings and cut and weld brackets and use a small guy in Guangzhou. The difference is I went and met him, saw his operation and we have been doing business together since 2007. He even ships for me without payment telling to pay when I can. That’s what good trading is all about. Don’t use trading platforms just to screw the suppliers. Look for good suppliers who you can see a future with.
      Good luck mate
      Jim

      • Hi Jim,
        Thanks for the response – appreciate the detail, and the re-assurance that success is out there. I’ve been deliberately vague about the product as I’m sure you can understand. If/when I can get my head around the importing issues/tax/distribution in Norway (and possibly Sweden), my preference is to go direct to a supplier IOT build the relationship and actually look at the product, packaging, working conditions etc. I agree that this is the best way to develop a solid relationship.
        But the 25% import duties into Norway definitely hurts!

        Thanks again Jim,
        Rory

        • Rory,
          if there is 25% duty on top of the freight look at getting it made locally.
          Might be surprised!
          Jim

          • Thanks Jim, that is something I have on my scribble pad to also look into. I’m also trying to come up with something unusual (and wanted) or that there is a gap in the market that will sell easily on-line before I am in a position to further develop the distribution of the item in my original post. Need to keep my thinking cap on to come up with the left-field ideas…!

            Thanks for taking the time to comment.

            R

  906. what a great truthful guy you are Will. I am not sure how recent this post is. I certainly would like to talk to you more. I ran this business for all of 2010 and I could have benefited a lot from applying the lessons of this article prior to all the trials and errors. I found communication with the suppliers I used to have been the most frustrating. May God continue to bless you.

  907. Hi Will,
    I read your article with interest and learned quite a lot. I found a Item on Alibaba that would sell and now makes me quite a bit of money on eBay.
    My only problem is this item is a big brand. I emailed the company in China that I bought the Items off to ask if they were genuine, the reply I got was that they are genuine and made by a OEM factory.
    Could you explain to me what a OEM Factory is and what is their connection with the original brand? The only thing I know about OEM is what it stands for ( Original Equipment Manufacturer ) but that still doesn’t explain to me what the relationship is between the genuine brand company and the OEM factory.
    Does the OEM factory contract to the branded company and have got permission to make their brand which makes the item genuine?? Im confused!!! Ha ha!!! I would really be really grateful if you could clear this up for me.

    Thanks
    Craig

    • Hi Craig,
      Big brands do not allow product to be shipped by traders. This would be called grey importing or parallel importing. They normally protect their brands by making sure the factory doesn’t do this.
      I think you are being offered a copy or goods coming out of the factory without authorisation. They could be genuine goods but destined for other markets. I would steer clear or you might end up with a headache!
      Regards
      Jim

      • Hi Jim.

        When I see items on Alibaba where in descriptions OEM is mentioned, does that mean that product is protected from grey or parallel importing? Or this only relevant to popular brands?

  908. Hi Will! I found your article very helpful! I want to start selling products on amazon and I don’t quite understand how to become a prior seller out of buyers choices amazon offers for a particular item?

  909. Hi Will

    I am very impressed with your article, as I am starting this already and have a few questions.
    When you are requesting information form these suppliers and they ask you for the number of pieces that you are looking for, would you enter a single amount or multiple amounts.

    As I use to have my own Point of Sales Business in the past and had to close it down as my son was battling cancer.
    I am struggling on what type of products to import as I live in Canada.

    As I am starting to get my passion back to really put myself into this.

    Any ideas.

    Mike Fogarty

  910. Hi Will, I just wanted to thank you for you informative site. I have recently been left a single mum of two in the UK and plan on moving to South Africa to be closer to my sister. We plan on trying to open a little business for me to live out there and support myself and my boys.
    Your site gave me the extra push I need, so thanks. Hope you’re still successful!

    Kind regards
    Sam

  911. Hey there,

    Really enjoyed the article, just a quick question, should we be paying for samples from the suppliers? Either for the product itself, just the shipping cost, or both? Thanks.

    • Hi Drew,
      yes is the answer to your questions. We suppliers would go bust sending free samples out. There is a cost of doing business that everyone has to suck in and paying for samples and freight is one of them. More often than not the company sending the samples will credit back the sample cost when you place the big order with them.
      Remember suppliers have to survive as well.
      Regards
      Jim

  912. Hi great article firstly….

    Can you please tell me how much you should expect to pay for a sample product? If an item is small and light and cost is around $1 what would you suggest is a responsible amount to pay for samples?

    • Hi Sam,
      The cost of the sample would normally be around the retail price plus courier.
      The fact is many factories would go broke sending out samples at low costs. They normally refund this cost when you place an order in an effort to weed out tyre kickers.
      You could try arranging your own courier. I use a site called we deliver the world. Get an instant quote and you don’t have to be an account holder.
      They normally come up pretty well priced.
      Don’t get hung up on the cost of a sample. If your serious its a cost investment.
      Good Luck
      Jim

  913. I recieved a shipping quote for three small leds from Beijing & i was told $100USD. Does that sound right?

    the cost of the LED is .39 USD .

    • Hi Dillan,
      try we deliver the world for an alternative price. Get the cost in seconds and I use these guys a lot.
      You could also try a product that’s light, almost unbreakable like crazy or colour contact lenses! http://www.contactlenshub.com
      you can triple your outlay on each pair. I have been wholesaling for some years and they sell well.
      Regards
      Jim

  914. Hello, im from venezuela and I want to emigrate to the USA and start importing producducts from China. Im an bachelor in International Trade and a few months ago I traveled to China and I fell in love with every single detail of it, from their culture to their business.

    Your article was so helpfull to make me feel so anxious to start with this, as hard as it could be.

    I’ve understood all what you wrote on this article, but in order to start I need a good, I mean the best product I can find to import. but i have no idea which one could be.

    Im planning to leave my actual contry (Venezuela) by may of this year. I want to establish in florida and I need a product to fit on this tropical and tourist place.

    Could you help me, or give any tips to have an idea of what can I sell?

    Thanks

    • Hi Gabriel,
      I hope your life the USA works out for you. A very exciting place.
      Look for products that have low minimums so you can ease into the trading thing without the worry of having a load of stock to move. Sometimes it gets overwhelming looking at thousands of dollars of stock.

      You could look at contact lenses. Colour lenses and crazy lenses. I wholesale these and am a gold supplier on Alibaba. I specialise in selling low minimums, only Korean made lenses as the Chinese ones on the whole are not certified to my standards.
      Shelf life of 4-5 years and the user can wear them for up to one year.
      You can easily triple your money on these which is a great way to go.
      They post well, almost unbreakable.
      Check our retail site out and drop me a line http://www.contactlenshub.com
      Regards
      Jim

  915. I’ve absolutely found a gem with this article. The information given has like many inspired me to move on some ideas I’ve had for some time now. My only question is about shipping times and replenishment of supply. I’ve ordered one product from China and it took around 14 days or more to receive. If my initial order is for ten products would it be safe to say that at the point I’m 50% sold out I should order more product? My only concern is the shipping to me and in turn to the customer. Are there any tips you can pass along on cutting this time down? Again I’m going to put to action all of this advice right now…

    • Hi Kevin,
      Stock control can be a real pain. I guess its down to how you are selling the products. One of my big customers tells me what he wants stocked on his historic sales data so that makes things a little easier particularly since he takes the stock in at his warehouse.
      On smaller items I guess at 50% sold should be a good marker unless its taken 3 months to sell them then I would replenish when stocks were lower or drop the line and look for a faster moving item.
      Most of my trading life I have looked for a disposable type product, I import coffee cups, PVC cling film, vinyl gloves, garbage bags amongst other things and all these products end up in the trash every day of the week. Keeps the sales moving through.
      Good luck and keep trading!
      Jim

  916. Very helpful article!! a quick question though. when do you pay for the goods you purchase on alibaba? is it right after you place the order or when you actually receive your order? the reason for this question is because i was thinking of ordering some replica watches but i am worried that custom will seize them. if that were to happen and i had already paid the supplier my money goes down the drain.

    • Hi Jorge
      there is no way a supplier who is selling fake goods will let you have them without being paid up front. The business basics of selling is very easy. By selling fake goods you will be in for trouble. You might get a few through without a hitch and make money but its a business that will be hard to grow without getting noticed and if customs do take your stock they will also probably prosecute you as they are trying to stamp out this sort of thing.
      Now theres nothing to stop you buying watches and selling them. Years ago I ran an internet shop called South pacific Timepieces, an internet only shop with a great range of sports and dress watches. The supplier was based in the UK and would dropship for me anywhere in the world. Not fake but nice watches with beautiful packaging. check out http://www.watches2u.com
      I love watches and have a few so this might be right up your alley.
      If you wanted to take in a load of stock then I would look at http://www.millionsmart.com/e/default_home.asp
      as these guys are huge watch makers in China.
      Good luck!
      Jim

  917. Thanks for the info, I will take a shot at import buying and see what happens.
    TY, greg

  918. Hi. I enjoyed reading your article. I have helped my Husband run his landscape and lawn care business for the last 11 yrs. A couple of years ago we started installing Christmas lights.

    We have 2 suppliers which we get the products we need, ( at a wholesale price) based on the design that we are working with. Recently we been discussing going to the next level, and trying to decide weather or not to open a storefront on our website to sell these Christmas lights and decorations, and carry the inventory, or to get into dropshipping. One of our suppliers offer drop shipping.

    Can you give us any advise on which one would be better for us to try and go with? And what are some of the questions should we ask pertaining to suppliers and drop shipping?

    Thanks for your time.

  919. Amazing things you can learn from a 16 year old. As Will said juts get started. Not much to lose and you will learn something out of this process.

  920. I just wondered about import duties, I don’t recall seeing anything about it in the article. I live in the UK and wondered if there was tax & import cost to pay?

    Thanks

  921. hi I have been on alibaba and the gold members al say they wont use paypal. one says he wil use paypal but only for 10 units min. I see a 60 percent profit on my item. but finding the supplier I trust is hard work. one said if I upload my Weston union receipt with a fake receiver name.but cover the important info to prove to him I have the money . he will then send me said product and if I like them I can change the name on Weston union ti his name and we both have what we want. what do you think>???

  922. Heyy !!

    Very nice and detailed article and its seems your knowledge about this business and today i ll start this business.
    tried of routine jobs !!

    Thaxx Buddy !!

    Regards,
    Vishal Upadhyay (India)

  923. Hey man,
    I recently found your article and have you say you did a great job. So, I currently have money I can use to invest, but not touch until I have a concrete plan to do so. I’m curious if you have a video going through the whole process in a hypothetical scenario. If not, you should even if it’s about a ridiculous product.

  924. hey will….
    varun this side from india…
    i am planning to import kids outdoor toys from china….
    i want to know what is your opinion on kids toys….

    thanks…

  925. Hi WIll. Great article! I really appreciate you posting it.

    I was looking for some information on importing-exporting and came across a mentoring system. The founder’s name is Peter Sun and he is offering it for something like $6k. The program includes loads of bonuses that come with a stap-by-step instructions.

    Here is a link to their website :http://www.importexportexposed.com.au/

    Please let me know what you think about it and whether it is a valid investment to make as some people call it a scam, however all his their youtube videos are highly rated.

    Some blog posts about it being a scam.
    http://scampetersun.blogspot.co.uk/
    http://peter-sun-scam.blogspot.co.uk/

    What do you think?

    Mike

  926. Hi,
    I have a name for the clothes I sell. Get me. I sell sexy club wear for woman. The logo is a kiss and a moon. I am not sure if this would work for my audience.

    Please advise.

    Sincerely,

    Giselle

  927. Hey there!

    How is the easiest way to start a business with a limited amount of money?

  928. Will,

    Wow, that is an amazing article, it a long time I was thinking about having some kind of online business but today your article make me to start it. Thanks man

  929. Hey Will,

    Great article! After reading it, it really inspire me to start making extra income. I currently work full-time but always looking to make a extra money on side. I’ve been researching Alibaba.com and may have found the products I want to start selling. I guess the only thing I’m worried about is dealing with any customs or other taxes that I may incurred. Although I did see one of your comments where you mention if it’s shipped by UPS, DHL, etc directly to your home, there shouldn’t be a problem.

    I will follow your advice and just order some samples to get an idea of the products and the shipping time and costs. Thank you again for the great article!

  930. Hi there Will
    Just wanted to say thank you very much for sharing with us. I am also a bit of a serial entrepreneur but haven’t managed to get anywhere really. I’m now for the first time ever considering importing something. I have an idea which is already out there but the shape we use in NZ I have never seen anywhere else. I’m now corresponding with a supplier in China who is working on it for me. They don’t use airmail for the samples though and they want to use DHL or one of the other courier companies. Anyway I’ll keep you posted on progress and if all goes well my success will have a lot to do with your info and encouragement.
    Kind regards
    Ninette

  931. hey there,
    im 13 yrs old, i live in England, and im thinking of going into this to make some serious money.
    im not messing about, and im hoping to get somewhere with this or reinvest profits into something more reliable or permanent. its just that some of things you mentioned i didnt realy understand, and you say that you started when you were 13 so i was wondering if you could help me out.
    i already have a job, and i want to invest my hard earned wage into this to make more money. the thing which im most afraid of, is investing in something that isnt worth it and having to deal with shipments and stuff. i want to get this straight:
    1.movers and shakers and the other stuff you mentioned, the items on there are popular and worth selling? i just have to choose one?
    2.can you explain the shipment and delivering stuff to me, in less complicated terms?
    i know i sound like a realy stupid guy, but i just have to make sure of these things from you personally in a way that i understand, before i put my money into it, you know what im saying?
    please answer, and thanks in advance.
    -marwan

  932. Great article. I can’t wait to filter out suppliers and begin importing products to sell. Thanks!

  933. What do i do if the suppliers i messaged read my email, but do not respond. Does this mean they think im not a worthy customer?
    Does my empty profile on alibaba have anything to do with this problem?
    Please respond, Thanks

    • Yes, your empty profile will probably tell supplier that you might be a fraud, (even you are not), or at least not a serious business man. Some of my friends have seen many frauds online.

  934. I have a thought for any future readers…I won’t come back to the site but I am sure others will want to know this…I did the whole import thing and lost my eBay business in a matter of 2 days (I made $6,000) importing T-25 Workout programs…Sold $6,000 worth in 2 days then eBay said my supplier was from China and I was not aloud to do this. They told me I had to have an American Supplier and suspended my account…How can you avoid this…I mean THEY TOLD ME “NO CHINA SUPPLIERS”…So how can you ship and sell things from china without getting caught…In eBay’s eyes it is all counterfeit unless it comes from the US…At least that is what they told me…I lost my business because of doing just what you are advocating on this blog…If anyone is reading this comment I would suggest NOT DOING THIS AT ALL! you will be banned from eBay weather or not your goods are counterfeit or not….It doesn’t matter in their eyes and if you don’t believe me than try it…you will see…you will hit something like $1,000 or $2,000 in sales a day, that will throw up a red flag in eBay’s system, and they will contact you and tell you to fax them your drivers license, name of your supplier ext…They will say they are just “VERIFYING YOUR PRODUCT SOURCE”…And since you can’t give them a Valid one because your goods are from a factory in China than you are as good as banned…Once you do that and they find out you are importing from China BOOM SUSPENDED ACCOUNT! and once your account is suspended there is no getting it back…I have a friend (My Mentor on E commerce Sales) who had an eBay business for 15 years and made well into 6 figures and started importing DVDs from China and within a week he was Banned/Suspended…So I would recommend not doing this and just finding a US supplier and doing things the right way…Sometimes the fastest most easiest way to make money isn’t the best and TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THIS that shipping counterfeit goods from China is not a business…YES i read the article and he claims that the goods he ships in are not counterfeit but unless he is selling arisoft guns where the packages are written in Chinese than they are counterfeit…they are be be guns being passed off as “American” when they are actually Chinese…That is just the way it is and you WILL GET BANNED for doing this…If you get caught…Which the 2 people I know (Me and my Mentor) both got caught within a week of trying this method…It doesn’t matter what level “Gold Platinum blah blah blah” that anybody is on Alibaba or Ali Express or whatever…I contacted eBay after they told me I was suspended and asked them about these huge marketplaces like Alibaba or Ali Express and they simply said that their products are cheap reproductions of American products and that you just simply can not sell them on eBay…SO IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT “LEVEL” OR WHATEVER THEY ARE “GOLD PLATINUM BLAH BLAH BLAH” THEY ARE ON A WEBSITE THAT eBay DOES NOT ALLOW! I REPEAT THEY DO NOT ALLOW ALIBABA OR ALI EXPRESS! THEY DO NOT ALLOW PRODUCTS FROM ALIBABA OR ALI EXPRESS! ONE MORE TIME “EBAY DOES NOT ALLOW THE SALE OF PRODUCTS FROM ALIBABA OR ALIEXPRESS”…ANYONE WHO SELLS THEIR PRODUCTS IS BRAKING EBAY POLICY AND IS JUST PLAIN LUCKY FOR NOT BEING CAUGHT…BUT EVENTUALLY THEY ALL GET CAUGHT…JUST LIKE I DID…JUST LIKE MY MENTOR DID…I don’t know about Amazon and you can basically do whatever you want on Craigslist but as far as eBay goes I just wouldn’t go this route…Learn from me and my mentors’ mistakes and DON’T EVEN TRY IT! If you do follow this guys advice than do so at your own risk…and it is certainly a HIGH RISK move…You risk your business/your money/your freedom…They don’t put the “Unauthorized Reproduction or resale can get you 5 years in Federal Prison and a $250,000 fine” at the beginning of DVDs for nothing so Head my warning and don’t even try it…Join a Company like Salehoo or buy a list of suppliers that are VERIFIED or just call eBay and ask for yourself if the company you are buying from is OK to use…CALL EBAY AND ASK IF YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SELL PRODUCTS FROM ALIBABA OR ALI EXPRESS AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY SAY ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! EVERY TIME YOU CALL!!! DOESN’T MATTER HOW MANY REPS YOU TALK TO THEY ALL SAY NO!!!The reason: the goods on these websites are 99% counterfeit…It’s just the way it is…Don’t wing it because it’s not worth it…END RANT!

    • Alibaba are a legitimate and trusted company, otherwise they would not be allowed to list themselves on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BABA). I have been dealing with them for 18 months and selling on Ebay, and can’t recommend them enough.

  935. Hi Will,
    I am planning to import solar garden flower light and 3d bedding sets, these items are new for the indians,and for me also but i want to take the risk the gold suppliers are ready to provide me with the samples ,how long should i try samples, its quality do the suppliers wait and how much quantity will be enough to sell online and in my shop,kindly reply

  936. Hi Will

    I noticed that you did your own shipping. Isn’t Amazon offering to do shipping from their distribution centers for a lesser cost. If your supplier shipped your products to Amazons distribution centers and used their shipping networks wouldn’t it be a more viable option. Did you ever use that, just wondering.

    John
    Darwin, Australia

  937. Hi Will,
    GREAT article!! You have helped me so much by providing such an insight into the world of importing!

    I am looking to have a particular type of clothing made and have been in contact with suppliers via Global Source – would you recommend Global Source or should I stick with Alibaba only?
    Thanks Will!
    Kylie

  938. Thanks Will – Great information. Just curious, why did you not replicate or carry on with this model after your initial experience till the time there was a ban with other products?

  939. This is a very good tip especially to those new to the blogosphere.

    Brief but very accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one.

    A must read article!

  940. Hi , I would like to find and sell products and I only have 100 dollars to start with. May I have some sort of advice on what methods I should follow given the small start up money? Please and thank you.

  941. I’ve heard of this site before, but I had no real understanding or interest in it. Until of course my own curiosity on the topic brought me here. I’ve only been reading through the site for about an hour and I’m already itching to get a plan together! It’s written so well too I might add. Definitely bookmarked this, and will definitely be sharing with friends that share the same interests!

    • You can register free of charge with Yahoo and open an email address there. They may send a message to your mobile/cell phone to verify you are human, but the whole process takes 5 minutes!

  942. thankyou for a great article. ill keep in touch now its time to research but you definitely gave me ideas and saved time for me and hundreds of people.

  943. Hello Will,

    Your message has been the best thing that happened to me today, thank you so much, you have been so so helpful, thanks for sharing your time and knowledge with everyone

    I live in Nigeria and my hubby just bought me a big shop space, I want to sell products in Nigeria that caters to women and men ( I was looking at fabrics, fashion costumes, shoes and bags and beads, human hair and accesories) bead making is fast moving. I want my shop payoff line to be “a one stop shop for every fashionista”

    I am not familiar with eBay but am not sure it really works in my country, pls can you advise me on products to sell and also how to go about it. Can I use FB and Instagram, I will also have a website

    I was a media person so when all is set I know how to reach out to my target Audience through the media

    Pls I really look forward to hearing from you, I am going to china in march and I want to have a lot of knowledge about all i want to go into

    I have registered with Ali baba and they have sent me different companies but none have sent me samples yet, I will start asking for samples before I go.

    Please I would like you to be my mentor and help me through the business. Thanks again

  944. Can you offer any advice if I already have a prototype and am looking for a supplier in China to manufacture the product for me?

  945. Hello Guys,

    Great article! At the moment I’m working for a consultancy firm In China.
    As always my mind is wondering about all the opportunities (who are all around) in this crazy country. If some of you are serious about this business feel free to send me a mail and maybe we can find a way to cooperate.

    As I am living in China and I am surrounded by a network of English/Chinese speakers, Chinese lawyers and trade companies, I have a lot to offer. From simple stuff like shipping a sample to my Chinese address (way cheaper) and giving a Skype review about it to solving legal disputes with suppliers.

  946. Great article!
    After realizing that my salary and my wife’s wont help me feed a big family like we dream of (12 kids with god’s help!) , i came up and found your great site. Thanks.
    My idea is to create wooden toys through schemes or sort of 3d illustration and have the chinese produce them for me.
    My questions are:
    1 what is dropshipping? I need some arrangement to send big amounts to maybe toy companis in the world so instead of delivering to my country and again to the customer country, i thought i could send a container from the facility right to the customer. Is this called dropshipping?
    2 what blocks the chinese from selling my original design by himself?
    3 what about packeging? And graphics on them? Look for another chinese or there are facilitys which do them both?

  947. Great info, I lived in China 5 years but still feel I have so much to learn, really appreciate your sharing your knowledge

  948. Thank you heaps! I’m 15 and have always been interested in importing! You’ve honestly helped me so much!

  949. Hey Will,
    Alright im 16 right now and very big into airsofting and ive been searching for airsoft gun dealers on alibaba and found no luck. You said that you made great money by selling guns. I wanted to know if you could like push me in the right direction to a supplier or a dealer. I want to make good money buy selling airsoft rifles. Please comment or email me.

  950. Hey Will!
    I’m SO excited that I found you!! My husband and I have wanted to sell things on eBay for some time now; however, when I went to Ali Baba to sign up, you have to have a business name. (exactly how it’s spelled with the government ). It is a requirement to fill that in. Is there a way around that in order to look through the website while we decide what our name is and before we get set up as a business?

  951. Will,

    I really enjoyed reading your article. Very inspiring. You warned the readers of selling counterfeit items. Won’t most of the branded items the seller buys and sells at a great margin impose copyright, patent issues ?
    For example, loom band ( glowing rubber bands) bags which are being sold at a price of $20 on Amazon. Let’s say you purchase a min order from Alibaba which you then sell on Amazon at a greater margin. Can’t that cause legal problems ? I don’t understand how there is a way around it, unless you start your own brand.

    I really like your idea but I am just worried about the legal problems that this business might attract.

  952. Hi, Awsome guide by the way!
    I guess this is late after this post was made but hopefully you will see this and answer my questions.

    1. how did you deal with the shipping fees or did you made them send as a gift?
    2. I saw your done message you could send to the manufacters but now I can’t find it, maybe I’m hallucinating!
    3. Awsome guide!

  953. This is such a good read! Just wanted to say thanks, its great to get information that is useful and doesn’t have a price tag on it! Awesome!

  954. Hi, this is a great article. Can you answer a question?
    I’ve never had a real business besides just buying stuff at Goodwill and selling on Ebay. But, now I want to try importing and I have an idea for marketing a specific item. Do I need an official “registered” business that sellers will check out to sign up and buy on Alibaba? Or can I just use my made-up business name that doesn’t really exist yet.
    Second, the prices of stuff I am looking to buy on Alibaba are listed at for $2-$10 (for 5-10 pieces), yet these same items would sell for $20-$100 Retail on eBay. I haven’t contacted any sellers yet, but what am I missing since these prices sound too good to be true for such small volumes? Am I going to find out that the $2-$10 price is just for 1000 each and the quote for 5-10 items will be closer to the Retail price? Or, does the shipping cost affect the profit margins? Or is this stuff just poor quality?
    Thanks again!

  955. Hi,

    I am from India just want to start some import/export business. This topic is really nice and giving some light to move further.

    Is it required to register a company when you start a business in Alibaba ?

  956. Great article. Thanks a lot. One question. Samples are free but who should pay for the shipment of the samples buyer or supplier?

  957. Thank your sir. thanks for sharing your knowledge and great experience. it was very useful.
    also, i have a question about company and registration. i mean do i have to open company to import goods or i can import goods from china without any company.

    • It’s not necessary to register a company when you start a business in Alibaba. Different countries may have different policy regarding importing and exporting. But generally speaking, it’s not necessary.

      Unless you are importing or exporting some VERY special products, like ‘Real Guns’, medicine:)

      • thanks sir so, when they ask my address can i give my home address since i don’t have any other place that i can receive products, or should i find local cargo company or big shipping company to get products

        thank you have good one

  958. hello
    i’m living in iraq , i cant sell my products in ebay or amazon coz people in iraq dont buy from this sites , can i open a page on fb and advertise my products ?? or share them on iraqi shopping sites ??

    • I’d suggest you open your own commerce site, if there’s no mature and big ecommerce platform out there in your country. If it’s true, I believe it’s a big opportunity for you to operate your business online:)

  959. Do you have to have a registered business to test the waters with this method. In order to deal with the suppliers on alibaba will they ship to me as an individual

    • Hi Rachael,
      There are many companies in the UK to buy from. They will be buying from Asia already but their volume could mean you get a great deal and avoid the hassle of importing yourself.
      Look for dropshipuk or wholesale uk companies
      Regards
      Jim

  960. Great blog, so inspiring. I learned a lot and I want to try this business. I did read Tim Feriss 4hr. Workweek and I think youve already done it. Awesome, keep sharing 🙂

  961. Hey Will,
    You mention at one point you had a simple bulk email processor. I’m just 17 and cant afford to pay the recurring cost of subscribing to a site like aweber, I was wondering if you knew of any software (cost not important if its one off) that would allow me to receive email addresses from a form and respond with content or deals automatically. I’m having trouble finding out if the software I’ve found would integrate with wordpress or shopify
    Love everything you guys do here,
    Eli

    • If you can’t afford Aweber service, how can you afford being in importing business?

  962. Quick question:

    If I am planning on paying through paypal (but not necessarily selling with paypal) would I need to upgrade to a premier account? Or can this still be done with the personal account. What would you recommend?

    Thanks, Chris

    • I think personal account is ok if you only want to pay via paypal. Generally speaking, premier account is only usable for selling stuff to receive big money, or to increase the payment limitation.

      But in China, it cost me nothing to upgrade from a personal account to premier account. I’m not sure what’s the paypal policy out of China. Also, you could give paypal a call directly if you are not sure which account type is the best choice for yout situation. The customer service is very good from my experience:)

  963. Hey Will,
    Great article!! i just have one question. Im trying to make an account with Alibaba and i need a business name that exactly matches the one i have set up with the government. Do i need to register a business with the government? Can i just throw a fake business name in there or would u recommend registering a business. I’m Also from Canada so i don’t know if its any different from America.

    Thanks !

    • In the sense of protecting your privacy, you don’t have to register a real business in your country to start a business in Alibaba. Unless you want to sell stuff, then the reputation matters a lot and a real business account is valuable.

      Just a simple idea~~

    • Justin,
      if you are going to have any future in business you need to plan the brand or your trading name and not make up fake ones to plug holes in whatever is happening at the time.
      If I was wanting to buy from you and one minute your Justin’s sales then I see a name change I would start to get a little worried your changing it to avoid detection.
      Happy trading
      Jim

  964. Your article is super awesome. I am from India and doing some market research on what items I can import from China which I would be able to sell in India.

  965. Hi ,
    Really want to get ino this import business but finding it difficult to get products to sell. This is because when I compare products with Aliexpress the profit is not that much. Any help with choice of product will be appreciated. I,m based in the United Kingdom and will prefer less bulky product.

    • Hi,
      try looking for small items such as colour contact lenses, light bulbs as these are cheap, easy to ship and have a low investment value.
      Your return on investment (ROI) needs to be better than the bank would pay you otherwise why risk it. Unless your trading in big dollars the profit is always low but coupled with some volume low profit equals good money!

      Regards
      Jim

  966. Great information Will, really appreciate it!
    Just a question, when you first started and ordered your very first products, did you already have a registered company or can you order items privately from alibaba? Also, how did you get in contact with your chosen supplier, eg. Chat, email, phonecall. . ?
    Thanks will.

  967. Getting startup money needs to be from the right perspective. With this Youtube video, the guy being interviewed says he’s got factories in China but needed to get startup money at the beginning. You can tell it’s not an advertisement. It’s a real interview.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WiJL1kJw-0

  968. Hello will,
    i would like to thank you for your valuable experience and i wish you all the best luck in your life.
    You were very helpful and the way you wrote it were very smooth.
    I hope i can learn from your experience.
    Thanks a lot man.

  969. hey im 17 and was looking to make some extra cash. I was wondering what is the top 5 products you recommend buying off of alibaba to resell? thanks.

  970. Hi, I’m looking into buying clothes from overseas and selling them in my own store in the USA. I have found a few stores that ship to the USA with nice clothes and cheap prices. Can I buy the clothes and sell them in my store without having any problems , is it legal to do. Will the company I buy my clothes from over seas on line try to sue me. How do I ensure I pay the USA taxes that are required. I don’t want trouble with the IRS. Thank you for your feed back.

  971. Hi Will,

    I am at the starting stages of looking to start importing. Your information is a great help to get started. What are your views on the massive expo that happens in China, as I am considering going to get some ideas on products. Have you attended before ?

    I am not sure on what I am looking for. As you said, I am looking for something that is light, cheap and with a good demand and a good margin. I live in Australia. Have you any good suggestions on what I should import for the australian market?

    My family have a small shopping complex with an empty shop. I am also thinking that I could import something and use this shop to sell the products?

    What are you thoughts.

    Regards

    Ravi

  972. Hi Will,

    Thank you for the info.

    I have been looking at Alibaba.com and made-in-China.com, and want to sell bridal dresses. I found out that most of the suppliers sell the dress between $140-$200 per piece, However, I found out that that same dress is selling on ebay for $129 sometimes less.

    How can you compete when ebay stores in China sell the same item (of course making profit) for the price I have to purchase it at, before my mark up. These suppliers on Alibaba do Dropship too.

    Any ideas you can share would be greatly appreciated.

  973. I feel importing is really broken currently. There are sales channels for factories in China to sell directly to world wide retail customers. Websites like Ebay and AliExpress allows these Chinese factories to sell at retail price that an importer would like to charge should they have brought it overseas. Or even better if you are a worker or manager in one of these Chinese factories, to simply list what you don’t currently have on ebay and when someone from overseas actually bid on your products, then go to your factory to buy at employee price. This Chinese seller would hold zero stock, and at low cost.

    Will, please import your wisdom to us on how to deal with this. Many thanks.

  974. I really Love all the advice you have given…however I was wondering about branding your product. Is it illegal to put your name on another persons product & resell it?

  975. Hello Will,
    I am from Pakistan and currently I am in USA. I know some trusted suppliers in Pakistan who can export high export quality garments. But I don’t know how to find buyers or importers here. Any idea how I can do that? I can’t sell stuff myself as I don’t have enough time and resources; therefore, I am looking for someone who can buy from my suppliers.

  976. Will,

    Thanks so much for the great article. I’ve read all of them on the site and they are full of great info. Still having a hell of a time finding the right product, however. Everything I find that seems like a solid choice ends up having a ton of people selling it on Amazon, or only seems to be selling 1-3 units a day on eBay. If you could maybe give me some more hints, or point me in the right direction I would be very grateful. Thanks again.

  977. Be VERY wary of selling LED light bulbs with out the right standards (i know in Australia it cost $6,000 to get them checked) if there is a fire because of the light globe, and the light globe wasn’t officially marked the liability is on you the seller as you are selling it in your country, easy way around it: set up a shelf company in hong kong, it cost about $2,000 and most of that is flying there to set up a bank account, but it’s a lot cheaper than going bankrupt with a $10 mil lawsuit to your name.

    • And how would setting up company help? You still own that company and still liable for what you sell.

  978. can you tell us about the customs duties if you use the mail to import ?
    please tell me any thing you went though. thanks

  979. I just half read the post, but its amazing so i can’t stop myself to comment. This is really very fruitful information.

  980. Hi will
    I’m an English hair salon owner , and I’m interested in creating my own brand of shampoos and styling range .. Looking towards china for this , plus the design and labelling of the products … Do you have any advice or forward thinking on how I can proceed with this without getting ripped off or wasting time … I plan for this to be internet based sales only ….running off our own website ..are there many restrictions with importing which is effectively liquids ?
    Many thanks
    Richard

    • I recently started with shampoos, body scrubs, conditioners for the Maldives. The products are all made in Australia which has a very high regard internationally and the products are all natural so no harmful additives.
      I would be happy to discuss further with you if you feel inclined.

  981. Great post! Really interested in importing at the moment. Did you go over to china? I’m thinking of going to the canton fair but it’s going to cost about $1500 which could buy products from alibaba. If you did go, did you find it worth it?

  982. Hi Will
    This is an awesome article! Thank you so much for sharing all this!
    Now I have a couple of questions, mainly on courier accounts. I’m only starting my online business and a couple of my suppliers are asking me if I have a courier account to send the samples. Is it convenient to have one at this point? Is there any other way they could send me the items? Should I create a company account or a personal account if it’s just for this? Thanks!!

  983. I have found a blender that could potentially have good profit margins (off alibaba). My only concern is that it is a knock off or the plastic may not be safe or something. I really dont know though. Any thoughts?

  984. I want to import small scale garments with branded name and sale through Internet. My basic question is it illegal to import small scale branded garments to UK from legimate suplier?

  985. Thanks a lot Mitchell … Excellent post and it tells how nice you are as a person..In this world, you will find people who makes lot of money but not a lot who earns well and well respected as well.. Take a bow for this article.. I am signed up for your site for lifetime

  986. Will,

    Your article rocks man! I didn’t see where you listed your email address but I suppose I can reach out to you this way .. Myself and a friend are former warriors from the states looking to get in the importing business. We are actually flying to Thailand this week to look for something creative to bring back . I have been there twice already and I have my sights on clothes, headphones , shoes ect. almost everything you said to stay away from . It would be a pleasure if I could get in direct contact with you for a few specific questions I have. I was a PFSO officer in asia SO i am pretty well educated on the ports and movements of containers and shipping. You got a bad ass story and i’d like to learn what I can from you to prevent any errors. My email is [email protected] any information on Thailand or any good spots in China please fill free to email on advise.

  987. Fair play to you will!
    A man (or a boy at the time) after my own heart….
    Great information and I will certainly be using nut and hopefully find some great products to sell

  988. Hey Will, I’m living in China right now and am functional in Chinese. I want to start selling stuff back in the states. What would you do differently if you could be over here and communicate yourself?

    • It’s going to be tough for you to ship to consumers in the US, as it’s going to take 5-7 days minimum for each order (and cost you a fortune). You might want to look into doing partnerships with US importers. You could do quality control and relationship building and take a percentage of each order. That’s what I would look into if I were in your shoes!

  989. Hey awsome article! I have a tow questions:

    1- What is the difference between alibaba and aliexpress .

    2- How i can pay to the factory and guarantee my right and the quality of the product

    • Thanks Abdul! AliExpress is a smaller-scale, more ‘consumer-focused’ version of Alibaba. Most of the time, AliExpress suppliers are also listing their products on Alibaba for higher MOQs (and better pricing). AliExpress can be useful for everyday shopping or to make buying initial samples extremely simple.

      As long as you have third-party financial protection, like I discussed in the article, you’ll have some protection. Ideally, you’ll want to get somebody to do quality control at their factory before your order goes out – but that isn’t always possible.

      Hope this helps!

  990. Hey great Site! I have some questions. Should we be paying for tax when buying from china? Though paypal? and are their any legal issues that we should watch out for as buying and selling. These would be pretty useful for all of us. Thanks!

    • Thanks Mike, glad you like the site! You’ll have to pay whatever taxes and other fees apply to whatever jurisdiction you’re in. In the US, you’ll have to pay a small customs fee (or large fee if you are importing a heavily regulated product). Then the State you’re in may also have other duties and fees. And then of course, there is the standard US/State taxes like Income Tax you need to pay.

      The only legal issue to worry about (realistically) is importing an illegal or counterfeit item, which is pretty easy to avoid. You also run the risk of a child choking on your product or something, but that sort of thing is unbelievably rare. Once you get a little bit of revenue going, start an LLC and it will protect you from that.

      Good luck!

  991. It use to be easy to just find a good supplier on Alibaba and resell on your own ecomm site or eBay. But now with value of the US dollar decreasing and the Chinese are getting greedy from the profit margins they were once making before the crash of 09…it’s getting harder and harder people. Products need to be made in America again! Real soon! Maybe we can start a site to promote USA manufacturing patriotism, Heck, the only thing i can build is code.

    • Great point on the currency fluctuations Dan, that’s one area most importers overlook. Money management becomes extremely important when you’re a high-volume importer. I’d love to see the US Manufacturing sector come back, but unfortunately things like minimum wage laws and an avalanche of regulations have destroyed it for now. We’ll see what happens…

      Love your site design by the way!

    • Hi Dan,
      Its not so much the Chinese are getting greedy but are going through the same industrial revolution Japan did 30 years ago.
      They want better things in life and demand higher pay so things cost more.
      My advice to you is to look at countries like Vietnam, Thailand and see if a similar product can be found and then go through the same costing process you have done on your Chinese supplier.
      I purposely bring in lines from Thailand to Australia because the two countries have a free trade agreement and that’s worth an extra 5% as I don’t have to pay import duty.
      Please remember there is always another way!
      Regards
      Jim

  992. it is such a joy to see so many people wanting to create their own destiny.
    Robert, drop ship companies normally have an inventory that’s the key for them. Their are logistic facilities that will take your stock and pick and pack for you but that’s when your doing some serious volume.
    Good luck
    Jim

  993. Will,Great work…. Have you used any private drop ship companies,good or bad ones from what I have seen it apears they have their own inventories they want you to buy from.

    • Thanks Robert! I haven’t worked with any companies like that, but they may be good. Sorry I couldn’t help more – check out Jim’s comment below though!

  994. Loved your story, very inspiring! What can you tell me or lead me in the right direction with, creating my company name/to get registered, any legal requirements, etc..

    • Glad you liked it Jorge! Like I said in the article, I wouldn’t do any of that until I had predictable revenue coming in. But, when you want to set up an LLC or whatever, it’s pretty simple. You can use something like Legalzoom, or go through and figure out how to do it in your jurisdiction. It’s fairly simple!

  995. Hi Will, amazing articles – I think it’s great how you’ve decided to help people out by posting your experiences for all to see! Also, mega impressed that you seem to respond to all queries 🙂

    Just a quick thought, and apologies if you’ve already answered this, but I was wondering if you had to open a business banking account to ensure everything was legit in that sense?

    Thanks in advance

    Donal

    • Thanks for the comment and the kind words Donal! You don’t need to open up a business banking account, but you can if you want to. I would suggest doing that along with all the State filings after you have some sustainable revenue coming through the business. Before that point, I usually run the ‘business’ as a sole proprietorship (or now through one of my other companies).

      Hope that helps!

  996. Ok, So you say to have a different email you give them so they don’t spam your real one. However when we make a paypal do we use our real email or our email for them? (I don’t use paypal so i dont know if when you order they see your email.)

    • They probably won’t email your paypal address, but you can also change your paypal email. I think you can even set multiple addresses so you can give different information to different people. Either way, no big deal if your supplier has your email – he shouldn’t spam you!

  997. You talk about selling light bulbs. How about the quality?
    Light bulbs are not all the same.
    What if the brand name light bulbs are counterfit??

    • Larry,
      choose your supplier carefully. Start with gold suppliers on Alibaba. These would have been checked out thoroughly (trust me as I am a gold supplier and we get looked at very closely).
      Once you choose one or two ask them for customers they supply. Most will be happy to tell you. Make sure they have certification pertaining to their industry such as ISO9001 and CE etc.
      Its all about checking and being comfortable.

  998. Hi Will
    Very useful thanks. Living in New Zealand the potential market is small (4 million / 1 million in Auckland). Could include Australia though.
    One plus is that I’m a graphic designer and have many years’ experience in branding. Struggling to think of a product though.
    I notice that car booster seats have just been made compulsory for up to 7 year olds so I guess there will be a need for these. They’re bulky products though and you have to be aware of safety rules.
    Any thoughts?
    Tim Garman

    • Hi Tim,
      car seats are probably in the hard basket. The testing requirement and distribution of this type of product are normally always tied up with major chains.
      Most parents (speaking from experience) like to go to a store and look and get sold the product.
      As a KIWI myself I would look at whats popular in NZ. Rugby has to be the standout. What about wet weather ponchos or similar. You could arrange with the clubs to have them personalized and sell in for a modest profit whilst each club then gets a fistful as they normally do!

      Not having lived in NZ for some years i might be off track but some low cost items have great attraction for people because its an easy spend.

      Good luck mate!
      Jim

  999. Thank you for sharing this. what do you think the best items are to sale during the holidays?

  1000. Will,

    This page has a ton great stuff on it, thanks so much.

    I have solid information on what it will cost me to buy and ship 1 cubic meter of woven bags from Burma to the US. I believe the last thing I need is the cost of a customs broker but am finding it difficult to get information. Do I need a customs broker for 1 cubic meter? Do you have a general idea of the cost at 1 cubic meter or 20 foot container?

    Thanks,
    William

    • No problem William, glad you liked it – and sweet name! 🙂

      I don’t have a ton of experience with shipping single pallets, but I believe there are logistics companies that will pick up your single pallet (or whatever) and group it up with a bunch of other small orders for shipping. Then once it’s in the US, they break it down and ship your pallet to you (or some store it in their warehouse). Like I said, I don’t have a ton of experience with it – so you’ll have to ask around. Or be on one of the Q&A webinars we will be doing soon (with more experienced importers than myself).

      Hope this helps!

  1001. You’re right.It’s really a good article….If something I can help you,please send mails to me.Thanks.
    Regards
    Winson

  1002. G’day all,
    its great to see so many budding importers on here sharing information. As a Gold supplier myself on Alibaba you need to be aware of the protocol when selecting and talking to potential suppliers.
    1. If you send a message and it lacks any real detail with just a price request you are probably either not going to be answered in detail or taken very seriously.
    2.Alibaba platform is about doing business. Chinese workers have to eat and factories have to make profits. It is unreasonable to expect them not to.You want to make a profit on the item your selling, why shouldn’t they?
    3. Don’t be surprised that your price seems not that cheap. Everyone is catching up and China in particularly is going through an industrial revolution. Workers demand higher wages, standard of living and it all has to be passed on. It also highlights the slim margins some huge companies work on. Take the dollar store for example. When your selling it for $1.00 how much can you be making in profit once operating costs are taken out? less than i would be inclined to make an effort for.
    4. Striking a price with your supplier: So you found the product and now your at the haggle stage. I work (from experience) that the first price i get i should be able to negotiate an extra 5-10% reduction. The key here in the word negotiate. Not screw. Most horror stories from young people getting ripped off in China starts when you ask for unrealistic pricing. Unreal price = unreal product (in a bad unreal way!)
    Try talking quantities, packaging options before you just try and drive the price down. Help them help you.

    Have a great time making money out there all. Remember, unless your very lucky you wont retire off the first shipment unless it comes with next weeks lotto numbers!
    Regards
    Jim
    Go Pro Now Ltd
    http://www.contactlenshub.com

  1003. Hey man! Thank you for what you doing here. I have a question about UPC bar codes. If a product from China comes without any UPC (ect.), do you purchase UPCs for each item?

    • No problem Vitaly, thanks for reading. Yep, it’s not too tough to buy UPC codes – but it’s also not necessary to sell. I would only buy them if I had to, but they’re pretty cheap either way.

    • Hi Albert,
      suitcases online i think is a great idea. one thing though is your shipping alot of air. If it was me I would make up offers where i could stash smaller cases inside each other so no extra shipping costs (check weight restrictions) and a bigger invoice value for you.
      really easy to have small value added items to sell as well. Locks, straps etc.
      Good luck
      Jim

  1004. Wow
    This is like winning the lotto. The info are on the dot and you expressed all the must know. I thank you so much for sharing your knowledge free. I was surfing the net this afternoon about import/export from china and look what I found, your site with ton of information and some of them never cross my mind if I were to ask an expert about import and export from china.
    Thanks a million for the kind hearted free information. Your are a very good person.
    God bless you
    Fatou

  1005. Very Thanks for sharing your personal experience. This post is very helpful and useful for me.

    I want to know your suggestion or advice regarding target market (national or international) for me.

    I want to develop my own brand around apparel category within a niche. (I have not decided my product yet but hopefully soon)

    I am from Pakistan where eCommerce is growing but not saturated like USA and other countries. One of the main problems is that there is no online payment gateway here in Pakistan. (Other payment options are local banks, mobile services or cash on delivery.)

    So I can’t sell my product on big chains like ebay, amazon or etsy because I have no international online account.

    If I sell a product through my website to the international market then I can get good margins on different products due to currency differences.( $ 1 = PKR 100 ). ( I may use western union or money gram etc – would you suggest to use these services ?).

    Or if I sell locally then I can use local payment options but margin will be low.

    What would you suggest me in the long run (I want to develop my own big brand).
    Should I start selling products directly into the international market with big margins but with no online account.

    Or should I start locally with more control on all operations but with low margins?

    One more thing that I am a developer and can develop my ecommerce website and can market my website locally or internationally.

    Thank you.

    • Glad you liked the post! I always suggest that you try your hand at your domestic market before trying anything internationally. Good luck!

  1006. Nice bit of compilation, Will. I’m curious – what are you doing now to make money (if that’s not too personal)?

  1007. Thank you do much – I had no idea how to get started, before I came across your post. Just have a few questions though: Is it possible to do this from other countries fx Denmark? Could I import stuff from China and sell it worldwide on eBay? Did you do that or did you only sell to the US? Should I just sell to Denmark?
    Mette

    • Glad you liked the article Mette! I would recommend trying to sell domestically before doing anything international. If you had access to a top-of-the-line logistics chain/system, I would say you should compete on international shipping advantage. But, I’m assuming you can’t ship worldwide cheaper than anybody else, so that’s definitely not where you should try to compete.

  1008. Hi all ,
    I am going to sell plastic item (10 x 1 x 1 cm) on Amazon .I have found chinese supplier however he is unable to put private logo/label/graphics onto it.I would like to customize my product.Now, I am considering sending my item to different manufacturer which would be able to put a private logo onto it.I haven’t done it before and I don’t know any manufacturer which can do that.Does anybody has any experience of doing it?Or it is better search for different supplier who would potentially offer this service ?

    • If you’re just trying to put simple designs on and your supplier refuses – it typically means they aren’t the source of the product. I would definitely shop around a little bit and see if you can find a factory that will do what you want – then you can probably find the true manufacturer as well.

      Hope this helps!

    • Will is spot on, you might be dealing with a trader. Other potential problems could be your qualities might be light. Small plastic items are usually shot through tooling that open and shut millions of times all year. To change the tooling for your logo is a big ask.
      It would be cheaper to have a tool made from scratch then its your own. I had an 8 aperture tool made for plastic components a few years back. It cost me 700.00USD, i sold it to my customer for 5000.00USD. I then make a margin on everything that goes through it. Thats where you need to be Daniel.

      Happy to assist.
      Jim

      • Thanks Will.I looked at the other offers of the same product and there are other sellers who offer a logo and/or a custom pattern on similiar product – but it is a bit more expensive.I used to search with keyword such as “product custom label” ,”product provate label” ,” product print on plastics” but the result wasn’t satisfying.The right keyword is “product logo” – this gave me lots of possibilities.

        As I searched around I came to the same conclusion as to what Jim is saying about. A printing tool is the emarging market.Many sellers (especially from China) don’t put custom graphics on their products.Probably they don’t have their own printing machine.

        Now I came to the point where product without the logo is sold for ~1$/piece but with graphics on it for ~3$/piece.My own printing tool is worth considering when sales will be in thousands

        Daniel

        (My last comment didn’t show up).

      • You mean you licensed tool to your client or sold? Sounds like you make royalty each time it is used.

        By the way, logo can always be done with silk print or laser engraving. Why would custom tooling be needed?

  1009. Hi,
    I made a comment a few days ago about importing Damascus knives and you said that was were you started too….. Well for the past 2-3 weeks I have been looking for a supplier and have contacted five of the top rated gold member sellers of my product on Alibaba. They have mostly all said they could do samples but that they would be like 150 dollars for one knife….

    Could you help me find a good seller or tell me which one you used? Thank you

    BTW again, AWESOME ARTICLE! It helped me a lot when it came to what to do after I find my product.

    • The market is probably much different than when I did it back in 2006, and like I said I only tried – I couldn’t make a profit off of it. I was making money on Katana’s for a while, but the volume wasn’t there to keep doing it.

      Good luck!

  1010. Also, do you think it would be benifical to get a partner in USA? Maybe I could work with another reliable person in USA to make my business more smooth?

    • Yea sure, it’s always good to have business partners. But a partner for what exactly? What are they doing for you, and what are you doing for them? In general though, I’d assume it’s good to have strong relationships in the US if you’re doing business overseas. But don’t neglect your domestic markets either, there may be more money to be made in China right now than the US…

      • Hi Will,
        Thanks so much for your above advice. They count a lot for me:) And yeah, I need to think about what an oversea partner would be beneficial for both sides.

        Right, the domestic market is large too, I will go through it. Thanks again!

        • No problem, hope it helped! I have to tell you though, in the past 2-3 years, I’ve heard of more people making new money importing into China rather than exporting. I don’t understand the markets well enough to make a play like that, but if you’ve lived there for a while you probably could!

      • Hey Will, I’m in Australia and doing some importing at the moment but not large volumes as am a bit scared of being ripped off, can you help me??

  1011. Hi will,

    This post is really great! Especially the detailed rules for searching the right product.

    I’m living in China(native Chinese^^), and work as a freelancer building websites for my clients, or work as a contractor with USA companies.

    On the other hand, I have tried to do some affliate marketing, as I could build website myself. However, I find that takes a lot of time to do the writing and marketing. Maybe I’m good at communicating with Chinese people, but I’m not a good writer, especially English writing:) I also tried to sell something(adult products) in domestic market, but it’s very competive oline and my supplier(they provide dropship though) apparently asks more money for even a single item. Anyway, it’s a failure. So I think maybe I could start to sell stuff oversea.

    I didn’t choose Aliexpress(it charges nothing to sell products there, but it may provide other charged service), as I think it’s very competive there too. We have almost same products from similar suppliers from China. In addition, all sellers there are from China. You see, sometimes, people(usually a bit richer people) from other countries,e.g USA, may think Chinese products are of low quality, so they won’t take a look at this site at all. So I have some other options here:

    1). Sell stuff in ebay.com, or amazon.com, or ebay.de. I know it’s going to competive too, but I haven’t tried that. I know this kind of platform is always competive. I have a store at Chinese popular c2c site http://smiletrl.taobao.com/. I find it’s very competive to sell these adult products there. So I’m wondering will I meet the same situation when I start my business at ebay or amazon?

    I mentioned ebay.de because I studied some German when I was at college. Maybe the English market is too crowded, so I could try the German Market. Of course, my German is not as fluent s English, but I think if there’s real money inside the market, I could spend time/money in practicing it. Do you think it’s wise for me to sell products in German market, given I don’t have any oversea selling experience before?

    2). Sell stuff on my own website. I could build ecommer sites by myself and add functionality, like the coupon, the email subscription, the cart, or other things that an ecommerce site requires. The challenge for me is to add products manually, and get product description (Although I’ll have the same work to do with ebay, I don’t want to do this since I have created a complex website.) Maybe I could copy those things from my supplier’s website?

    Compared to those popular platform, e.g., ebay, my own website doesn’t require much money to sell those products(ebay charges everything as I know.), but of course building my own website may require a lot of time and some other site design fee(I’m a back-end web developer). It won’t so competive at my own website, but I need to get traffic for my own website. So which way do you think is a good fit for me?

    3). Dropship or not. I have a friend, who builds websites by himself. He may have about 100 websites selling a lot of products. All his products are dropshipped. he finds products from Aliexpress, or some other Chinese platform and does dropship(It takes so much time to add all those products!). He may not earn a lot for each item, but he doesn’t need to store any inventory, and no need to ship products himself.

    He also sell counterfeit products. as he said that the most profitable products he could get. However, considering I will ship products from China, as those dropship sellers do, there’s not much shipping difference for me. Although they may have checper ship fee as they have been in this business for a long time. But apparently, I won’t get much profit margin for each product, and my price have to be higher than those sellers online(they come from aliexpress, not alibaba. Alibaba usually does wholesale, most of them don’t support dropship I think.). So, do you think I which way I should go?

    4). Advantage and disadvantage. This post is talking about importing products from China for reselling in USA. But i’m in China right now:) I think the advantage for me is to get easier access/communication to different suppliers in China, while the disadvantage is I have to ship single items to my buyers at other countries for a relatively long time Do you have some advice about how I take use of this advantage and avoid the possbile disadvantage?.

    This is a really long comment. Thanks for your patience and time to read and perhaps answer it;)

    Thanks again!

    • Awesome, glad you liked the post – hope you got some value out of it!

      You can make money doing anything; affiliate marketing, import/export, door-to-door sales… As long as you can work your hardest at it every day for a long time, you’ll make money on it. No matter what field you go into, you’ll have a lot of failure. The difference in entrepreneurs is that they interpret failure differently, and it only motivates them more.

      You can do any one of your ideas, they are all viable business ideas. But again, you’ll have a lot of failure in every one of them until you figure out what you’re doing. I think it’s much more important to think about what you could wake up and do for 12 hours a day, for several years straight. That will be much more important in the success of your business than the idea itself. Great business ideas are a dime-a-dozen, and don’t hold up to the slightest dose of reality. They change instantly upon beginning to build them.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1012. Will,

    Great article. I found a product niche with great margins that I would like to start importing. In my intial communications with Alibaba suppliers I found there to be a lack of flexability with MOQ, high sample charges, and very high per unit shipping costs.

    I then switched over to browsing Aliexpress and found most of the same products that were on Alibaba for only a few dollars more and free shipping.

    What I don’t understand is why people are paying more than double the price for these items on ebay and triple the price on Amazon? Is it because people don’t know about or trust Aliexpress?

    Also, are Aliexpress sellers willing to offer discounts for larger orders?

    Thanks!

    • Thanks Jonathan, glad you liked the article!

      AliExpress is trying to become an Amazon type of thing, but they won’t ever compete with them. The shipping times can be as long as 21 days for items coming from AliExpress. It also carries all the risks and complications importing does, things the typical buyer doesn’t want to think about.

      Most AliExpress sellers actually sell on AliBaba as well, or their suppliers do 🙂

      Hope this helps!

  1013. When importing, do you have to do anything with customs and border protection? Like register, or pay taxes, or fill out some kind of paperwork? I’m excited about the prospects, but worried I’ll make one mistake and end up in trouble. Thanks in advance!

    • Customs and duties and all that fun stuff isn’t too tough in the U.S., but it is in some countries around the world. Generally, you’re shipping company will have a customer brokerage that will help you to get it through for a small fee. As you get bigger and more regulated products, it gets more complicated – but in general, it won’t be close to the hardest part of importing 🙂

  1014. Hi Will,

    First of all, great post! It was really helpful.
    You said at one point that you could write an entire post just on negotiating…please do!

  1015. It is very good articel!

    I live in Estonia and I want to start selling products made in China but there is big problem. I want to sell them in Ebay and Amazon but the delivery for example to England or somewhere in Europe costs A LOT. Should I forget my dream?

    • Thanks for reading CK! Generally, I try to sell domestically before internationally. It may be easier to spread out in Europe than elsewhere, but I would still look at domestic markets first. It’s always going to be cheaper to sell domestically than internationally.

  1016. Great article! Very informative! This is my situation I have $350 to invest and have been wanting to import and sale airsoft guns online preferably ebay but I am also will to deliver them in my area for Craigslist buyers. I am 21 and want to establish a source of extra income. Can you give me any trusted suppliers names you have worked with in the past ? Any help is appreciated thank you !

    • Thanks a lot Michael, glad you liked it!

      Airsoft is much tougher now that it is illegal in China, I wouldn’t be able to recommend anybody you could still make money off of. I’m sure there are distributors out there willing to do low MOQs, or maybe even dropship. Finding suppliers is one of the tough parts 🙂

      Hope this helps!

  1017. Hello Will, I just gave a feed back earlier about how great is your article. I have a question about searching for items that are sellable on eBay. How do I search and know if my items are not counterfeit to sell on eBay? I know that there is VeRo but I have no way to find out if my item is trademark, copy right, etc. It seems like the only way to find out is to list it and wait to see if eBay will remove it. Thanks in advance!

    • Glad you liked it Tim, and good to hear from you again 🙂

      For the most time, any time there is a major brand printed on an item, or it is an exact copy of a branded product (think iPod) – it’s counterfeit. If there is a company around to sue you for using their trademark or patent, then they will likely try.

      I don’t know of any website to check for that though, sorry. Hope this helps anyways 🙂

  1018. What great article… I had no idea where to start or what to do before reading this article. Well done mate.

    I’m needing some advice on sale price and trying a product that hasn’t been in the Australian market before. It sells well overseas in America, UK and Europe but no one is selling it in Australia for no reasons I can see other than we could be a little behind the times. The product is very practical and a very good solution to a common and expensive problem. I have followed the criteria you mentioned in the article, found some reputable suppliers and have negotiated a good and very profitable price. I’m looking at getting three lot’s of samples which will cost me around $250, with each suppliers product being of a different brand. The quality varies a bit between each product but the price doesn’t vary that greatly compared to the profit margin.

    If I sell and list these on Ebay, do I list them all from the one account/store?

    Do I sell these at different times or sell from different accounts?

    Do I list them at the same price and see which sells better based on what they prefer/buy most?

    Or do I sell based on what I think they are worth or a set profit margin?

    Also how do you suggest I go about trialing them on Amazon?

    • Sorry for all the questions Will.. just not sure on selling the same product at the same time when the branding is different… Cheers

      • Starting to think that maybe trying just two different suppliers (brands) and selling from separate ebay profiles/stores will be my best option. Price according to quality of product and profit margin, plus market them on Ebay in very similar ways. Hopefully this way I will get the best idea of what the customers want, price range and what product they prefer.

    • Thanks a lot Shaun, happy to hear the article helped you out 🙂

      Great that you’re taking action and have already find a product to test. To answer your questions –

      Yes, you want to sell from one eBay account. I believe they will ban you if you have multiple accounts.

      I would list your items at whatever you want to make on them, and then move it down if they don’t sell. Eventually you’ll find what’s called the market clearing price, the minimum it will go for.

      You just do the same thing with Amazon…

      I think you’re over-thinking it a bit – just list and see what happens!

      Good luck!

  1019. I consider myself very fortunate to find your article before I even have a more solid thought of what to import and sell on eBay. Thank you thank you thank you.

    One question I have though. I notice that lately there are many sellers from China selling on US eBay and their pricing is quite low with free shipping. How do we compete or distinguish ourselves from those sellers? If quick shipping from US is our winning selling point, how do we eventually achieve the ideal drop ship option? Wouldn’t drop ship add quite a bit to shipping time in oppose to having our own inventory on hand?

    • Hi, Tracy;
      As a ONE of the Chinese Sellers, there are some factors which make Chinese products are cheaper: 1, Cheap Labor, 2, MASS Production in general and 3, Some of the sellers sell products equal to production cost(not making money) or even losing money to sell in order to have a Front Rank(it’s much cheaper than a Commercial Advertisement huh?), 4, Some are really bad quality or not even similar to the product online which we call Hang a Sheap Head and Sell Dog Meat.
      So I would suggest you some points or hint you the advantages you might have: 1, Your unique design or select of the products you want to sell;
      2, You understand the taste and shopping habits of the customers than a Foreign Seller / Chinese seller;
      3, You can talk about your quality;
      4, Compare the After Service and let the customers know
      These are for now i can think of, hope might be a little help.

  1020. Hi Will,

    I enjoyed your article and found the tips really helpful. I have a few more questions for you.. if you can help that would be great.

    I am currently looking into setting up a business. I would like to order some pre-existing products from China as well as have some prototypes re-produced (importing to Europe). I would however start by importing existing items and take it from there. I have already done quite a bit of research in the area, know what products I would like to sell and build a brand around.

    – Would you recommend first registering as a company, before importing and selling?

    – You mention Alibaba as a key source for suppliers. Do you have any experience with websites such as: http://www.hktdc.com

    – Can manufacturers in China produce products with my newly created brand name and how can i protect the brand name? What if i like a product on offer but would like it with certain modifications?

    – Product safety standards are very important in my chosen market. Do you have any advice on how I can ensure ordered products meet European safety requirements before reselling? Any mistakes in this area would be an immediate brand-killer.

    – If I compare the buying price in China to the selling price in Europe there is a good margin. In forecasting profits, what other costs should I account for… import duty? VAT? Other taxes and custom fees? What costs can be claimed back against tax?

    – When you started importing and selling did you do so as a private individual or a company and did you pay tax on your earnings immediately?

    – You advise against bulky/heavy product. Some of the products I wish to sell are in fact quite bulky with one unit taking up a carton size of 60 x 30 x 41cm. The material is wood in some cases so it would probably be quite heavy. Can you further advise why you warned against bulkier products and perhaps offer some tips on avoiding any problems?

    Thanks for any advice you have. If you have any recommended further reading on any of these topics would also be grateful.

    Melanie

    • Glad to hear you liked the article and are taking action on it Melanie!

      I don’t recommend setting up a legal entity for yourself until you’re making enough consistent money to justify it. So, don’t do it unless you think there will be money coming in for the next 6 months straight. It isn’t your highest priority.

      I don’t recommend any of Alibaba’s competitors, they are all significantly easier to scam on. Any company trying to export will list on Alibaba first, so I don’t see a point shopping around on their lesser-known competition.

      Factories in Asia are always willing to do modifications. Some are more expensive than others, and they usually require a higher MOQ. Check out my latest article, it talks about this – https://www.startupbros.com/import-why-you-cant-find-a-product/

      You need to make sure that your supplier has their products certified, easy as that. Check this article for info on that – https://www.startupbros.com/how-to-avoid-scams-middle-men-and-fraud-on-alibaba/

      Heavier items are much more expensive and risky in general. You have a higher tendency to damage it during shipping, and it costs a fortune to ship around defective items or returns or anything like that. The shipping costs can add up very quickly, especially if you get a bad batch of products, or deliver a bad batch to your customers. It can easily kill your business.

      Hope this helps!

  1021. hey Will, great post!

    just a question, can you buy products off of alibaba and then sell them on ebay as your own brand?
    so if you get the product and then put your own logo on it and then sell it on ebay

  1022. Hi,

    Great article, but can you please explain how you could sell Alibaba inventory on Marketplaces like Amazon without UPC codes? I see the value in being able to purchase overseas but I don’t understand how I could sell them effectively here.

    Thanks in advance!

    • Glad you liked it Winnie! You don’t need UPC codes to sell on Amazon (last time I looked), you just have to find it manually. UPC codes are just the easiest way to enter in bulk SKU’s 🙂

      You could also just create your own product listing if you wanted to, but that’s a little tougher to promote. You can even buy UPC codes for relatively cheap, I believe less than $100.

      Hope this helps!

  1023. Hi Will,

    I was very glad to find you and your blog and I was looking for start my own business. I buy a lot on amazon so I’m not familiar with ebay. Can you tell me how to tell the volume of units sold per week on ebay? I just couldn’t figure it out.

    Thanks!!
    Mai

    • I’m also glad you found our blog Mai! 🙂 Awesome to hear you’re taking action on this article…

      The only way to see the volume of an item sold is through Terapeak, a product analytics tool that eBay owns. You can access and play with all of eBay’s data for the past 5 or 10 years down to the keyword or specific product. Very powerful stuff!

      Hope this helps, and good luck 😀

  1024. This article is unbelievably valuable, same goes for “how to pick a good product”
    Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge!

    I have 2 questions:

    a) when looking at volume on Ebay, what determines Low/Med/High? e.g. if there are say 10 completed listings would you classify that as low?

    b) when comparing best/worst case dollar amounts for products, do you look within the country or do you tick ‘worldwide’?

    Thanks

    Alex

  1025. Will I have been reading and re-reading your articles over several months to ensure that I fully understand them and have found them very comprehensive and informative. In doing so one thing that I noticed that stood out to me was your reference to your clients. I was wondering what service you provide as I may also be interested.

    Steve Douglas

    • Awesome to hear that Steve, I give you one thanks for each time you read it 🙂

      I do marketing consulting on a case-by-case basis, although I’ve been trying to get away from it. I still have a few close clients though that I’ll always help 🙂

      Feel free to email me though, I’m always around to listen…

  1026. Hi Will,
    I ordered 500 t-shirts from a company in China (paid in advance) and got hit for $600 by phone at the U.S. Port to release them for DHL to finish delivering them to me.
    How do I avoid this or at least arrange to know what amount I will need to pay to import them?

    • Ouch, that hurts Rick! What was the reason that they hit you with that $600? Shirts are actually surprisingly regulated, especially ones with multiple fabrics. I’ve honestly never had a problem importing them though, and definitely never a charge of over $1/shirt. I’d be interested to hear what exactly is was for. Also, did you speak with DHL about customs before shipping? Your shipping company will usually charge you ahead of time for the customs charges they expect to incur…

  1027. my wife wants to try selling women’s shoes/boots can that venture create profit.

    • Any venture can profit Jay, the real question is can you sell women’s shoes/boots well enough to cover your costs – and then some!

  1028. Hi Will.
    Awesome article.
    So I got to samples and they require a fedex/TNT/UPS account etc to post?
    Is this standard? Cant they just mail the sample to the address I supplied?
    Thanks Mate
    Pete

    • Thanks Pete, glad you liked it!

      They will usually mail the samples if you push them to, but some suppliers don’t like to. You can generally give them your account number and it is safe, but if you don’t want to do that you can set up the UPS pickup yourself, or just tell them you won’t do it unless they mail it…

      Hope this helps!

  1029. Hi Will,

    I currently do not have a website yet. But I’m planning to make one with bigcommerce.com soon.

    I’m an 18 year old college freshman, and I had decided on opening an online boutique. ( thanks for you advice on staying away from products that we buy everyday, but as of right now, I really want to do apparel ) I know about Alibaba, but I turned away from it because their minimum quantity is out of my range. I found fashion71.net, they carry really cute things and do not have minimum quantity requirement. I was thrilled and I recently ordered a couple of items that I really like, to see the quality of it.

    The problem is this. US has a new care label law. Asian countries do not necessarily attach care labels to their clothings. I don’t know if it’ll be legal for me to resell them here in the United States.

    Can you give me some insight on this?

    Thanks in advance!

    • Awesome to hear you’re getting started and taking action May – don’t be discouraged by that! At 18, you’re way ahead of the game.

      Yes, labels can be tough in the US. I know this from my failed T-shirt business 🙂

      You can hire companies over here to label the shirts for you, or you can get your supplier to do it. There are suppliers out there that will do that kind of work for an extra fee, but it sometimes drives the MOQs up.

      I’d also look into if anybody is even getting in trouble for that law. If it isn’t being enforced, I wouldn’t worry about it. There may also be loopholes, like if you put a disclaimer or something. Just do your research and keep your eyes open to opportunity.

      Hope this helps!

  1030. Not to point out or something !
    I have to agree your article is just awesome.

    But I ám edging to ask this are you doing affliate marketing for Alibaba. :).. Even if you do one, i do not care because this article is great.

    Although this article is a great startup advice.. I would also like you to sometimes post a column and update once in a while telling the “The problems faced by you and how your overcame them” one problem a time.

    • Thanks Enoch, glad you liked the article! Haha, no I’m not affiliated with AliBaba in any way – I don’t even own any of their stock! 🙂

      Awesome idea for a post column, I’ll definitely put that in my list of articles to write! Thanks for the idea 🙂

  1031. Man your article was a life saver. I see why it has over 700 comments. You pretty much gave us the game in a blog post.

    I was scouring around the web looking for a good drop shipper and Alibaba has everything I need; even the aliexpress site is good.

    Thanks for your insight and I hope business is going great for you
    Dennis of Presposure

    • Shipping, customs, and taxes are usually easy to deal with. Especially if you’re importing via air, but it’s pretty easy via sea as well. As long as the product you’re importing isn’t something heavily regulated (food, drugs, animals, plants, etc.) – you don’t have much to worry about 🙂

  1032. What an amazing article. I was intrigued to the entire posts and no wonder i read many times later. Thanks for this post. Important thing is TAKE ACTION which i am going to do now…

  1033. hey will,

    Very motivating article, well i am from pakistan and planning to export some frozen food to the US. My question is how can i find importers and what will be the consequences ? like will they allow it and who will inspect the food ? any comments on this ?

    • Happy to help Ali! If you’re trying to find importers, then you should try listing yourself on sites like AliBaba. If you’re exporting/importing food, then you’re probably going to fall under more regulations from agencies like the FDA. I’m not sure how to help you there, as I’ve always avoided heavily-regulated products. Good luck!

  1034. Hi,
    First to thank you for your generosity with both: knowledge and your time. All of the articles on your blog are well written, informative and so helpful to someone like me- I am dealing with importing for the first time in my life.
    Thank you ! I am looking for printing and diecutting supplier ( I found one through Alibaba) but the problem for me is high cost of shipping if I go through their shipping company.
    My Chinese friend told me that everyone in China is always using China post, that they are very reliable and cheap ,but sometimes slow ( for now I would prefer to pay less and wait more, than other way around)
    Did you have any experience in shipping with China post in your business?
    Thanks

    Olya

    • No problem Olya, happy I could help! China post is good, they do take longer to ship but they are solid. If you’re shipping paper, it’s going to be REALLY heavy though. I’m not sure if you can get cheaper prices locally, but be sure to shop around! Good luck 🙂

  1035. Hi Will

    The article is so helpful, thanks!
    I am currently looking into doing some business overseas and was wondering if you had any advise or info in regards to the customs rules and taxes. I have small online business now and usually get my items from within the US so this would be my first time venturing overseas and have no idea of tax rules and customs when it comes to importing goods.
    Thanks again!
    Bessie

    • Hi Bessie, glad the article could help! Most people won’t have any trouble with customs or taxes. In most circumstances, it’s taken care of by your shipping/logistics company. As long as you’re not importing something that is heavily regulated, it should be easy!

      Good luck, and congrats on the business you’ve built so far 🙂

  1036. It’s very impressive. I got few questions. How did you deal with shipping and custom things? Did you use sea-freight at that moment?

    • I don’t use sea-freight at the moment, as I don’t import things any more! All of the answers to your questions are in the article and the follow-up 🙂

  1037. I just wanted to say thanks for the article. I think I am going to give this a try, and its only through the detail and real experience you have shared that gives me the encouragement. I’ll let you know if I do something with this.

  1038. ive been looking at setting my own business up for a while and have looked at alibaba and other wholesale sites, what confuses me is when they say

    US $3.75 / Piece
    Min. Order: 10 Pieces What does that mean as i dont understand what a piece is?

    • It depends on the supplier, you have to look deeper or ask them what a piece is. For most items that’s going to mean 1 item, but for small items it could be more depending on the packaging. Just ask the suppliers!

  1039. hi! great post! I want to do business, I have a lot of questions, but now, I will only ask you one, do you always buy the items you sell before re-selling them? or after?
    Do you understand what I mean?
    I am wondering, what happens if I post a X item on ebay, but I don’t have already purchased that item. Then a bidder buy me the item, and I purchase it to my supplier, and he/she deliver the item directly from asia to my buyer.

    What do you think? is that a good idea?

    thank you 🙂

    • Glad you liked the article Mari. It’s definitely not required to have your inventory at the time of sale, depending on how you’re doing business. If you’re selling on eBay, then you’re going to want the inventory first. However, if you’re selling to individuals or companies through your own mediums, you can do whatever you want – take half before, half later; pre-sell your inventory; the skys the limit!

      You definitely don’t want to dropship directly from your supplier in Asia though (unless you live in Asia). If you’re selling on eBay, you’re probably going to need to ship domestically.

      Hope this helps!

  1040. Just wanted to follow up and let you guys know that I took this article as inspiration and built my own business. Thank you again.

    I took a slightly different tactic, as I am trying to build my own brand of eCigs, rather than be a re-seller. It’s a lot more time and money than what is outlined in this article, but I’m hoping it’s worth it.

    And for anyone thinking of copying my niche – good luck! The road is filled with perils I could have never imagined. I never expected to be lumped in with porn, gambling, booze and tobacco.. But the reality is that’s the perception of the product. I LOVE dealing with banks these days! 🙂

    Thanks again guys.

    • Good to hear from you Cort, hope you’re doing well! Glad to hear this article could help you out – it’s amazing to see what you’ve built since we started talking. Your site looks awesome, and looks like you’ve set up a great business for yourself – congrats buddy!

  1041. Will,

    Can you please clear something up for me. I’ve just ordered my first sample batch of mobile phone cases, through a supplier on Alibaba.

    Being shipped by FedEx, which I’ve paid costs. Should I expect any customs duty to be paid ? And if so, at what point do I pay this ?

    Hope that makes sense. Thanks in advbance for any help,

    Jay

    • How did the fedex delivery work out for you?

      Were there any problems?

      How much did you pay to transport the batch? and how were you able to get the batch on fedex? did the supplier do that for you?

      You would be very thankful if you could answet this questions for me.

      Thanks

  1042. Hi,
    Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to tell us all about this stuff. You have helped many people and this sort of sharing of information is what the internet should be all about, trying to help each other to better our circumstances in a tough world. I’ll do my best to help others too when I get established… all thanks to you.
    Best wishes.

  1043. Very inspirational Will! So thoroughly written:)

    Do you still respond to these messages- if so I’ve got a couple of questions I’d love you to answer!?

    Daisy

  1044. am from Ghana specifically in the capital and i want to know how i can start selling on ebay and amazon.i dont know how to start and i want you to help me know how i can start selling my shambalala beads made from Ghana to the world through ebay and amazone.i would be greatful if even we can go into a bussiness venture together.

    • I think you’d need to find somebody to sell them for you and import them into other countries. I don’t think eBay will allow you to sell directly from Ghana. Good luck!

  1045. Thanks Will for these wonderful insights, which are rare to find on Internet.
    I find myself lucky to come across your blog & actually live through your insights.

    You must have taken a lot of pain to conceive this idea, to put in words. Thanks a lot bro. I wish you great deal of success in your future endeavours.
    Regards,
    Anand Hatte,
    Mumbai,India.

  1046. Is it better to go to china to find a supplier of you find a product that will sell good for a long period of time ?

    • It’s always a good idea to go visit factories in Asia/China if you can. You’ll get better prices, better quality, and have a better business all around. But it can be an expensive investment!

  1047. Hi,everybody
    I am a Taiwanese.I can speak native chinese.And I found a big secret about ebay and Amazon. ( Ebay and Amazon ) many things are expensive than china shopping website like Tmall and Taobao website.So, maybe America people or other countries people can buy from there than sell same goods in their country.It have a big profit,but dont have MOQ .

      • PLEASE REPLY WILL! 2nd attempt you mentioned you found airsoft company that worked great for you I’m also attempting to start a business somewhat like the one you had can you PLEASE share the companies name you worked with it will really help me! Thanks btw awesome article!

        • Like I said in the article, airsoft guns are now illegal in China. It’s significantly more expensive now, and there isn’t much money to be made.

  1048. hi,
    I want to know what exactly you have to do to collect imported goods from china. do you have to go to the port and checkout all th egoods before delivery to ones address. eg if I am importing scooters which come in 20 foot boxes what would I have to do form the point of delivery to get them checked and to my address. Do you have to pay import duites etc and how is this all done?

    • Yes, if you’re importing 20 foot containers it is a little more complicated, but still pretty easy. You just need to hire a shipping company that will deliver it from the port to your warehouse, where you’ll need to unload it as quickly as possible. Scooters sound like they might be complicated, but there’s probably some opportunity there. Good luck!

  1049. Hi, I also liked a lot your article. I am from Bulgaria (Eastern Europe), and Ebay and Amazon are not that popular yet. I wonder if you have ever tried to sell to to stores or you are selling only online?

    Thanks, Stoyan.

    • Glad you liked the article Stoyan! Yes, I’ve heard of people selling to physical stores, or even out of retail locations, mall kiosks, etc. As long as you can move the product, do it! Good luck…

  1050. HI
    I THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK .IT IS VERY USEFUL FOR A NEW
    PERSON .I JUST WANT SAY TO THAT IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO MENTION IN A RED LINE ATTENTION CUSTOMER DUE TO ANY CIRCUMSTANCES YOUR ORDER CAN BE DELAYED OR CANCEL .SO THE CUSTOMER WILL NOT GET ANGRY WITH YOU . I THANK YOU AGAIN .
    BEST REGARDS
    AKRAM

    • Hi Akram,
      I ship many containers per year. If my customers worked under the cloud that I could cancel their order I would be out of business. As for delays, this can happen but shipping is actually pretty precise. If you are sea freighting LCL (less container load) then it can be a longer process. My advice is not to highlight any potential problems to your customers and make sure you use a good freight forwarder. Make sure if you are shipping that your freight people do not “trans ship”. This is a lower cost method of shipping where instead of going from say Shenzen to Longbeach it will tranship via Singapore. Then it waits for space on ships that are looking to fill gaps in the hold which is cheaper. These methods are not highlighted by freight companies and once its been sent via this method it can add weeks to a shipping schedule.
      So remember, no transhipping, direct vessel is best!
      Regards
      Jim

  1051. Hey thanks for the article really informative. I really enjoyed it and am going to give it a try. Can you just explain a little more about “drop ship”? I feel the shipping portion is very crucial to the entire process because it seems a lot of errors can come from there.

    Thanks again!

    • Hi Steven,
      Drop shipping is where you advertise and sell a product but don’t actually own or hold the stock. Your drop shipper would take your money, send out the goods to your customer but the goods only have your name as the sender so it looks like they came from you.
      Great way for startups as its cash flow positive and you have no stock outlay. Downside is theres someone else in the mix taking a margin.
      Happy trading mate!
      Jim

      • The question is if you let your drop shipper handle the deliver process and gave them your customer’s information, what if they contact your customer and steal your customer…

  1052. Will, I am surprised that to see someone talking positive about AliBaba. From what I’ve seen, heard and experienced, 90% of the suppliers are scam. My father tried to import bearings – samples pretty sleek, the original product – crap.

    • Hi Mellisa,
      Sorry to hear your dad had a bad experience. I have been using Alibaba for many years and am a Gold supplier myself on it. The platform went through a stage of growth that it found difficult to control. Nowadays the companies selling on it get vetted very well (trust me on this one!) and you should only deal with gold suppliers. We get vetted the most!
      So I think 90% of bad experience is not the case but there are many steps to making sure the product you are getting is what you are expecting. I have no experience in bearings but I would think your dad had a specification for what he wanted and once the production was made he should have got SGS or some other testing body to randomly test production and send him a report. That way no nasty surprises.
      Don’t lose the faith! Its fun out there!!
      Jim

  1053. Hi Will,

    Just a thought, with all the interest on this topic, maybe you should create a forum? It would be very time consuming to go through all the questions people asked (although it’s worth it) and would be easier to dig through on a forum where you could search specific questions. Just a thought, I don’t have a question about anything at the moment.

    • Not a bad idea Shane, I’ve thought about it. I always worry about people coming back consistently, but it seems they do here. Thanks for the feedback – maybe we will get one started soon!

  1054. This is a great article. I am a young aspiring entrepreneur with a background in accounting and finance, and I have been scouring the internet trying to find a way to get a small business started but always ended up chasing my tail. This article, and the other forums you have written, really hit it home. I was worried that I would become another victim of continuous trial and error and although that may still be true, this article helps to significantly mitigate that risk. I won’t drone on about my experiences when starting a business but lets just say I found myself nodding my head several times throughout the article. It seems not only did you reinforced the ideas that had come to my fruition, but also answered many other questions I had. Thank you for summing up years of experience, research, and knowledge into a post that everyone can benefit from. It seems, based on all the other posts, that I am not the only person that is truly grateful for your contribution.

  1055. Will,

    Thanks for the article, I learned a lot. I’ve found some good products but the problem I’m having now is finding reasonable shipping. I have a product that is $35 wholesale but all the shipping options I can find are $15-$20, thus eating all my margins. Any advice?

    Drew

    • No problem Drew, glad you could get some value out of it! Shipping is always a big hit for importers. Like I mentioned in the article, it’s important to think about shipping costs when going through products. If you can’t pick it up with one hand, it’s going to be tough to ship!

  1056. This article was just what I needed to read after recently trying to start importing fancy dress from china – any tips on this i have done what you said with alibaba and messaged the top suppliers gold standard! Fingers crossed x

  1057. Is it common to be asked for 100 USD for one sample? It’s a toy worth 4 bucks!!

    • Daniel,
      that’s a classic ploy by a factory that really doesn’t want to deal with you. Might be because they believe your on going business will not be substantial or something along those lines.
      If its a toy made in China then chances are many others will be making it as well.
      Try another search.
      Regards
      Jim

  1058. Hi

    Loved your blog .I have some questions. I live in south africa is it possible for me to do this and if I sell these products do I need some sort of licensing

    • Hi Niki,
      You can sell anything you want that is general merchandise pretty much. My crazy lenses for instance are easily sold because they are a fashion accessory not a medical device.
      That’s not to say you must get good quality stock.
      Any further info on dropshipping crazy contacts please email me. [email protected]
      Cheers
      Jim

  1059. Hi Will
    Great work you r doing! really appreciate!
    Even i wanna start an import business, but actually confused about products. I am going to visit China in next 10days, just to survey the market. As i have heard about YIWU & NANFANG wholesale markets. I am planning to supply the product to wholesalers here in India. Moreover i have prior orders for replica shoes and mobile SD cards. the margins are very good.
    NOW my worries and queries are……….
    1. how risky it is to import replica or counterfeit products?
    2. Price i am offered for 8gb Sandisk & kingston is $3.2 (moq 1000 pieces), which is really mouthwatering and undigestable. Could it be in real or its a pure scam?
    3. which are the cheap but trustworthy markets to visit for electronics & shoes?
    4. I have got import import licence. Gonna import for the first time. Would it be ok to import on my own for the first time?
    Sir, got a list of 100 questions in mind………. But i think answers of these would make it a lot easier for me……
    Many Thanks
    Best Regards

    • Hi Gaurav,
      I dont have much to do with electronics since i got burned for over 4000.00 some years ago but i did learn a couple of things.
      Mouthwatering prices normally mean its too good to be true which means it probably is.
      If you get caught selling replica goods they authorities will come down like a ton of bricks, not sure about india but in the States, Australia, UK it is dealt with severely and big fines and confiscation of goods is the way it goes. If your a big time importer of knock off brands then it could be worse.
      Also, replica things such as flashes and cards will be made with inferior materials for sure. Thats why they are cheap. Get some prices from Gold members for the same things then compare.
      try this company first http://ibiz.en.alibaba.com/productgrouplist-214237241/Memory_Cards_Flash_Drive.html

      Lots of electronics made in Taiwan and Shenzen. Taiwanese electronics have a good reputation generally but all suppliers need to be checked out as well as possible. Shoes are all over with many being made in Malaysia and Thiland.
      As for importing on your own , thats 100% of the profit coming your way or 100% of the fine.
      If you are trying to make a fast buck then replica stuff can do that but there is no future in it and its not sustainable for ongoing business growth.
      Have fun
      Jim

  1060. thanks for tips brother!
    am a student in Tanzania and i hope to start importing smartphones, hard drives flash cards and tablet pc from china in October when we open our universities as most of students need those items at the start of their academic year.

    i want to import from china from dhgate.com, everbuying.com and many other but those two catch my attention and i was hoping to order with huge amount but with the tip about the starting amount ill try by starting with $200. help me if i can trust those two sites.
    thanks

    • Hi Gervax,
      Good idea to test the water with a small investment. Never pays to over extend yourself financially or otherwise.
      never dealt with DHgate but have dealt with http://www.steplfy.com.cn

      They are good to deal with, sell branded products (proper brands).
      Good Luck
      Jim

  1061. everything was going well until one of the products sellers sent me an invoice per item on how much delivery would be. the price was somewhere between USD 60-70.. which is exceptionally high. this ruined my whole plan.. plus the item i was buying was not very big.. its just the high cost travelling expense from CHINA to AUSTRALIA… what now<

    • Hi Pat,
      sometimes the freight can be frightening. If your bringing in a generic product (like its already in the market in Australia) search for a big wholesaler who might offer it to you at better rates as they would be shipping by sea container. To give you an idea we ship vinyl glovce and the carton is say 40 x 40 x 40cm that would go into a 20ft container about 1200 times. That costs us about 1100.00usd this month. If I sent one case by air it would be a couple of hundred easy as its about 7.5kg.
      The savings are huge by sea so have a look and you might not be dead in the water just yet!
      Regards
      Jim

      • But how do you know how much will a container cost. I am looking in to starting my business also. But I have so many unanswered questions. Like fees and customs. what are the things you do when your container arrives. What is the information a beginner needs to know at this point. what if we get charged at customs more than what we paid for or half of what we paid for products. again i am very beginner . the only obstacle on my way is the knowledge of what happens when your products arrive at port. what is the next step. obviously you have to fill paper work , unload, take it to desired locaton. etc. who does all this and how.

        • You’re asking some great questions–they’re also massive topics! We spend a whole week dealing with each one in our coaching program. Feel free to email us with the details of where you’re at in your business and we’ll see if we can help you out with your current situation.

  1062. i think your a great guy for sharing such an info for others !, iam doing exact the same now and reading this gave me a good hint about selling on alibaba , i always buy but never thought to sell tho ! 🙂 its a great one , but the thing iam curious about is shipping out of the states dosent have a traking number and the only way is threw Fedex or those
    expensive shipping companies , !? apreicate for everything

    • Hi Micjael,
      Selling on Alibaba has its highs and lows.
      I sell on there and I love the platform it offers sellers such as myself.
      The highs are obviously the amount of traffic the site attracts. The lows are everyone wants things at prices so unrealistic it can drive you nuts some days.
      The trick is to offer something your normal Chinese factory wont or cant such as offering to drop ship for your customers.
      I do just that and it works well. With regards to shipping you can use US Post service to see if you can get a better rate.
      Happy days
      Jim

  1063. Hi,

    Great blog and so glad I had the chance to read it. I can actually go to China to source the products, and I have only sales experience so I think I have a good base to work off. My question is, the bankable sales channels such as amazon and ebay are increasingly charging higher and higher fees, this heavily erodes the margin. Is there a point where you think, it isn’t worth you selling there anymore?

    secondly, I noticed some people brand up a product and some are just selling the unbranded versions for a lower cost, what would help you decide which way to go? I would like to brand a product up, create a brand around it but how can we say if customers will buy into my brand, or just prefer to carry on paying for the lower priced items, without risking a larger investment?

    Thanks!!

    • Glad you liked the post! If you can go to China to source your product, you’re already at a huge advantage!

      People sell more and more through eBay and Amazon every year, so I don’t think it won’t be worth selling there any time soon. Clearly some people have figured out how to deal with them. Like every obstacle, it can either help or hurt you depending on your skill as an entrepreneur.

      I personally brand and customize each item as much as I can. It’s all about adding value for the end user. Of course, it is riskier and more expensive. Another common principle in entrepreneurship – your reward will be proportional to your risk. If you can pull it off it’s much better to create your own brand. Here’s some good posts on that to start with.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1064. This article is amazing bro, Thank you so much. I have a question for you.
    Where could I get a niche? I mean the information. Is there a website with information about the consume of the people or something like that?

    Thank you for your time

    • Hi Gustavo Alonso!
      That’s an awesome name by the way!
      Refer to a previous comment I made that finding a niche doesn’t have to be a niche product but could be special the way you offer it to the market.

      Say you sold hair dye and wanted to value add to that to keep you ahead of the game. That doesn’t mean selling a new brand or being the cheapest but offer something different. Most hair dyes are big enough for more than one application but many only supply one pair of disposable gloves. why not value add for a couple of cents another pair?
      Try to be better than the rest and make that your niche. Plenty of products out there to sell that are consumed daily and for many people service is not there.
      Have a good one mate.
      Jim

      • Hi Gustavo,

        Jim has a great response here (as usual), so I won’t add much. The only thing I would say is if you’re looking for consumption data to analyze during your research phase – check out Terapeak. Of course, it’s more important to differentiate and position your product and your brand correctly than to have this data, but still useful 🙂

        Hope this helps,
        Will

  1065. I’m after a bit of advice. I’ve found a supplier that I want to use but their shipping costs seem to be extremely high. $1300 on an order worth only $4100. What are my options for lowering the cost of shipping? Thanks

    • Unfortunately, I would need a whole lot more information to give you any meaningful advice. All you gave me were dollar amounts 🙂

    • Hi Baba,
      Will is correct lots more info required to make any meaningful comment.
      Only thing I could add is whatever it is your looking to bring in must be big in cubic dimensions for that sort of cost.
      I’m bringing into Australia right now something from the states that weighs 65pounds and I am doing that by air for about 650.00
      Couriers work on both weight and volume and charge you based on the one that is the biggest.
      I ship some LCL (less container loads) of steel components into the UK. By the pallet it works out at about 0.50 cents per 2.2 pounds (Kilo) for freight and duty and local delivery from port to the customer. Maybe you need to look at sea freight for a better cost.
      Regards
      Jim

  1066. Will,

    I found this article very helpful to my plans to start an import business. I am wondering one thing though. If i were to import something and put my own logo on it would it be considered copyright infringement..

    lets say for instance i wanted to import smart tvs and put my own logo on it and sell it. Is this considered illegal since i didn’t design the smart tv myself?

    • Hi Cory,

      As long as Smart TV’s aren’t a patented technology, you’ll be fine that way. Unfortunately, I’m not sure of a 100% certain way to check for patents. The best way I know of is to see if anybody has been suing anybody regarding the products I’m questioning. The “look and feel” of your TV would also have to differ, at least slightly, from major brands.

      I would assume that if smart TVs were patented, you wouldn’t be able to get customized versions of them in bulk via Alibaba. The major brands probably have their supply chains under control enough to prevent that.

      Maybe Jim knows of a better way, hopefully he will respond also 😀

      Hope this helps,
      Will

    • Hi Cory,
      I had a quick look at smart TV’s and most major brands offer them. Back a few years ago I looked at flat screen TV’s from china which pretty much are a generic unit with your badge on them similar to what your looking to do. What I didn’t like was the profit. in a 40 ft container I think the count was 700 units. I was about 80.00 ahead of the game in price but I was a nobody offering a nothing brand and had no back up service. When I dug more deeply into how can these huge stores survive making such small margins I discovered they sell extended warranties as the real profit base for the unit. So if I had a TV and the factory I bought it from gave me 3 years, I would tell you my customer that it comes with a standard 1 year warranty and offer to extend that to 3 year for an extra$$$$. either way I was covered even if the unit failed.
      What i’m trying to highlight Cory is unless you have a distribution channel for these and the customer is willing to take a chance on a nothing brand then ok. If you are going to try and eBay them I personally wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole. For me brand on some things like electronics is a comforting thing.
      Hope I haven’t knocked the wind out of your sales mate!
      safe trading!
      Jim

  1067. Hi Will, first off, this is a great site with amazing information! Thanks for giving me motivation to want to start a small business like this. I hope you don’t mind me asking a few questions :-

    1. Is this method of making money still working? I mean, since this has been posted, I’m sure there are tons of people who are doing or trying this, so how can i uniquely be different from the rest?
    2. Slightly similar to the first question, how long will this business last assume that we’re doing well for the first 3 months

    Cheers!
    Richard

    • Hi Richard.
      This method is very tried and tested and there is still money to be made. If your thinking get rich quick then you need to buy a lottery ticket. If your thinking slow and steady then that mind set will hold you in good shape.
      With importing you don’t have to re-invent the wheel. Wheels work fine just how they are but if you could get a great wheel at a great price and be able to sell that wheel for some profit you are on the right track.
      For me personally i do a huge amount of business and all the products i sell end up in the trash on a regular basis. That perpetuates the new sale so you have customers coming back time after time. Product like this could be garbage bags, disposable gloves, LED bulbs, paper coffee cups. All this stuff gets thrown away daily and needs to be replaced by the customers so it is a good line to think about.
      Business will last as long as you want so long as you keep looking for new products all the time and maybe tie in your customers with a branded paper coffee cup so they like the look and keep coming back.
      In a lot of cases many sell similar things and one of the few things you can personally change is the service your customer gets from you.

      people who set out to achieve nothing normally achieve nothing and get annoyed. People who set out to try something normally get a measure of success and if you learn from it then the next time its a better level of success.
      Have a good one mate!
      Jim

  1068. The “4 Hour Workweek“ book you refer to in your article under “Negotiate better terms with your supplier” has some very bad reviews on amazon such as ” There’s a Sucker Born Everyday ( MUST READ BEFORE PURCHASING!) – Seems like more of the same old stuff

    • Then don’t buy it! 🙂

      You can go through and find positive or negative reviews, and you’ll put weight on wherever your original perspective is. If you don’t think you can learn anything from a piece of media, then you won’t.

      I would suggest only reading things that are exciting to you. You won’t get much out of forcing yourself to read something just because others recommend it.

    • Hi Honesty Pays.
      Congrats! Not many people take time to read reviews before spending money.
      I think what you need to be able to do is balance what reviews are saying. So you base your comment on the reviews that are bad ones. What happens if you ignored the bad ones? Or you make a comment in a forum based on bad reviews which you have done on here without actually trying out any of the information. Free speech is awesome and Will lets it flow here.
      I participate in this blog because I have experience spread across many years and if I thought Wills articles were crap I would be the first to tell you.
      Not everything is for everybody but the actual nuts and bolts of what’s is being written holds water. No matter what you think about the reviews. Try reviewing the actual book not basing your opinion on what others say.
      Its easy to be negative and make judgements and its harder to get of the couch and have a go at something.
      I trust your couch is a comfortable one!
      Jim

  1069. Hello,
    I just read your article and its very interesting.

    I just have a question. How you do with duties and taxes when you are importing?

    In my opinion the want to squeeze you as much as they can.
    I have an audit with customs because the package value was very low and it was a big package. Now I don’t know what to do. Thank you! Any help is appreciated.

    • Glad you liked the article Karla, and sorry to hear about your misfortune! That is a common tactic for Chinese suppliers. They under value the contents of the package to get their customers cheaper shipping prices. It usually works out just fine, but some packages get pulled and inspected. You probably won’t see your shipment for at least a couple weeks, probably over a month. Usually, they just hit you with a small fine for trying to cheat customs. You’ll be fine though.

      Good luck,
      Will

  1070. One question I got banned from ebay for posting the same item multiple times what do you think ill be able to sell in the future ? I can still bu but not sell

    • Sorry to hear that. I’m not too familiar with getting around eBay bans, but I’m sure there is some way to do it. I would just start Googling! It won’t be easy.

    • Hi 22elnegocio,
      Ebay sometimes bans newbies if they go from zero to 60 in a nano second. That is to say almost idle to posting heaps of items. Its their way of checking you out and you have to do the running so you need to call them and explain why you now have multiples of the same thing and they may want proof of this so you need to be able to back it up. I had a similar issue with PayPal some years ago but they were fantastic once they sw I was genuine.
      Regards
      Jim

  1071. Dear Will,
    I am a student from India. And I would like to start import from China some Storage Devices like Hard Drives and sd cards. When I ordered for the sample quantities they are giving a reasonable price but the shipping charges they are asking is twice the product price. So can you suggest me on how can I check the shipping charges are genuine. And should I take order from a Non Gold Suppliers who are sending me very cheap quotations on my private mail address..how to check they are genuine?….Please help me…waiting for your reply….

    • Hi Vivek,
      You are entering a world of potential pain with electronics my friend.
      Shipping charges are sometimes a way of the factory making a little more to cover them selves. As an easy way to check go to a site called “we deliver the world” which is a UK based courier broker. On this site you can arrange pick up and delivery without being either the recipient or sender. The best thing is you can get a quote for the shipping normally heavily discounted in a matter of 2 minutes, No account signing in or giving them your email etc.
      Secondly, anyone selling electronics should be selling millions of them to make a living as a proper company as the returns are low per piece and if they are not a gold supplier steer clear.
      Best bet fro this type of thing is from Taiwanese companies. You will be disappointed at the low returns on electronics (I was).
      If you want to try from a trusted source and only ant to buy one or two things like these cards, or a DS or similar things then I have used http://www.stepfly.com
      these guys are genuine, sell very marketable items and you can make 20-30 per item on something like a DS as they sometimes give you a card with like 400 games on it for nothing so there is a bit of added value. They take paypal so that’s another bonus.
      and for anyone out there not sure of who they deal with, ask for a copy of their identity card. anyone less than honest will be extremely reluctant whilst anyone proper will be happy to send you a picture of their card.
      Happy days mate!
      Jim

  1072. It was a very useful information about importing. I really enjoyed reading it. Since I am researching to do similar business, this article gave me a better understanding of the process and it made me realize I am in the right direction.
    Thank you for sharing your experience.

    • Awesome, glad you liked it Kal! Good to hear you’re going in the right direction – let me know where you end up 😉

      Good luck,
      Will

  1073. Hi I’m from England and looking to get started in the buying and selling business and found this article/blog very informative an hopefully totally unbiased towards certain websites just a quick thank you for steering me in the right direction..good work!

  1074. Wow so much to learn here! Thanks for the post! I’m a Chinese living overseas and would like to start importing stuff from Aisa. I’ve never done business before and have no clue but I’ve been thinking about it lately. Again, your post is great and thank you 🙂

  1075. Import and export business can be extremely profitable, especially during periods of global monetary fluctuations.

  1076. Nice article, very informative…
    must i pay for sample products i intend to buy

    • hi Jay,
      free samples would be great wouldn’t it!
      factories in Asia would go bust sending out freebies as they get so many requests. To weed out the serious buyers they would normally offer to refund the cost of the sample from your order. That makes you think carefully and gives them $$ for the cost of the sample.
      Be patient with the factories and never expect a freebie as most often you will be disappointed.
      safe and happy trading!
      Jim

    • For sure Kevin – just put your email in one of the forms on the site and reply to that email! Or, if you really don’t want to get my emails, it’s will at startupbros.com 🙂

  1077. Hi Guys,

    The following are questions for a startup:
    Any thoughts on how to handle returns on stuff imported from China ?
    Is it even meaningful and financially feasible to return back to china ?

    Thanks

    • You definitely want to get that figured out before you buy in bulk. Every factory is different. Some will offer end-user warranties, while others won’t give anything. The best factories are the ones you can return damaged goods to for credit or repair, so aim for that! It’s sometimes worth it, but most of the time you just get credited and throw away the damaged goods stateside.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1078. Hi guys,

    I wanted to find out if there are ways/websites either free or paid to get ebay or amazon sales/listings history.

    Thanks in advance,
    Sriram

    • Hi Sriram,

      Not that I know of, but it isn’t too tough to get going. Just go through and do some spring cleaning and sell what you haven’t used in a year. Or, have some friends do some cleaning of their own, and offer to sell their good for a 30% cut. I think those two ways are probably better than paying for an old eBay account or anything like that.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Sorry Sriram, I just noticed I completely misread your question 😀

        I don’t know of any tools to get the sales history for Amazon, but there is an awesome one for eBay (which they operate themselves) called Terapeak. It’s the best product analytics tool out there, and you’ll be able to pull all the data you want (and more).

        Here’s an affiliate link, if you’re feeling nice 🙂 – https://www.startupbros.com/terapeak

        Hope this helps!

  1079. Hi Will,

    This is a great posting ! Very informative indeed.Great Job !

    I am planning to setup a bags business in the USA for which I plan on using one of the following options :
    1) importing fabric from asia (India,China or others) and making the bags in the US
    2) Everything ready to consume in asia and shipped to me in US.

    In either case,what are the importing norms I need to be aware off ?
    Are there special restrictions on the fabrics that one could import into the US? I plan on using cotton or nylon for the most part.

    Would appreciate any DOs & DONTs on the above approach if possible, and any inputs you may have inorder to determine the exact customs regulations on fabrics.

    Also,is there any reliable supplier network like alibaba for india or srilanka ?

    I am a newbie,so my apologies if my questions are basic in nature.

    Thanks,
    Sriram

    • Hi Sriram,
      Few things to check out for you.
      Firstly you need to contact your customs and let them know the fabrics you are looking to bring in. In some countries duty on certain things is high to protect local industries. For instance I have a friend who sells over 5 million dollars worth of wire coat hangers in the states in the hotel sector. He was hit with what’s called a dumping duty to the tune of 300% to protect local business. Fortunately for him that only applied to hangers from China so he was able to switch to a non Chinese factory.
      So get that checked out.
      You will almost certainly pay more for a fully finished product than you will for components so again get that checked out. I import into the states a unique range of handmade vases, all feature natural products like shell, leaves etc. I get put through the ringer each time to produce my certification allowing me to export natural products. If you are looking into say cotton fabric then I would make sure your factory can give you certification and assurances( written always) that any natural products such as cotton are sourced responsibly. Its a great marketing tool as well as many customers are “earth wise” and like to think they shop responsibly.
      As for choosing suppliers from India or Sri Lanka you should be able to filter these through Alibaba. Make sure you get Gold suppliers and samples before pulling the cash out for an order.
      Happy trading mate!
      Jim

  1080. Ooh Dear Will, its great work and service, you have establish a great community, who have little money but great talent, i was looking for such group of people.Now i will also start to find a business suitable to me and in my country. my homeland is Pakistan.

  1081. Will,
    Can you please let me have Joe Rosen’s contact details for his merch in NY – his comment was from 13th June – he was the guy who is killing it with $85k per month.
    I would love to get in touch with him about buying some stuff for california.
    Thanks
    James
    [email protected]

  1082. Hey Will

    As far as customs goo for typical items, such as plastics. How much do they charge in Florida.and how will I know in advance so that I can allocate the money prior to receiving the shipments. Thanks

    • Hey Mohamed,

      The only way to know the customs details of any item is to research it and find out. There is something called the Harmonized Tariff Schedule that will help – http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/index.htm

      Or, you can contact an importing broker/freight forwarder and ask them to quote you on it. I would recommend doing this if you’re unsure, as they will generally know best.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1083. Although I live in NZ, this is the first info I have come across that goes over basics like how to start!
    I am also wanting to get some clothing made in China to import to NZ. I would like to choose the fabric and already have a pattern in mind. How does one go about finding a factory to do this. I’ve no idea where to start.

    • Hi Em,
      Great to see you having a crack at doing your own thing.
      With regards to you your own patter/design you may have to take substantial MOQ’s (minimum order quantities) but if its different and you have a great design it could be winner.
      The factory would make samples for you at a cost which they normally refund if you place and order.

      Try Alibaba for the manufacturers trying to stay away from traders who will basically hawk your order around to get the cheapest price. Cut and paste this link into the browser.

      http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=clothing+manufacturers+with+certification
      You can see I asked for manufacturers and certification. This gives me almost 100% factories and gold members and shows they are serious.

      You now need to be specific about the quality of fabric. Even though they are gold members they might be making 20 cent shirts for the Bangladesh market. Make sure you tell them the fabric quality, ask them for rub test details (standard in fabric is the MARTINDALE rub test)
      you want to be able to tell them the thread quality and how to put the garment together with over locking or any other sewing specifics.
      You might also like to get them to send you a single piece of their best quality which might suit you fine.
      Have fun and if I can be of further help let me know
      Regards
      Jim

  1084. Hi Jim,

    Many thanks for the handy info. Much appreciated.

    Yes, my partner and I both grew up in Australia. We’ve traveled to China and all around Asia many times for holidaying so I know exactly what you mean about the bad English so see everywhere lol. Things like signs and restaurant menus with incorrect spelling and grammar. So your idea is definitely something we could definitely look into.

    We are planning to visit The Canton Fair this year (Oct-Nov 2013) so we’ll see what happens 🙂

    Kind regards,
    Nick

    • Nick,
      Just make sure you book the train tickets in advance if your going from HK that way and a good hotel is the Ramada Pearl which has a pre registration service, free shuttle from Guangzhou train station to the hotel and of course free shuttles to the fair. Food is Buffet style with a nice little bar run by mad Canadians down the street serving burgers and fries and cold beer!
      Have a great trip!
      Jim

  1085. Hello will,
    Thank you for your information it’s great and helpful too,
    one Question,I live in San Diego California ,Do I need a business license for buying from china or Alibaba wholesale website?

    Thank you very much

    • Hello David,

      I don’t think you’ll need any special licenses or anything. But, since you’re in California, I would check and make sure. The tax system in that State is a little outrageous.

      I would just contact a freight forwarder or customs broker in your area and ask them the same question. It’s a simple question, but I don’t know the exact answer since I don’t do business in California.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1086. Hi,

    Thanks for sharing your experiences through your article! You’ve provided me with a lot of insight into the world of importing goods from wholesalers and manufacturers from overseas.

    My partner and I are from Australia and are thinking of starting an online business importing goods from Asia (mainly China) and selling on sites such as eBay to start off and basically try to grow it from there. And as nearly almost everything in Australia is expensive in comparison to the rest of the world, why not take advantage of this!

    As we can communicate fluently in Mandarin as well read and write, I thought firstly this could be another advantage when it comes to dealing with suppliers in China and Hong Kong etc.

    In addition to sourcing goods from Alibaba & Aliexpress, we’ve also managed to open up a Chinese bank account as well in order to purchase products from Taobao (you need to have a Chinese bank account). Taobao we’ve found to have been a great source to purchasing goods from China for cheap however I’m now considering perhaps it might be a good idea to attend a few Trade Expos ie.The China Import & Export Fair AKA The Canton Fair. I thought this might be a great opportunity to speak with suppliers directly face to face as well as build networks.

    I’d like to get your thoughts on attending trade expos in Asia (in particular China). As I would be having to fork out the costs of return airfares from Australia, are these expos worth the trip? Would it really help? What are the chances of me finding the ‘perfect supplier’ at these trade expos? Or is relying on sourcing suppliers online sufficient enough?

    Cheers,
    Nick

    • Hi Nick,
      The canton fair is an amazing place for newbies to get a real eyeful of the vastness of opportunity.
      I have been many times although nowadays I tend to stay away.

      If you go to it you need to know what you are looking for as its split into 2 x 5 day events.
      With over 7000 exhibitors you cant simply just go for a wander as you would need to do 1400 booths per day just to get around it.

      So target what you want.
      One of the problems with this show is there are many traders here. They mainly tell you they are the factory but actually buy and sell just like you want to. Problems I see is you might get products from different suppliers from them and therefore different quality of products.
      But saying that I started there and went there with a plan.
      Stay in a hotel near the exhibition because the crowds are something else and take advantage of the hotel if it offer registration. If you have to do it onsite then you need your passport and cannot do that as most of the hotels (actually all) hold your passport for the duration of your visit.
      Get pre registered and try to get ahead of the crowd.
      I would fly to HK then train up to Guangzhou which at show time of the year is so busy its unreal.
      Good Luck!!
      Jim

      • Couldn’t have said it better Jim!

        I think you have a ton of opportunity Nick. Speaking Mandarin alone is a massive advantage. The fact that you can actually go and visit China is even better. Like Jim said, plan ahead and make sure you get the most out of your trip. It is a MASSIVE event, it will blow your mind. It’s worth going to even if you don’t want to import 🙂

        Good luck,
        Will

    • Nick,
      just a comment to add.
      Reading your email I would assume you were bought up here in Australia as your grammar and sentence structures are very good.
      When I go and see one of my suppliers in Nanjing he always asks me to answer some of his correspondence from enquiries he gets from all over. He marvels at how easy we answer people with our knowledge of English. As you know or will soon find out, most Chinese companies produce brochures and 99% of them are shocking in regards to how they read. Many read like a Chinese person speaking pigeon English.
      Here’s a business idea!
      Go to the Canton Fair and meet as many stall owners as you can and hand out your cards offering a service to make their literature read like its written by westerners. Its got an endless supply of potential customers, the business is electronic so the running costs are very low and you speak and write mandarin.
      I think you could blow the doors off your world offering this service with the skills you have! you will see what I mean when you get there and read stuff, even menus for restaurants are all over the place.
      Regards
      Jim

  1087. Hey man, I have some questions about this, I wanna try it, but I have some stuff I need help with, could you talk to me on mail please? 🙂 Thank you! Great guide btw!

  1088. hi

    i have some questions

    1 – if i bought some products from china id have to pay taxes ??

    2 – in what situation do i have to pay taxes ???

    3- can i buy wholesale , even i dont have a company ???

    thanks in advance

    Cesar

    • Hi Cesar,
      the taxes you pay depend on which country you live in. There is normally duty and GST/VAT/import tax. In Australia however if the shipment is under 1000.00AUD there is no tax or duty. Great country to start in.
      You can buy “wholesale” sure but the price is the price on small numbers and as Will always says look for niche markets.
      Happy to answer questions but you need to have an idea of what you want to do so you can start testing prices, searching for your suppliers etc.
      Regards
      Jim

  1089. Thanks to guide I want to start cloth importing bussiness frm china market what I do tell me.

  1090. Hi,

    This article is very useful and provide lot of information. Regarding start up business or small kick starters, I would suggest you not to take a big order or find some cheap priced quotation in Alibaba. As there are lot of fake small companies available in Alibaba especially don’t try to source some branded goods as it is very hard to find the cheaper price with all certifications instead you will lose your money.

    If you want to source goods in small quantity and to do it effectively especially for start ups. Try to send mail to quiet a lot of established suppliers from china and make sure you write in mail that you need some samples and will expand the order after first time. This will help you to draw attention from suppliers and they will quote you really good price with descent quality.

    If you want more information or How to find the right supplier and to source the hot sellers, feel free to write to me at [email protected]. If you have any problem with certain suppliers or if you want to clarify is it a believable supplier or a fake one mail me at [email protected]

    • Kevin,
      Not quite sure what your saying but I don’t think what I think your saying holds water.
      Anyone want help with a supplier let me know.
      Never treat suppliers anyway other than professionally. You don’t need to make any claims of next order will be big or such like. They will give you a good price based on the information and deal on the table now. Once your creaming the market then ask for better terms or prices.
      Kevin you seem a little disjointed here.
      Regards
      Jim

    • There are lots of scammers on Alibaba, but it’s pretty easy to avoid them. Just follow the basic advice in this article and in the comments and you’ll be fine. Like Jim said, you don’t need to act like the next Walmart to get good prices and quality. Just avoid the red flags and you’ll be fine.

  1091. Hi all,
    I have a friend in the Uk who was chatting to me recently. He wants to get into the swamped and oversupplied world of iphone covers, ipad covers etc. I talked him out of it as it really is an over supplied market.
    But wait………. could there be a niche in this market?
    most innovation is spurned from personal experience…..

    So when I lived in London one of the biggest pains was travelling the underground system. Trying to study a map on the wall at each station to plan the next change etc.

    This would be typical for most major cities in the world, Paris, New York, Chicago etc.

    So what about a cover with the underground map? What about a cover for tourists with some basic information for that particular city. Taxi numbers, emergency numbers, good hotel numbers almost anything of real help. Almost anything and some of the information you could actually get people to pay you to put on it making the actual item you are buying almost free…….. I get offered lots of things online from China and I think the last time I checked an iphone cover was like 69 cents and that’s before any negotiation.
    As a traveller I would buy one for each city I went to. No brainer……sheeeesh I wish there was more than one of me so I could actually do it! can I patent this idea?/ LOL
    Happy days and think out side the square!
    Jim

    • Jim, I’ve been watching your posts over the last couple of weeks. You are providing amazing information for people. I also know you are a two man operation and you mentioned “when I lived in the UK”. I’m also from the UK, Edinburgh and living in the US for the last 20+ years….Jackanory;-)
      Would really like the chance to talk as, you may know, I own a 3PF (3rd party fulfillment) company. My goal is to work with small and start up companies in order to provide them order fulfillment and warehousing for their products. Fulfillment (picking & packing, shipping) and storage for the likes of all of you without the overhead of employees and time to get your products to the end user. You concentrate on your marketing and selling of any products. Just get the products to us and we take care of the rest. You also get to take advantage of our discounted rates on shipping. All of you have complete visibility and order capability to you real time inventory with your own login/storefront via our computer system. Also we are able to connect directly to your shopping cart on your website so all orders placed come straight to us for shipment the same day.
      There’s a lot more to it, but we provide the tools to manage your stock and reorder points, analyze your sales/usage including alerts to let you know when you need to place orders in China or wherever your product comes from.
      Yourself and Will might want to explore this. We can receive, store and ship your product under your company name. From UPS/FEDEX (a few boxes) to pallet loads of merchandise. It’s extremely cost effective.
      Would be glad to help and provide further info.
      This blog is fantastic stuff and a great learning tool.
      Simon.

      • Hi Simon,
        I ship in Full containers for the most part and for the contact lenses I ship in to Australia for distribution.
        Your sort of service for me would be great if I were doing a range of items that I couldn’t warehouse or they needed to be closer to the market I was supplying.

        I have a distributor already in the states who warehouses a line of products I bring in from the Philippines so for me I am covered.

        Some of the start up people on here would probably be like me when I started and would rather have it piled in a bedroom or garage.

        Your service for me would be the step after my partner said, Jim, we cant move in our own house! most would look at adding a cost service into their plan as a giving away money but your type of service can actually open up markets with fast delivery and organisation.
        Good luck to you Simon……sad morning here as my rugby team the Crusaders were beaten by the Chiefs last night!
        Jim

        • Big Rugby fan myself though don’t get to see much of it here.
          Was just sticking that out there as some people may not have the room and this provides an option. I’m all for start ups as everyone needs to start somewhere, just like yourself and Will. We offer full line warehousing too for multiple products. Some of which have 3000+ different items (that’s mainly automotive stuff). It doesn’t matter what the product is and they get big business tools to go along with it.
          We take care of all the nuts and bolts of getting it to the customer with added advantage. Also we can package multiple things to make up a product (kitting/handwork).
          You’re obviously doing great, and your advice is instrumental in helping everyone.
          Keep up the great work!

    • Awesome idea Jim! It’s important to have this mindset going into it. You’ve come up with a spin on an existing, stale, and frankly DEAD market (for small-scale importing, at least). You’ve added value and made it interesting again. That’s exactly the type of modifications people should be trying and playing with!

      As usual, thanks for the valuable comment Jim! 😀

  1092. Hi,
    Will
    i would say that u have written a fantastic article hats off to u i usually feel bored reading articles but i got the right person for an importing business…by the way Will the goods will shipped to home directly or we have to go and collect it from the customs…please reply my questions if i ask u in future i have many questions not getting in my mind right now…i will list down the questions and i will ask u in future…Thank you.

    • Glad you liked the article Sahir! If you ship via air, then it will come to your door. If you ship via sea freight, you’ll need to hire another company to ship it from the port to your (warehouse) door.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1093. Hi Will,

    Great article, really enjoyed it.

    I have managed to get a supplier who matches all the criteria in your article accept escrow? They will accept paypal and I am about to place a small order with them for a couple of hundred dollars to test the waters.

    Do you think no having the ability to escow is a deal breaker?

    Regards

    Kal

    • Hi Kal,

      If your supplier will take PayPal, I think that’s fine. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t want to do Escrow but would want to do PayPal, so still be cautious. But, if your payment goes through PayPal, you’ll have financial protection in place.

      Be sure to let us know how the samples are!

      Good luck,
      Will

  1094. very helpful article. n wud like to take ur guidance in every step. may I know in which year did u start ur business.One more question. is there still same scope in china things bussines.

    • Hi Pallavi,
      started importing 15 years ago. Been to China many times. I spread my dealing across 4 enterprises and we import close to 4 million per year and we are a 2 man operation
      Good luck!

    • Pallavi,
      scope in china is still great, they are going through the industrial revolution at the moment and prices in general are creeping up. Cut throat manufacturers (normally western owned) are moving into new third world markets like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, India (40% of the worlds poverty here) to take advantage of the low wages structure.

      Alibaba works with many manufacturers from many different countries so don’t be afraid to look in other places.
      Some thing I would always stay in china for. Duplicating. The Chinese are not innovators they are copiers and they have great steel resources for castings etc. The Taiwanese are great in electronics. The Thai’s seem to be awesome at canned tuna (don’t ask!)
      always scope mate. good luck!!

  1095. very helpful article. n wud like to take ur guidance in every step. may I know in which year did u start ur business

    • Thanks for reading Pallavi! I started in 2003/2004. Things have changed quite a bit, some things are easier and some things are tougher for importers. But, the same can be said at any point in time 🙂

  1096. Hello will,

    It’s really good of you to share so much knowledge and experience with us, it’s really helpful the way I got to your blog was again as I was trying to find out whether alibaba are reliable when they say gold members or online site checked, like everyone else here even I am looking to buy things from china but like lukky sell them in India, yes I do have family to look after it and sort everything out. M major concern is alibaba and the suppliers.

    I have been speaking to a few suppliers some have not got back to me and its the same company having posted the same product in diff colours as diff products which really confuses me.
    Any help or information would be much appreciated. Also the company said hat would give samples I have asked for pic first to make sure that the product is right and then the samples which they have agreed is this good?

    Also jim specified that each country can tax me on my income! Woo that’s bad looks like every
    One is there for the kill.

    I look,forward to getting some more insight into alibaba and how do deal with the suppliers.

    Many thanks,
    Charmy

    • Hi Charmy,
      Just to clarify about the tax implications.

      If you are a resident of the UK and you import something you will be hit for the VAT and duty when it enters the country. If you make money from it you will be libel for tax on those earnings same as if you stack tins on a shelf at the store for a job.

      Most tax offices only tax you if you are in their actual country but laws change everyday and you should get advice from relevant government departments or look online as there is a huge amount of information.
      If you sell one or two things on ebay or similar sites I don’t think the tax office is going to bust down your door so don’t fret, but if you are embarking on importing as a living you should start off on the right foot and good advice can save you $$$ and peace of mind in the long run.
      Jim

      • Hello Jim,

        Thank you so much for taking time out to reply, I really appreciate it.

        Regarding the tax implication yes I do understand that if I was importing to the UK from china i would pay the vat and duty but what I am really trying to do is buy from china and sell it in India while I live in UK that’s one.

        The next thing is I am looking to buy a product which was originally made in Switzerland but as china would always do they have made replicas now my thought here is to take advantage of that buy those replicas put my own logo on it and sell them in India would I have to do any legal formalities in it? Or according to you I would be better of just leaving the Chinese logo whatever they have got?

        After passing the designing phase the next thing is should I get the quality checked from an external company to make sure that the quality is good? And how do I rely on them to say that they would stick to the same standard?

        I have read your previous comments and understand that when buying from alibaba I should look at gold suppliers and escrow service. I have been doing that and I have found this company which has been gold supplier for 1 year does the escrow services site assessed they have also agreed to send me samples is there anything else I need to check if so how and what?

        I would love to hear back from you.

        Thank you once again.

        Charmy

        • Hi Charmy,
          Sounds like your on the right track picking the supplier. If possible they need to send you whats called a shipping sample. You have one sample and are happy with it. You then place your order and ask for 2 shipping samples from the production. Then you should see exactly what they are preparing to send.
          Watch out for anything made in China and carrying a name from elsewhere. Road to ruin that one. If say you want to do a nice watch, make up your own great sounding brand. Can be French, swiss whatever so long as its yours. And don’t forget. Get it packaged nicely as packaging in China is cheap and can add real value to your product if its a retail style item.
          Good luck and let me know how you go. [email protected]
          regards
          Jim

          • Thanks for the help on this one Jim.

            And good luck to you Charmy! Be sure to keep us updated on your success story 🙂

  1097. Hi All,
    Just in case anyone needs to get in touch with the right departments at Alibaba use these links.

    Email address from Alibaba.com buyer service:
    [email protected]

    Email address for Aliexpress.com buyer service :
    [email protected]

    When you need to submit a complaint about a member, you need to submit it through this link:

    http://channel.alibaba.com/complaint/home.htmtracelog=24581_foot_report_dispute
    This link goes to Safe Trading Department for fraud case & dispute

    http://resources.alibaba.com/discussion_board/88/Safe_Trading_Basics.htm Safe trading tips at Alibaba.com
    Safe trading guys and remember, a sample is a sample, the end product may not be what you think you are getting. For 300usd you can get a service to go and call on the factory, check out the production if you need to.
    Jim

    • More information for my course! We’ve got to get together and do a blog post or interview or something Jim – you know your stuff!

  1098. Hi Jim,

    I found this article very useful as I was just thinking about starting an online business by importing products from china. I have a close relative in china who has been buying and selling products in china. Will this person be helpful for me in exporting products from china to Australia.. I have zero idea about import and export business.

    • Hi Rosika,

      Your relative in China could be extremely valuable! It’s always good to have “boots on the ground” in whatever country you are importing from. Having somebody who can tour the factory will get you much better prices/MOQs. Having them come in and do Quality Control for you could be even more valuable.

      So in short, yes they can help a lot! I would even suggest giving them a 10% cut to help you out on this.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1099. Hi, i am pallning to import products from China to INDIA. do i have any legal or tax or paying extra money or coustoms problem. i need to import electronic iteams through DHL. Could you please give necessary deatils!
    Cheers
    Lakky

    • Hi Lakky,
      I read it like you want to import from China to India. Are you in India? If your not in either of these countries or don’t have someone at each end of the supply chain you can trust it could be hard to manage and keep everything sorted. Will is spot on with regards to having to be careful about the electronics from China, Historically they are used in cheap toys and don’t stand up for long in high end electronics.
      Most electronic manufacturers are either in Malaysia or Taiwan. The golden rule I learnt the hardway is if it looks too good to be true……it is!
      Oh and the tax issues. Each country has its own level of GST,VAT, duty etc. And if you are living in say USA, UK or Australia then each of the tax regime’s in these countries would want to tax you on this extra earnings…because they can!
      Regards
      Jim

      • Dear Jim, Thank you vey much for your valuble advise. Yes i have friend in India he will take care sorting, storage and deliver to coustemer. i am planning to import LED head showers, not the toys. Do i really need to order 1-3 samples to chak the quality and condition? before buying bulk! As you said about LED bulbs… Will you suggest me, some Good One ( Product seller in China) from your experience!!

        Cheers
        Lakky

        • Hi Lakky,
          ok, I have had a look for you for suppliers of LED shower heads. As Will mentions gold suppliers should be the first point of call.

          Check out this company
          Company Name: Jiangmen Triumph Rain Showers Co., Ltd.
          Operational Address: No. 1-2, Wusha Industry Area, Lile, Jianghai Dist., Jiangmen, Guangdong, China (Mainland)
          Website: http://www.tr-shower.com
          Website on alibaba.com: http://jmyingyu.en.alibaba.com

          A few things why this company might suit you.
          Firstly they have gold supplier status 2nd year.
          Their MOQ (minimum order qty) is 20 units.

          I look at it like taking a shot at the casino. I can afford to lose $200.00 so I will take a gamble. If the MOQ was 1000 units then it would be like putting the house on black at the roulette table.

          Make sure you ask questions like what material is the product made from. What is the warranty for defective goods.
          What is the QA (quality assurance) at the factory
          What’s the life span of the item?
          and try to push for payment by PayPal even if it costs you an extra few percent as I think at present you can claw back the money or at least stop it with a dispute lodgement up to 45days after the payment.
          Good luck
          Jim

          • Awesome information here Jim, thanks for doing my job for me! I’ll definitely have to get you access to my importing course before it launches – half to thank you for your help, and half for your critiquing 🙂

          • Dear Jim,
            You People are awesome, Your guidelines and answers are Precious!! Giving Super Energy to New Entrepreneurs, Thank you so much Brilliant Guys (Jim & Will), we are LUCKY to have you guys!!

            Cheers
            Lakky

  1100. Hi Jim,
    Thanks a lot for making me aware of these hidden fees! is there any other difficulties I might face when importing?

    • Daniel,
      I think you should get your toe in the water with a UK based drop ship company. You can buy pretty cheap and since they ship into the UK by sea their freight component is a fraction of an air shipment.

      Things to look out for. My mate sells cameras and all that type of big brand electronics online. He gets on average per month 20,000 of attempted fraud because when someone steals a card they try and buy big ticket items. That’s why I sell contact lenses, not really the target of criminals.
      Will made a great point in his blog. Look at LED bulbs, last time I was in B&Q I was shocked at how expensive they are and the GU10 ones we used blew with such regularity it was almost a fortnightly visit to the store.
      Jim

  1101. Hey thanks for the advice. Wish we would’ve had that to read before buying our stock. We have just had £5200 worth of beanbag covers delivered from an Alibaba Gold Member and they are not as described. Any idea what to do and where to start if the supplier won’t reply? Paid for by bank transfer as they only took PayPal for samples due to levy tax.

    • About the bean bags, if these guys are Gold members you can get pressure applied to them by Alibaba. The platform has had a major shake up trying to weed out the crooks and they chase problems up quickly. try this person as a starting point. [email protected]
      Killy sells gold membership and will be able to point you in the right direction. Just make sure your correct and all your paperwork is factual. They will want to see it all and photos of the products and shipping samples for comparison.
      Hope this helps and if you want a change try Crazy contact lenses!
      Jim

    • Sorry to hear about the bad order Hayley, hope you guys can turn it around. Jim left a great comment, I think he covered everything 🙂

  1102. Hi great blog really helpful! I am in the UK and currently looking at importing sports cameras, they are small and light with a good mark up but are within consumer electronics just wondering what you might think.. Any comments or guidance welcomed

    • Hi Daniel,
      A couple of things to watch out for in the UK importing. I do this regularly and you need to watch it.
      Just this week I had a shipment of contact lenses come in. Was only USD940.00 but on top of that I was charged VAT GBP124.00 Duty GBP17.42 and a fee of GBP11.00 . the VAT is no problems because im registered and can claim it back. The duty and the handling fee are a direct hit in the back pocket. I knew these fees so im covered. Just watch out say you buy the camera for 20.00 quid, add shipping then add freight and duty you could be up to 40 quid before you know it.
      The secret is once you like the quality then import several at a time. One shipping fee for many products reduces the cost of shipping for each item right down.
      Good Luck
      Jim

    • Glad you liked the article Daniel!

      Since you’re in the UK, you have some tax issues you need to get around. There’s some great comments above on this article related to that, if you search around you’ll find it.

      Then, since you’re doing electronics, you’re going to have some extra quality control issues to deal with. You’ll need to hire an inspector to go in and inspect the order multiple times during production. You’ll need to make sure all the electronic components on the boards are American or Japanese made, because Chinese electronic components just aren’t up the American quality standards. You’ll need to test all the accessories and make sure you don’t have any voltage issues, that’s a very common problem. You’ll also have to go into the operating system and see how that is, because that will play a role in your product.

      These are all reasons I typically avoid electronics. It’s very hard to make money in electronics without very high volume. Products depreciate quickly and are obsolete in under 2 years. On top of that, you need to buy in massive quantities to compete with all the big buyers in that market. And you’ll have to visit China much more frequently with electronics. That’s why I say to avoid them in the article.

      That being said, if you can do all of these things, they will serve as protection from new competition. You can be successful in electronics, but it’s tough.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

    • Daniel,
      An update on the camera/electronic plan you have in mind.

      I signed up some time ago on a dropshipper network site. The guy has been around for years, sells only genuine stuff and will create a site for you with RSS feed etc for very little.

      They were very helpful and I was up and running quickly. The beauty of this is he ships for you under your name anywhere in the world.
      The big disappointment was how little you make on each item and I only bring this up now as I just had an updated price list sent to me yesterday so I immediately thought of you.
      Happy to email it for you to check out as the guy does tissot watches, iphones and tons of other things. He is straight and I know a company that does considerable business with him but I also mentioned he gets attempted frauds daily upwards of 20,000 worth per month. He also faces problems with Paypal as they view this type of business with caution and make him leave 10% of all transaction in their system which in some cases is more than he makes. Lots of things to think about fella! if you want the list of his products to see what I mean you are welcome.

      And an idea for anyone, my son wanted super marios new wii game. Here in Australia $85.00 in the UK through I think amazon it was GBP39 delivered so a little bit of something in there to make. Its worth doing cross checking for things like this. Marks and spencer ship worldwide for free so check them out online, no freight and I think they also take off20% which is the local VAT (tax)
      Happy trading guys
      Jim

  1103. Great Article. I got ripped off to the tune of $4000.00 by a company in China that was able to supply me with company registration docs and pictures of their offices etc. It was all too good to be true.
    That taught me many of the points in this article and inspired me to find a great product, one that ends up in the trash regularly and turns good profits. All of the pitfalls faced by young people trying to have a go at reselling I have hopefully learnt (and i’m not a kid!)

    I now import contact lenses for parties, Halloween and soon will be looking to bring in prescription lenses. I have travelled to China many times and some products like these are made in china but are copies so avoid Chinese copies of products historically made in places such as Korea. I am going to be able to supply resellers as low as 20 pairs each shipment with mixed designs and all certified correctly right down to using FDA approved materials in the process of manufacture. Resellers will double their money on the products which in this era is a pretty good return on your $$$.
    Regards
    Jim

    • Sorry to hear you got scammed like that Jim, sounds like you ended up with some dedicated scammers. Good to hear you ended up turning that setback into a profitable learning experience. Very cool product, I’d love to hear more about what you’ve had to deal with on the FDA regulations. If somebody emailed me with that product idea, I’d be very scared of the regulations. I guess you’ve figured it out though!

      Congrats on your success,
      Will

      • Hi Will,
        with regards to FDA its tough in the states as you know and each state have different laws. I am a UK company and sell singularly for the most part to the states. Never had a shipment stopped. Most of the lenses go all over the world. Saying that though my products are made by a company that has been around for many years and have been certified by the Korean FDA, use US FDA approved material, CE, ISO and a few more. I could buy cheap Chinese copies which are all over Alibaba but as a seller I feel I have a duty of care to my customers.
        Have a good one mate!
        Jim

        • Awesome – thanks for the advice Jim! I’ll be sure to add all of this into the importing course I’m working on 🙂

  1104. Hey Will.
    Aside from your marketting company startup, it seems like you know of far better opportunities to make money on the side than importing from china. As a novice businessman I would love it if you could give me some more clues as to where such options exist? For instance, if you had $15,000 in capital and wanted to start a business of this type of nature, what would be the market you would taget today and what would your product be?
    Thank you
    James

    • Hey James,

      I think you can pretty much make money at anything if you keep at it long enough. What maters more is how persistent you are and how much of yourself you put into the business. So, I think it’s more important to start a business that is in line with your personality, strengths, and weaknesses.

      For me, I’m having more fun helping other entrepreneurs grow their businesses by giving them a helping hand. I was doing fine with my marketing agency for a while, but I got tired of trading time for money. So I started StartupBros.

      For some people, importing will be the perfect business. Others will avoid it. If you’re drawn towards it, then try it out and see if you like it! If you have $15,000 in capital, then you have more than enough money to find and fund a business you’d enjoy building for the next few years (at least).

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1105. Great article Will, if your business grows to where you don’t have the time or space to ship and store your articles couldn’t you use a 3PL? Have your pallet shipped to a warehouse, you forward the orders and they store, pack and ship to your customers? If your volume grows you already have shipping and warehouse space!
    That’s what I do and am always looking for young entrepreneurs with products. The fees are usually per item and storage is a minimal cost. It’s usually 5-7% of your selling cost and you get the advantage of our UPS rates.
    Just thought I’d throw that out there for any interested parties!

    • Great point Simon, you can absolutely use a 3PL (which means third-party logistics, for others). I didn’t mention it in this article, but I am going into deep detail on that in my importing product/course that I’m working on. It’s especially great for importers like me in Florida, because it’s damn expensive to receive shipments here rather than the Port of Los Angeles…

      Congrats on your success using it – I might be emailing you soon with some questions!

      • Hi Will,
        Just to clarify, I AM a 3PL. Any questions you may have I’d be glad to answer. I’m always looking to help any start ups, any business has to start somewhere and young entrepreneurs are the future:-)
        Thanks
        Simon.

  1106. Also, it says on your “what product to look for” list that I shouldn’t be going for products that will sell in the $10 – $200 range. Being a student I am unable to go for anything out of this range and it would aquire too much capital. If i’m merely looking for something to sell to make a comfortable amount of money then do I still need to target outside this bracket?

    Thanks again!

    James

  1107. Great article! I am very passionate about starting to do this. Firstly I need some direction which I hope you can help me with :

    I am a student so I do not have much capital to work with and am looking to import baby accessories, baby proof stuff. I have been looking on alibaba and found a great supplier, gold member who does free samples.

    Where too now?

    How much capital should I need? This is what I worry about most

    My motives are not to be a millionaire I just merely want to make a good amount of money on the side to fund my creative passion.

    I am in New Zealand so there is not as many people to contend with but on the other hand there is only one website which holds the monopoly on trading (trademe.co.nz)

    I have found a PRODUCT not a niche of products and think I could do well with them (how could I know anyways right?) but am willing to take the risk on these , they are cheap and look good quality.

    I wanted to give you so parameters as to my situation so that I could get some advice from you just incase you seen unforeseeable problems 🙂

    Thanks a lot!!

    Jamie

    • Thanks Jamie, glad you liked the article!

      I suggest having at least $500 to lose before you start making money in importing. You can usually pull it off with $200, but $500 will give you some breathing room.

      The key to reducing risk is to buy a sample product and sell that to an end-user customer. Then you just wait and see what happens. Obviously the samples should pass your inspection as well, but the customer’s actual using of the product is the ultimate inspection. If it passes that, you know you have a reliable product.

      Good luck,
      Will

    • Hi Jamie,
      Born and bred KIWI myself so Kiora!
      Just a few things to watch out for. I have been trading in Asia for the past 15 years. Free samples are few and far between as factories could go bust with the requests they get so although they might “give” it to you they will want payment in some way like excessive freight or similar. If you were wall mart asking then im sure a free one would be sent without a moments notice.
      Now, the baby products you have been looking at. Something close to my heart as I invented and have a patent on a device for stopping kids falling from open windows. The thing is there is so much regulation in anything to do with children and sometimes the CE mark is way to general to cover this. Here in Australia its TGA, UK its SGS or similar testing authorities. If you impoirt things that are stopped at customs and they want these certificates and you cant show them you could lose your goods.
      Good luck though mate and although Trademe has a monopoly there is always room for another KIWI trying to make a buck!
      Jim

  1108. Good article, i have been in the line of sourcing from china for the advertising and event management company i have been working for for three years. its so interesting job doing sourcing from china…..

    this article is going to be of great importance to the people who would like to source products from china….

    thanks dude…..

  1109. Hi will, quick question will alibaba ship to the uk or just America?

  1110. Thanks for the great article…..
    I have an engraving business and I am wanting to buy my acrylic kitchen products from china. Is this wise?

    • Hi Tracie,

      I think that’s an awesome idea! You already know what you need and what to look for. Even better, you can send the factories samples of your products, and they can send exact duplicates back, completely up to quality and everything. I would definitely start looking into it, it could increase the margins on your current business and give you a great competitive advantage.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1111. Awesome Will!

    Yes I agree, it’s a non issue for me, I could stack that empty room up with merch (lol). I live in Florida, and I think I’ll be alright, for the level of importing/selling I want to do. I’ll convince Dad and get my business started.

    • Oh ya, I’m in Florida and have never had any issues with the State. I’ve had more problems with Federal regulatory goons than FL people. I think you’re fine…

  1112. Hello Will,

    I’ve learned a ton from your experiences concerning importing and selling products from China. Thank you!

    However, I’d like to know where I can go to read about the legality of storing inventory in my house for packaging and selling online. I live with my Dad and he thinks that storing boxes in the house, and packing material may interfere with codes or some other sort of regulations on the city/state level.

    I appreciate any advice you can offer for my situation. Thanks again for your work on this blog.

    • That’s a good question David! Personally, if some Government goon came and tried to tell me I couldn’t put boxes in my own home, I would fight them to bankruptcy. That’s absolutely offensive to me for that concept to even exist.

      I guess if you live in New York or California, maybe you’ll run into some issues, as those State Governments are out of control. But, they also can’t enforce anything because everything is so ridiculous. Either way I think you’ll be fine until you get up and running.

      By the way, to figure this out you’ll have to call around State and City offices and wait around until somebody seems to know something. And then, you’ll have to trust them, because it will still be your fault if they tell you the wrong information.

      Personally, I don’t wait up for the Government. Rules are made to hold you down, and entrepreneurs are notorious rule breakers. If you can’t convince your Dad that he has the right to put boxes in his home, I guess start calling around…

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1113. Hi Will,
    I’ve been reading and re-reading your articles and still I learn new things from it. Your experience inspired me really.
    I have a question regarding a sourcing of supplier. I have tried alibaba and aliexpress already and am happy with it. Now i also wanted to try the website dhgate.com, what i like about this site is that thier registered user/suppliers listed thier product comprehensively like the pricing and MOQ and also the shipping method and many are offering free shipping using dhl or fedex which makes me delighted coz thier pricing are actually less/cheaper than those i’ve found from alibaba for the same product. Now what i am not sure is if it is safe and secure to use the dhgate website. I tried to communicate with those supliers but none replied to me. So am hesitant to place my order. So do you have any advice and information about this site? Your words of opinions and ideas are highly admired.
    Thanks a lot Will!

    Jeim

    • Happy to help you out Jeim, hope you’re successful in your importing venture 🙂

      I haven’t used DHGate, I’ve never had the need to go anywhere but Alibaba for importing products. I’ve heard a lot more horror stories about DHGate than Alibaba, it seems to attract new people more. I’d guess that it also attracts more scammers for that same reason.

      Any legitimate factory on DHGate will also be on Alibaba and AliExpress, so I don’t really see the need in messing with DHGate. But, I’ve never used it 🙂

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1114. Awesome article dude, cool to hear you going at it from such an early age. I’m 26 now and still studying about to complete my graduate medical studies… I feel like I’ve been stooged 😛

    • Glad you liked it Jack – I could barely get through High School, I missed 97 out of 180 days my Senior year. I definitely couldn’t do medical school! 🙂

      Thanks for commenting,
      Will

  1115. Hi Will,
    Does QUARTZ is registered trademark company (Wrist watches)? if i buy from china and sell it globally, is it problem legally? Thank you very much for your previous advice!

    Cheers
    Lakky

  1116. Hi Will,

    I am on the track of getting knowledge in importing business. I would like to thank you that you have given us a platform to get answers for our questions in this field.

    My question is:
    Consider i am a seller of mobile phone cover on ebay, flipkart or any online store. I received 5 orders from different states of my country then how am i going to handle the shipping of each order.

    Will i ship all 5 order to flipkart office and they will send to respective buyer at different locations in country.
    OR
    I only need to ship to each buyer.And if this is the case, then shipping 1 mobile cover of cost $4 to 350KM from my place seems costly.How i will save profit.

    Will, that would be great if u tell me with same or any example of SHIPPING products to buyers after getting order(please include sample rates).

    Thanks

    • No problem Rahul, glad to hear you’re on the right track 🙂

      I’m not sure how Flipkart works specifically, but I can tell you that you’d need to ship your own orders when selling on eBay. Shipping is one of the major costs of importing from overseas and selling products online.

      Good luck finding a new product,
      Will

  1117. Hi Will,
    Your awesome, your like a light to new enterpenours to show and enter into the business world. Your articles are excellent. The way your answering questions and giving soluctions – Nice!

    Here i am with 1 question, i am planning to sell Fastrack Brand watches on ebay as well as website based online store. Fastrack brabk wantches i want to buy from India and sell globally. Do i have legal problems?

    Cheers
    Lakky

    • Thanks for reading and for the support Lakky, I appreciate it! Happy to help…

      If Fastrack is a registered trademarks, then they will come after you where they can. China doesn’t care about American trademarks, but if you sell anywhere Fastrack can sue you they will. It’s usually better to avoid trademarks.

      Hope this helps – and good luck,
      Will

  1118. Hi Will,

    I unconsciously spend the whole afternoon on this post; it’s so long and so precious. I learn much from it and have a strong willing to share something here as another “the other end of the equation”.

    First I’d like to introduce myself, I come from China and for sure can say we are a factory, well not too big yet though. We have been running our factory by this way for several years, that is selling our goods to exporting company and then they sell to customers worldwide.

    Last year we for the first time planned to sell goods to overseas customers directly. But this plan pended for almost one year out of the thoughts that we would earn more and easier money if we just finish the orders from exporting company like we have been doing for the past year since they have very good quantity for each order.
    The 2 main obstacles in our thoughts were as following: 1. Risk of Overstocking. We need to prepare stock first then are available to sell them in very small quantities. We time and time again refusing small orders requirement under consideration that it would be a trouble to deal with overstocking. 2. Risk of getting cheated. We also learn stories from friends that some Exporting company set up by foreigners suddenly disappeared from China without paying money to factories and it happened all the time.

    Currently upon double comparing the prospect it might have with the risk and effort we might take finally we decided to carry out this small quantities orders plan in practice. We know it would be much more complicated for a factory to deal with small quantity orders than to big one, but it Worthwhile. Meanwhile i believe if there is no quality problem with our products, customers would not maliciously refuse to pay money to PayPal.

    Typing too many English letters makes me a little bit dizzy … but it’s not finished yet.

    I have to say I can’t be more grateful than the moment when I get so many useful Tips for taxes or licence concerns. There have been so many potential home-based customers keeping asking me this questions and I was hoping I can offer more info than “ well you should consult with your lawyer or local institutes “ .

    This is not my first comment on this post, it was given to a IPhone question without even say any hello because I was a little too excited at that moment when I saw Hash having so big misunderstanding for it… So I sincerely sense that trust founds on mutual understanding by dialogue.

    Thank you Will I have subscribed this blog, looking forward to enjoy more!

    Good day!
    Cecily

    • Glad you liked the article Cecily! Always good to hear from the other side of the equation, as you said. Congratulations on your success with your export company so far, keep it up!

      Sounds like you guys have planned out a path to growth, that’s great. It’s interesting to hear why so many readers can’t get low quantity orders filled – do you have any advice for them?

      Yes, the taxes and duties can be quite the issue. I can imagine you’d get a lot of questions on that if you’re trying to deal with low volume clients. Maybe that can be a problem you can solve.

      Thanks again for the help on this and on the iPhone, like I said it’s great to hear an exporter’s opinion.

      Will

      • Hi Will,

        Appreciating your encouragement! i will keep making growth on this path.
        As for advice to get low quantity order achieved, well , it just take both sides more time to find each other, one side need to buy in small quantity, one side is availabe to offer this small quantity. All we have to do is to make more efforts to seek and select.
        As you said Alibaba is a great platform for starting international businness, i have plan to try it in the future. I am doing funny party products, i think it might have a big market around young business starter.

        Cecily

        • Awesome, thanks a lot for the advice Cecily! I think there’s definitely potential in your product, like you said you just need to find the buyers. I’m sure you guys will get it done 🙂

          Good luck to you and your factory,
          Will

  1119. Hello,

    I find this article very useful. Between, am living in china for quiet a while. I do export various products from china across the globe. If you guys are interested in buying some good quality products with affordable price, please mail me with your inquiry to [email protected]. We provide with high quality service and can clear shipment in an easier and most convenient way. Am ding this on a freelance basis and I do have a good contact with various factories around china. I can provide you with good quotation and can render excellent service. I do co-operate with some Chinese companies and can deliver the product in a more professional and friendly manner.

    Please be cautious about choosing the supplier as there are lot of wholesale websites which offers you a crazy low price.Most of them are fake. Before hand if you want to place the order ensure the company or factory have a proper certificate and can deliver on prompt time with all international quality grading, if you need any assistance or help feel free to mail me.

    kevin
    [email protected]

    • Glad to help Kevin!

      For anybody thinking of emailing Kevin, I don’t know him personally and couldn’t give my own personal guarantee. I will say that having boots on the ground in China can be incredibly valuable, especially when you’ve found a factory and need to negotiate pricing and do quality control.

      Thanks Kevin!

  1120. Will,

    Your information is very clear and comprehensive and will help most people avoid the pitfalls. But I have a question. On the completed Listings on Ebay the ones in green are the sales, however, if there is no date against them does it mean that although they have sold its not recently and they just sold in the past sometime?

    • Glad you liked the article Steve!

      Like I said in the article, eBay keeps their listing data pretty ambiguous. They have their own in-depth data analytics tool called Terapeak that you might want to look into. That’s where all of that data lives, and they crunch it in amazing ways that makes product research much easier. And they have a free trial! 😉

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1121. Hey Will,

    This has been great information, I have literally followed all the steps somehow prior to reading this article and look forward to implementing the future ones based on the post. Although now I have hit a brick wall hard! With doing research and hearing about the countless thefts and fraud happening from China now-a-days I’m stuck like Chuck! I talked to some people, some promising the sky so wrote them quick. One group of people actually seem to be promising and I asked them about their clientele in america and they gave me some businesses that are similar to what I am looking at myself. Mistake 1, I sent some money via western union to pay for the shipping of the samples which they first said would be $100, then I said that was too much and I am willing to pay $30 and they all to willingly accepted that. Nonetheless I sent the money and am now waiting on a tracking number for that. I need to know if its ok to also try and have multiple agents bringing in different products,but then I get back to finding that awesome supplier which seems to be impossible! Any suggestions?

    • Awesome to hear that you’re taking action with importing Mohamed, it sounds like you’re really catching on to it 🙂

      Hope you saw my reply to your other comment, I gave this link that might help you – https://www.startupbros.com/how-to-avoid-scams-middle-men-and-fraud-on-alibaba/

      Like I said, it sounds like you’re catching on to things. If you keep at it, you’ll learn all of this soon enough, and probably not lose a whole lot of money. I wouldn’t hold my breath for the order you paid for over Western Union, but you’ll still probably get something. We’ll see, but either way don’t get too discouraged.

      It’s fine to have multiple samples coming in from multiple places at the same time, if you have the money of course. I’d recommend it if you can do it!

      You’re right to be careful, there are a lot of scammers on Alibaba looking for new people just like you. But, you can beat them no problem 😉

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Hey will

        So a quick question, have you ever imported in the thousands? I’m wondering about customs, I live in Orlando so it’s probably similar. Do I just pay dhl? Or do I have to deal with customs? Thanks in advance

        • Imported in the thousands of what? Pounds? Dollars? Units? Yuan?

          Things get a little tricky in when you’re shipping containers to Florida, let me know what you mean and I can give you some advice.

          • For now its just through DHL and I meant thousand of items and its also around $1000 in dollars as well. Also I would also like to know about containers too! Especially if I planned on importing them! Thanks!

          • Ah yes, when shipping via DHL it’s very easy. DHL will usually deal with customs and duties for you and charge you. You usually won’t take too bad of a hit from duties and taxes, unless you’re shipping in something like food, drugs, plants, animal byproducts, etc.

            Once you start buying in the thousands, you’re going to want to start looking at containers and sea freight and all that. Since you’re in Florida, it’s even more difficult, as it can be very expensive to get a container here from China. In some cases, you’ll want a consolidation warehouse to break down, store, and ship your items to customers from new the port of LA. Short of that, you’ll need to get the container on a train from LA to FL, which costs around $2-3k last I checked.

            If you get to that point, make sure to send me an email and I can give you some more specific help.

            Hope this helps,
            Will

          • Sweet! I’ll keep that in mind and definitely let you know if it ever gets that big! I really appreciate all that you are doing and I wish you success in all of your ventures. You don’t know how much exactly this is helping me out!

          • That’s awesome to hear Mohamed, thanks for the encouragement! Glad I can help 🙂

            Good luck to your ventures as well,
            Will

  1122. i still cant believe this

    i was almost unconscious to see an iPhone 5 16gb costing just 130$ from china……

    i mean this thing costs 500$ cheapest…and costs between 600-800$ on ebay?????

    is this true i can buy an iPhone 5 from chine for 130$ and sell it on ebay for 500$ and make a profit over 300$ each?????????

    you were talking about bulbs costing 2.5$ selling at 11$ so can i do the same with this iPhone 5?

    • Chinese selling popular brand of mobile phone is not unusual. They sell it at a dirt cheap rate with a slight twist in spell and physical appearance which are not at once noticeable to the discerning eye. I once bought fake one with full knowledge. Because it was cheap my curiosity got better of me. One will notice the difference in software and hardware after sustain use and will realize the compromise made thereof. The Chinese girl selling me the phone confessed that it was fake but insisted that it was still worth the buy. I finally got rid of the phone by giving as gift to my girl friend who was ever so grateful to me.

    • I come from China, and i can tell you just forget it… If that price were ture, then the phone wouldn’t be true. In China , we usually buy IPhone 5 at aound $800 or even higher to secure the quality of it. Maybe some people can get little lower price via some specail access but the price gap would never be so big. I dare not to image how big the trouble would be if you sell fake IPhone on Ebay…

    • Don’t get too excited Hash 🙂

      If you noticed in the article, I recommend against any brand name products, and any complex electronics. An iPhone 5 is pretty much the perfect storm relative to that. You could try to buy it, but you’ll most likely be very disappointed.

      I believe I also talked about how I learned that. I tried to buy a sample iPhone (or something), and instead was sent a pair of these ridiculous see-through BAPE shoes. Needless to say, I was disappointed, and never got my iPhone sample. After researching more, I found out that they are usually poorly made, break often, are highly defective, and have a generic Chinese operating system installed. My BAPE’s are worth more than that junk! 🙂

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1123. Hi Will,
    Awesome article Will . This article is inspiration for me.
    I have some questions .
    1. Is there any way to get low price shipping from china. I checked with DHL and they are asking around $230 for 8 kg box(mobile phone cover). can it be less then this by any other way.
    2. Do we need any company tag to sell items on ebay or flipkart etc.
    3. And when we have product with us how will we deliver it to different location in country after getting order through by online stores for 1 or pieces.
    4. Could you please tell me the steps to sell products on online stores like ebay flipkart etc

    • Glad you liked it Rahul! There are cheaper ways to do it if you buy more, but if you’re only going to ship an 8kg box, then air will probably be best. Eventually you can start shipping containers over the water, but you need to be buying in very large quantities.

      I’m not sure what a company tag is, but if you’re going to be in business in the future then I’d suggest getting the legal structure around your business set up.

      You would want to ship your items the same way you would ship anything domestically. If you’re in the U.S. you’ll be using USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.

      The steps to selling products online would take a bit more than a comment, but it’s the same as selling anything.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Hi Will,

        My mean by Company Tag is that do i need to register a company on legal basis to sell products on online.

        Will it not be costly to send every item by Fedex to end consumer(buyer of product from online store) location??

        Who will bear the cost of shipping of every piece of item sell on online store, online store or vender ???

        • Like I said, you should register a business when you want to. You don’t have to, you can sell it all from your own personal legal entity as a sole proprietor. But, if you’re going to be in business for the foreseeable future, then I don’t see why you wouldn’t.

          Yes, it’s extremely costly to ship things. That’s the main cost of the business. I haven’t figured out a way around shipping out products to end customers, but let me know if you do 🙂

          You will bear the cost. As an entrepreneur, assume you bear the cost of everything until you don’t. So, if you don’t want to bear the cost of shipping, then have your customers pay it. If you don’t want to bear taxes, then pass it down to the customer. If you’re worried about liability or legal structure, then file for an LLC. If you want to deliver it by truck yourself rather than ship via FedEx, do that. The buck stops with you, it’s all up to you…

          Hope this helps,
          Will

  1124. Awsome info. Just what people need to get started. Easy to understand and follow, highly recommended. Thanks bros

  1125. My name is Dave and I want to start online importation and I don’t know to start besides I live in Nigeria so how do I go about it we don’t ebay and amazon even craiglist too so what do I do?

    • Sounds like you need to figure out how to sell your products Dave! I’m not sure how, but always make sure you have a buyer ready to go before purchasing a product.

  1126. Will,

    I enjoyed reading your story. Two questions: 1. Where did you store your products 2. How do you sell multiples of the same item on eBay, amazon and Craigslist. Thanks for your time.

    • Glad you enjoyed the article Curtis!

      I stored my products in my house originally, and eventually started dropshipping. I actually still have some products in my garage that I never sold 🙂

      It’s not too expensive to get a little bit of warehouse space, or a storage unit, or even pay a friend to use some spare room. If you get to the point you need to do that, you should be making enough to cover it anyways.

      You can sell multiples of the same product, I think that’s probably the right approach 🙂

      Hope this helps!

  1127. Will,

    Thanks for telling your story. Where did you store all of your products/air-soft guns before you started drop shipping? Were they stored in your home or at a warehouse? Also, how do you sell multiples of the same item on eBay, amazon, and Craigslist? Thanks so much for your time.

    • No problem Curtis, glad it could help! I stored all of my products in my parent’s garage and my room, which worked for the amounts I had. If I kept growing though, I would have needed to move out of there into a cheap warehouse. Luckily, you won’t need to get a warehouse until you’re making the money to afford one. eBay and Amazon have built in systems to sell multiple quantities of an item, Craigslist I believe you’ll just have to manage yourself…

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1128. Good Day Will,

    Just completed the read and love the story. It is a very accurate depicition of supplier interaction and best measures to take when approaching them. Personally I find myself on the other end of your equation. I am building an exporting business out of China which is why your points resonate so closely to what I’m doing. It is because of the opportunity to improve the supplier relationships with buyers around the world that I’m here digging into my own nich industry and marketing it to the world. Needless to say, if you are ever sourcing within the bamboo industry and are looking for a partner, look me up. Best to you and thanks for the read.

    Rupert

    • Hi Rupert,

      Awesome to hear from an exporter working on the other side of the equation. I would love to hear what you can add to the article or what you think I missed, I’m sure you know some things I don’t! Good luck to you on your business, I’d love to hear updates about how it’s going as time goes on. Maybe I can help connect you with some importers at some point 🙂

      Will

    • Hi Rupert,
      Bamboo processing is the area that I am planning to venture into. My country of residence is Ghana (West Africa). The country is endowed with this natural resource. Could we partner to add value and then sell it, if this is the kind of business you intend doing?
      Looking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
      Regards.
      Kwaku.

  1129. Hey Will,

    I’ve contacted some suppliers and have whittled it down to 1-3 for different goods that are related. 1 supplier has a product that costs 403.2$ total but costs 240$ to ship it via DHL.. Working with these kind of shipping rates it doesn’t make much since to me. I would still make a profit but it would be smaller and riskier with shipping rates this high. Also the product is small and light.

    • Hey Brenton,

      That is a pretty crazy shipping rate for a small and light item, it makes me wonder why it costs so much. You could probably get that cost down. But anyways, you’re expecting to lose money on sample items. If you make money on them, it’s an extra cherry on top. It’s many times cheaper per unit to ship in bulk, but you need to know your product is going to work before you start doing that.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1130. Dear will,

    What’s freight forwarding because the company said I won’t have to pay tax because of it. Also is a 30 usd shipping fee to good to be true for 100 pieces?

    • Hi Gabe,

      Freight forwarding is a company that basically organizes your shipments from your factory and manages the actual shipments. They can be useful, but generally not for small orders. Honestly, I haven’t dealt with them much, so I can’t help a whole lot there. I’m working on researching that for the importing course I’m working on.

      $30 could be good or bad, it depends on what those items are, how much they weigh, the dimensions, shipping time and method, etc.

      Hope that answers your question,
      Will

  1131. Will,

    Great article. I have been looking for an opportunity to start a business and start somewhere to be my own boss. I found your article today and it sounded great.
    Many of my questions were answered. I started a seller account on Ebay a week ago , trying to throw some stuff on this site to help myself understand it better.

    I am interested in importing stuff from China and sell them online. Help me out with this question in my mind:
    I live in TX by the way.
    1. I know there will be fees that i have to pay for customs, what is the procedure on that, how do you pay them?
    2. Do i need any license to import goods from China?
    3. Do i need a license to sell stuff online, as this will considered a business.
    4. Do i have to pay income taxes once i start making money on this business?

    I know that is too many questions, but i see you are replying to everyone.

    I appreciate it.

    Shafi

    • Thanks Shafi, glad you liked it! Importing is a great side-business to transition into being your own boss, but it’s not easy…

      Great move throwing some items on eBay, this will help you understand the process and build up some positive feedback.

      Customs and taxes are usually paid to your supplier or shipping courier in my experience. Usually, the shipping courier is the one dealing with customs. It’s typically very straight forward, but I would always look into any other taxes you may have to pay in your specific situation.

      I don’t believe Texas will require you to register a business or collect sales tax (outside of Texas). But, if you find a product that works, and you start making a decent, consistent profit – then register the business and get your resale license or whatever. It will be worth it at that point.

      Yes, you’ll have to pay income taxes on any profit. That’s why it’s only worth it to register it as a business after it’s making money. There’s no real benefit to an LLC or Corp when you’re still looking for products to sell. Once you’re selling products, then build up the business structure around it. That’s just how I do it, but I believe if you ask a lawyer they would suggest against it.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1132. Dear Will,

    I am about to order 100 singing bird clocks that tweet on the hour. It’s a dream supplier. Is this a good product? And the supplier said he will help me through customs so not to worry about tax, what does that mean?

    Gabriel

    • Hi Gabriel,

      Sounds like it could be a decent product, but you should know that before you buy it! Long before you buy it, in fact. If you’re buying 100 of them, did you already buy and sell some samples? What did those samples sell at? How quickly did they sell? How did the end user like them? How did they work after 2 months of daily use? Those are all questions I would like to have answered before buying 100 of anything. So I would work on that first.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1133. I’m REALLY glad that I came across your blog because you may have changed my life with it! I’ve been thinking about starting an online boutique ordering clothes from aliexpress and setting up a shop on bigcartel.com and sell them from there like a lot of other people I see on Instagram. I’m glad you gave pretty good detailed tips of Do’s & Dont’s as well! I actually grabbed a pin and pencil and actually took notes from you! Hopefully I will be able to start soon, I’m planning on starting off small, see where it goes, and increase a little bit and keep it steady from there! (Just like you said…. well sorta… lol) Thank you! Thank you! thank you for the inspiration!

    • I’m really glad you stopped by too Akia! 🙂

      That’s actually a really good idea about Instagram, I didn’t think of that! That’s exactly the type of thinking you need to be successful in importing. I’m sure you’ll do great if you keep up that out-of-the-box thinking. You’re right to start off small and see where it goes. Don’t get greedy and use your first couple products as a learning experience. You’ll be profitable in no time 🙂

      Keep us updated and let us know how it goes!

      Good luck,
      Will

  1134. Hi Will ,
    what a great article !

    Need you advice, I ordered 10 bedding sets from aliexpress which a totally terrible ( wrong size and color) , seller doesn’t want to return my money, I opened a dispute , seller declined it. What can I do next? Is there any customer service I can call?

    • Hi Hamlet,

      Glad to hear you liked the article, but sad to hear your first order was a dud! Thank God you ordered samples first – it could have been much worse! I wouldn’t be too upset by this small setback…

      If you paid via PayPal or Escrow, you should be able to get your money back. With PayPal, it’s as simple as a few clicks. With Escrow, it’s a little different, but not much more difficult.

      You mentioned that they already have the money, so that worries me. How did you give them money? With Alibaba Escrow, I believe the money stays with Alibaba until you approve the merchandise.

      Let me know,
      Will

  1135. hi will, really wanna thank you for your great article, its like a ticket for a big business. i would like to tell ma story short. Before 2 months when i was searching online a digital tshirt printer for my friend,i was landed up in alibaba.com thats the start of the spark.when i was surfing that site the idea came into my mind was buying quality products from alibaba and selling it on ebay and amazon for a profit.so i planned to publish a website and did all stuffs needed for that. i finished ma website and its live now. As currently my financial situation is quite low i couldnt do business on alibaba,so at initial i planned to work as an affiliate for amazon and other websites and make some money and to start over my business. when i searched for products & reviews to promote i landed in your page. when i read the post i was really surprised and very much happy to see you already run this business successful. I had a 0.5% of fear whether this business would be a success or not, but seeing your article that fear have gone. And this is not just an article it is your experience, so i got an idea about the Do’s & Dont’s. very very helpfull and i really dont have words to express how much am happy on your success.Keep it going well.

    cheers..

    • Awesome to hear you liked it Shankar, hope you can redeem that big business ticket 😀

      Awesome story as well, good to hear you’re already getting started! It’s not a bad idea at all to sell Amazon products until you have the money to get started importing, but I wouldn’t make affiliate sales my end goal. It’s a good stepping stone, and it seems like you recognize that 🙂

      Hope the rest of your journey goes well, keep me updated!

      Thanks,
      Will

  1136. Hello again Will 😀 I am coming with fresh Tips about the importing and customs tax, for EU people.

    Ok so your country is part of the European Union and you want to import stuff from China/Japan. Here are a few Tips & Tricks + Info about the taxes you will have to pay and how you can bypass the customs taxes (for a while)…

    Importing from a country which is outside EU (in this case China and Japan) means that you will have to pay customs taxes and VAT. This is available for every EU country and the taxes may be all the same.

    Importing using the Free Shipping will come through the Border/Customs Postal Service and the followings are:

    For personal use
    ———————–

    Non Paying Customs Taxes:
    – for products in less than 10Euro

    Paying Customs Taxes + VAT:
    – for products in more than 11Euro

    For comercial use:
    ————————

    Non Paying Customs Taxes:
    -for products in less than 150Euro

    Paying Customs taxes + VAT:
    – for products in more than 150Euro

    Importing using a fast courier will cost the additional cost of the courier: EMS, UPS, Fedex but will arrive in 7 Days instead of 25Days as Free Shipping.

    For people who want to import for personal use, DO NOT import more that 6-7 products per piece. The Customs doesnt allow you to make “business” using their service as for personal use ! Trying this 2-3 times will Blacklist your name and your order will not be delivered to your home and also, confiscated. Also if you import less than 6 pieces, dont tell them that these are for sale.

    You can make imports in more than 20,30,50,100+ pieces and so on, only if you are registered as Self Employed and pay taxes to the country. In this case you can order above 150Euro and no one will look strange at you, if you provide the papers.

    If you order for personal use and want to bypass the 11Euro tax, when you order 5-6 pices, make sure that you talk with the supplier and ask him to send in different packages and different days, so every pack will worth below 11Euro. If you order 6 pieces and all come in one package the total will excess the 11Euro limit and yo uwill pay VAT+ Customs Taxes. For me this is a rip off, as the VAT is 24%.

    Keep in mind these Tips and Infos and if you have any questions, please ask here.

    Happy importings 🙂

    • Awesome, thanks for the help Silvero! That’s a whole lot of helpful information. People in the EU are constantly asking me about these things, but I never know what to tell them. Now I have somewhere to send them 😀

      Thanks again Silvero, and hope you’re still doing well with the imports 🙂

  1137. Hi,

    Great article. it has been very motivational.Would you kindly link me with Joe Rosen for business purposes.

    thanx,

  1138. Great article Will and I feel inspired. I am thinking of doing it the other way round to you though e.g. finding a product in UK and selling online in China (I live and work in China). I have dealt with Alibaba in my line of work and also know of online sites in China equivalent to ebay etc. Not sure what product would sell in a country of fakery but I believe there is a product that is not available in China and if found popular could be very healthy 🙂 Thanks for this

    • Great idea Wes, I’d love to see how it turns out! The Chinese and Asian markets in general have more disposable income than ever before. I’ve heard prices are on the way up for Chinese consumers specifically, so it could be a gold mine there! Be sure to let me know 😀

      Good luck,
      Will

  1139. Hi, Will

    Thank you for sharing with your experience! I loved it. Got one question: does Alibaba have only ready products? If I would like to create a product myself ( find a company in china that can make a product that I want to create) Do you know anything about that?
    Thank you again 🙂
    Guile

    • No problem Guile, glad you liked it! You can definitely contact suppliers through Alibaba for custom manufacturing work. I’ve never done it, so I couldn’t give a step by step, but it’s not too tough. Just start messaging suppliers that manufacture similar products and tell them what you want to do. They will probably point you in a better direction than I can 😀

      Note – if you have a REALLY unique product that would surely get counterfeited once you hand over the schematics, then you need to approach this a different way. But most of the time, you won’t need to worry about this too much in the early stages.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1140. Hello could you please email me i have a couple of questions for you thanks

  1141. Hi Will,

    I have gone through a lot of articles which talk about importing and exporting in the last one year while doing my research and I have to say, This is “The best article out there”. You have explained it so precisely and simple.

    I would have saved a lot of time if I had found this article earlier.

    Regards,

    Mark

    • Hi Mark,

      Awesome to hear that, thanks for letting me know! I would love to hear if you think I missed anything 🙂

      Thanks again,
      Will

  1142. hi if you want to purchase a large item for your home can it be delivered to home address rather than shipping yard.
    thanks

  1143. Hi Will,

    I’ve got a quote from China and most of them have stated the price without tax. I have no idea about taxation in their country. How does one ascertain that the tax if they charge is authentic and that I am not taken for a ride.

    Regards,
    Huseini

    • Hi Huseini,

      I’m not 100% sure how local taxes work in China, but you probably won’t need to worry about it. Any taxes they need to collect will be collected, and any taxes you need to pay you’ll pay at customs. I’ve never seen anybody get in trouble operating that way, but it may be worth some deeper research. As I said, I’m not 100% sure on that.

      I would be highly skeptical of any increases in price. Most suppliers won’t even try to pull that sort of thing on you, as it’s very bad business practice. 90% of the time I get quoted from an overseas supplier, they include all of their costs in the cost per unit. I’ve very rarely seen people tack on extra fees after the fact. It’s very, very bad practice.

      Chinese (specifically) suppliers have a bunch of taxes that they need to pay to get the final product produced. You shouldn’t have any extra taxes if you’re exporting (only customs duties).

      You said they aren’t charging you any taxes though, so it doesn’t look too dangerous this time 🙂

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1144. Dear Will,

    My name is Gabe and I’m 13. I would love to start this bussiness you did when you were my age. How should I go about advertising, what do I do with used samples, his airsoft import/export legal (does it come out of china yet)? Thanks fo rthe help

  1145. Certainly these tips would be helpful in entering the global market. Hoping I will succeed in my importing business too. Thanks!

  1146. Hello Will
    Just read your post . Thanks for sharing your valuable experience.I am Amit from India and I am in the field of dentistry.I am a dental technician having my own dental lab.I want to start the dental material trading business.I did some research and came across alibaba.com.There I found that the cost of the product is okay but thecost of the sshipping is more than double the cost of the product(I enquire for only a single piece just to check out).My question to you is how to find the cheapest mean of transportation? Also would you advice me to go to china first and see the stuff before purchasing? I can visit china.
    Please guide me as to how should I make my first move..I am anxiously awaiting for your valuable guidance.
    Thanks and Regards
    Amit

  1147. Thanks mate, loved it , lots of helpful little tips there for anyone prepared to give it a go.I do all the time but just haven’t cracked the right one yet,But will give it ago once again.Thanks again going to go and use some of your tips to give it a blast right now.
    Wish there were more people out there willing to help.
    Kind Regards Todd Poynter

  1148. Hi there, I felt like I just found a gold mine after reading this article, thanks for posting it. My question is, (might be a common sense for others), when you place an order on alibaba.com, is the shipping generally free or do they charge you on top? Do you have to arrange to pick up goods at all or the sellers generally sort it out for you? Thanks a bunch.

  1149. Hi Will,

    I have started to look at some products on Alibaba and cross referencing the completed listings on eBay.

    I have found a merecedes branded USB key, that I can buy for $1-2 and sell for £8-10.

    I have a couple of questions.

    1) How do I know if this product is licensed by Mercedes and not counterfiet.
    2) Most of the completed listings show as being sold by a Chinese ebay account, call be suspicious, but i am concerned that they could be advertising and purchasing there own products on eBay (just owing eBay the sales commission) to fake demand? Do you have any view/experiance of this, or have you always found the completed listings to be an acurate indication of demand?

    Thanks for a great article and I look forward tpo you reply 🙂

    • Hi Barry,

      Good to hear you’re taking action – keep at it!

      Sounds like there is a great profit margin on that, but you’re right to worry about the Mercedes-Benz logo. They will probably go after you for it eventually. Chinese factories generally don’t have the rights to use any of these trademarks, and whoever imports them into the country is subject to the laws (not the producer).

      Many suppliers of very generic items will sell on eBay themselves these days. The only thing to do is avoid it. The sold listings have always been a reliable indicator of demand for me, but there’s no reason for the factory to list and buy their own items. If they are selling on eBay, perhaps they do have permission from Mercedes-Benz. But I believe you would still need to get permission separately if you wanted to import them.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1150. Hi Mitch,
    Your article is really interesting and yah, it actually help me a lot. I have thought of importing something to sell but i wonder if i need to pay any taxes for the oversea shipment? I’m still staying in U.S and looking for something that is possible for me to make good money. Please help.
    Thank you 🙂

    • Hi Gigi,

      Glad to hear you liked the article. If you’re in the United States, you’ll have to pay all the taxes you’re familiar with. There may be some other duties and fees for importing specific products, but your supplier and shipping courier will help you with that more than I can!

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1151. I loved the article i am on my way on getting into this business but i have a few questions…

    1. Is dhgate.com a good source to find suppliers?
    2. I noticed that you said electronics wouldn’t be good because it’s hard to compete with other sites and sellers (so therefore buying and selling apple accessories wouldn’t be a good way to start out?)
    3. Please give me some ideas on what to buy and sell that are good sellers i am looking in mostly electronics.

    • Hi Noel,

      Awesome to hear you’re getting started imported products from overseas – good luck to you!

      DHGate is decent, but I’ve never used them. I’ve heard decent things and bad things, never anything good. The hard truth is most suppliers aren’t going to be on there. The people on there have built a business around it, they are DHGate suppliers, more than actual factories. The majority of suppliers aren’t even on Alibaba, let alone the more fringe sites like World Wide Brands or DHGate or Doba. Your supplier is your main competitive advantage at the early stage of this business, so looking through lists of suppliers that everybody else uses might be a waste of time… Of course, I haven’t used the site, so I could have it all wrong 🙂

      I’ve heard of people making good money with iPhone accessories. It really depends what it is, of course iPhone cases aren’t electronics. But, they can still be tough, because it is tied to the electronics market. It’s just a very fast moving market, it’s inherently riskier and easier to get stuck with dead inventory.

      I couldn’t give any product ideas, that would take me many, many hours of research 🙂

      And again, even then you can’t be sure. Business is risky. If you follow my method of sample testing, you can minimize that risk, but it’s always risky – it’s business.

      If you have a LOT of trouble with finding products, check out Terapeak. It’s eBay’s data analytics tool, it makes initial product research much easier.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1152. Hi Will and thank you for all the good work you have put on this flag. Here is my dilemma. I found a product that I would like to sell on amazon and ebay which I thought had a niche. I searched alibaba for suppliers and I found a few. The unit price was in between $1 to $2.09. I searched on amazon and WOW the same product was selling for $9 and up. So I though this is great. But then I checked ebay and I found sellers from China that they were selling the same product for $2 to $5 some of them including shipping. Have you come across something like that before? The difference is substantial, who will buy from the Amazon sellers, everyone will go to ebay…

    • No problem George, glad to help.

      It’s increasingly common to see Chinese suppliers selling on eBay. Some people, like Joe expained above, have found ways to turn this into an opportunity. Others avoid it. But you definitely don’t want to compete with your supplier. You can try if you want, but there are surely better opportunities out there. I’d keep looking.

      Hope ths helps,
      Will

  1153. Business owners who purely want to get into the import / export business and those who already have an established business can both benefit by learning how to import from China, although for different reasons.

    Of course the advantage for China import / export businesses is obvious. This is true for entrepreneurs who have an established offline or online business and even for start-ups. You’ll make money by moving goods around the globe, taking them from an area where they are cheap to buy or produce to an area where they could be sold for a profit

  1154. Hi Will, I have just purchased some vitamin supplements from China which I intend to sell on eBay. This product is marketed by a Canadian company and there are a number of distributors selling their product on eBay. I contacted then to get a wholesale price and they replied with a price of $22/bottle compared to the $7.20 which I paid. I am sure that they are also importing their product from China. Anyway, am I in violation of any laws if I sell the products I purchased on eBay. They are my products.

    • Hi Tarik,

      I’m not really sure, there’s no way to know without looking into the companies that own the brands you’re referring to. I would be very careful though. Like I said in the article, I try to stay away from anything you consume due to regulations. On top of that, it sounds like the company could easily come after you. But again, it’s going to take a time investment to figure those things out, as it’s very case-by-case.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1155. UPDATE: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WILL MITCHELL. YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE ME A MILLIONAIRE SOME DAY. THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES. A while ago i asked for your advice if i should make big purchase importing clothes. I made the purchase and have not looked back!!! I am a bonafide importer/wholesaler now. Last month, i generated sales over $85,000 USD. BUT I AM NOT IMPORTING FROM CHINA. COMPANIES ARE FLEEING CHINA BECAUSE OF HIGH COST. They are going to South East Asia. Guys, i am importing and making a killing by importing from south east asia. Prices are a whole lot cheaper. You will have a difficult time beating china sellers on amazon/ebay and anywhere else. Think about it, You can not buy from them and than try to sell on ebay/amazon when they are selling it themselves. BUT you can beat their price if you get cheaper from somewhere else. And that place is right now in South Asia. I would like to offer my service as a importer/wholesaler.
    If anyone wants, you can order directly through me and pick up from my warehouse in NYC. No need to worry about scams or dealing with people in other countries. I did the hard work already. Will, May i have your permission to offer my service. I am importing mainly garments/clothes such as tops, jeans, denim, shorts etc. and few other things. I can get mostly anything that china sellers are selling on ebay/amazon a whole lot cheaper. Will, Thank you again. You have no idea how much your article changed my life. EXPECT A BIG DONATION SOON!!

    • Hey Joe,

      $85k in just a few months?! You’re a machine! Looks like I’m going to be taking lessons from you soon 🙂

      Thank you my friend, this is the best feedback I’ve ever gotten! Awesome to hear you’re killing it, and it doesn’t sound like you’re planning on stopping any time soon!

      Great insight there on Chinese businesses dealing with high costs, I had no idea. I have seen much more action in Indonesia/Taiwan/Thailand/Vietnam area though, good to know what the reason behind the trend is. Very valuable information for new importers, like you were only a few months ago!

      You may have opened up a whole new area for people to look into as well. I usually tell peope to try to avoid importing products that are being sold on eBay/Amazon by Chinese suppliers. But, maybe even those suppliers can be undercut with your method. Thanks for the perspective.

      For sure, offer away! I’ll be sending you a congratulatory email here later today as well 🙂

      I can’t tell you how motivating it is for me to know this article could help you Joe! Just looking at your comments from Feburary and March of this year, it’s really hard to believe you’re an importing pro now! It just goes to show you how quickly you can change your life for the better, all it takes it some action 🙂

      Seriously though Joe, I can’t stress this enough – YOU’RE A FREAKIN ROCKSTAR – keep killing it man!

      You da’ man!
      Will

    • Hi Joe,

      How are you selling these garments? Through ebay and amazon? I’m from south-east asia, and I’ve seen how low those prices can get 🙂 Congrats for finding an excellent source of merchandise. I’m currently based in Australia, and hope to start a business too. I would love it if you gave some pointers on how you started selling 🙂

      To Will:

      Thanks so much for your article! It’s the most comprehensive and detailed guide I’ve come across so far. I’m already taking the first step and getting some samples in. Hopefully it works out. If it does, you’ll be helping another student! 🙂

      • No problem Juliana, glad you liked it! Awesome to hear you’re already getting samples in. Sounds like you’re well positioned to make this successful for yourself, good luck!

    • I’m curious, Joe. Where did you source your suppliers from? Congrats on the success!

      Best,
      Tom

      • I don’t think Jim is responding the everything anymore, but I am planning on doing a Q&A webinar with him soon! If you get our emails, you’ll see it for sure 🙂

    • Hi Joe,
      Just curious about your merchandise like tops, jeans, denim, shorts etc? Feel free to email me back. I live in California. Thanks’

      Kevin

    • Hello Joe,
      May I ask how I may find a wholesaler in South East Asia? You are right when you say that it is hard to compete when the Chinese wholesalers are on those sites as well. I am wanting to get into the hair industry, and maybe even clothes in the future. Do you know anyone reputable in that field who I can purchase from in SEA?
      Thanks!

    • Joe,
      Do you know a reputable wholesale supplier that I can purchase hair extensions from inexpensively?
      Thanks!

  1156. Hi

    Thank you for your experiences, you have given me the courage to try and import. One question how do you get your goods from the ports and is there any fee?

    Thank you

    • No problem Tracey, congrats on taking action and good luck to you!

      You probably won’t need to deal with that for small orders, you’ll only need to work that out if shipping your products via Sea Freight. If this was the case, you’d need to hire a rigging company to deliver your container from the port to your warehouse.

      If you’re making smaller orders, you’ll just be dealing with UPS/FedEx/DHL to ship things for the time being.

      Hope this answers your questions,
      Will

      • Thank you for your reply. I have been quoted a price delivered to a port at Felixstowe in the UK. Would I be able to collect myself?

        I appreciate your help

        • Hi Tracey,

          I couldn’t tell you how that would work in that specific port (or in the UK). Most of the time, you’ll only be shipping to ports like this with large orders (multiple pallets). In that case, you’d hire a rigging company to take your container from the port to your warehouse, at which point you’d need to unload it.

          For small scale importing, you won’t have to deal with this much, if at all. Your supplier can help, and most things will be done via UPS/DHL/FedEx/etc.

          Hope this helps,
          Will

  1157. Will I have a questions why do you say phone cases arent a good profit, if in reality you sell it for like 7 times more than what it costs you when you buy from alibaba ?

    • Phone cases may sell well for all I know, but I’ve never tried with them. I’ve seen a LOT of people rush into the importing game and buy WAY too many phone cases, so I’m reluctant to advise anybody to at this point.

      Phone cases live and die by the fad of the month. It’s really easy to end up with 500 cases that don’t sell. Or worse, you sell 500 cases, buy 2000 more, and sell 100 before the fad dies out. I’ve seen this happen many times.

      So, while I might be wrong, and I’d love to be proven wrong; I’ve always avoided importing phone cases from China.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1158. hey man just wondering how lengthy and difficult the actual shipping container process and arrangement is? Is it a costly and risky exercise? Am i better off sticking to smaller items and air shipping? Great article by the way!

    • Hey Ryan,

      It’s not too difficult or risky. Your risk will be in the inventory you hold, not shipping it. It will be much harder to sell a container’s worth of product than to get it shipped to you. I’ve never shipped in containers, just because I haven’t had any reason to. I would suggest starting small, and only buying a container when you’re forced to because you’re getting so many orders 🙂

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • oh awesome! Personally i was hoping of just working with air freight as it’s so much easier and cheaper to bring product into Australia that way. Also thanks heaps for replying so quickly, legend man!

        • Yea, if you’re in Australia that will be a quick, easy shipment for you! China and Australia have been cozying up lately, so you’re in a good spot for this importing strategy!

  1159. Great article, really informative, many thanks.
    Was thinking about starting something like this to supplement my crappy day job!

    • No problem Steve, thanks for commenting.

      Importing products from China makes for a great side business! Once you get started, it’s easy to scale it as large or as small as you want. It takes some time to get there, but once you find a product it gets much easier.

  1160. I noticed that you said to not use anything other than paypal in the six months. What are your thoughts on paying with the escrow service?

  1161. I noticed that you said to not use anything other than paypal in the six months. What are your thoughts on paying with the escrow service?

  1162. Hello Will,

    Thank you for the awesome tutorial. I have been following your steps and the process is going smoothly.

    I did however have a question in regards to samples and shipping. I am currently trying to get two suppliers to send me samples, but what, in your opinion is the most cost-effective way of getting the samples shipped.

    e.g.(Use a UPS/FED EX account)?
    Payment use card ****’s?

    Warmest regards,

    CMCM

    • Hi CMCM,

      No problem, very glad to hear you can progress through smoothly! Maybe my writing isn’t as bad as I thought 🙂

      Most of the time, you’ll just pay your supplier to ship a sample out to you. It typically costs $30-40 for small items.

      I go into shipping in-depth in my follow up article to this, you might want to check that out for more information.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Hey Will,

        Thank you and your correct, I got a sample for $35.

        I will look into your article today.

        Thank you for the support,

        CMCM

        • Hey CMCM, thanks for confirming my suspicion 🙂

          Hope the samples turn out great, keep me updated!

          Have a good weekend,
          Will

  1163. hey mate i was just going through alibaba i wux thinkin of earpods(iphone 5 headphones) what do you think will it be a gud idea to start from it as i am a student and dont have much capital in hand.what do you think will it be a good idea

    regards

  1164. Thnks alot.. great article.. !!
    I am trying to find a supplier.. No one is ready for paypal payment.. what to do ? 🙁

    • Thanks for reading Kiran, glad you liked it! In some niches, nobody will take PayPal. But most of the time, if they refuse PayPal and Escrow, then they aren’t the supplier you want to deal with when importing products from China!

      Hope this helps…

    • Hi Kiran,

      What you want to import from china . I have a indian friend who lived in china for 15 years and doing this business. Let me now if u need his help??

  1165. great article helped me alot on understanding how to do it…
    as soon as finished with exams ill go for it
    and hopefully nail it
    Regards

    • Glad I could help Umair! Good move not cluttering your priorities though. Hope you find success once you get the chance to try it out – keep me updated!

    • TheBusiness

      People sell drugs a lot too. But I can guarantee that is illegal lol. Of course it’s illegal to sell Michael Jordan memorabilia. Why do you think businesses like Nike have paid Jordan so many millions if it was just free to use his image?

      Thanks for the response Will. I think I’m really going to get into this. If for nothing other than to learn about all that is available on the internet. Hopefully one day I’ll be working full time for myself.

    • I’m not 100% sure how it works, but they either have the right to sell those items or are doing so illegally. I’m not even sure illegal is the right word, as I don’t think there are many criminal liabilities, just civil. In either case though, I’d advise against it 🙂

  1166. Mitch one more question mate, Can one sell items for example keychains etc. with the basketball player michael jordan on it ? How about a brand printed on those keychains ? Is this illegal ?

  1167. Can you elaborate more on starting your own brand. Did your friend just put a brand on generic items, or did he actually get the producer to make something unique?

    I’d also appreciate if you added more to the whole courier situation. When you buy a product from a supplier in China, do you have to decide who they ship it to you with once it reaches the U.S.? Do you have to decide between fed ex and others before you order? I’m confused how that process works.

    • Oh, and I’ve just been really focused on learning all of this. I got right to the point in my question above, I forgot to say thanks for explaining all of this. You are definitely helping a ton of people for free. Thanks for everything!

    • Hi Shane,

      I believe he started by private label manufacturing existing products, and then eventually branching out into working with the manufacturer to create new product (and now even new product lines). He’s actually in China now meeting with his supplier!

      For smaller orders, you can get your supplier to ship via UPS/FedEx/DHL/etc. Every supplier will have different preferences, but they’ve all dealt with shipping product through those services! Once you start importing containers full of products, it begins to get a little tougher. But, until then, it’s not too bad.

  1168. hi there will,

    well i have to agree that this is really an great article because it kept me reading every line all through it, ofcourse am not a reader.lol

    anyway this is the thing, i kinda have the reverse of all this, as in, i am in china and might stay here for a very long time. i used to do exactly as you said about alibaba and aliexpress while also dealing with “taobao.com”, china’s very best. for someone like me, getting the samples and telling them to reduce the prices wont be that difficult because we meet and i study in chinese. so they barely consider me as a foriegner

    now i would like my market to be based in the states if i ever start this thing. i have relatives and friends there, but my current base for a very long time will be china, so do you think it can work out, and if so kindly explain how!

    • Hi Shaffy, great to hear you liked the article! Glad it was readable by a non-reader, because I’m no writer! Haha

      Sounds like you’re definitely in the right place to take advantage of methods like this. I haven’t seen that website, I’ll check it out. Very jealous you can speak Chinese though 🙂

      There are plenty of companies who have a presence in China and the United States, and just act as middle men to smooth out the process of importing products from China. I think you definitely have an opportunity to do something like this! I couldn’t tell you how to build a company like that step-by-step, but feel free to comment back and we can bounce some ideas around…

      Talk soon,
      Will

  1169. Thanks a lot Will you seriously are great man. Ive found out because I googled it and also I checked on Alibaba forums. Thanks again im on it. I am currently reading the article

    • No problem buddy, thanks for jumping on and talking! Hope you find as much value in that article as you did in this one 🙂

      Keep me updated,
      Will

  1170. Hi Will, great post. It has answered a lot of questions I had. So congrats on such a successful post.

    I “play” online to make extra spending cash and have been thinking about importing some stuff. If I could do good enough so that my wife could do the orders and keep her home, that would be great as we have been thinking of at least cutting her hours to be with the kids more.

    Here is what I see and what is keeping me from making my first purchase.

    I find that a lot of these factory suppliers are also selling on eBay and Amazon at the same price as they are selling to us. This of course kills any chance of making online sales. Maybe I’m looking at the wrong stuff but it seems like everything I look at that might be a good niche can be found for what they are wanting to sell it to me for.

    This leaves Craigslist for the people that do not want to wait on shipping.

    What am I missing?

    Thanks again for the great post.

    • Glad you liked it Vince, and thanks for commenting!

      That’s a great way to look at it – you can’t fail when it’s a game, and life is a game 🙂 Every failure is just an experience on the way to the next level…

      There are some mainstream products out there that Chinese suppliers sell, that’s a relatively new addition to your competition as an importer. I’d definitely avoid those if I were getting back into it.

      Like I said in the article, I haven’t been in it for a few years. But, I know there are still sales to be made to US companies on those products. A lot of people simply won’t buy from China, or need it sooner than 10-14 days. So there’s still a market there. That being said, I think you’re smart for avoiding those areas.

      Yes, you can branch out to different sales channels (which you should anyways). You can also find other products that don’t have the same issues. I’d suggest doing both.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1171. Hi Will, Ive been spending all day yesterday looking and looking for a good computer parts supplier from alibaba. But right when I was about to buy some products from a company I found out the company has scammed many people. Ive been spending all day yesterday and today trying to find out how to know if a company is a scam ?

    Can you PLEASEEEE please do an article on how ot find out if a manufacturer is legit ?

    How can I know ?
    What steps should I take?
    Is it same to pay with T/T ? will they take my money from the bank ?

      • Quick question for you Will. First off, I really appreciate this article, finally a breath of fresh air. I have been in contact with a few suppliers and the response I got back was:

        “Quotation: $25.90 usd / pcs
        Payment: Sample order: 100% pay in advance
        Formal order: 30% pay in advance by T/T, and 70% balance payed before lamps out of our company”

        They do accept paypal and escrow but was surprised to see that their main form of payment was the T/T. How do you feel about that? Do I reply back and say I will pay the 30% over Paypal or is the T/T payment standard? Thanks for your help!

  1172. Hey Will,

    I read your book, it was pretty awesome man, it’s good to see the categories of entrepreneurship.

    I was wondering if you could possibly right an article on other fields of making money that you know of, maybe online marketing?

    Thanks!
    Nic

    • Hey Nic,

      Thanks for checking it out, glad you found it awesome 🙂

      I can definitely do that! I also run an offline marketing agency, so I’ll have some good case studies in the future. Hopefully I’ll get one up soon!

      Thanks a lot for the help,
      Will

  1173. I Live in Arizona. I know I ask to many questions, but how can I find out more if I need to pay taxes. Ok so say I order anywhere from 100 to 500 items from china I get them delivered how will the gov know I need to pay taxes ? Or how do I know I need to pay taxes for this stuff ?

    What if I just receive it and start selling it ?

    • Well, your Government will tell you it’s your responsibility to know every law and abide by them all. So, it’s really dependent on where you live. If you’re in AZ, then you’re obviously going to be paying the US Federal Government for some taxes, and I’d imagine the State might want some as well. You’ll also have to pay some duties and tariffs and things like that, all of that needs to be worked out with your shipping courier or customs brokerage.

      The Government never actually knows what’s going on, they just do the bare minimum. They will have no idea how much money you make unless you report it to them, or unless somebody really wants to find out. If you just bought some and sold some without ever reporting anything, it’s unlikely that anybody will ever care (unless you get audited). That being said, I still pay all of my taxes 🙂

      Wish I could help more, but tax law is different State to State. I’ve always just used Google and research things for a while, but you could also post on some forums or something. If not, maybe you know a local accountant or bookkeeper who could point you closer?

      Sorry I couldn’t help more!

  1174. Any suggestions on where to sell them ? How about taxes do I pay taxes when receiving order ?

    • Sell them where people are already buying them! That’s the easiest way to cash flow. If you can make money there, automate it and start expanding out.

      It depends where you live, all laws are different. For me in Florida, I only pay sales tax on orders from within Florida. I’m pretty sure it’s like this for everywhere in the US (possibly not California), but outside of the US, I couldn’t help much 🙁

  1175. Thanks a lot mate, I will look into it. Although its not a hot product you think ? I mean its a house electronic part that goes out and they require someone to call in to come replace it but sometimes people decide to replace them themselves and Ive seen they do sell on ebay. Matter fact my dad ordered one from ebay like a month ago he replaced it himself.

    • I couldn’t tell you if it’s a hot product or not without some research, especially when I don’t know what it is 🙂

      But again, every product, and further every product model is a different market. I’d suggest testing your product in almost every circumstance imaginable 🙂

      Good luck!

  1176. Damn Will I am having a hard time deciding if to pull the trigger and order the items I want to order. Here are my points
    1. They dont sell them at walmart or these big stores
    2. You need to be in the business to obtain one of these
    They cost me around 1.8usd they sell for around $20 minus shipping and ebay/amazon fees. What do you think mate ?
    Im scared I might end up with a product that wont sell….
    Any advice ? :/

    • If you can import the product for $1.80 and sell it for $20, that’s worth checking out to me! Of course, there’s always the chance that they won’t sell.

      Make sure you read the follow up article to this, it deals specifically with testing your product to make sure it will sell. In short, buy some samples and sell them to make sure everything goes smoothly!

      Hope this helps…

  1177. Hi Will,

    It was a fantastic read and cleared lot of my confusion regarding import / export.

    Couple of questions:

    – Did you explore India also apart from china or any other country.I want to explore india as I have my roots there.

    -Second I have heard that apart from books you need to pay custom duty on other imported goods and for that you need to higher agents which help you get the goods from customs on airport or seaport.Is that true? I wonder how you got around that.Did you ever hired an agent ?

    Thanks in advance

    • Hi Narender,

      Awesome, glad to hear the article helped you!

      Unfortunately, I’ve never imported anything from India, I’ve only imported products from China. I think I’ve also imported some products from some other countries, but not very often. There’s no real reason for this, I don’t try to avoid any countries (off the top of my head). I’ve just almost always ended up with a Chinese supplier…

      Yes, you’ll definitely need to pay all customs, duties, and taxes on your items when you bring them in. Most of the time, you’ll work this out with your shipping courier. Once you start getting into large orders (2+ pallets at a time), you’ll probably need to rethink things a little. But, you’ll likely still work it out with your shipping courier (who will probably know a customs brokerage they recommend, or have one in house)

      Hope this helps!
      Will

  1178. I think it is Awesome of you guys and specially yourself! To be helping people like me who are 35 and so lost about all the different tech. stuff I have been researching Alibaba for awhile before finding you! Question I am not sure what I want to sell, so should I get a website url and if I do can I change it later??

    • Hi Nick,

      Thanks for your kind words, I’m glad I could help! I wouldn’t get a website URL just yet, it’s important to find a good product to import and sell first. You can get a URL, but it’s going to cost some money, and will cost some more to change it. It isn’t necessary to have a website with this method, so I wouldn’t worry about that until you’re ready to scale up a product that’s been working for you.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1179. Will,

    Some brilliant information here.
    I knew what I wanted to do, but just didn’t know where to start.
    Thanks to you, now I do!

    Good luck with everything! 🙂
    Rach.

  1180. I know it can be a major pain to be handling 30-40 products a day on eBay and other sites, did you use some sort of software to manage this and make it easier to keep track of everything?

    • Not really at the time, like I said I was young and ran it pretty lean. Once things got too big for me, my friends, and my garage – I was lucky enough to find a dropshipping partner through my supplier. Somebody else asked me this question earlier this week though, maybe I’ll put a post together on inventory management soon!

      Sorry I couldn’t help more :-\

  1181. Hi Mitch first of all thanks a lot !! for the tutorial and inspiration man great stuff done mate. I am in the process to take action man, I have order my sample from a supplier in china already its on its way. If I like it I will be ordering from them.
    Do you think its still possible to make profit from ebay ?

    How can I get the cheapest shipping possible to ship to customers here in the US? theres ebay items that are charging low for an item and even include free shipping

    Is there a tutorial on how to get dropship to clients ? For example I want to get into the medical field for example wheelchairs, supply to dentists etc. How can I get them to be interested in my chinese product ?

    I hope you have a little bit of your time to take a look at my questions and answer like I said again Thanks A Lot mate. You sure are an inspiration man

    • Very good tip, Silverio. Must be the same in other countries as well. Thanks for that tip.

    • Awesome, glad to hear this article could help you take action! With samples on the way, you’re pretty much already importing from China! Now to make money doing it…

      It’s definitely possible to make a profit on eBay. If it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be anything for sale!

      Shipping prices are set, unless you start shipping in bulk. Compare each shipping courier and educate yourself to know when each one will be the cheapest.

      I haven’t seen any guides like the one you’re asking for unfortunately. Maybe I should write one! 🙂

      Hope this helps, and good luck to you!

  1182. Hi Will,

    I found this post yesterday, have to say it is really well written. Includes lots of quality information and it made me act right away.

    However, I’m not from the US, neither from any of other big countries of the world, I come from Slovenia which is in EU, but am worried about how to handle supply of the packages to customers, as postage costs are really expensive here and it would hurt margin too hard, so my question is in regards to this. Anyway, you wrote something on topic how supplier from China handles all shipments and customer returns, does that mean that you do not have any contact with product shipment to customer at all (Except ordering samples and test it before continue with bussiness?)? Can you write a bit more on this topic?

    Thanks for help in advance and keep up the good work!

    Regards,

    Zigy

    • Hello, I can help, since I am from EU, i know the Customs Post tricks. You dont have to be affraid of the VAT and Customs Post taxes if you know how to do it, in USA there are no vat taxes… I posted a tip above for EU people, here is a copy paste for you:

      “For exemple in my country East Europe I have to pay 24% VAT if the order is above 10 Euros and VAT and Border Taxes if the order is above 150 Euros but I manage to bypas the taxes almost everytime now, as I as the supplier to send separate packages below the 150E, and as gifts with 3$ value. I started to order from Aliexpress because of the Free Shipping. Thanks for the wonderful informations here Will. You saved a student here”

      Yes, for exemple I ordered 20 days ago, 8 watches from 5 to 11$ as price. The total price was around ~$50, so for my country the VAT tax is 24%, I will be insane to pay 24$ from $50 no ? So I asked the supplier to send my watches in different packages in different days, a delay of 2 days will be fine, and he agreed ofcourse. For my country its doesn means if the supplier writes 3$ as value and or gift, my Customs Post requires me the printscreens of the order with the price on it, so they can see them clearly.

      But there is a catch too: every package sent by the supplier were watches that do not exced the 10Euro tax free limit, means that in one box is a watch with 5 and 8$ which is 13$ and below 10 Euros. With the free shipping, I will have nothing else to pay but the get the watches from the Customs. Your packages will arrive with a delay of 3-4 days, so there will be no problem for you.. no extra taxes no extra bullshit.

      This method works for EU people only, but please check your taxes before doing anything, must be the same anyway, only that your VAT may be lower than mine… Good luck.

      • I forgot to say, import something that is in 10 Euro per piece, search for something that isnt too expensive, like a phone, dslr camera or anything that is above this price and look for Aliexpress.com to take advantage from the free shipping, or else you will face the high taxes..

        • Very good tip, Silvero. Must be the same in other countries as well. Thanks for that tip.

          • You’re welcome, and we all thank to Will, thats why we are here now 🙂

          • Hi folks,

            first of all thanks Silvero and Will for their answers. I really appreciate!

            Silvero,

            so in this case, if I want to avoid paying customs and tax, there is no way of growing business big? I mean, like selling tens of pieces a month?

            And my question to all importers who sell their products worldwide:

            question is about DELIVERING product to target customer, how do you handle this? My goal is to sell my products internationally – worldwide, because I my country’s market is just too small and doesn’t offer any potential for business growth at all. And as I did a fast small research with the available data on prices I found on shipping companies’ websites, shipping costs are just too high both for me (if I cover them, margin will be close to none) and for my customer (if he covers shipping costs, then product will be too expensive for him).

            Any ideas?

            What has been your average margin on a product you sell, Will? Or maybe just few examples?

            Thanks for answers in advance, really appreciate your help!

            Kindest regards,

            Zigy

          • Hi Zigy,

            Yea, glad Silvero stepped in! 🙂

            Shipping tends to be the biggest expense and challenge when importing from China, especially when you’re in a smaller market. There’s not a whole lot that can be done, unless you know some way to get rid of the physical limitations that are leading to increased costs 🙂

            I try to keep my margin above 50%. If it’s below that, I consider it a huge problem.

            Hope this helps!
            Will

          • Zigy

            “so in this case, if I want to avoid paying customs and tax, there is no way of growing business big? I mean, like selling tens of pieces a month?”

            You can grow the business big, but when you will do it, the taxes wont be a problem for you then, if you know what I mean. Every business owner pays taxes on import, thats the way the country earns from importing… If you will buy furniture or TVs in the future you will pay the VAT as you pay the VAT for every small thing you buy from inside, like water, bread, milk, toilet paper, you pay VAT anyway.

            The selling price will cover all your taxes and will bring profit for you, but if you get there, you will pay in advance the tax and you will get the money from the tax when you sell it, got it ? Its like paying in advance for something that you will earn after. In your selling price will include all your taxes you paid at the first 🙂 plus the profit you’ll take. Dont worry, this is how business works.

        • Awesome information there Silvero, I’m sure that will help hundreds of people who will never comment. I appreciate you saying I saved a student – it seems you’re saving a lot yourself!

    • Hi Zigy,

      Thanks, I appreciate that! I always say I’m a terrible writer, so I’m glad to hear the guide is easily comprehensible. Also glad to hear it helped you to take action! 🙂

      Yea, when you’re importing to the EU, you have to be sure to comply with or preferably avoid local taxes and regulations. You can find all that information in other comments though, it seems you know that so I won’t repeat it all…

      The drop shipping thing is a little off. I had an American company who worked exclusively with my Chinese factory supplier, who I eventually got to start shipping for me. You can get Chinese suppliers to ship for you as well, but there are a lot of issues with it. But, if you tell your customers that before they buy, then I don’t see much of an issue.

      Hope this helps, if not comment back!

      Will

  1183. Will,

    great article!! what are your thoughts in the reverse? selling US made items to China? I have read 65% of chinese would rather have western items such as vitamins, baby products, etc because the regulation is lax there and not trusted. My wife is Chinese and she is always shipping things to her friends in China. Do you know of regulations on shipping, tax and other issues related to this idea?
    Thanks,
    Mike

    • Glad you liked it Mike! Let me preface my answer to this by saying I have no idea what I’m talking about on this one, I’ve never even began to research doing this in reverse. However, it makes sense that there is demand there.

      The first thing that comes to mind when you mention importing outside products into China is their Government. I have no idea, but I have to assume their Government would absolutely hate this on any significant scale. Now, I know you can bribe them pretty easily, much different than in America – but I’ve never dealt with anything like that.

      It’s just such a vastly different political climate in China, that I’m not sure if it’s legal or heavily regulated or what. But, that shouldn’t stop you! Especially with your wife already making money by shipping products into China, she’s probably significantly more qualified to answer this than I am 🙂

      Hope this helps, and good luck!

      Keep us updated,
      Will

  1184. Hi Will
    I am Chinese and have been living in the uk for last 12 years. I have always wanted to start up my business, trading here and there. I found your article very inspiring and helped me a lot. thanks man!

    Pangpang

    • Awesome to hear that Pangpang, glad I could help out! Good luck to you, but you won’t need it if you’re fluent in both Chinese and English 🙂

  1185. It’s 10.30 here… On Sunday 😛 I have a terrible hangover.

    I thought that because I’d have to pay a programmer to do the websites and such. I’m pretty good with computing, apart from actual computer languages.

    I literally have no cash right now, stupidly walked out of my accountancy job because of a tiff with my manager, little did I know there are no jobs in Wales right now apart from door to door selling.

    I’m willing to do absolutely anything it takes to become successful. My dad has a company in London centre but I wouldn’t like to work for him, I’d like to make it on my own if possible /endsadstory haha

    • Haha, yea I’ll be going to bed soon enough 🙂

      I didn’t have to pay anybody but a designer for my logo when I started my marketing agency. Actually, I first started just doing consulting work for local businesses, and eventually it just evolved into something more. I don’t know how to code either, apart from HTML/CSS.

      It’s tough to build anything sustainable when you’re up against a wall. I would focus on getting money in the door for now, and then figuring out how to scale that up. That’s essentially what I did when starting the marketing agency. You need money now though, and it’s going to be really tough to think long-term and delay gratification within your business. I think you’ll have an urge to pull money out short-term at the damage of your long-term game. If you just focus on bringing money in the door and scaling up from there, I think you’ll avoid that issue and learn everything you need to know about building a successful business on your skills/passions.

      Those who are willing to do anything to become successful will figure out how to eventually. The obstacles you run into are the rites of passage of success. Good luck, and hope this helps!

      • Great advice, I think that’s exactly what I’ll have to do.

        No doubt I will be pestering you along the way though!

        Thanks for all the great replies 🙂

  1186. haha its like we lived parallel lives.. Im up in Canada and I was a part of the massive airsoft flood back in the days.. I was the same age as you, at the time airsoft was borderline illegal to buy in Canada so I would have the guns shipped to US addresses and break them down there and drive them back over the border and reassemble to sell locally.. haha it was great.

    TBH.. I still don’t work, my friends always ask me about it but I ask why? Let your brain do the work.. not your body. Very good read.. Maybe we can even collaborate! Cheers

    • Haha, awesome JJ! I’m sure you were making even more than I was in Canada. I could never figure out how to ship into Canada. I’m sure you made a killing as a small time smuggler though 🙂

      Yes, I agree with you there. When posting this article on importing, I didn’t think it would be as popular as it was. You’ll always be able to make money importing products from China, but I think there are much more lucrative ways to attain success now. But again, it depends how you want to build your life.

      Thanks for the input JJ!

      • Hi from the UK, Will :).

        Great article, but I was just wondering about your last comment about there being more lucrative ways to make money, could you through a few hints?

        Cheers!

        • Hi Nicholas, thanks for commenting!

          While you can still make money importing products from China, I think there are definitely more lucrative ways to make money quickly. Importing is a very long and hard business to start from scratch. In my book, importing is old news, a common commodity.

          If you can combine importing products from China with other methods, then maybe you have something. But simple import arbitrage is getting harder, and the margins are getting slimmer while fading faster.

          A good entrepreneur can create more value for people in a weekend than they can in a lifetime of importing products from China. There is so much opportunity on the internet, and much of it is greater than importing.

          Of course, it matters on your skill set and passions and things like that. You have to learn to take those and create value with them. Then you have to effectively spread that value in the correct way, while having the correct systems in place to convert that into money.

          It’s a tough game, and for me importing products from China was a big stepping stone in my path to where I’m at. The most important thing is to keep taking action. If you feel the urge to pursue this, then pursue it. Worst case scenario, you’ll lose $1,000 and 3 months. But you’ll learn a ton. I still use things I learned in the overseas importing business today. Just look at this article!

          What other income methods/online business models were you considering? There’s literally thousands, it’s all about finding and connecting the right ones in the right way.

          • Thanks for the quick reply

            I was thinking online marketing/advertising, but maybe that would need alot of initial capital. To me honest, a friend and I just want to start something where we can make £1000 a month each to start, but which also has the potential to grow when we feel comfortable.

          • No problem – what else is there to do at 5am on a Saturday but build! 🙂

            Again, there’s about a billion things out there that you can make $1,000 a month doing. It’s more about what you’ll actually do! That’s where the whole passion and skill set thing starts to play into it.

            Why do you think online marketing/advertising takes a lot of initial capital? I started my marketing agency with nothing…

  1187. Hi Will,

    Thanks for the great article, it has been an immense help in getting started.

    I had a quick question for you, our main goal in the end is to have drop shipping to our customers however we are currently in the first talks with one of our suppliers where they say that once we place our order there will be a 30-35day production time to complete. From what I can tell, this factory creates on the spot vs carrying inventory. Which does not hint towards the potential to drop ship. Do you think it is still possible to have drop shipping in the future with them? Should I breach the subject with them due to this concern this early in our relationship or should I give it a go anyways?

    Thanks!

    • Hi Nick,

      Thanks for commenting, glad to hear the article could help!

      It’s possible to have a drop shipping relationship with anybody, it matters how you want to do it. You should really talk to suppliers, especially since drop shipping is often not advertised. It’s also very much on a supplier-by-supplier basis, and less of a product-by-product basis.

      I definitely think it’s ok to ask about it though. If you want to grow into that, then find the perfect supplier that will grow with you. You may have to negotiate a custom deal, as most supplier won’t just up and agree to start drop shipping (unless they’re made to dropship). But, keep looking, they’re out there!

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1188. Hi Will,

    Thanks for sharing your secrets on this blog. I would like more detailed information on shipping. I contacted a supplier a few months back about importing a product that wasn’t large but but could be very heavy (up to 55lbs per piece) so the only viable shipping method was sea freight. They quoted me FOB shipping and said that I would have to find my own shipper and take care of my own logistics. Is this how most suppliers operate? I went through the motions of looking into finding shippers for my product and started with the usual suspects like UPS, FEDEX and DHL. I was told by these shippers that I would have to find a customs broker to get my items through customs or I could hire a their own internal customs brokerage division but this was a seperate fee from shipping. Have you ever shipped anything via Sea Freight? If so what has been your experience with this (From sourcing shippers, truckers, figuring our U.S. tarrifs on the stuff you want to import, etc.)? How does the entire process work step by step from getting the products out the factory door to my own door step?

    Thanks!

    • Hi Benny,

      No problem, glad you got some value out of them! Yea, when you’re importing heavy products from overseas, shipping is a much different game…

      When importing something unusually heavy or large, you’ll usually have to set up your own shipping courier, and further ensure that all regulations are taken care of.

      Your research was correct. You’ll probably have to find a customs broker. I know from friends that UPS is good, but I have no idea on the fees or how they compare to anybody else. I’ve never personally imported anything like that, I’ve only dealt with friends/clients that have. Of the people I know who ship via Sea Freight, it’s about half and half. Smaller importers tend to use UPS/FedEx/DHL, while larger (and more frequent) importers use their own broker. Of course, I only know a few people that do that, so take that last bit with a grain of salt.

      Although, maybe it’s time for me to get a guest post! A step-by-step guide for importing products from China via Sea Freight would be very valuable, and certainly answer many questions!

      Until then, I hope this helps…

      Thanks,
      Will

      • Yes! I need a good understanding of this process as well. I don’t quite get the logistics of FOB shipping via Sea.

  1189. Hi Will,

    Thanx for the great article.

    I am in the UK and have been trying to find out for some time now how to go about setting up a little buying and selling side line to supplement and maybe eventually replace the income from my full time job.

    I went to my local ‘car boot’ sale last week (not sure if you have them in the USA) and there was this guy selling new plain boxed electrical items from China from the back of his car. I watched him sell the entire contents in less than half an hour! After seeing this it renewed by enthusiasm to try and do something for myself and now your excellent article has pointed me in the right direction.

    Off to Alibaba right now.

    Andrea

    • Hi Andrea,

      No problem, glad you liked it – Hope it can help you in replacing your full time job!

      We don’t have those in the US, at least not established meetups 🙂 There is a whole economy of people making a living selling imported products from China, but with the internet you can really scale it up! Just make sure it’s all legal, of course…

      Good luck,
      Will

      • Will,

        Thanks for sharing that information. That is where I am now. Trying to cut out the middleman and import from China. I have a indoor market booth and see great potential if I can get the right products.

        • Hi Will (sweet name!),

          Glad you liked it! Congrats on your success so far, importing your products from China could definitely help you grow. I don’t think I mentioned it, but when I was importing the fashion accessories, I tried to sell to Flea Market Booth Owners. Had some limited success, but face-to-face sales is tough when you’re under 16 🙂

          Good luck,
          Will

  1190. Hi Will,

    Do you know anything about iOffer? I’ve seen some good deals there that would provide good margins on ebay and Amazon. I was looking at designer sunglasses specifically.

    Thanks in advance!
    Rich

    • Hi Rich,

      I’ve had some success with iOffer before, but not a whole lot. With the small amount of traffic iOffer gets, you can only scale it so high. It’s definitely something to look into, and I know you can make money there with products you import from China/Asia. But, I don’t think you can build a business exclusively off of that sales channel. You’re probably going to want to branch out eventually, either way you grow.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1191. Hi, I’m 14 and I want to get started in this business. I want to know how much you invested to get things rolling in the beginning. Thanks

    • Hi Stone,

      Awesome that you’re getting started so young, keep it up! I probably lost $300-500 before I started making money with this, but I had to figure it out myself. But, you still need to be very careful when importing products from China 🙂

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1192. I found this article very interesting and encouraging, just the right kind for a beginner looking to start business. the suggestions were very honest and practical. I would wish he also provides some tips on e-business tie up and some do’s and don’t.

    • Awesome, glad you found the articles encouraging! Hope you can get some value out of them on your journey to the top 🙂

  1193. this is really a awesome article, great job will. you show us transparent process of importing from china and how to sell them. we cant find this kind of useful article at zero cost in todays world. thanks alot.

    i am from india. and i know many manufactures who are looking to export their products to foreign countries. this manufacturers are basically of plastic industries, textile industries, kitchen ware products, and from many more. so pls suggest me that in which country i can easily get importers of these products. i want to do this business as middle man or export agent. thanks alot in advance.

    • Thanks a lot Jignesh, glad to hear you liked it!

      Just look at the comments! Seems like a lot of people from the EU, USA, and Australia really want to start importing products from China or India! As in any business, the trick is how to sell it 🙂

      Good luck
      Will

  1194. This is really great information. Do you guys offer any type of paid consulting/coaching for things like verifying the supplier, picking niches etc?

    • Glad you liked it Rob! I do a LOT of consulting/coaching for people importing products from China. I don’t verify the supplier and verify niches though, I just help walk people through it and help them learn to do it. Give a man a fish, teach a man to fish…you know 🙂

  1195. Hi Will,

    As everyone has said on here already, great article and a really valuable resource to anyone who has been considering this type of thing for a while! Its very kind of you to take the time to reply to everyone’s comments too.

    I wanted to ask a couple of brief questions about shipping bigger items. as you mention in your article to generally stay away from these. I am looking at bringing in Bicycles from China/Taiwan to the UK.

    1) Are there any major pitfalls you are aware of with bigger items (Damage, weight restrictions, time etc)?

    2) Suppliers I have spoken to so far seem to recommend going for a 20HQ or a 40HQ container (depending on quantity) but quote anywhere from 900 USD to 6200 USD, any reason for this fluctuation?

    3) FOB pricing has confused me, even after looking it up all over the place? Am I generally right in saying that is the cost of getting it to the port (e.g. Shanghai), then shipping and what happens once it arrives is down to me?

    4) I have contacted around 20 suppliers but only heard back from a couple and had to chase most by chat. Then many of them have not actually got my email. Is it common for most emails to get lost when using the automatic contact boxes?

    5) For payment terms, how much is generally paid up front and at what point is the remainder released from Escrow?

    Think thats all for now! Thanks again for the article.

    Alex

    • Hi Alex,

      Awesome to hear you found the article valuable, thanks! Responding to comments is the least I can do, this is a LONG article to get through! 🙂

      I’ve never imported anything from China larger than I can hold. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work, or that you can’t make money doing it. I just didn’t…

      Like I said in the articles, it’s just riskier to import bigger items. Due to the increased shipping costs, every error is much more expensive for you. There are a lot of other things to wrap your head around, but I wouldn’t know since I haven’t imported large products…

      FOB stands for Free On Board. It’s referring to liability, the supplier is free of the liability of the product after it’s boarded onto your transport (free of liability on boarding). It basically means that if the product is lost, damaged, or destroyed during shipping – they are not liable. This is why shipping insurance is there for.

      Some suppliers are harder to get in touch with than others. Some markets don’t take Alibaba inquiries as seriously. It’s different for every market. Every supplier will also have certain mediums they respond to better than others as well. I’d just keep looking around and following up.

      Everything goes into Escrow, and you release it all at once. Some suppliers will want 10% up front or something like that. There are also payment terms like Net 30, definitely go with that if you can convince your supplier.

      Also, with you talking about importing containers, this is all pretty variable. Like I said, I haven’t done huge items like bikes. It may be that some of this information is wrong for that market, so make sure you do your own research (as I’m sure you will)

      Good luck!
      Will

    • hi Alex,
      did you finally got some outcome from your products??? if you still interested in that product i know few suppliers who will be able to provide a great offer..!!
      let me know so i can follow up while im in china…!!!
      Regards…..!!!

  1196. Great experience and well written….what better than real life experience.
    Soon I will start on my own and your article was a real great read.

    Deep.

    • Thanks a lot Deep, glad to hear you liked it. Hope my article can be of value to you when you start importing products from China yourself 🙂

  1197. Hi Will,

    Very interesting article, definitly the best around and I am going to try out this.

    But I have a few question for you first

    It is probably because i’m new to the website but this is getting really frustrating, I have been trying to check Alibaba and surprisingly almost no suppliers or products show their prices. Does this mean I have to contact everytime the supplier, that would be time consuming.
    How can you fastly see the prices on alibaba?

    Also another question to which I’m very curious about,
    The way you described everything seems like you can get huge profits out of this.
    Worse it goes with 10 orders per day you get a 100$ profit a day, thats way more a normal worker would get.
    If this worked so well when you was only 15, I can imagine how it could work so good now with all the experience you have.
    So here is my question, If your techniques works so good why are you here writing articles revealing your secret methods instead of being out there making tons of money for yourself.

    Don’t get me wrong i highly appreciate what you are doing, I’m just very skeptical when it comes to online money making techniques

    Thanks alot for your help and assistance, and for your amazing information 🙂

    • Daniel,

      I found that as Will mentioned, there are some suppliers that respond very quickly on Alibaba. My additional tips based on the queries I submitted and the quality of responses follow:

      Have a notepad/Word Doc open and copy the draft letter and change a few things to make it specifically related to the products you’re inquiring about. Also in your Word Doc, have a custom title you create for the message. After filtering the suppliers as mentioned, pick your top 20 or 30 and click on the Contact button and then when the message pops up you paste in your custom title, custom letter, and hit send. It takes less than 2 minutes per Supplier. Changing the title helps you stand out, b/c it prepopulates a generic message title that many people probably don’t change.

      I did 30 suppliers for one product type in less than an hour. And I had responses in less than 12 hours pouring in. You do need to sift through some of the spam as once your email is out there you’ll start to get emails from suppliers selling $150 iPad mini’s and all kinds of other (obviously counterfeit or real but don’t have the rights to sell) so you have to resist the temptation!

      Regarding the why share vs. do, it’s obvious — these guys have been around the block and want to help people. They’ve done some of this low level stuff and it’s concrete advice for people who want to work, but it is that — work. You will be marketing the hell out of your products, tracking orders, interfacing with customers, and shipping all kinds of products. Unless you can afford to outsource some of that you will be busy. And while it’s good activity that can certainly bring profits, it’s work that anyone can do vs. them leading people by providing the know how and attracting a following. The Age of hoarding ideas and charging boatloads of money for access to content is over. Sharing ideas, delivering great content, and creating community around a common goal/niche is where we’ve arrived. And they are offering something you don’t see all that often–a fresh and honest perspective that will sometimes kick you in the teeth and make you think 🙂 There are many great folks out there sharing great ideas – like Pat Flynn or Michael Hyatt, but I just like that Will and Kyle don’t BS and are not all “fluffy”. Sorry for the long response… and Startupbros keep up the great work!!

      Ian

      • Hey Ian,

        Thanks for those extra tips, and for the help in the comments 🙂

        Definitely takes some time to send out the emails, but not that much. As I’m sure you know, that time is nothing compared to the time spent in product research.

        I don’t think I could have put that second part of your answer any better, so I’m glad you did! I’m glad you get the impression we’re not fluffy and all “anyone can do it!”. I didn’t think this article gave off the “Get Rich Quick!” feeling. As you know, I’m all about putting in some work and building a real business…none of that silver bullet stuff 😉

        Thanks again for the comment,
        Will

    • Hi Daniel,

      Glad to hear you liked the article! Hope you do try it out, I always love people taking action 🙂

      Everything Ian said is pretty much spot on (thanks Ian!), so I’ll keep it short…

      Yea, you’ll have to contact suppliers each time. That’s why I included a section on that with my email templates and workflow to do it in the article.

      Ian has it right above. I don’t use this method any more, and I’m not planning on it. And I don’t really want to make importing products from China my specialization as an entrepreneur, so that’s why you don’t see me trying to sell you importing products. I just have some experience, and the purpose of StartupBros is to help entrepreneurs learn from my experiences as an entrepreneur 🙂

      There’s an unlimited number of ways to make money. Like Ian said, it’s not about hoarding ideas. I can’t implement every idea I have. Some I implement, some I save, some I share, and some I throw away.

      Moreover, I’ve met some incredible people through this article. I basically converted my experience into new connections that will actually help my career grow (since again, I’m no longer importing products from China). I think that’s better than throwing it on some sales page and trying to sell it to everybody.

      Hope this answers your questions 🙂

      Good luck on your venture, keep us updated!

      Will

  1198. Hi amazing article,
    I’m 14 years old and obsessed with making a profit.

    I currently sell iPhone covers on eBay, but it isn’t doing as well as I wanted it to

    I would be very great full just if you gave me some advice on expanding my little business. I know I’m young and not fully experienced. But could you give me a few ideas. For example the supplier , most profitable products at the moment.

    Kind regards
    Harry

    • Hi Harry!!

      How about you buy iPhone chargers, screen protectors, iPhone headphones ect …. And sell them as a pack like an iPhone starter pack??

      Always here to help

      Gage!

    • Hey Harry,

      Thanks, glad you liked it!

      Yea, iPhone covers are a tough market. It’s good that you’re taking action though, especially at such a young age! You’re right around the age I got started at 😛

      I’m not sure on the most profitable products to import from China right now. I have a little bit of an idea for the US market, but definitely not for the UK. Sorry :-\

      The best advice I could give you is to try reading the other post – Step-by-Step Guide on How To Find A Profitable Product To Sell

      After you read that, if you still want more – try out Terapeak. That’s eBay’s data analytics tool, it will dig into what’s selling on eBay and why like you wouldn’t believe! It’s got a 7 day free trial, so make sure to cancel on day 6 if you don’t want to spend money.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1199. Hey Will,

    Firstly, thanks for the great article, it has definitely taught me alot.

    My question is this. Say you have a product already, now the problem is who would want to buy something from someone on ebay with a new sellers account containing zero feedback?

    • Everyone has to start from zero, Andrew! Make some trustworthy product pages and ship your product sooner than you say you will. Once you get the first few you’re off to the races.

    • Hey Andrew,

      Thanks for reading, glad to hear you could pull some value out of it 🙂

      Nobody will ever buy anything from somebody with zero feedback, and there is no way to solve this issue! Sorry, should have mentioned that if you don’t have established accounts on eBay and Amazon that you, in fact, can never sell anything on those platforms!

      I’m kidding of course 🙂

      The truth is this is a VERY small issue, and if you’re going to pursue the importing business it’s one of the smallest issues you’ll ever have. Can you really not think of any way to get some feedback? Come on now, you’re smarter than that!

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1200. Hey Will,
    I am from India n I really wanted to start an Import business. First of all I wud say you r doing a pretty gud job on clarifying doubts people have on their mind in this blog. Keep up the good work. I have started doing some research on Alibaba.com and found products like dirt bike helmets and pc accessories like mouse etc would be having some decent profit if imported to India at the price mentioned by the supplier(yet not sure cause i haven’t been to import business). Then I came up with a lot of websites n even forums of Alibaba revealing that Alibaba.com has a huge scamsters around there in the name of suppliers. I am really confused if i could take my next step on import business. It would be very nice of you if you guide me on how to make my next move. I would like to stay in touch with you.

    • Hi Saravana,

      Awesome, glad to hear the article helped put you one step closer to your goal 🙂

      There is probably some potential for importing from China to India. And those products may even work well. The key is, as it seems you’ve figured out, where do you sell those products? It’s key to find a product with high potential, import some samples of those products, sell those samples, and see what happens. That way, you minimize your risk and find out the true potential of a product quickly.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      P.S. – Not sure if you’ve read this, but if not – https://www.startupbros.com/step-by-step-guide-on-how-to-find-a-profitable-product-to-sell/

  1201. Common frens, Grow up.
    This is just a shit! Dont take me wrong. Cant you see that even Chinese are there on eBay and Amazon. Do you think them fool. They will sell those products that you are going to sell @ better bucks hmm!! Got something.
    Dont windup with all your investments..

    • There will always be opportunity out there Sanjog, the environment just changes. You can read through these comments and see numerous people making money with this, and many more on forums and elsewhere. It’s definitely possible to make money importing from China, it’s just getting harder. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no longer importing things from China. I think there are better opportunities out there for me personally. However, I know a fair deal about importing products from China, so that’s what I wrote about here 🙂

      The people who have been making money with this method have been making around $500-1500/week in profit after the first month. So there is definitely opportunity there, it’s just getting a little tougher to do it consistently with how quick the market changes. Great entrepreneurs know that change breeds opportunity, you just have to find and leverage it.

  1202. Will,

    The depth in this series you’re doing on Importing from China is superb. This really has inspired me as to the possibilities. Registering with Alibaba now. Keep up the good work!

    Ian

      • Will, I used your simple letter with a few tweaks to make it specific to the products I was interested and got tons of responses. I targeted 3 different product types at basically three different price points – low, medium, high.

        I am now working with the suppliers and making sure that I can make payments through PayPal with Escrow, even for samples.

        You were definitely right about the email address you use, so think it’s worth reiterating for folks. CREATE A DESIGNATED EMAIL for the products in question. It will also help you as I used one email and now I am sifting through tons of junk mails trying to find the relevant ones for that product. All the suppliers names are very similar and it’s hard to discern otherwise. It’s all good, and I think I’m making progress towards finding a supplier to go with.

        Thanks again, will report back with progress/questions!

        • Awesome to hear that Ian, glad to hear it’s been working out so far! Haha, I’ve had some people email me in regret after using their personal email. Glad you’re not one of them 😛

  1203. Hi Will
    Just felt like I was reading a story . “TAKE ACTION” . Thats what i wasnt doing until now.

    Thanks Will
    Viv

    • Hi Viv,

      Awesome to hear! I think taking action is the key to success at anything, as you know if you’ve read this article 🙂

      If you just keep taking action, you literally can’t fail! Just keep moving…

      Will

  1204. I’m not even sure how I ended up on your page but I was very frustrated when I was clicking my way through the internet, not even knowing what I was really searching for. Coming across your article enlightened my hope that there might be a way to start a business like the one you are describing here. I live in the “boondocks” in Wyoming and hope that this would be something I could do from home after I was laid off a few months ago. Very nice and informative article!!!
    Thanks for putting in all the effort.

    • Hey Christine,

      I’m not sure how you ended up here either, but I’m glad you did! 🙂

      Good to hear you got some value from these articles. Hope our future posts can be even more helpful 😀

  1205. Thank you so much for this! I’ve been looking for products to sell for about a month now and everything I come up with is already being sold for a low profit margin. And everything I end up looking at is low cost items. For my first product, should I really try and stick to the $10 and over thing you said? I keep getting stuck on the £2 and £3 things (I’m in the UK). That makes me worried that I wouldn’t be able to undercut prices easily and could also be very easily undercut right out of the market.

    • Hi Rachel,

      Thanks for commenting! Awesome to hear you’re already taking action and looking for products to import.

      Honestly, if you can make money on it, then take it! Don’t worry about the cost if the margins are there and there are no issues with shipping or whatever. It’s tough to find a product to import, but keep at it!

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Just wanted to chip in on this one. I’m in the UK as well, currently sourcing products to import, and I’m finding that what with the build up of expenses (shipping, duty and VAT if relevant, P&P, listing/seller fees), it’s difficult to find anything that’ll get you that 100% markup for under £20.

        Well done for you’re making a decent profit on lower value items, but it’s not something I’ve personally found to be viable.

  1206. Hi Will,

    I’m having a similar problem where the cheapest air freight is costing me around $3.5/kilo and causing a huge impact on the price per unit since what I’m importing is a bit heavy. 1.5kg/unit.

    Is there any of your articles on receiving good imported by sea. I have no experience with sea freight and just assume that getting freight forwarder or broker would just add a lot of cost and will cut the margins short.

    Please advise where we can find a guide on importing by sea. I’m in New York and am sure there are a lot of people in NY importing by sea sharing containers.

    Thanks,
    Yasir.

    P.S. Thanks for your earlier comment.

    • Hi Yasir,

      Sorry to hear you’re having trouble with shipping the weight of your product. Like I said in the article, importing heavier products is tough to do profitably.

      Unfortunately, I don’t have any articles about importing via sea freight. I have a little bit of experience with it, but not much. I don’t know anybody who has used a forwarder or broker (depending on your definition of broker). I have a few clients who import a ton of product, I could ask them specific questions for you if you want.

      Couldn’t tell you where to find an article on importing by sea, sounds like a quick Google away though.

      Good luck,
      Will

  1207. Great informative article. Did you ever have to pay import duties when importing through channels such as AliExpress?

    • Thanks Natasha, glad to hear you liked it! I’ve never used AliExpress, but I’d imagine it’s pretty much the same. The shipping companies should charge you for the duties/taxes, and your supplier should know which products will be taxed going into the US. Also, many factories will mislabel their goods to avoid you duties and taxes. So talk to your supplier and your courier and they should know 🙂

    • For exemple in my country East Europe I have to pay 24% VAT if the order is above 10 Euros and VAT and Border Taxes if the order is above 150 Euros but I manage to bypas the taxes almost everytime now, as I as the supplier to send separate packages below the 150E, and as gifts with 3$ value. I started to order from Aliexpress because of the Free Shipping. Thanks for the wonderful informations here Will. You saved a student here 🙂

      • Awesome Silvero, thanks for the input – that’s super helpful. I couldn’t even count how many people email me struggling with VAT tax, I always feel bad I can’t give them good advice!

        Thanks!

        • You’re welcome Will, I manage to sell at 170-300% profit 😀 Yay I am so Happy !!!! Thanks !! (i sell vintage watches)

          • Awesome to hear! Can’t ask for more than a 300% profit 🙂

            Keep me updated, really glad to hear about your success. Shoot me an email, maybe we can feature your story on the blog!

            Talk soon,
            Will

          • I will shoot you with a detailed email about my story 🙂 I am earning a constant profit of up to 260% 🙂

          • I am keeping an eye everyday here on replies:)

  1208. Thanks Will.

    I am actually reading & following your post on https://www.startupbros.com/step-by-step-guide-on-how-to-find-a-profitable-product-to-sell/#/

    When the supplier quoted the 20 pcs. of samples via DhL, I would lose $3.60 for each piece because there is still amazon fulfillment fees that I had to consider. The supplier suggested sea freight as this would be way cheaper.

    Do you have experience in sea or air freight offered by shipping companies via alibaba.com?

    My idea is to buy all product samples (each box maybe will have 5 to 10 kilos) then ship them together using the sea or air freight offered by these companies?

    • You’ll boost your margins incredibly shipping via sea freight, and it’s not too tough. Of course, it does require some additional investment and carries some additional risk. But, that’s all part of the game 🙂

  1209. Thanks Will for that reply.

    Oh well, everyone has different experience, I suppose. I did put on Shipping & Returns and on Warranty pages that goods come from China. Probably, buyers understood that because they still bought on my website. I didn’t see the products at all because they were directly shipped to USA. I am just hoping that the goods are good and they are what the buyers expect them to be.

    Regarding fulfillment by amazon, I will just plunge on it because it seems to be a good business model for this age where capital/investment is limited.

    Anyway, thanks for your posts because they will help me in starting up an import business.

    • No problem Maria, I hope I’m wrong! Like I said, if the buyers know that it is coming from China, then it’s a little bit different. If they bought on your own website, then I wouldn’t be too worried about it!

      In most cases the products will be good enough quality, I just don’t like doing anything without seeing samples first.

      Let me know how it goes, and keep me updated on how your grow your importing business in the future!

      Good luck,
      Will

  1210. Hi Will,

    This is really an excellent article.

    I live in Australia & am currently negotiating 2 models of products in China, only 10 pcs each model for a start ship directly to amazon.com (USA) via DHL without me seeing the products. I know that I would probably have only $4 of margins on each pc but that’s fine with me, just to keep this importing business going.

    What can you advise for me because I won’t be seeing the goods and amazon.com is big on customer service. If there are defects, my sellers name will be jeopardized and since the goods will be shipped via DHL, do you think the shipment will be hassle free without me needing to pay for additional customs duties, tariffs and other taxes?

    Thanks for your help.

    • Hi Maria,

      Thanks for reading and commenting, glad you liked it!

      Let me know how that works out for you, dropshipping direct from China to US buyers has never worked for me. There are so many things to keep in mind. There is really no way you can do this without getting samples first. Chinese factories usually package their orders with whatever random crap they can find. There will be Chinese characters all over it, and US buyers hate that. You also won’t be able to get in front of any problems, and shipping time will be 7+ days in many cases.

      It’s probably possible to dropship direct from China to a US buyer, but it didn’t work for me years ago. Maybe if you tell the US buyers they are coming from a Chinese factory it will work.

      You could maybe also work this out somehow with Amazon fulfillment, but that’s probably going to take a lot more work.

      Hope this helps, sorry it probably wasn’t what you were hoping for :-\
      Will

  1211. Hi Will,

    Thanks for all excellent information you’re providing! I really appreciate it! I have a question for you if you’d be so kind enough to give it a read. I have a potential supplier who is willing to ship me a sample through Fedex. I’m concerned because he wants to use Paypal only for the sample transaction and not for a large quantity order. Does this sound normal to you?

    Thanks!

    • Hi Childes,

      No problem, just glad to see you’re moving forward with everything! Many suppliers don’t like using PayPal for bigger orders due to the increased fees, but if you cover the fees he shouldn’t have an issue with this. Either way, it would probably be hard to find a supplier who wouldn’t take a large bulk order through PayPal if he has a working account!

      It is possible that the factory doesn’t have PayPal, and that the employee is doing this for you through his personal account. But, it is also possible that it is a scammer doing the same. Just be careful, try to get to the bottom of things without damaging the relationship, and don’t send them unprotected money until you trust them 110%!

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1212. Hi Will,

    Needless to say this has been a session full of learning….thanks a ton for the same…

    I am not a resident of US, live in India.

    Quite interested in importing stuff from China and re-exporting the same to US.

    Not sure about the overheads for the same and on the face of it, this looks like a business heavily loaded with overheads (largely shipping) and may not work for most of the products. Also, the transit time for cargo is also my worry, since I would need to ensure the product reaches customers without much delays, which means I will have to maintain sizable inventory.

    These are just few of my apprehensions as of now. I am in the very start, currently finding out the process, cost and time taken for the Import as well as the re-export.

    Would be glad to get your view point on this situation.

    Thanks
    SM

    • Hi SM,

      No problem, awesome to hear you got some value out of the article. Happy to hear it.

      You’re going to have a tough time importing from China to India and then back to US. You can do it if you play a middle man/trade agent role, but I think your overhead will be too high to compete selling straight to consumers (like you said).

      A lot of people play that trade agent role and middle man US importers though. In fact, a lot of this article is about how to avoid dealing with middle men and go straight to the source. But there is definitely money in there.

      As you said, I think your shipping costs will be too high and too long to compete in consumer markets. I think you’d do better finding good products and selling them to US importers.

      But either way, your overhead will be much higher that way.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Hi SM,

        I have found recent inspiration to start importing products from China and to sell them online. I am still a bit overwhelmed with the amount of information I found on this page. taking it one step a time.
        I have been benefiting from all the comments and am getting closer to order some samples. I saw your post and reminded me the days of Me trying to import Indian/Pakistani Mangoes to US which wasn’t a big success due to tons of regulations involved. Anyways, I think you rather be better off sending your product directly to US from China and then sell it online.

        I will be setting myself up with some warehouse space and shipping arrangements. Let me know if you want to split the cost with me and have your items directly shipped here in New York.

        you can contact me at anwarratoltraders at gmail dot com

        Thanks,
        Yasir

        P.S. Great Blog Will. I’m still absorbing information. I will definitely come up with questions later.

        • Hi Yasir,

          Awesome to hear you’re taking action! One step at a time 🙂

          Sorry to hear you had trouble importing before. I mentioned in the article, food regulations are a huge hassle. Can’t imagine having to deal with that!

          Thanks for checking out the blog, and definitely feel free to post questions!

          Talk later,
          Will

  1213. Hi Will,

    Can you expound on how to forecast/mitigate the “other” costs involved?

    As I understand it:
    The supplier will be able to provide information on VAT.
    The supplier may have a preferred shipping partner, but this can be negotiated.
    Import taxes can be determined using an HS code.
    Insurance is optional (recommended?)
    Anything else I’m missing?

    What seems to kill the margins on the items I’ve looked at are the shipping fees being quoted by the suppliers. I’d really like a bit of guidance here if you can elaborate on how to keep these fees “reasonable”.

    Thanks!

    • Hi Jason,

      Thanks for reading and commenting. It seems like you understand the additional costs, but…

      -Your supplier might not be able to provide information on VAT, but it is worth asking them. I think I mentioned talking to supplier to see if they know ways around VAT. VAT kills this method, it might as well be required to get around VAT tax. You will probably have to do your own research on that though.

      -Your supplier will prefer to ship FOB (Free On Board), which means the liability is transferred once they hand it to your shipping company. They will want you to have your own UPS/FedEx/DHS/EMS/TNT/whatever courier account for this reason. It also eliminates any potential for them overcharging you on shipping. If you don’t have a courier account, then you can usually get them to ship it through their account. The bigger the factory, the less they will like doing this.

      -Yes import taxes can be determined by HS Codes, but the tax system will be very different from country to country. In most countries the cost of this isn’t too meaningful (unless you import food, drinks, plants, animals, or natural resources)

      -Insurance is optional yes. This is through your courier company though (liability is with them at FOB point). It’s the same concept as insuring domestic packages (at this scale).

      -Sounds like you have everything figured out. Just make sure you test your product correctly. Watch for returns, shipping materials, fees, all that good stuff.

      Hope this helps!
      Will

  1214. Hi Will, this is a very rich source of information from someone who seems to be genuinely altruistic. I get this vibe that you want everyone to prosper. Keeping in mind that information is one of the most sought after assets of our time, you really do a good job with freely disseminating it. I can see a lot of people charging money for just 30% of what you tell us in this article and I consider myself lucky to have found it all for free. I just wish all of us were this generous with ”insider information”. A lot of what you say here may be considered trade secrets by many people (which is sad). I have a lot of admiration and respect for people who unselfishly give others such important information. I believe in Karma and I know that the universe is gonna reward you for this.

    That said, I’ve wanted to sell stuff over the internet for so long. But, just like others have said in the comments, I’m still looking for ”that right product”. I stay in Norway, I’m a new resident in this country and everything seems to be totally different from what I’m used to, so it’s hard to pin down people’s consuming habits here. Nonetheless, I’ve always believed that things that target demographics like women, children and teens have the potential make ridiculous amounts of money. I’m considering jewellery, lingerie and toys. But even then, I have to figure out which ones exactly.

    Thanks for having a big heart. May the universe pour its rewards on you..:)

    • Hi Solo,

      Thanks a lot for checking out the article and for your kind words! You’re right that I want to help everybody to prosper, I’m glad my writing gives off that positive vibe. The more people I can help prosper, the more prosperous I become. Seems like we agree on that – what comes around goes around! I’ve met some incredible people through running StartupBros!

      I’m assuming you saw my follow-up article Step-by-Step Guide on How To Find A Profitable Product To Sell – If not, that will definitely help in product selection.

      In Norway you’ll have to be careful to avoid the taxes as much as you can. If you get hit by VAT tax it will kill your margins. There are ways around it, but I’m not too familiar as I’ve never done business in Europe.

      You’re right about that – women spend the money! A lot of readers have been making good money with jewelry, but I’ve never made money there. It seems it’s all about finding a good sales channel, as most jewelers are selling everywhere they can already. But my readers that have found an unsaturated sales channels have been making easy money there.

      Hope this helps! That follow-up should help a lot, if not check out Terapeak (eBay’s own analytics – freaking AWESOME for product research/selection phase). If neither of those work throw me an email!

      Talk to you later,
      Will

      • Will,
        Of course i did read the follow up article. How could I miss that? You are right about the VAT issues in Norway. Taxes are some what exorbitant here due to the welfare policies and all that. I have to look into that, inform myself and know how to deal with it.

        I have been seriously thinking and researching about the choice of the product for the last two days. I think I have made up my mind already. I want to get your opinion about it. Let me know if I can drop you a line in your email…) Thanks man.

        • Awesome. Yea, my opinion is that the EU tax system is out of control. In fact, I think the US tax system is out of control. But, I try to leave my opinion out of it and just tell you that you need to find a way around VAT tax 🙂 I know there are ways, as some readers have told me they have figured it out. It’s out there.

          Congrats on taking action – for sure feel free to drop me an email any time!

          Talk later

        • Hi Solo,
          I am new to Norway like yourself. Would love to hear if you have found a way around the tax issues on importation.

          Regards,
          Rory

  1215. Hey will, was wondering if I could write an article on here about drop shipping and how it works and how you can run a profitable business from it ?

    Cheers!

    • Hey Gage,

      We haven’t accepted any guest posts yet, but throw me an email and we’ll see if we can work something out!

      Thanks again for the help above,
      Will

  1216. Cort Smith….

    Yeh you should have the OK. I would double check the product you have isn’t patent protected like the iphone lol but most likely it will not be.

    Thanks.

  1217. Hey cort smith.

    OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer…. Which means you can create a brand with a pretty little logo and ask the manufacturer to put it on your products with hardly no extra cost, many manufacturers will accept OEM and the best thing is that when you create a brand of products you can sell the brand for a lot of money.

    Referring to alibaba.com that there are a lot of generic designs and if you want to avoid buying knock off products, all you have to do is ask the manufacturer and in my experience they will tell you if it has a logo on already.

    Thanks !

    • Hey Gage, thanks for your response. So Im generally safe from trademark infringement if Im buying OEM?

      • IMPROVE YOU MARKT WHEN SELLING ON EBAY.

        For all importers selling on ebay, I take it if your from the UK you will use http://www.ebay.CO.UK

        To expand your market over seas please use http://www.ebay.COM for the U.S market

        And http://www.ebay.COM.AU for the Australian market.

        Please contact if you would like to learn more about drop shipping ( getting the product from the manufacturer to the customer with out you seeing it but seeing the money.)

        Thanks!

  1218. Thanks Will, terpeak is a big help.

    Am I wrong in saying that the majority of the stuff on alibaba is trademarked or a knock-off? Everything seems to be stamped with a brand.. How do I build my own brand that way?

    Can you talk a little bit about OEM and how it pertains to importers?

    You’re the man.. Really appreciate all the help for the noobs!

  1219. Morning from the UK

    This site has been very helpful in me completing my first order. It has been delivered and sold at a 40% Margin within a week. Naturally, I am not going to share the product information over the www as this would be fool hardy but I am going to give some advice on choosing your product.
    I have no idea why people are looking for “Niche” products. Even if the market place is saturated with the item of what you wish to sell it means that is
    1. Very popular
    2. Very profitable
    3. Very Marketable
    Did the guys at Burger King think “Hmmmm, we’ve no chance in this Market place with McDonald’s” Or did Microsoft concede to Apple?
    My point is, if you believe in your product then turn it into a company, create a logo, offer a top class service and go dance with the Wolves. 99% of the small business market place discovered nothing new. They emulated what others are doing and have done and made it there own.
    Anyway guys, it’s just a point of view. Good luck:)

    • Hey Darren – Goodnight from the US 😛

      Glad to hear this article helped show you how to make some money! Sounds like you’re well on your way in the importing game.

      Completely agree with you there, some people are scared off by competition. People have to be more confident in their ability to compete, and see competition as validation of a market/product. The balance of supply and demand and opportunity for differentiation are much more important.

      Again, awesome that you already made some money with your first imports. Be sure to keep me updated on your progress!

      Thanks for sharing,
      Will

  1220. I just wanted to say, I contacted my friend and spoke with him about the “SWAT” incident I mentioned way above, it turns out he was importing FAKE “otter boxes” Apparently they take that kinda of thing very very seriously. Just thought I would add this, and I see someone asking about this very topic so I thought I would reply down here. Like you said with knock off designer crap. You will make money but its not worth it, I wouldn’t import something that’s a knock off or fake intended to be sold as a name brand item.

    • Hey again Paul – thanks a lot for giving us the update! Yea, that’s what got my other friend in trouble as well (but with fake brand name shoes). Glad to hear we’re all on the same page again (though sorry for them…)

  1221. Thanks Will, Terapeak definitely gives me the data I was looking for.

    Im just a little hazy on what is trademarked and what isn’t on ailbaba. Is there ever an instance where you legally buy and import trademarked items from a manufacturer?

    What about OEM? Something to avoid?

    Thanks!

    • Awesome to hear that Cort, glad it helped.

      There are some situations where you can import trademarked goods, but you’ll probably be working directly with the trademark holder or their distributor. In most cases on Alibaba, people sell copies of trademarked goods.

      Now, will you get in trouble for this? That’s an entirely different question. Some companies go after everything, and some don’t even care. Do some research, because it’s very case by case.

      On your last question – I suppose you could say a lot of what you import will be made by OEM factories anyways.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1222. Hi Will,

    Thanks so much for this post. I’ve been researching for weeks, even paying for a useless webinar. And this was exactly what I was looking for.

    I have two questions.. The first concerns volume. On your chart you list volume as low or high, etc. Can you give me some idea of what a low or high volume number actually is? How many units have to be selling per week on ebay for it to be considered high or low? What are the numbers I am looking for? And how can I tell exactly how many units are being sold on ebay? Just going through the listings and manually counting?

    And how do I tell if something is a knock off on Alibaba? For example, Im looking at the “Fibit Wireless Activity and Sleep Monitor” on Amazon. Then I search for the product on Alibaba, and come up with the “Fitbi Sleep Monitor”.. notice the missing “t”. Does that indicate a knock off? Could this land me in trouble? Something to avoid?

    Again, thanks so much for the great information. Definitely has me on my way.

    • Hi Cort,

      Glad to hear my article could help!

      I’m not sure if you saw my follow-up to this article – https://www.startupbros.com/step-by-step-guide-on-how-to-find-a-profitable-product-to-sell/

      In that article, I go in deep detail on product selection.

      To answer your question though, high and low don’t really mean anything. They’re just relative to other products you’re looking at. It’s a comparative exercise.

      If this is uncomfortable for you, you can also use Terapeak to pull real data from eBay. Very awesome tool, and it has a free trial.

      That fitbit is definitely a counterfeit. Buying any trademarked product will put you at legal risk. You won’t be able to buy most trademarked goods in bulk.

      Hope this helps, feel free to respond back after going through everything!

      Talk soon,
      Will

  1223. Hi Will,

    Great post.

    Have you tried importing in Bulk to resell in Bulk?

    For instance you import 1000 t-shirts for $0.50 and you sell 200 t-shirt lots for $1.50 each? etc

    • Hi David,

      Thanks for reading. I was buying in bulk at one point, but eventually moved over to dropshipping. The only exposure I have to it now is with a few clients.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1224. Hi Will,

    Because of your advice, i am thinking of jumping into the import business. I been doing a lot of work since i read your blog a couple of months ago. Here is what i have so far and please advise on what you think i should do moving forward. I am going into to clothing/garment importing from Asia (not China). I see a lot of powersellers on ebay selling women clothing for cheap prices. For example, a basic cotton top for like $5.99 and up. These guys are selling thousands of these per month. My supplier whom i verified through a friend that lives in the country is offering me the same clothes for like $1.99 or less. Most are less than 90% of the selling price on ebay. I can kill this market/niche.

    My question and concern is this. I would have to buy a lot. possibly $10,000 to buy all supplies just to get started. I would need to buy tops, jeans, dress, shorts etc. Would i be able to sell this and will buyers buy from me if i am cheaper and better quality? only negative i have is, i would be a new seller. Those powersellers are like 10 years old accounts. Can i compete? I will go on a marketing craze and try to dominate the niche. What do you think?

    • Hi Joe,

      Good to hear you got some extra motivation from reading the article!

      That’s what this method is for! Buy some samples batches and test them out. There is no way to know if it will work without testing. In fact, there is tons of stuff you won’t even know you have to know that will be revealed by selling sample units.

      I definitely wouldn’t just jump in and buy $10,000 worth of a product though, especially in the fashion niche (as I have never understood it well).

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1225. Great advice. I am over in the UK and am desperately trying to get hold of LCD/LED TV’s. The problem, is not the supplier but the cost of getting them from China to the UK. Any advice?

    Thankyou

    Darren

    • A way round shipping cost is to buy in bulk as many surpliers will offer discounted shipping on bulk orders this may not be an option with your product but its worth asking.

    • Hi Darren,

      Ouch, importing LCD/LED TV’s to the UK would probably cost a fortune due to your tax system over there. VAT and Importing Tax will both hit you I believe, but I’m not sure. Definitely look into that.

      Other than that, I also tried to get LED/LCD TV’s imported once – it didn’t turn out well. The cost of entry is EXTREMELY high. To compete, you’d need to buy 50-100 TV’s minimum – and even then you’d still barely be scraping by. The electronics market is typically pretty tough.

      But hey, if you find a way you find a way…I just couldn’t

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1226. Hi Will

    I have a Quick update.

    I had a small problem with the samples.

    But lucky I paid attention to your advice.

    In my excitment I forgot to check 1 detail
    of a function that the samples were to perform.

    Right before I was to place my Larger order
    I caught the mistake.

    I informed the supplier that they did
    not send the sample I wanted.

    They said they were sorry,
    and admitted @ this time
    they did not have my requested item in stock.

    Since I paid with Pay Pal
    and it was their mistake,
    they refunded all my money.

    they will contact me when they get the right product
    that I requested.

    Lesson learned.

    Check products and all functions completely.

    Thanks Will,

    Sandra

    • Hi Sandra,

      Sorry to hear about the hiccup, but definitely glad to hear that you took my advice and used PayPal! It could have been much more than a hiccup 🙂

      Looks like you just ended up with some free stuff, and the assurance that your supplier will stand behind their mistakes.

      Keep me updated,
      Will

    • Hello, here is my suggestion:

      Go and buy from Aliexpress and have the benefit of the Buyer Protection + the Free Shipping in 99,99% from all the products. If you’re using Alibaba, check for the Escrow mark near each supplier, if they dont have it, dont buy from them !

      • Hi Silviu,

        AliExpress is certainly an option, especially for importing samples. I think if you go the extra mile with Alibaba though, you can find better margins. Like I said in the article, being able to sift through and find suppliers is an early competitive advantage. Anybody can buy something on AliExpress, those products are much more saturated for importing. But again, lots of suppliers like to put some small items on AliExpress along with their main importing profile on Alibaba.

        And definitely agree with you there – financial protection or no sale! It’s a must when importing from China…

        Thanks for the input!
        Will

    • Hi Victoria,

      Honestly, it depends on where you live. Some States/Countries will require an importing/exporting license, but most States in the U.S. don’t (as far as I know).

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1227. First off I just want to say this is the best single piece of literature I have read on this subject. It is so difficult to find real information. Here’s my issue:

    I have been communicating with a 3-year gold star, inspected supplier from China (via alibaba.com). She says I need to either:
    1. order a 20 foot container of their stuff and pay for freight.
    2. for smaller amounts – order through their US contact who gets it directly from them (problem is the contact is an Amish guy in Ohio and works off of a communal fax machine that he checks daily.) She is insisting that he is the greatest guy ever and that his credit is so good and that’s why he is able to work directly with China.

    First of all, if I were to order a container, how on earth does that process work? I’m in San Diego, so at least I’m close to a port.

    Is it normal to be asked to deal with a distributor that is Amish and uses FAX? I’m laughing as I’m typing this.

    Please have a go at this.

    • Hi Anne,

      Thanks a lot for your kind words! Glad to hear you got value out of the article.

      I already responded to your email, so I’m just going to copy and paste it here for future readers.

      Sounds like a strange situation to be in, though definitely not the worst problem to have. It’s good that you’re already seeing some success.

      It does make sense that the US contact would be able to supply you for cheaper, since they are probably buying many full containers worth per year. Honestly, that’s a similar situation to how I ended up with my airsoft dropshipper.

      I don’t want to say go for it if you’re uncomfortable, so make sure you use caution. But if it were me, just from what you were telling me, I’d probably try to figure it out with that Amish guy. I’d imagine once you get the ordering process figured out you guys won’t even have to talk all that often.

      Hope this helps, and keep me updated!
      Will

  1228. Hey! Can you give me advice on marketing tips? By the way since starting my importing business I have only ever dropped shipped to my customers. That’s after as you have said finding a solid supplier. No inventory, less hassle more money!

    • Hey Gage,

      I can try to answer any questions you have, and also do coaching/consulting for people who request it. Throw me an email and we’ll talk!

      Congrats on your success so far, keep it up!

      Talk soon,
      Will

  1229. Hello, 3 days ago I bought 3 watches at total of 22$ with free shipping, watches are 5-8$ each and searching on internet for the exemples i found selling at 150% from their price and there arent many seling them. Also i found that some of the models aint even listed on sale 😀 so i guess that its my time to strike now.

    The watches where send 1 day ago, now i have to wait 3 weeks with Chine Air Post Mail. The VAT taxes are 7$ for all.. i live in Europe in a country where VAT taxes are 24%… but goods under 10 Euro dont have to pay taxes and goods under 150 euro dont pay border taxes. Waiting to see what i get.

    • I remember doing playboy watches this way. I was buying 3 for £10 and then was selling for £10 each good luck with your find.

    • Hi Silviu,

      Awesome to hear you’ve already got your samples in the mail! Great to hear that you found a way around the VAT taxes, those are brutal and nearly kill this method…

      Keep me updated on how you do!

      Good luck,
      Will

  1230. Thank you very much for all the information, i have a question :
    I have writen to several suppliers And in return i recieved a lot of mails from different suppliers who i cant find on alibaba.com ,,, are they scammers? What can i do to the legal suppliers answer to me?
    Thanks
    Greeting from chile

    • Greetings Diego!

      No problem, thanks for commenting!

      Yes, like I said in the article I always set up a new email address. Your email gets leaked or sold or stolen pretty quickly, and will soon be spammed to death by scammers. Ignore anything coming in your email directly, just deal through Alibaba or whatever shipping site you want.

      If you want to take the risk though, just make sure you’re behind PayPal or Escrow and you’ll be fine.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Hi Will,

        When you say protect yourself with escrow, do you mean for any orders (large or small), or just for sample orders?

        I am running into some suppliers who have the “Escrow” designation on Alibaba, but will only do accept paypal for sample orders, not bigger ones.

        Red flag?

        Thanks

        • Hi Cort,

          I usually try to use escrow, paypal, or whatever form of financial protection for the first 3-6 months of working with a new importer. I start with the first sample order, I’ll almost never buy something without financial protection on that order. The thing to realize is that any time you aren’t using a third-party to protect the transaction, you’re taking on risk. It’s ultimately up to you when you feel it isn’t risky any more to buy from your supplier using Western Union or a Bank Wire or whatever.

          Escrow and PayPal essentially perform the same financial protection function. Either one of them will do what they can to protect you in the case of a bad supplier (or worse). So, no red flag there 🙂

          Hope this helps,
          Will

  1231. Hi Will,

    I just set up my DHL Import/Export Shipping Account.

    Sandra

    • Hi Sandra! I’m starting importing from China and the shipping fee quoted from the supplier is even higher than the price of the goods. But if you have your account, who is going to physically pick up the goods? Also in terms of the escrow, I was asked to pay the escrow fee, isn’t it supposed to be paid by the seller?

      Thank you!

  1232. Hi Will,

    My samples arrived.

    I checked them out.

    They all fuction as they should.

    I made my choice about which supplier to use.

    I also was able to talk the price down some more.

    I am going to place them on amazon amd ebay.

    Will keep you posted.

    Sandra

    • Awesome Sandra, so far so good! Sounds like you are well on your way and things are working out. Keep me updated when those samples sell!

  1233. Awesome post, thanks a lot! I just made my first purchase on Alibaba with your help. Hopefully everything goes smoothly!

    • Awesome Isaia, congratulations on taking the first steps! Definitely keep me updated and feel free to throw questions over!

      Talk soon,
      Will

  1234. We are working in China providing everything from sourcing to quality control to shipping to mainly german SMI companies. I have to disagree with the point that gold suppliers are always the way to go. We have worked with gold suppliers and there is really not much that makes them so golden to work with compared to other factories. More over you can often find better factories on chinese trade shows. Many factories are not listed on Alibaba simply because they have another approach to generating sales than replying thousands of emails every day with mostly zero sales. If you have found the right product I advise you to go to china and buy a larger quantity right away. Why this approach? If you play your cards right you will be in the middle of a supply chain management dillemma before you know it. So you might as well figure out how to safely buy larger quantities right from the start.

    If you are not standing on the factory floor in China and taking care of business here, forget about scaling your business. Bigger and “more professional” suppliers use the same cheap tricks to sell inferior quality if they see an oportunity to do so. One oportunity is definately if you are just ordering by email and have no staff on the ground in China. Never go with “it’s gonna be allright” attitude because it will break your neck.

    • Hi Yannick,

      Thanks a lot for jumping in with your insights.

      It sounds like you deal in much higher volume than what this method is intended for. I agree with most of your points, but for higher volume buyers. Obviously people struggling in the US won’t be able to spend a couple months jumping around from factory to factory in China. They don’t need to either, they are just trying to make some quick arbitrage cash.

      If you want to scale up and start taking containers in and things like that, then it’s time to start visiting factories and negotiating deals. Always have the end in mind – if this is what you want to do, then this method isn’t for you. In the articles I speak about how scaling is a different story, this is good for side income. Most of the principles apply in scale, but scaling to the level you’re speaking of would be a different article entirely.

      Thanks again,
      Will

  1235. Hello!
    So i am very interested in starting this, however I have a question regarding the shipping costs before pulling the trigger. I am looking to order a product which is
    costing me $1.70/unit for 50 pieces and the shipping is costing me 198$ on top.
    Also the supplier is 4th year gold supplier with escrow.

    • Hello Preet,

      There’s no way for me to come to any conclusions with that information. Shipping costs are dependent on many variables and are going to be different for every product. Why don’t you just go to the UPS or DHL site and estimate the shipping cost? It’s a very simple thing to do.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1236. Sir very good article and honestly it was exactly what I was looking for this evening. I decided to create my own website to install my store sport. I invested 3 nights to talk and chat with China and about a werk planning everything related to the project.

    When you say copies are like selling drugs it scare me because almost everything is copy in China, so can you tell me and describe me a little more about the risk of selling online copies in my own site and in another hand what happen if I buy something that is suppose to be original like nike shoes, I mean how can I recocognize an original product? if so what’s the bad thing around my business if I am not even sure if is original or not.

    Please help me to clear this topic in my business plan.

    Regards,

    DP

    • Hi Dan,

      Happy to help!

      In the US, the brands stay very vigilant against counterfeits. Furthermore, it is illegal in many cases. If your product is in any way trademarked it will not be real. You can’t buy Nike shoes from anybody but Nike. Of course, the people selling them are probably producing the shoes themselves (in some cases) – but you’ll still be sued and prosecuted if you sell them.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1237. Great information

    I have been following this blog since December.

    I finally got my feet in the water. LOL

    I have found a Niche Market.

    I have two suppliers from Alibaba sending me Samples.

    It took me a while to sort out good suppliers and get a good price.

    Most were trying to sell to me @ close to retail.

    I would check target Niche product resale price on Ebay
    and I would be buying at a loss.

    I’ll keep you up dated on the progress.

    They have already sent me the tracking numbers

    one gave me sample Free . I just paid for shipping.

    The other I paid for samples and shipping.

    Both were paid with Pay Pal.

    One thing I found out was that when you place a

    product request or make an offer on Alibaba

    You get a lot of offers in your email.

    But most are not coming from Alibaba Suppliers

    So Pay Attention.

    All of these wanted Payment by TT,MoneyGram,Western Union.

    By reading this Blog I knew not to deal with them.

    But I wanted to see how the scam worked.

    Here is How It Goes:

    They send you a picture of the product you wanted.

    They offer you a very low price.A Great Price

    I agreed to the price.

    Then they ask you which of the 3 payments you prefer

    So I told them TT (BANK TRANSFER)

    They sent me an Invoice. It had their Bank information,
    and their so called business address.

    Here is where I caught them.

    I googled their addres. It came up another business name.

    This business name and address was on Alibaba.

    So I emailed that business told them that this company was

    requesting payment from me using their address.

    I asked do they know them or were they working together.

    They emailed me back and stated they did not know or have any

    dealings with that company.

    Next scam: The fake Company name was on the Invoice

    But the Benificiary of the Money transfer was a

    persons private account and not a Business.

    Next Scam: Website

    Their Website are Great.

    I Verified their website@ http://www.scamadviser.com/

    This site gives the history of the website: how old,owner,country and Complaints

    They supplier told me they had been in business over 5 years

    This site gave a negative rating on the Suppliers.

    Also showed me that their website and Domain name was just started
    Jan 2013

    So I emailed them back and presented these findings very nicely

    and the never contacted me again.

    So as Will says only pay Using Pay Pal
    starting out and only deal with Alibaba suppliers.

    Sandra

    • Hi Sandra,

      Awesome to hear you’re getting your feet wet with it, and thanks for your continued support!

      If you’ve already ordered some samples from Alibaba, then you’re well on your way. Sounds like you’ve figured out how to filter out the bad suppliers and find the good ones, especially the one willing to send free samples (always a positive sign!).

      Yes, I hope you took my advice and grabbed a new email before starting. Whatever email you use on Alibaba will be spammed for years to come…

      Great insights on how the scams work, maybe I will take that and turn it into a blog post 🙂

      Keep me updated on your progress!

      Thanks,
      Will

  1238. Will,

    This was a fascinating article. You are very generous with your trade secrets. Are you still selling imported products from China or are you into other businesses?

    Thank you.

    Greg Moore
    Greater NYC

    • Hi Greg,

      Thanks for commenting, and glad to hear you enjoyed the article.

      I still do some light importing, but now most of my time goes to running StartupBros and my marketing agency.

      There is definitely still money to be made though, some of the readers of this article are already making money and now focused on growth.

      Thanks again,
      Will

  1239. yes. I think a lot of us need a lot of help to get out feet wet. I don’t mean we spoon feed anyone. but I think members should post products that sell well. don’t give away your cash cow but lead us in a way that we can find our own cash cow. point out some niches or if possible products. will, I think you should add another of my recommendation. Maybe make a page that shows what a seller needs to do to achieve a certain goal. let’s say for example I want to make 1000 dollars a month. how many hours should I spend. how many products should I sell etc. where should I get my products from. same for if someone wants to do 500 a month. or 10000 month. thanks.

    • Hey Joe,

      Thanks again for the great ideas – that’s all good stuff. It sounds like you want a community and some tools for importers, definitely something I’ll be keeping in mind moving forward. Like I’ve said, I think in late March we will focus on importing a lot, and may even write a book or create a course 🙂

      We’ll see what happens, thanks for the great feedback!
      Will

  1240. I am struggling with finding a niche product to sell here in the uk with low startup, can you help will? your writeup has been amazing

  1241. Hey Guys,

    Regarding the advertising route you took with Amazon, was it there PPC version? And if so, did you have to set up a ecommerce site for that?

    Thanks,

    Omar

  1242. Hey,

    I enjoyed reading your article. However, i been trying to do this online business for so long but still could NOT do a single legal transaction on ebay or amazon other than selling brand name stuff in my house. I did the brand name importing from CHINA. ITs not a good idea!! I learned that lesson. so i am heading in the right direction, right? I guess its a rite of passage. haha. Can someone point me towards a niche or a item that i can sell on for profit from ALIBABA. I been there but can not find a item to sell for profit. I did many many hours of searching. It seems like someone on ebay or amazon is already marking it up so low it would be impossible to make a profit. I’m losing my hope that ebay/amazon could reallyl be a profitable business in 2013. Thanks.

    • Hey Joe,

      Glad to hear you enjoyed the article! Yea, like I said in my article I also went down a similar path. Sounds to me like you’re on the right path. Branded counterfeits are always going to make people a ton of money, it’s just very risky. I hope you saw my 2nd article on how to pick a profitable product, I put a TON of work into that one. It should do a lot to help you in finding products. If not, I have another article on the way that will describe a few other ways to find products.

      Keep in mind what you’re looking for too. If you go out looking for a profitable niche to operate in, you’re not going to find much. If you go out looking for a high-margin product, you’ll have a much better chance.

      Hope this helps, and I’ll also be responding to your other comment now too so hopefully those two responses help!

      Thanks,
      Will

      • thanks for the info. I would like to make a few suggestions to improve this blog. 1) make the site mobile friendly. some of us use our phones to access the site. 2) I probably spent at least 3 hrs last night on alibaba but can’t decide on a product. found some radios but looks like China seller kill it already. how about you make a page that provides something like item of the day that we could sell for profit. You could make the page paid subscription. and maybe allow members to post. no one wants to share items but I think we could all profit from each other since the market is unlimited. what do you think?

        • Joe – You’re the man! Thanks a ton for the thoughtful feedback, those are all great ideas (and I didn’t even know we were having mobile issues). I’m definitely going to take both of those things and add it to my list – now I just need more than 24 hours in a day 🙂

    • Yes! I stopped for a long time, but I’ve been doing some light importing since this post was made. Had to make sure I knew what I was talking about 🙂

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1243. Hi it’s jason from BHW,

    Please explain one thing only…

    For example I want to sell knifes. First step is to pay the supplier for example 100 knifes and then what…Do I import all 100 knifes and then ship all around the world to each customer or the supplier ships the knifes to each individual customer???
    -I dont understand the entire process…

    Thanks!

    • Hi Jason,

      Thanks for commenting! You are describing two different concepts, importing and dropshipping. It is up to you if you’d like to import or drop ship, but I’ll tell you that it’s pretty tough to find a factory that will do dropshipping for you without a long history. I see that you’re in the area of Serbia, so I’m not exactly sure if there is a local Amazon/eBay/Craigslist that you could sell on. It’s going to be tough for you to sell and ship internationally though due to shipping costs.

      Hope this helps, and feel free to respond with any other questions!
      Will

  1244. I hardly blink my eyes reading your amazing article, full of inspiration and motivational words, Although I normally buy men and women’s t-shirt from Aliexpress and sold them off locally in my Country. I did make profit but very very little.

    I wanna try ebay, amazon and those selling channels maybe I should start something else on them. But my problem is that I am from Nigeria in West Africa, the cost of shipping the product to my buyers is what is killing me, how do I go about it? I don’t know those that can help with dropshipping or what to do

    • Thanks for your kind words Sam! I have to imagine this business is a little tougher in Nigeria, but not impossible! I haven’t been to Africa (yet!), but there have got to be some things that are profitable to buy and sell there. If not, maybe think about something like affiliate marketing or something.

      I’ll tell you what though, I have to imagine entrepreneurs and internet marketers living in Nigeria are pretty comfortable. Congratulations on being a good track.

      Hope this helped,
      Will

      • Hello,
        First of all, your article was of a huge help, to me at least.
        I am Eva, I live in Greece and I was thinking that it would be good and, profitable of course, to create an online store, selling imported clothes and shoes, both chinese and known brands. Something like NastyGal, but with cheaper shipping rates and, maybe prices, for Europe and Middle East.
        What I’d like to ask, is if the Asian manufacturer can put tags with my bussiness’s name on it and, if in your opinion, would be a good idea to start a bussiness like that, when the internet is full of these.
        Looking forward to hear from you, on this matter.
        Thanks,
        Eva.

        • I’m glad the article helped you out Eva! Asian factories can definitely do custom tags for you, if not they are pretty cheap regardless. As to if it’s a good idea, that depends on what you’re trying to do. I think it’s a great idea to start your own site and your own private label brand, and customize/differentiate your product as the market demands it. However, that takes more resources that many don’t want to invest. Do whatever you feel is best for you!

    • I’m not sure exactly why but this weblog is loading extremely
      slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is
      it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later on and see if the problem still
      exists.

  1245. Wow Will I have to say its a little humbling to glean such valuable insite from a guy less than half my age!!! but your article was terrific!!! I made many of the same mistakes and am currently sitting on a garage full of running gear that i have sold out of the popular sizes 🙁 so i was thinking i was faced with a descision to order $5000 (minimum qty) do you think I could negotiate a lesser minimum order??

    thanks!

    -Chris

    • Thanks a lot for your kind words Chris! There is something to be learned from everybody 😉

      I don’t see why they wouldn’t allow a lower MOQ, especially if you lie a bit and act like you are bigger than you are. I have almost always found a way.

      Good luck getting rid of those sizes!
      Will

    • Hi Chris, I’m not sure how old your e-mail is, so forgive me if this response is way out of date, but you mentioned having a ‘garage full of running gear in unpopular sizes’. Have you approached all the slimming/exercise classes in your area offering gear for the ‘well proportioned’ at knock down prices? Many attendees at these clubs often lose a lot of weight, and hence need new gear, but are still larger than the ‘average’ customer!

  1246. Hi Will,

    I really appreciate you taking the time to write this article it was very informative and sparked an interest! I was looking to start importing and found a few products that I think have potential, but I had a few questions first.
    Since these are being imported in can we get in trouble because they have a brand name on it?
    When you email suppliers inquiring about samples should you offer to pay for the sample or will they just send you them?
    Have you ever used something like Terapeak.com to research Ebay sales?

    Thanks,
    Alex

    • No problem Alex, I appreciate you taking the time out to comment! Good to hear you already got started.

      Yes you can get in trouble if you import products that have trademarks on them or are patented. If the company that owns the intellectual property decides to sue you, they will have a good chance of winning.

      Your supplier will usually require you to pay for the shipping costs of your sample products. It is pretty rare to find a supplier that gives free samples.

      I’ve used Terapeak and will actually be featuring it in a future post.

      Hope this helps, and be sure to read the follow up to this post.

      Will

  1247. Hey will thanks for replying to my comment above, is it possible to reach you by skype in anyway. I know you don’t want to give it out to everybody on here however if you could send me an email that would be great.

    Like I said in the previous comment — I’m only 14 and don’t have much start up capital. I did however find a GREAT product that I could start buying and making a decent profit I sold my whole inventory. I’ve already emailed the supplier about some samples and I’m just waiting to hear back from them. I wanted to go over this product with you though first just to see if you think it would sell well.

    Thanks again for all the time you put into this website,
    Devin

  1248. Hey Will

    This has been a great read for me. A friend passed this link to me when I told him I was working in imports in Argentina. I am possibly older than I would like (26), and my mindset has changed in the passed year. I am a science and engineering background and always had the employee mentality before I moved to Argentina.

    Anyway, not to get off track. I work in purchasing with my company, and eventually my boss wants to send me to China to learn how to purchase and deal with the providers. After reading your blog, I had ideas of using your advice to do something similar, but with a trusted friend who lives in the US (since I can´t do anything from here).

    I was wondering if you think it would be better for me to wait to go to China and do reconnaissance before making any moves, or if you think this is something that can be accomplished simply by following your advice.

    Thanks!

    • Hey Nick,

      Glad to hear you enjoyed the article – and tell you friend I said thanks for sharing!

      The good news is we may all be older than we would like 🙂

      You can of course do some prospecting online before you go to China. How would you know who to visit anyways?

      I have a friend whose supplier flies him out to China and Vegas once a year just to build their relationship and grow their companies together. This started off as a simple Alibaba thing as well, but has obviously progressed.

      I think it is good to do your recon online. Once you find a good product and are ready to start buying in bulk, then it may be time to fly over to work out some deals.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1249. Hey Will, first I would like to thank you for putting your experience into one post for free while this could have honestly been made into an ebook and sold for well over $100. I’m about half way through this post and I had some questions.

    I’m 14 years old right now and I found out about the importing business not to long ago. I originally had plans to buy apple earphones in bulk and sell them at my school (as there were way to many top competitors on ebay) however I thought that selling 100 earphones at school might get out of hand and I would get in trouble one way or another.

    Since then I have lost interest in the whole idea of buying in bulk however once I read this I was encouraged to get into it. I had a few concerns first. I noticed that you said you started when you were only 13 years old. How did you have the money to even start to buy the items in bulk? And if not in bulk and only like 5-15 units, you were buying airsoft guns, which aren’t cheap.

    Also, how would you recommend I build up some capital to start testing products. I have around $120 to start off with right now, I just don’t feel this is enough to really get into the swing of things.

    Thanks again for everything,
    Devin

    • Hey Devin, thanks a lot for commenting and for your kind words.

      It’s never too early to start learning what you’ll need to learn to be an entrepreneur, good to hear you’re getting in so early (you won’t regret it!). Sounds like you were onto something with the Apple earphones, if it were me I would have sold them and worried about getting in trouble later 🙂

      Again, I screwed around with some other products before I found my airsoft supplier which I used to fund a lot of this. Even with the airsoft though, I started by ordering 1, then 3, then 5, then 8, then 10, then 15 and so on until I worked out the dropshipping deal with that supplier. It is possible to start with less capital, it is just going to mean less growth (in all businesses).

      Like I said in the article, I’d like $500 of padding to test for a good product. To get to there, you’ll have to make some quick cash. I know when I was 14 I found some quick ways to make cash at school selling candy, soda, or whatever else I could get away with (wallets, purses, sunglasses, headphones, etc). You have a massive market of buyers walking around you every day at school, the sooner you realize that the sooner you can profit off of them. It becomes especially profitable in college 🙂

      Hope this helps!
      Will

  1250. Hey Will,
    First off I just wanted to say this is an awesome site that will hopefully allow me and others like me to gain some valiable business knowledge and get our feet wet in our own businesses!
    I have found a few specific niches that I am exploring and should be getting samples of in the near future.
    I have a few questions for you though.
    1. I have found a product that I want to start selling. Through my research I have found another very well-known company selling this exact product with huge margins. However this company has already branded this product as their own. If I import this product and if everything works out start branding it myself, are there any legal issues that could arise? Can I brand a product that has already been branded?
    2. Have you ever run into any patent issues? Let’s say I want to sell pens that have LED’s on the end of them that light up when you write (not my actual product). There are other companies selling pens like this but I haven’t been able to find a patent on the concept of these pens but that doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. What can I do to protect myself so that if I am successful with this product and build a brand and a company around it I don’t get a cease and desist letter in a few years?
    I have about a million other questions but I’m trying to figure out as much as I can on my own. It would be awesome to be able to sit down and pick your brain for a few hours. Lol
    Thanks again Will,

    -Kris

    • Hey Kris,

      Thanks for the compliment – glad you got some value out of the site!

      1. It really depends on the product. If the product is patented then you’ll probably run into issues at some point, but otherwise you are just printing your logo onto a product.
      2. I don’t there is much of a legal risk with these types of products, just avoid trademarked brands. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a solid patent for something as generic as that. I’ve never gotten a cease & desist for selling anything, but I know a few people that have – and it always copyright infringement. In terms of limiting your liability I’d just recommend the standard – be behind an LLC and have your financials separate.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1251. Hi Will!

    Good stuff! I’m a 22 year-old recent graduate working in the marketing field. I have a load of student debt, and I’ve been trying to find a way to make some extra cash, and I think this might be a possibility!

    I have a few quick questions:

    1. Can you explain your system for packaging and mailing out the airsoft guns, (when business was busy and before you outsourced it to another person)? I have a third bedroom in my apartment in which neither my room mate or myself use, it’d be perfect to set up a little ‘mailroom’.

    2. How much time a week were you devoting to this project? I know it’s going to be different for everyone, but in your experience did it feel like a full-time job?

    Thanks again, Will!

    Nick

    • Hi Nick,

      Thanks for commenting – glad you liked the article! Definitely a good way to make some extra cash as long as you are smart/careful about it.

      1. Yep, that would be perfect. I usually just piled stuff up in a room, until eventually moving to a table in the garage. An extra room would be more than enough to make some extra cash.

      2. Of course it didn’t feel like a full-time job because I wanted to do it, but I was probably spending around 5-50 hours per week on this. Pretty wide spread, but it’s just up to you. There are no hours in entrepreneurship and nobody cares what you do or don’t do, it’s all on your internal desire to grow. You can spend 2 hours a week on it or 100 hours a week on it.

      Hope this helps Nick!

      Thanks,
      Will

  1252. Amazing article Will! My dad will be retiring in a few months and I was planning to get him into the dropshipping business and I am really glad I bumped into this rather elaborate post. I am going to share with my dad and hopefully start a dropshipping business. Thanks a lot again!

    • Thanks a lot Sanjay! Hope you and your dad can extract a lot of value out of these posts! By the time you guys get started, we might even have a few more posts/courses/coaching/books/whoknows out! We are looking at expanding that side of our business.

      Hope to hear from you in the future,
      Will

      P.S. – Say “Hi” to your Dad for me 🙂

  1253. Hi Will,

    I recently started dropshipping items like so http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coal-Model-of-the-Famous-Titanic-small-Brilliant-Coal-Ship-model-made-with-Coa-/120851813197?pt=UK_Collectables_Nautical&hash=item1c2354534d

    now as you can see this is the cheapest of these items on ebay at the current time at £12.99 + £3.75 postage.

    but these items cost me £6.00 + £2.90 postage to customer.

    so i’m wondering how much would be best to undercut the current cheapest person on ebay?

    Thanks for reading

    • Hi Tezza,

      I’d undercut him by $1 for as long as you can!

      Congrats on getting started and finding a supplier that will dropship.

      Good luck,
      Will

  1254. Thanks for the informative article Will!

    How much capital would someone new to this business need to get started? You mentioned that you started at age 13, but with the high MOQs and costly samples, it feels like I would need at least a grand, unless I opted for AliExpress and significantly smaller margins.

    • Hi Marvin,

      Make sure you read my follow up post to this, I think it will answer a lot of these questions.

      If not, comment on that one and I’ll get back to you much quicker than I got back to this one!

      Thanks,
      Will

  1255. So, please correct me if I am mistaken, you made a lot of money with only one product (the airsoft guns) sourced through alibaba, right?

    I understand that the regulations killed that product However what is preventing you of doing the exact same thing but with another product?

    Is it harder now with ebay? Do you consider ebay the best way to sell those products ? What about flee markets… Is it possible to make even more money there?

    Thanks in advance.

    Martin

    • Hi Martin,

      I think I replied to you on some forums, but here is my response from there –

      I didn’t continue with it at the time just because I was young and didn’t feel like doing it anymore. My goal in life is $1bn and didn’t need the money, so I went down a different path that I thought would get me closer to that.

      I think it is probably a little bit harder now, but I also think that we will be looking back at it in 5 years saying “It was so easy back then!”. I never tried Flea Markets, but I did almost try selling to flea market merchants as a supplier to them. Never got around to it before the ban though.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1256. Will,

    First off, congratulations to your success in importing at such a young age. I am a 22 year old college student and just now seeing some of the potential in the import/export business. I have a couple of questions I hope you don’t mind answering.

    Living in a small apartment with a roommate, I don’t have the ability to store much product. Do you feel that there are any suppliers out there that will drop ship for me with no prior relationship to me? I did not even realize this was an option until reading your article, so thank you.

    I would also like some advice from you about a product I am interested in importing. What do you think of this http://www.amazon.com/Bronze-Finish-Power-Outlets-Rectangular/dp/B00427T4KY/ref=sr_1_60?ie=UTF8&qid=1358460321&sr=8-60&keywords=lamp+with+power+outlet. The margins are incredible. Doing ebay/amazon searches do not return many results for the lamps and I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing. There seems to be little retail competitors, but maybe also few customers? I know it is something I would want in my home though.

    Just one more question if you don’t mind. Do you feel that an LLC would be a good way to legitimize your import/export company?

    Thanks for taking the time to write such an informative article. I look forward to hearing from you.

    Nathan

    • Nathan,

      Thanks a lot for reading and commenting!

      It is going to be extremely hard to find a supplier that will drop ship for anybody that hits them up out of the blue. They generally want some sort of relationship built up first. My first couple years I was only importing a few boxes few of stuff and never ran into storage issues, but of course I don’t know how much room you have.

      Lamps are going to be really, really tough to sell unless you have a list of people buying lamps to advertise to. You need to niche down a lot, just selling a random lamp is going to be really inconsistent and tough. I would assume there is no consistent base of buyers for the specific lamp you are referring to, meaning you will have to build up that base of buyers, which costs a lot of money!

      I’d find a different product.

      I think I mention in the article that I never file for an LLC until I know that my business is going to be around for a long time. That’s just me, you could do it whenever you want though.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1257. Why does alibaba have such bad reviews?i was excited about purchasing until i read about all the people that got scammed, have you had any issues with them or Chinese maufactureres?

    • Hi Bud,

      There are a ton of scammers, middle men, and terrible suppliers on Alibaba. You have to be really careful, you can lose a lot of money (and I know people who have!)

      Just be sure to have all the filters I mentioned above on, and make sure you use Escrow or Paypal so you can reverse/dispute the order if things go sour.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Speaking on this subject, I know that they may be few and far between, but where would I look to find products that are cheaper to manufacture locally (here in the U.S.A.) than in China? The advantages are obvious and would be huge.

        Very nice info, BTW….thanks for sharing!

  1258. Why does Alibaba have such bad reviews? Lots of people saying there a scam? I was really excited about a legit place to buy from until i seen the bad reviews 🙁 Have you ever had a bad experience with them?

    • Hey Bud,

      Like I said in the article, it is really easy to get scammed if you don’t know what you’re doing and aren’t careful! Make sure you talk to Gold suppliers and use PayPal/Escrow to protect yourself.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1259. I think i may try Social Media Advertising but only because that’s what i work in.

  1260. Hey Will,

    Thanks for the great read! Today, I was buying a sample from China (gold supplier) for 8$ + 25$ shipping (they only do FOB). They asked me for my DHL account number.

    I haven’t replied yet, because I don’t have a DHL account (and the 25$ seemed like a rip off, as I constantly buy personal items from china with free international shipping since they’re labeled as gifts).

    What’s the best way to handle shipping? Should I use DHL or FedEx, or something else to handle the FOB and EXW etc?

    Thanks,
    Summit

    • Hey Summit,

      Thanks for commenting, and sorry about the delay – was out of town!

      They like to ship onto other people’s shipping account. I think they will still ship themselves if you don’t have a shipping account though, just ask them.

      $25 is actually the low end of sample shipping costs in my experience, at least if you are shipping to the US. I usually pay from $25-45 for the first sample shipments. Not sure how they could do free shipping unless it is baked into the unit cost.

      Honestly, I usually work with the supplier a lot to set up shipping terms that work for both of us. What works for you is going to be different from others, as everybody is shipping different items with different shapes and sizes and regulations, and they all want to do different things with them (store in garage, closet, warehouse). You really have to work with the supplier to figure out what is going to work best.

      Hope this helps!
      Will

    • Simple answer is “don’t do it”. A courier account # is like a credit card # really. It just means you are liable for what they ship. Both trans and customs fees… The responsibility always lies with the shipper (especially internationally), so if you get credit from DHL in NA and give your account # to someone in China… Unless it’s a vendor you really trust, it’s a bad idea

  1261. You are SO AWESOME. A definite inspiration to me. I haven’t gotten this excited about something for awhile. If I’m ever in Florida, I’m going to buy you dinner.

  1262. Hey Will,

    When you were first starting out, how did you deal with the crazy high shipping prices? I don’t have a lot of money to put into this at this time, so I’ve been looking at items with free shipping. Is a good idea?

    Also, what would I do if I just want to buy a few samples of a product? I’ve been in contact with the seller and he has agreed to it, but would the payment be done outside of Alibaba since they may not sell just one item on the site?

    • Hey Adam,

      The shipping prices are always going to be high coming across the Pacific, just something you have to account for. I don’t think you’ll find any factories willing to send samples with free shipping, but maybe you can.

      The sellers are used to people buying samples. Just make sure your payments are protected in some way, either through Paypal or Escrow.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1263. Hey Will.
    I was going to drop you a message on Reddit but I stopped here as well.
    On your recommend I bought The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss (the new revision) and it is a darn good read/listen. It made me laugh in a few spots because not only do we have some similar ideas but he also used a couple of sayings I am a bit infamous for around work (easier to get forgiveness than permission).
    Thanks again.

    • Hey there,

      Glad to see you commented here, as Reddit banned my account for no real reason they can tell me…

      Awesome to hear you bought 4-Hour Workweek, it is definitely one of my top 10 books for entrepreneurs. I know the feeling about having similar ideas – I used to get people telling me I was stealing ideas from 4HWW before I had even read it. That’s what convinced me to buy it 🙂

      Let me know how you enjoy it,
      Will

  1264. Wow, great article and very informative. Thank you for writing it.

    I’ve started comparing items on the Amazon best seller list and trying to find suppliers at Ali Baba.

    I’ve found one item that I could sell for a considerable markup, but I’m afraid I might be dealing with counterfeits. How can I tell for sure that the item I’m buying isn’t counterfeit and that the American company will not come after me?

    • Hey Richard,

      Thanks a lot for reading and commenting!

      It is tough for me to know whether or not your specific item is prone to counterfeiters or might put you at legal risk without actually knowing what the product is. If it is a recognizable trademark, you probably want to avoid it.

      Also, look on eBay/Amazon and see how the climate is there with sellers – do a lot of people say “Genuine” “Not Counterfeit” “Real” etc? If so, then it is obviously a problem for that product, and is probably prone to counterfeiters.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1265. What sort of liability are we at as sellers of items? Like, for example, if I sold little ball magnets and a toddler swallowed them and got sick or something, could they sue? If so, what exactly would happen?

    Also, I’m a little weary of buying anything from China due to my fears that it may have been made with lead or some other toxic/potentially harmful chemical. Are these fears reasonable? If someone does get lead poisoning, or the product breaks and causes harm, am I liable or is the company in China liable?

    • Let me lead by saying that I am definitely not a lawyer – but here is my guess from my experience.

      In a case like this, the seller would likely be named in the lawsuit, but the primary liability will still lie with the manufacturer. Even so, if you are behind an LLC your personal assets are safe.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      • Thank you! On another note, can a minor apply for an LLC? If so, how do I go about doing that? Just go talk to my bank?

        • There wasn’t an age limit when I was under 18, it depends on your State but I doubt it will be an issue. You either need to do it through LegalZoom or google “File an LLC in (whatever State)” and you should find a way to do it online cheaper through your State, but it will take a little more research/legwork to get through the process on the clunky State websites…

          Hope this helps,
          Will

    • The SMS subscriptions were set up through a texting service, but now you can use Twilio and Wordpress plugins to do much more powerful things. Email me at will [at] startupbros.com if you need the SMS marketing plugin I use nowadays for my consulting clients.

      Thanks again,
      Will

  1266. Hey Will,

    You mentioned sending shipments including coupons and such for your product. My question to you is how you were giving these coupons given you were selling through another website.

    Dan

    • Hi Dan,

      Thanks a lot for taking the time out to read and comment. By the time I started sending out in-box promo, I already had my own ecommerce store set up that I could set up coupons through. Like I said, the purpose of the in box promo is to get ebay and amazon buyers information so you can market to them for free in the future – that is how you really start growing!

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1267. Hi Will,

    This is a great article, although I do have a question which I hope you can help with:

    I live in the Southeast Asia region, Singapore. So my concern is the shipping cost. To ship a package overseas would most probably kill my profit margin. (There’s not much option here, since Singapore is a small country) That, coupled with the additional shipping from my supplier, might not be enough to justify the effort that comes with it.

    I’d appreciate your input on this.
    Thanks!
    Stanley

    • Hi Stanley,

      Thanks a lot for reading!

      Yea, it may be tough to ship to the US from Singapore. There may be some opportunities selling to buyers in your area, maybe look into that.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1268. Hey Will,

    Great article. It definitely gave me some motivation.

    I just have a few questions, I’m new to this, so if any questions seem commonsensical, pardon me.

    How did you handle your returns, prior to drop shipping? Would you keep extra stock on hand, in between shipments from oversees, just in case? Also were there points where the cost to return it to China was more than the product, itself, and you just ate your loss? Or would you wait for a couple returns and then ship all at once?

    Additionally, did you have to do anything as far as applying for a fictitious business name? This may fall under the branding aspect, but I’m not 100% sure.

    Thanks!
    George

    • Hi George,

      Thanks a lot for reading and taking the time out to comment. I am glad the article gave you some motivation 🙂

      Prior to dropshipping I just handled returns myself. People could ship back to me and I would either refund them or send them a new item depending on the situation. So yes, I pretty much just took the losses and factored them into my costs. I usually had a refund rate of around 2-3%

      You may want to file for an LLC once you start making some sustainable cash flow for tax purposes.

      Hope this helps!
      Will

      • Hi, very interested in your articles and replies. And thanks for sharing. I have couple of questions in this post. Maybe a little bit no brainer….
        What is LLC? and
        Do we need to apply for an import license in order to buy small bulk from China?

        • Glad you liked all of it Ying 🙂 An LLC is a Limited Liability Corporation, it’s just a legal entity you can ‘create’ in the United States. You may have to apply for an important license, it depends on where you live and what the legal system is like. It is different everywhere and highly variable. We don’t have to do anything special to ‘qualify’ to buy things from overseas here in Florida, but I couldn’t speak for anywhere else.

  1269. I’ve been doing a few hours of searching over the past couple days and having trouble finding products, too. I’ve been having trouble finding things that the market isn’t already saturated with. I would think a key is to find a unique value proposition of some sort… bunching products together in a certain way, or branding a line of similar products… but I have been finding many things on Alibaba that are either identical or very similar to a bunch of products on Ebay. Maybe I’m looking at the wrong categories of products?

    • I am in the middle of writing an awesome Step-by-Step on finding a good product – it should be up by Saturday.

      Most of the products I make money on are exactly the same on Alibaba and eBay. I use the pictures and information from my supplier a lot of the time.

      Unique packaging or positioning helps, but then you are creating a different type of business than just a simple side importing business.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1270. Hello,

    Great article! Couple of questions…

    If we aren’t supposed to focus on things that we know and buy, how are we supposed to be able to find a niche that will work aside from just randomly guessing and picking products trying to find something that will work? We are really struggling to find a product that we can make work.

    Also, is there any way to estimate shipping costs on products (as in when the factory ships to us)? Without knowing shipping costs it seems like it would be hard to figure out whether a product will work or not.

    Thanks!

    • Hi Bob,

      Thanks a lot for reading the article and taking the time out to comment.

      I’ll be posting a follow up post tomorrow on niche selection for everybody. If you have issues after that post, email me with more questions and I will help you out!

      Thanks,
      Will

  1271. Awesome post bro! I have been importing from China for a while and my importing empire is starting to take off now 🙂

  1272. That was incredible. You could make a book with that information or at least a short ebook. Definitely one of the most informative posts I have ever read.

    • Hey Nikolai, thanks a lot for reading and taking the time out to comment! Funny you mention that – we were just talking about extending it out into a book tonight! Maybe we will 🙂

      P.S. – Love ThirdMinds!

      • That’s awesome! Very happy to hear you’re thinking of pushing forward with that idea. A post gushing with so much needed information deserves its own platform. Thanks for the TM love as well!

  1273. Hey Will,

    Great article, thanks for taking the time to lay everything out step by step – you rock! Can you comment on what traditional sample policies entail? One supplier I contacted said the sample is free, I just have to pay $30 shipping. Another said that because they have to make the sample, it would cost $70 ($40 for the sample, $30 for shipping). This seem way out of line, since the unit price they quoted for 100 pcs is $5.50/pc. They did say that the sample price (less shipping) would be credited towards my first order, but still seems like way too much.

    Is this normal operating procedure or should I steer clear? (FYI – they are a 1st year Gold Supplier and have had an Onsite Check).

    Thanks!

    Glenn

    • Hey Glenn,

      Thanks a lot for reading the article and taking the time out to comment.

      That is usually how it goes, as it is pretty expensive to fly a box over the pacific. You can check shipping prices yourself on the UPS/EMS websites, but if multiple companies are quoting the same price I would guess that is the correct cost. It does sound like you have two pretty good suppliers to deal with though, it is usually tough to find a factory that gives free samples or credits them towards your next order!

      Unfortunately though, single item shipping is a bit expensive from what we are used to seeing here. It gets marginally much cheaper as you ship bigger (like your supplier said)

      Hope this helps, and congrats on taking action!
      Will

      • Thanks Will. I’m not so much concerned about the shipping cost – $30 sounds more than reasonable to ship a small box halfway around the world. My bigger concern is with the 2nd supplier, who is basically charging $40 for manufacturing a sample that probably costs them $5 at the most.

        Forgot to mention, they also said “We never use paypal, our payment way is westernunion and banktransfer”. Is this a show stopper given that they are a Gold Supplier?

        • Yea, the factory that doesn’t accept Escrow or PayPal I would avoid. I also don’t like the fact that they are charging $40 for a knife, I didn’t realize that on your first comment. Since they credit it towards future orders, I normally would think they are just trying to give samples only to serious suppliers. But since they aren’t using a payment method that protects the buyer in any way, I would probably avoid…

          Hope this helps,
          Will

  1274. Great read, really appreciate you sharing your experiences and lessons learned.

    Does reselling in this manner require time to gain sales volume or is that mainly a factor of the quality of product/supplier you find? Is there a point where you would outgrow Ebay or Amazon or is this not a valid concern?

    • Thanks a lot for reading and taking the time out to comment Sam.

      It takes time, but the first limiting factor is the supplier, and it can be tough the first time. It is really up to you if you want to outgrow those channels, you can build a business completely outside of those using other channels, and also leverage those channels to bring in recurring revenue. It is just if you decide to grow these ways, or just want a good side business.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

  1275. Fantastic breakdown of the importing business. There’s a ton of money to be made there, but there’s also some important things you need to watch out for. Thanks for explaining your experience in such a simple way (and pointing out some things others of us may have missed)!

    • Hey Matt,

      Thanks a lot for reading and taking the time to comment, glad you enjoyed the content.

      By the way – I loved your article on Twinkies. Just one of the things I am kicking myself over for not getting into this month, including that Powerball Facebook Picture hoax and just buying a Powerball ticket and posting it to client FB pages saying “winnings to be shares with all that share!” or something. Three marketing fumbles in less than a month – and I call myself a marketer?!

      Congrats on hitting the top of /r/entrepreneur with it too, I saw you up there at the same time as us!

      Hope to hear more from you in the future,
      Will

  1276. Wow! Long post! You wrote some fascinating information. I prefer to deal with information products. Actually, I am trying to sell art, but I produce it myself. Perhaps in the future, if I build up, then I’ll start trying to sell physical products like you that I import from overseas. Entrepreneurship is quite a wonderful thing! Thanks for posting this.

    • Hey Michael,

      Thanks for reading. I also love infoproducts, working on creating a few currently 🙂

      Great luck with your art, unfortunately I don’t have much experience outside of marketing a few musicians.

      Love your writings!
      Will

  1277. Hi Will,

    Great article.

    1)

    I’d like to ask how can one figure out how many units of item X are currently being sold each weak or each month (ball park figure)?

    I mean… is there any way you can know, BEFORE entering a market, that there are currently being sold 15-30 airsoft guns (or whatever) each weak ?

    I’m interested in knowing or predicting the current volume of sales before choosing a product to sell. Is there a way to do it?

    2 )

    What about offline… is there any way you can know how many of product X does a certain store or retail chain sell every month?

    Thanks!

    – Tom

    • Hi Tom,

      Thanks a lot for commenting.

      1) I just count how many are sold in a given week on eBay, that will usually let you know the exact amount. Short of that you can watch Amazon pages to see if listings pop up and drop off, but eBay is going to be best for volume predictions as you can see that data. Amazon usually has a “#1,202 in X Category” indicator too, so you can at least compare items with Amazon too.

      2) It’s gunna be much tougher to get the offline data for that, at least not without paying for it.

      Hope this helps, feel free to ask more!
      Will

      • Hi Will,

        You say you can count how many are being sold in a week, but what how many a week is a good amount to know if that product is worth taking the risk on? Looking for an actual number here.

        Thanks!

        -Grace

  1278. Will,

    The issue of branding has me stumped, I was hoping you could expand on this. As I search for products being sold on Ebay/Amazon it’s becoming increasingly clear that many of the products that sell are branded products. Is there a trick to finding products that sell without being branded? Maybe certain niches where brand name means less (or nothing at all)? Your LED light example seems to be less reliant on branding, at least on ebay where I’m finding thousands of non branded light bulbs.

    Can you tell me would a typical Ebay/Amazon listing for one of your airsoft guns looked like, as an example? What would the description say about the gun? The maker? The supplier?

    The alternative to selling a non branded product is, of course, branding your product but my impression is, to do this right, requires a fair amount of extra work. You’d certainly have to create a credible website at the very least and I imagine there would much more to it than simply creating a brand name for yourself. Can you give more detail on this process?

    I appreciate any help/insight you might have. Thanks for the article.

    Best,
    Chris

  1279. Let’s say you found a very innovative product. The profit potential is there: $10 – $20 per sale. It’s small. It’s cheap. It has a low minimum order.

    However, it’s not currently widely available on either Amazon or Ebay, except in extremely small instances (only one, brand name product available on Amazon). So in other words, there is no proven demand.

    What do you do?

    • That’s either a blowout hit or a dud, it depends on the product. I gotta wonder though – how did you come to the profit potential if it isnt widely available?

      Love your site by the way!

      • Good question. I guesstimated with a significant margin of error.

        However, I just finished up a chat with the supplier and turns out I jumped the gun on the interpretation of their description. So it seems that this one is a dud.

        Thanks for the compliment. I just use it as a web card. I like the startupbros.com design to! Btw, found you via Reddit!

        • No worries, keep looking! A lot of redditors have been emailing me telling me about some niches they found that are better than anything I ever found! They are still out there.

          I would really like to get a personal site like yours, a web card – gotta add that to my list 🙂

  1280. Hey,

    New to your blog and this is a very encouraging article for anyone young “hustler”. Especially in high school or college. I just had a question about Phone number. When you contacted the suppliers via voice. How did you do it?

    • Hey Daniel, thanks a lot for checking us out.

      Glad to hear you found some value in the article. I usually didn’t need a phone number to contact suppliers. In fact, I barely ever even talked to my suppliers. They love skype and email over there.

      But if you need voice, like I said they love skype.

      Hope that helps, and hope to see more from you in the future!

      Thanks,
      Will

      • Will,

        You are hard nut as regards work. You are just a super star my man. Am following you. I am finding your path very exciting.

        Am busy searching what to buy and sell back home. I would want to buy Educational materials for kindergaten pre school stuff. Amy sites i have been on Alibaba hey its a hell of information and also to know whoz who? is a project but will run through the maze until i can find my cheese.

        Great work done by you will.

        Robert

        • Hi I just read your article and I really love it thank you so much for all this info, I have been trying to get this business going trying to import hair extantions to South Africa from China ,can you please list your suppliers you used to deal with when you used to sell clothing please?

  1281. Great article, i remember my self back in 2004 when i ordered some of the chinese players ( some kinda Ipods) with flash memory of 256MB. I am from eastern europe and by that time this was kinda SF, super new. I sold the 2 players fast. Due to lack of cash i never purchased again. But this is a real business , i will do import more great stuff or will start a dropship business online. Thanks for the info and sharing though.

    • Thanks a lot for taking the time out to read and comment. The MP3 player market was a huge opportunity in 2004, I remember seeing some people making unreasonable amounts of money. I tried to get in there also, but electronics are a tough market for a 14 year old haha.

      Too bad you couldn’t keep going with that, I am sure you would have made some good money. At least now you know that there is money there for the future 🙂

      Hope to hear from you more in the future,
      Will

  1282. Hi Will,

    So in regards to you purchasing the goods from China wholesalers, I’m a little confused. Did you purchase shipments and store them at distributors? Or did you get them to act as drop shippers, where someone would purchase an item and they would ship it? Wouldn’t that make the time delays for the customer getting it too long? If they have to ship from China – one at a time…plus how much would that cost the buyer?? I’ve got a feeling I’ve got the wrong end of the stick!

    James

    • Hey James,

      I think I have you under two emails on these comments – but I’ll answer all of them!

      By the way, love the Pedal Juice company – great idea.

      I started out importing in light bulk, slowly increasing as I made more money. I was just storing and shipping out of my house at the time.

      After a certain point it began to be a real burden on me, all the shipping and storage, so I began to search around for some alternative.

      I asked my contact at our Chinese supplier if he knew of any options, and he told me that with how long I have been with him and how much product I was moving for them, he would try to work something out. He came back with the drop ship arrangement where their largest distributor in the US would package and ship our items for us, as well as take care of returns. On top of all of that, it was much cheaper this way as we could piggy back on their UPS discounts and bulk shipping.

      Like I said in the article, I don’t think that dropshipping is as great as everybody says it is because it is tough to find. You have to develop strong relationships with the suppliers before they go out of their way to help you like that, they need to know you are going to move product and you’re going to move a lot of it, the shipping is just holding you back.

      Hope that helps!
      Will

  1283. Hey Will,

    Brilliant article. You really got me thinking about things and I really appreciate it! The big problem like everyone else is niche hunting. Are there any websites / white papers that you can recommend reading. Don’t mind paying. Cheers

    James

    • Hey James,

      Thanks a lot for your kind words, I am really glad to hear you liked it!

      I will be putting together a video tonight to further explain the niche selection process. It will be free, I will probably be sending it via email to our email subscribers! Keep on the look out.

      I know the feeling, that everybody else is niche hunting. I always felt that before I began finding a few good niches. They are tough to find, but as long as there are more buyers than entrepreneurs I think we can still find great niches. Two or three people have emailed me since writing this with niches I could only dream of coming up with – I am seriously excited and proud for them. One girl found a product she can mark up 1000% right off the bat and has plans to build a brand with custom products and everything – all in one night! Seriously exciting stuff, I know you can do it!

      Hit me up if you need any help or anything,
      Will

      • Hi Will,

        Did you already send out this video? I just signed up for your mailing list today and didn’t want to miss it.

        Thanks!

        • Hey Bugsey,

          Luckily, I have been making everybody wait way too long for that video, so you didn’t miss it yet. Hoping to get it out tonight!

          Will

  1284. Hey Will,

    I have a question for you.

    What if I don’t want to sell in Amazon, eBay etc and instead, I want to sell directly to a company let’s say… some kind of office supplies they buy every month or something like that.

    How can I find out how much are they currently spending on an item and how much of it are they spending each month, so I can make a proposal?

    Best regards,
    John Saracena

    • Hey John

      Thanks a lot for taking the time out to read and comment on this.

      You can certainly build a good business that way, and many have. To be honest, I don’t have a whole lot of experience in pursuing contracts like this, but I can tell you from marketing that when I first started out I would stalk my competition to find out what they were getting away with charging. If I were going to go into what you are describing, I would probably do a similar thing.

      The best way to get pricing knowledge is to call up your top 10 competitors and act like your perfect customer and take notes on how they are selling you. The more deeply you can analyze every single word, the better. Everything down to the lingo, the rebuttals, pricing, customer expectations and service…you can leverage the knowledge of people who have made many mistakes to get to where they are (in terms of what decisions they have made on business processes).

      Hope this helps, if not let me know and I can go deeper!
      Will

  1285. If you did eBay, did you run into any issues with low feedback in the beginning?

    For example, if one starts with a fresh email account, does it take long before someone actually buys one of your items?

    I ask this because I never buy anything on ebay unless I see lots and lots of good feedback (200+)

    • It was surprisingly easy to get started with very few feedback, that was one of my concerns though. If you are really worried, you can either a) sell some small things b) buy some stuff or c) buy an account with feedback. I’d recommend them in that order if you find it a problem.

      Thanks for reading!

  1286. Incredibly well written and informative article. Everyone thinking of starting an import business should read this!

  1287. Near the end of the article you guys said about automating the sales by having the supplier ship the product directly to the client.

    My question is, since they will be sending the products from Asia, wouldn’t it take like a month to arrive to the customers? People can get mad inpatient and start throwing rocks at you.

    • Hey John,

      My supplier had set me up with a US distributor of theirs (I think I mentioned in the article) to drop ship for me. I was working with the supplier for a while before we worked out that arrangement. I tried dropshipping from China very early on, but all packages will arrive with a ton of Chinese on them and take about 6-9 days, so that wasnt an option. You’re exactly right, they did start throwing rocks lol

      I have seen some people have success in finding US suppliers from the get go to to dropship for them, but many more have success through small bulk orders at first and building from there. The dropship thing was a great thing I kind of fell into, but it is not easy to find a company that will trust you enough to take your returns and whatnot.

      Hope that helps!

      • Since you bring up the Chinese writing – when you find a product do you specify what you want on the product box/package in terms of language/design/brand/logo/etc? Or do you simply pass on what they have already created?

        • If you want to customize any aspects of the product, you are going to have to pay extra. Most factories will work with you to build anything you want really, even a completely new product if they can do it, and they will help you with many aspects of it. But, it will cost more, the MOQ will be higher, it will be more complicated, and increasingly so with each customization.

          If you are going down that route, you are likely building a brand.

      • When you decided to use the US distributor, did you have any hesitations that you were providing the distributor your customer contact information in fear that you, the middle man, can be cut out of your own business? Just being paranoid.

  1288. Great post, I really enjoyed reading it. I am intrigued that you made a business mainly by building connections over the internet. These are great times we live in.

    You spoke about how you look for niche products to sell in the amazon best sellers list. I am wondering if you could expand on that. What criteria do you look for in a potential product? Do you import generic items of brand name popular things?

    • Thanks for reading Bryan. The internet is an absolutely brilliant tool, great times indeed 🙂

      I think you can take the product selection any way you’d like. I wish I could be more specific with it, but it is really just an exploration process for me when I do it. I know a friend who makes a ton of money selling generic razor blade replacements, so I know that is a possibility. I’ve also heard people mention they’d found opportunity in skateboard hardware, car floor mats…it is a really diverse group.

      I think I will be sending a video of me doing some niche product selection out via email in the next couple of days – look out for that, and feel free to ask any other questions.

  1289. Great read thanks a ton,
    I’ve been thinking for a while that I should find a way to start importing something (I just felt like that could be good money in it). But, really had no idea where to start. This article was exactly what I needed. Thanks so much. I’m definitely going to be giving this a try. Plan on hearing from me. If I am able to contribute back at all let me know. Thanks.

    • Hey Chase, thanks a lot for reading. It is awesome to hear you will be taking action on this – feel free to email me any time with anything I can help with. After you are a success, I’d love to feature you on the blog!

      Looking forward to hearing from you soon,
      Will

  1290. I really enjoyed this! But, the end of your blog is a business ending crash! Was it simply because of the product? Or, did the market go away, did the suppliers go away? And, if it was the suppliers, what’s to prevent any other product having the same fate?

    • Thanks a lot for reading it! I tried to cover it a bit in the article, but what happened to me was kind of a rare fluke. The Chinese and American Customs were having some dispute about weapons and weapon look-a-likes, so airsoft guns got piled into it along with my knives and other things I was selling less of. China started holding all of those at their ports and not letting them go for whatever reason it was (there wasnt much news or anything about this, just people talking within the industry). It ended up being 3-6 months before any of these items were smoothly going through both customs again, and by that time I had lost a lot of the value in what I had built. I could have gone back into it or changed products, but being 16 I decided to do other things 🙂

      Hope that helps!

      • Hi Will:
        Great article with lots of info. Since last 6 months I was thinking of starting import business, but didn’t really know where to start.

        I would appreciate if you can email your video for niche product selection.

        Also, in your reply to KeninSD, at the end in the last line you mentioned,” but being 16 I decided to do other things.” Can you please clarify what other things you do at present and do you still import from China?

        Thanks. Shiraz.

  1291. Will,

    A lot of informative stuff in this article! As far as taxes/tariffs go, did you run into any implications or astronomical expense, or was the burden of taxation borne by the supplier mostly? Also, at what point did you feel comfortable suggesting the product be drop shipped? Ideally, I would like to find a product in the 20-40 USD range that I could realize a pre-tax margin of 75% and also something that is more defensive and less vulnerable to macroeconomiic conditions both domestically and abroad. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated. Thanks!

    • Thanks so much for reading Chris.

      With the smaller orders (under a pallet’s worth), my suppliers generally shipped by air and most of the importing/shipping expenses were built into my product cost and taken care of by the supplier/shipping company.

      I wish I remembered how it exactly came about (I could probably go way back in my emails and find out), but from memory I think I started sending my supplier just straight SKU, quantity, and address for them to tally up and send to me. I was just copy and pasting them from my internal excel spreadsheet I was keeping because I was getting lazy with it. After about a month of that, my supplier mentioned to me that he has a US distributor that they use to ship single orders to customers in the US, and that he could get me set up within that process if I wanted. I of course accepted and my job became a hell of a lot easier.

      I also wish I had more advice on how to know when to ask for drop shipping, and maybe I will go back into it and do a live case study or something to find out. But, just speaking from what I know certainly works, I had to develop a great relationship with them before we had the mutual trust built up for that to be a possibility.

      As for the products that you are looking for, you are describing a dream products. Not that it is impossible to find, but it is going to take a bit of trial and error and work before you find a perfect product. To meet the specifications you mentioned, I would guess staple items (forks, underwear, lighters, lint rollers, weird stuff like that), maybe some toys (like those big inflatable transparent balls people can get in and run around in on water), and maybe some hobby items (RC airplane parts, RC drift car wheels, etc). Again, it is always going to be some weird product you’d never think of that turns out to be your bread and butter, you really just have to get out there and start looking around. I won’t lie, it takes some time (though much less with this article).

      Hope that helps, and dont hesitate to hit me up with additional questions!

      Thanks!

      • Hi Will, you are probably busy but i just pray you reply to my comment……..

        My name is Lea Cole and ive been selling only for 5 months now and I havn’t gone anywhere, I guess its just the products i was selling because I made HUNDREDS a week and that is great for a beginner but then I just fell off my products stop selling wasted money buying junk more my manufactured products we’re made in the US I didnt know what i was doing and i actually lost more than what i made, I was a failure just waiting to happen… I also have problems finding the perfect supplier on alibaba there are TONS of Sellers on that site and i just still haven’t found one yet, how do i know if i found the right supplier, i was wondering if we could talk another way maybe email or if you have a member’s group. Our story is somewhat the same (Beginner Days) though i hope to be someone of a success like you… I hope to get a reply from you!

        Thanks much,
        Lea.

  1292. Wow, excellent article! I’m so inspired right now. I’m a student and business owner already, but I’ve been looking for new business opportunities. I love online retail (my current business is an online vintage store), and I want to suppliment my income with other sources.
    I’m really excited to look into this, and your post was incredibly detailed, so that will definitely help in getting started. Many thanks!

    Cheers,

    Dani

    • Thanks a lot for the kind words Dani, I am glad you got some value out of it. If you are already running an online store, you will probably find great success with importing. The more you know about getting products up and selling, along with marketing them on the back end for recurring revenue, the more potential the importing opportunity has. Good luck, and please let me know if there is anything I can help with!

      • I do have one question to start with. When comparing items on Amazon’s best sellers list and Alibaba, is it important to find the same brands? For example, if I found a nail dotting pen by Shany Cosmetics on Amazon, is it important to try to find the same manufacturer on Alibaba? I don’t even know if that is possible (I’m pretty new to Alibaba, so I’m trying to familiarize myself with it). Can I just find a comparable nail dotting pen and try to sell it?

        Thanks!

        • Hey Dani,

          It really depends on the product, but it would be prime if you could find the same nail dotting pens that are selling on amazon, because then you can list your items directly on the sellers page for a product that is already selling itself. However, you could easily take a different brand of nail dotting pens and sell them on eBay or any other channel, because you know people are buying a similar item on Amazon. Then it just comes down to positioning your pens well.

          In the light bulb example, I found the exact bulbs that were selling for a very healthy markup. That is ideal, but even if it were a different brand, light bulbs are pretty generic and people likely buy all sorts of different kinds all over the place. It would be safe to say I could even make a new listing with new bulbs and spend a small amount on advertising the listings and come away with a very healthy profit.

          I hope that answers those questions for you, let me know if you have any other questions.

          By the way, read your blog and loved it! Left a comment also 🙂

          Good luck to you,
          Will

          • Hey, I really like your article and wish I could have read it before!
            Now my 2 amazon account are suspended because they said it was counterfeit.
            But clearly all the seller there are selling from aliexpress as well and it’s the exact copy information that was on ali website and amazon.
            Have you ever deal with an appeal on amazon?
            I would really like to know the difference between a copy and a counterfeit. Both seems to be the same for me Lol.
            Thanks!

  1293. This article really hit home for me, literally. I work at the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach which are the busiest ports in the USA. I see these ships come and go every day, and I have stood by and worked with containers 1000’s of times. When people ask me, “Do you know what’s in them?” my reply is, “nope.” It’s not my job to know; it’s my job to move them around the yard.

    I followed the advice in your article, and I came across a product with a good $10-15 markup. It seems to sell well on Ebay (1-2 a day) and Amazon only has 1 seller. I’m going to continue to follow your advice and go through with it trying to sell it myself, but first I am going to get my hands on some samples.

    • So awesome to hear you are taking action Raymond, nothing makes me happier. I think you should definitely get some samples on that product, and congratulations on finding a prime product opportunity so quickly. Makes me think I gave decent advice 🙂

      I would love to help you on your way to success and feature your story on the blog, email me if you are interested!

      Either way though, feel free to hit me up in the future with any questions, problems, or concerns.

      Congrats again on your initial success!

  1294. Will,

    Great article. Really cleared up a lot of the questions I had. It makes the process really straight forward from here on out. I guess finding that nice product niche just comes down to some hard work and diligence. Well who woulda thunk?

    I guess I still have to remaining points off the top you could address here or in another post. One reservation I have with the above process is I guess it just seems to good to be true – if it’s as simple as finding the right product, won’t other people already have identified the right niche? Maybe I’m just shooting myself in the foot before I get off the ground but I just can’t imagine that there’s so many easy loopholes left to exploit. Or is it just a matter of becoming yet another seller of a popular product? Sure, 29 people already sell fluorescent bulbs to customers in the US over eBay, but since 3000 are bought everyday, some of that business is bound to trickle over to number 30.

    Also, why do you think we shouldn’t buy and sell that which interests us? Isn’t the first rule of business sell what you know? Why couldn’t a guy make money off of clothes or small electronics? Surely there’s an exception to this suggestion.

    Otherwise keep up the good work. I’d love to see you continue this theme in your posts with even more specific information. You could even try to get back into the game and make some cash and document the whole thing. Make an even more step by step guide (this post is pretty damn good start though.)

    Thanks,
    Devan

    • Hey Devan,

      Glad you liked the article, I was worried it might have grown too lengthy.

      I think you are correct on most of your thoughts about product/niche selection. I had the same reservations when I was getting started with this and honestly I think they really took a toll on how quickly I found success with it. There are products out there, they are just hiding in places nobody thinks of. You basically want to jump back a forth from the “hot product” tools I posted (ebay completed listings, amazon, etc) to Alibaba and see if you can find something with a good $10+ markup. Find a few of these and look around the ebay and amazon listings to see how many sellers there are, how consistent the sellers are, if all the items are being bought up immediately, if most of them are just sitting there with no interest, etc.

      If you do this for an hour or two, you should start finding at least a couple products with $10-20 markup potential. When I went and did it how I described it, I found 2 or 3 decent products in the first 20 minutes, so I know there are some still out there.

      The reason you can undercut in some markets is because you have no overhead. In airsoft for example, all my competition were running brick-and-mortar stores with inventory and employees and rent and utilities. I was sitting at home in my underwear in front of my computer instead of going to school, and getting the same prices they were (and eventually better). I am sure there are more reasons than this, but I think this is the main one (I’ll probably add this point to the article)

      It is also good to find a market like you described, with ultra-high volume and few sellers. Amazon is great for this, and I will probably post soon how I still sell some things like this on Amazon on the side. Easy income really.

      I believe that you have to be passionate about your business 110%, totally agree with you there. If you wanted to create a fashion line, you’d better have a hell of a lot of passion, you’ll need that and some more.

      However in this specific case, when we are basically engaging in arbitrage, I think it is best to focus almost completely on the margins. The only reason I did this was to make money on the side, and that required me focusing purely on margins.

      If you want to start a brand behind your imports though, you definitely want to pick something you love and can do for years to come, and you definitely don’t want to just focus on the margins. My friend Kevin at SKAR Audio technically started out running an import business, but eventually became passionate about it and expanded it out into the SKAR brand, now selling over $100k of product per month. He turned his imports into a real brand and real business, and it required an incredible amount of work and passion. Much more so than me sitting around on my computer 🙂

      Also, I am sure there are some electronics and especially clothing pieces out there that you can make money on, I just haven’t in the past so I can’t really vouch for them comfortably. I can tell you though, be extra extra careful with electronics, as people get burned in that niche much more than any other.

      Great idea on getting back into the game too, maybe I will record a live case study! I love talking with you man, every time we talk we build up some amazingly valuable content and ideas!

      Thanks a lot for everything Devan, talk to you later

    • Hey could u plz help me out with some suppliers for clothes n shoes? I am thinking of doing this business for a long time But I had no idea where to start..

  1295. I really enjoyed the article. What was your experience with getting the merchandise through customs? Were your orders always by air or did you dabble with larger container shipments?

    • Thanks a lot for reading Alex. I never had much trouble with customs (until they banned airsoft shipments temporarily). The supplier usually dealt with the customs when sending them out, and I only sold domestically after I got it. Any good factory/distributor is going to be going through customs enough to know how to get through smoothly. Even when I was doing the counterfeit goods, I never had an issue with customs (and then there was a real risk of big losses!). I think most Asian suppliers will be able to handle this with no issues for you.

      Back in the day I always ordered by air, and never wanted to deal with FOB sea shipments. Really though, it is not too difficult to import a container, you just hire a trucking company at the port to bring it to your warehouse or whatever. Nowadays I import via air and sea depending on the size of the order, and work with clients that ship full containers in regularly. Unloading and storing the product efficiently is usually the bigger problem at this point.

      Hope that helps!

      • So I actually took a step forward last night and found a decent product for a low price, did the comparison on amazon on ebay and found a good margin. When I contacted the company in China, they told me their FOB price was to their port and that I am responsible for paying for the shipping price – understandable. He quoted a fedex rate (~$360) from China to Louisiana (I’m in New Orleans) which added about $6 per piece, which still gains me a margine of about $15 a piece.

        Now my question. When using these express carriers, are their quotes typically adding in the customs tariffs? Or will there be another unexpected charge when they arrive in country?

        Thanks again!!

        -alex

        • Awesome to hear you are taking action Alex, seems like you are moving quick!

          Don’t forget to order some samples before you start buying in bulk. Just make sure they are sending via EMS, TNT, DHL, UPS, FedEx, etc to your house and you shouldnt have any issues. The samples will likely be sent the same way your future orders will be sent, so getting the sample is good to try that out as well.

          I haven’t really run into any additional fees when shipping, the supplier has almost always taken care of shipping flawlessly for me. I am sure there may be some exceptions, so I would ask your supplier before they ship. But really, I think you’ll be safe unless you’re importing something really strange, like food or plants or iron ore or something 🙂

          Keep me updated on your progress, and feel free to hit me up with anything I can do to help you!

          Will

          • I too decided to get the ball rolling…

            However I just think there’s more to this.

            Last week friend of mine, who is 16, had federal agents at his house because he bought 60 iPhone cases on alibaba and didn’t pay some sort of tax. I’m talking swat team.

            I think you just flew under the radar and based on the items you ordered they probably assumed the items were for your personal use.

            What do you think?

          • Hi Paul,

            Interesting situation, I’ve never heard of anything like that happening. Other than what I mentioned in the article, but that was due to intellectual property infringement.

            I don’t think I flew under the radar or anything, I’ve never heard of anybody getting into any tax issues. Even if you did, it would take quite a bit for the IRS to jump straight to that. Maybe there is more to the story?

          • Thinking about this a little deeper, I could see this happening if you imported something like food, plants, or something similar. With these you can run into regulatory issues, but I guess this has nothing to do with the IRS. Even so, you would get a letter and possibly interviewed (worst case would be a fine) – can’t imagine the IRS or a SWAT team for anything related with importing (other than the reasons I mentioned).

          • Hello, I have been looking to do this for a bit of cash but I’m under 18 so I’m not sure how to send/receive payments. I live in the UK so i don’t think that I can make a paypal account. Any help?

  1296. Hey awsome article! I have a few questions.

    1. How could you tell if a product is really selling on ebay? Is there a history somewhere or are you just using common sense?

    2. You suggest in the begging looking for suppliers who will sell only 5-10 products. It seems a lot of suppliers have very large minimums. Are we just looking for the gems? Or am I missing some sort of haggling thing?

    Again thank you for sharing your experience! I wish more people were like you.

    – Z

    • Hey Zak –

      1. I should add a picture in the blog post, but in eBay there is an option to only view completed listings. Then you can quickly go through and see which products are selling at what prices, and at what price they stop selling, as well as frequency.

      2. I answered this for somebody else on Reddit, so I am just going to paste that response here if it is alright –
      “The minimum order they list is generally not concrete, and is most of the time their average or desired order size. There is no way to know for sure without messaging the suppliers directly, which is why I go for 15-30 initially.

      In my experience, Chinese factories will go through many hoops to work with you on order sizes, unless they are a MASSIVE factory that only ships via sea. If they use normal air shipping at all, they shouldnt mind sending out even a single item via air (which is what they do with samples anyways).

      Again, with some items it will be different than other. For instance I looked into selling LED lighting that attaches to the sides of buildings, and the margins looked great, but the MOQ ended up being somewhere around $5,000 of lights due to the purpose of the item (to run down entire high rise buildings). I skipped over that one.

      Another option is AliExpress.com, Alibaba’s site for smaller orders. You will generally get better prices for the same amount on Alibaba if you are willing to put in the effort to communicate with suppliers, but AliExpress is always an option.”

      Thanks a lot for reading Zak, and let me know if there are any other questions you have!

      • hello Mr. Mitchell,
        i have found some of the suppliers in China and i am having a conversation with one of them and they are asking for a courier account like Fedex/UPS/TNT/DHL account. Please tell me that is it the safe way of making a payment to them or should i ask them for a paypal. Your help would be appreciable.
        Thanks N regards
        Ankit Verma

        • Well, I am glad to answer your question, express account is the way for freight in collect, and I believe they will not charge on the samples. It is always the best and most convenient way to send out samples for suppliers.

          • Will,

            was a very helpful article. Ive contacted some suppliers and recieved quotes for samples and shipment quantities. Im a little unsure how to negotiate ( eg how much lower i should counter offer by ).
            reading your comment am i right in interpreting that i can negotiate shipping costs on samples aswell, considering ive been quoted $25-$60 for mostly DHL.
            By the way im in Australia but not sure that should matter.

            Kind Regards Dan..

          • Hi Dan,

            I used to own a sandal factory in China about 12 years ago. Speaking as an ex-factory owner in China, there really isn’t much room to negotiate for price as they work on thin profit margin to begin with. You can find out the reasonable price by getting quotations from various suppliers and compare the prices and I bet you prices are pretty much the same. If the prices are very different, ask for samples to compare the quality because better quality deserves better price!

            My advice is don’t even try to negotiate price for your initiate trial order! Think about how much can you save for 10 pcs of goods? Very little! In fact, most factories will consider your trail order as samples anyway. You don’t really have any bargaining power to negotiate for price yet. You can negotiate for better price when you order more.

            As for shipping cost for samples, there is non negotiable as well. You can check the cost of shipping with DHL and just pay whatever the cost is. Factory will not subsidies your shipping cost.

            I hope it helps.

            Best regards,
            Terry

        • Usually they can ship with their own courier’s account or use your account. If they are asking for your account, it means they are going to have you pay the shipping directly to your courier. I don’t every supplier will accept Paypal, especially factory. As far as I know, most factories don’t accept factory at all. And Distributors who are offering with higher product price may accept Paypal for small orders.

      • I am not wanting to buy and resale! I’m just wanting to buy stuff for my children, what is the best way to go about doing it and how do I choose the right buyer without getting scammed?

    • I also found this to be a great article! I have been researching online now for import tips as I try to bring a product idea I have (currently just a picture in my head) into reality. I work full time right now but would love to start a business around my product idea on the side and eventually turn that into my main source of income.

      I’ve included a link in the comment that I found helpful and that shows you hit the nail on the head when you said that after narrowing down suppliers, the important thing to do is to judge how easy or difficult dealing with a supplier going forward will be by examining how good the supplier is about communicating with you in a clear and timely manner.

      I also read through the comments and noticed some talk about LLCs. On this point I had some expertise and wanted to add 2 points:

      – Depending on the state you live in LLC formation costs can vary widely. In some states it is as low as $150 in state filling fees to form a LLC, while in others (like California) the cost can be as high as $800 just in state filling fees

      – I would personally prioritize the formation of an LLC in relation to other start up expenses based on the liability risk of the product. If you are dealing with a product with higher liability risk (like toys for young children or something ingestible, e.g. a vitamin supplement) I would recommend creating an LLC before doing anything else. Even if in a potential lawsuit both you as the distributor and the manufacturer are named, chances are the plaintiff will work harder to go after you because you actually have assets in the country, whereas reaching the assets of a factory in China without any “nexus” in the U.S. would be very difficult.

      Hope my 2 cents adds some value!

      Best,

      Ed Richtin

      • Glad you liked the article Ed, and thanks a lot for the great advice!

        It’s definitely possible to get a product made in China, although it’s usually better to get your prototype done in America and then take it to China. China can duplicate existing products like you wouldn’t believe, but they aren’t very good at creating new products from even the most exact schematics.

        Couldn’t agree more on the LLC advice for others reading – some people get caught up on this for months!

        Thanks again,
        Will

        • Hi,
          I just start doing this with china.
          The problem is,
          How do we know the product is 100% Legit in the US.?
          And when you say they are good at replicated product,it’ means it’s a copy.
          Copy are counterfeit…
          So it’s become illegal..
          How do we deal with that to make it all legal?
          Thanks

          • If you buy copy from China, that’s illegal in US. So it’s up to you.
            As I know, people here in China, no matter Foreigners or Chinese, they are making copy business.

          • Hello Jessica, the answer is already in the post, you really need to re-read it if you already did it. But in general, If the product you are trying to buy is a well known brand name then the only place you can legally buy it from is the authorized stores for that specific product. Hope this helps, good luck!

        • Hi Will,

          I would be really interested in speaking with you regarding this is there a good email address to catch you on?

          Cheers

        • Hi I’ve just been reading your post and it’s really good I’ve just been scammed by a guy called bruce Stewart on alibaba and now I m finding it hard to trust any one on there do you no any one who could help me find bedding charatcer bedding and toys please and a big thanks for doing a sight like this

        • I really want to start an importation business in Nigeria, my problem is I don’t no were to buy goods from ad get a goods supplies from, I want to go in to usef clothes, high heels for ladys mem suite and shoes, girls and ladies summer wears, T-shirt for men and boys, boots and flat shoes for children and kids, I nt know were to start from my problem are(1)I need a good supplies of dis, (2) I don’t no how to pay if buyin (3) should I register with PayPal now (4) is China goods a good quality for me to start with(5) how am I going to no when my good s arived .thanks

      • Hello, I am starting a business and I have 1 final thing to do and it’s killing me- finding boxes to ship things in. 1. I would love to have a nicer box however it may not be necessary. So at this point I just need to figure out where to buy boxes at the best rate as the box and shipping are a make or break. Do you have feel like China or US or if anyone has suggestions it’s all I need and maybe I will write an article soon on my journey!

    • Hello. I have a question regarding customs.

      I will be ordering 5000 bottles of an herbal supplement, Ginseng, fish oil, etc. Will these pass customs and get into the usa? One of the Chinese suppliers said their shipments would not pass customs in the bottle but that loose gelcaps pills would. Then another one of the suppliers said that their shipment in the bottle would pass.

      Do different suppliers have different deals with customs? Or do supplements have to arrive is loose bulk as compared to already bottled and packaged?

      • Hey D, thanks for the comment. Wish I could help you with this one – but I’m not sure. I’ve never dealt with any consumables due to regulations and liability. I would suggest talking to your suppliers more and trying to figure out what is going on there. Good luck, and sorry I couldn’t help more!

        • Hi,
          How is the U.S. customs importing handled? Does the supplier fill out the forms etc. to enable products (wind chimes, coconut carvings, etc.) to be imported, or do I need a customs broker?

          Thanks!

          ~r

      • Hi,
        I would highly recommend that you only use USA suppliers for supplements. There are some very good ones out there. Just start doing the research and you’ll find them. Good Luck!

        • The type of supplement I want only grows in China and surrounding countries. Only other area that I know of is Greece, Macedonia…I would love to buy American but they do not carry Sea Buckthorn.

          Also, I have begun testing any type of supplement I get from over seas for accuracy.

          Anything I can buy at home I do.

      • I am not sure what type of herbal supplement you are referring to. If herbal supplement like energy or herbal drink, it will go through customs but not FDA for CFSAN regulations. If herbal supplement like nutritional herb, it will not go through customs if they are not NDC listed. You have to be extremely careful with product labeling as well. Also, you might have to confirm with suppliers that these products, especially fish oil, have any ingredients of animal origin. Shipments arriving in NY and Savannah are often held up because of this.
        The good thing is that customs do not care who is supplier for products like those (I assume you don’t import products like honey, garlic, etc). It does not matter whether supplements arrive in bulk or bottled. Hope it answers your questions.

    • Wow, this is what I have been looking for! I love business, especially international business. I have been struggling on how to start one and I couldn’t find any good information that fit me but man, this is it! I will take your advice and act now. I will refer anyone to your site if they need help on. Thanks a bunch!

      • Thanks a lot for the kind words Tim, I’m glad we could help! Awesome to hear you’re taking action on it – feel free to comment or email if you run into any roadblocks. Good luck!

      • Hi, Tim.
        Good to know you. I am from a western province in china and have been working in Guangzhou for 5years, 3020kms away. Just because I love international business. Please add my skype to see if we will have a cooperation opportunity.

          • Hi, Albaz, sorry to reply you this LATE. My skype is petergonbo as my name is. Thx

        • Thanks for the article.

          Can you please or anyone explain the whole DROP SHIPPING process? Please would appreciate it if someone explains it in details. And would give out an example on it. I live in Dubai so how this would workout ?

          • HI will,
            I really impressed of what you have written, I am very beginner with no idea in import and export. However, I am too interested to establish, but I don’t know how and from where I should start. Can you please advise me and provide me an idea? For your information I am living in Canada and would like to export Canadian product to US market, but I am not sure what product has good market in US and vice versa? Do you think is there any broker in this regard, if so would you provide me their name, email address and phone number,
            Thanks,
            Amir

          • Drop shipping (which I do for a living) is done by pre-labelling your inventory in the country of origin with domestic shipping labels at the point of delivery. Thereby bypassing another distribution and going direct to courier… It can be done electronically and saves you TONS of MONEY in both customs and extra shipping charges

          • Hello David! Thanks for your comment. I wanted to ask you, How do I do the per-labeling the inventory in the country of origin with domestic shipping labels at the point of delivery?? I really don’t understand what you mean by that in your comment. Thanks for your time and patience.

          • Hello, thank you for taking time to answer all the concerns. Great article! Now my question, I went to China to learn a little bit more about the business environment. I finished in YiWu, north of Shanghai. I found the articles I was looking for, BUT how do I process the shipment? Once I do the orders, do I have to find a truck that takes the merchandise to the shipping area? Then what? How do I find out the taxes in China? The documents I need from the shipping company? How about the insurance? How do they process the packaging info from the stores to the shipping? Do you know a logistic company that can help me with this? Thank you!! You may respond to my email.

          • Hi,Dee,though I am not sure if you still need answer ,i still say something ,there is four type of prices offered to you when you negotiated with factory ,EXW ,FOB,CIF ,you can google those find out what does mean .if you talk with factory or wholesaler ,they can find shipping agent to ship your purchase directly to your country .as for the payment ,choose paypal .

          • Hi david. Can you email me with more information about the shipping process. Im looking to streamline and save money in the shipping.and customes area of my business

          • If you were to drop ship then wouldn’t your customer have your shoulders information.

    • This is an amazing article!!! I have a couple questions though. I have been looking around on alibaba for a while. A couple weeks before I read this. My product is Damascus knives. How would you go about asking for lower price and drop shipping? Also, what are your suggestions with dropshipping on alibaba? Will most sellers do it for free? Thanks! GK

      • Haha, I actually imported Damascus knives and swords for a while when I was younger – good times 🙂

        You can’t really dropship from overseas, it needs to be domestic. The best thing I’ve seen is to get hooked up with a distributor or somebody closely affiliated with the factory, and go with them. It’s never free, but you can find factories out there that have great dropshipping programs built out.

        Hope this helps!

    • Will, amazing text.
      Liked to much, it makes me to get more enthusiastic on starting my trading business.

      Cherrs!
      Renato (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

    • When importing in bulk at first, and not doing drop ship, where u have to take care of shipping to customers yourself, do u have to pay import/custom taxes on these goods?

      • Yes, you need to pay the customs tax. But it is differ by Items Categories.

    • Probably this is one of the first articles that I ever read complete. Really enjoyed it. Though would like to get some more details on few things like
      a) Packaging/delivery
      b) How to do negotiations with Chinese.

    • First off, I’m obsessed with this article. I’ve been interested in the importing business for some time and you have blown all my other research out of the water! The only thing I’m still stuck on, which you probably hear a lot, is picking a product. It seems like everything is so saturated already. Any extra advice would be much appreciated!

    • Thank you for this article.

      I would like to use Alibaba to by products but I am not sure how the process works a far as the shipping is concern.

      Should I ask the supplier to send the goods directly to my address.

      Should I pick up the goods at the port? Do I pay freight at the port or to the supplier?

      In percentage how much more the freight cost than the goods?

      I don’t want to buy $200 worth of goods to end up paying $300 more on shipping.

      Thank you

      You experience is paying off.

      Sincerely,

      Noel Jaramillo

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