Doing business / importing from China...

ChinaImports

Afternoon all,
My business involves selling/supplying electronic items, kids toys, branded shopping bags (paper & plastic) to name but a few items.

What I'd like to know is, does anyone have direct experiences of importing and/or buying directly from China? I'm planning on going out there [Shanghai] on a research mission in early April.

Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated. Is Shanghai a good place to start?

Thanks
Andy

RedLemon

ChinaImports wrote: »

Afternoon all,
My business involves selling/supplying electronic items, kids toys, branded shopping bags (paper & plastic) to name but a few items.

What I'd like to know is, does anyone have direct experiences of importing and/or buying directly from China? I'm planning on going out there [Shanghai] on a research mission in early April.

Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated. Is Shanghai a good place to start?

Thanks
Andy

it's a bit expensive in Shanghai,
The best place is called, YiWu City, very close to Shanghai,
Or you can go to GuangZhou, (known as Canton City ),

davros

In the 1990s I attended the China Export Commodities Trade Fair in Guangzhou a few times.

It was the biggest trade fair in China at the time and every item produced in China, from plastic slippers to tractors, was there. It was absolutely enormous.

I assume that the above is all still true and that the fair is still held twice a year, in April and October (the name seems a little different now though). The website is http://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en/index.asp.

ChinaImports

Thanks for the responses. I'll add a posting here on my return.

niceirishfella

davros wrote: »

In the 1990s I attended the China Export Commodities Trade Fair in Guangzhou a few times.

It was the biggest trade fair in China at the time and every item produced in China, from plastic slippers to tractors, was there. It was absolutely enormous.

I assume that the above is all still true and that the fair is still held twice a year, in April and October (the name seems a little different now though). The website is http://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en/index.asp.

yes, try and get to the canton fair - amazing variety of stuff to be considered there.

I have as part of my previous business activites imported good from china - and visited Shanghai - if you want more to know about it - just Pm me - !:)

Merrion

ChinaImports wrote: »

Is Shanghai a good place to start?

Thanks
Andy

Not really - Shenzen and the surrounding area is where manufacturing (especially light manufacturing) goes on. Shanghai is more the financial heart of China.

Merrion

Incidentally - I'm in China at the moment on holidays and noticed that there are really good electric mopeds everywhere - possible import to Ireland?

niceirishfella

Merrion wrote: »

Incidentally - I'm in China at the moment on holidays and noticed that there are really good electric mopeds everywhere - possible import to Ireland?

sure, everything is importable if it suits the irish marketplace but consider this on such a item -

parts,servicing,warranty,dealer network, gov regulation on these if they exist, CE certification etc etc

Galway 1

CHECK THIS WEB SITE OUT <snip> THEY HELP IRISH COMAPANIES SOURCE PRODUCTS FROM CHINA ,SET UP OFFICES & FACTORIES IN CHINA AND LOADS OF OTHER SERVICES THEY ARE A VERY PROFESSIONAL AND HELPFUL COMPANY

pprendeville

Hi there,

I'm traveliing to China shortly and plan on going to the Canton fair. I did a search on boards and came across a post you'd replied to. Just looking for info regarding the Canton Fair as I intend on going to it during the trip to see if I can find a find suppliers and also just to experience it as I've heard it's massive.

Just a few quick questions:

· What's entry fee?
· Do I need to book in advance?
· Do you know of places to stay (I've spent a year in Northern China and am married to a girl from there but am unfamiliar with Southern China as is she)
· What to expect at the fair (I'm a mechancial engineer and am specifically interested in machine suppliers - would there be a fair few of these. Have looked at the website and there's so much content it's a bit difficult to sive through)
Cheers,

Phil.

safesecure.ie

Its Free into the fair, you just need to register and show that you are a business / company. But you do need to book in advance as far as I can remember.

I Stayed in Chime Long hotel when I was there, nice hotel and had a shuttle bus to the fair every day, only about 20 minutes on the bus. Nice hotel on a safari park kinda area and also had pool / waterpark etc etc.

There is 3 stages to the fair, each 4 days I think, check which stage best suits what you are looking for.

I went to the first one, you really will have your work cut out for you to get around a stage in the 4 days, the amount of stalls is immense!

best of Lcuk with it.

pprendeville

do you have to own the business or just be an employee? how do you prove you work for them?

safesecure.ie

Sorry, just meant you had to prove you are there on business purposes and not just some joe bloggs off the street coming in for a noisy.

All you really need is a business card with your name on it.

pprendeville

I see the Chime Long Hotel is one of the hotels listed on the Canton Fair website where one can get an IC Card (Entry Badge). Did you book online or did you just get one while you were there?

can't seem to find how to register online.

safesecure.ie

You need to register your interest online, you should be able to do it from the CantonFair official site.

They then send you an e-invite, which I think you may need to get your visa.

In the ChimeLong Hotel you just give them your Business Card, Passport photo and Invite and they make your access card you require to enter the fair.

The queue's at the fair for the access cards were huge!! So I would definately recommend you pick a hotel with this facility!

If you havent booked flights yet, I'd recommend going Hong Kong and then to Guangzhou via Ferry.

I've been checking flights and its definately the cheapest option at the minute - some great value deals from London to Hongkong!

Last year I went via Shanghai as I went to a tradefair there first, it was only 100euro for the internal flight, and that was 1st Class (Not somthing I get to experience often unfortunately )

pprendeville

safesecure.ie wrote: »

You need to register your interest online, you should be able to do it from the CantonFair official site.

They then send you an e-invite, which I think you may need to get your visa.

In the ChimeLong Hotel you just give them your Business Card, Passport photo and Invite and they make your access card you require to enter the fair.

The queue's at the fair for the access cards were huge!! So I would definately recommend you pick a hotel with this facility!

If you havent booked flights yet, I'd recommend going Hong Kong and then to Guangzhou via Ferry.

I've been checking flights and its definately the cheapest option at the minute - some great value deals from London to Hongkong!

Last year I went via Shanghai as I went to a tradefair there first, it was only 100euro for the internal flight, and that was 1st Class (Not somthing I get to experience often unfortunately )

I registered online anyway and it said I’d hear from someone in 3 working days. I’m already travelling to china to visit my wife’s family who are Chinese so that part is taken care of in terms of visas.
I’ll have to make up a business card so before going or get one done up in China which should be no biggie. I think I will go with the ChimeLong alright. Looks pretty exclusive and has some theme parks as well. Did you go to any of these? Are they expensive. We’re going to make a honeymoon out of this trip to be honest and mix a bit of business as well as we’ve never had the time to go on one when we got married.
We’re planning on going to Qingdao first, followed by a flight to Guangzhou. Stay there for 3-4 days and then go to Hong Kong. Ever been? Do Irish need visas for there if you already have a visa for China?
Never been first class myself so might check it out. Cheers. Will let you know how things go.
PS: What to expect at the fair. I’m a mechanical engineer. Currently out of work. Looking to source potential suppliers of automated machinery/manufacturers for when I get back in the game.

safesecure.ie

Sorry to OP if this is hijacking your thread!!

Chimelong is a nice hotel, good pool and the food was good, however, I found it quite expensive, was over 5euro for a beer, but I suppose all Hotels hike their prices for the CantonFair.
The middle of the hotel has glass enclosures, so when eating your breakfast you’re literally inches away from white tigers looking in the window at you, it’s a bit surreal!
We went to the Theme Park which was pretty inexpensive and was good fun, also went to the circus, acrobatics were amazing but wasn’t too fond of the animal shows, definition of animal cruelty!!
Stayed in Langham Place Mongkok in HongKong, it got really good reviews on trip advisor so that’s why decided there. Fairly central and was nicest hotel we stayed in over the course of the trip.
Didn’t get to see half as much as I wanted to, the whole trip (Shanghai – Guangzhou – Hongkong) was only 12 days, so I was under some time constraints!!
We didn’t need a Visa for HongKong, as far as I can recall as long as you have an Irish Passport you don’t require one as long as you are there on tourist purposes.
Definitely get the cable car to the Buda Statue – some unreal views but can be a bit nerve wrecking if you don’t like heights!!
What to expect from the fair – its really whatever you make of it. I went with an open mind and come from both a Security and Pharmaceutical background so made alot of contacts over there. They have everything from Face Cloths to Fire Engines – so you will definitely find something of interest.
With regard to collecting literature from each stand, we posted home our literature from the hotel as it would have cost a fortune to carry on board, it was 250 euro to send it home via DHL in the hotel. I taught I was being smart and sent home some of my clothes as I was going shopping in HK. Irish Customs then charged me Vat and Duty on my dirty clothes!!! How they calculated it was beyond me!!
Alot of the stalls sell off their samples on the last day as they don’t seem to want to have to pack them up, loads of good deals to be got on little gadgets and the likes.
Make sure you bring a pair of comfortable shoes as its tough work getting around it in the 4 days.