Importing from Hong Kong??

Nappy

Hey,
Am planning to import a product from Hong Kong and sell it to shops in ireland. Just wondering has anyone ever done this and how does it work, what would delivery costs be etc

Also I dont exactly run a business, the plan is to just buy in bulk for a low price and then sell it making a maximum profit I suppose. My main problem is I am unsure on how I would advertise this product to potential sellers in Ireland, shops etc Is there a website with a list of sellers/shops or do I have to contact them all individually and also what would be the best way to initiate this. I have little or no experience in this field and would appreciate any help

Cheers..

YellowSheep

Hi Nappy
Would be an idea to let us know what are you planning to import. I imported a couple of containers of food stuff last year. There is duty on some items so you need to check with Revenue. Also the quantities are imported as a 40 foot container can cost a couple of grant shipping. Also if you dont have CoFas which is a credit import insurances you might have to pay 50% on order and 50% on shipping.
You really want to know what you are doing. So do your homework first and put all the ducks in the row. Good Luck. Let me know if you need any more "advise". Cheers Oliver

delllat

Nappy wrote: »

Hey,
Am planning to import a product from Hong Kong and sell it to shops in ireland. Just wondering has anyone ever done this and how does it work, what would delivery costs be etc

Also I dont exactly run a business, the plan is to just buy in bulk for a low price and then sell it making a maximum profit I suppose. My main problem is I am unsure on how I would advertise this product to potential sellers in Ireland, shops etc Is there a website with a list of sellers/shops or do I have to contact them all individually and also what would be the best way to initiate this. I have little or no experience in this field and would appreciate any help

Cheers..

quality control is a pain in the balls

the samples are always great but when u order large the quality slides rapidly........

niceirishfella

delllat wrote: »

quality control is a pain in the balls

the samples are always great but when u order large the quality slides rapidly........

+1 X 1000

sm.org

delllat wrote: »

quality control is a pain in the balls

the samples are always great but when u order large the quality slides rapidly........

I couldn't agree with you more. First contact with Chinese wholesalers is always great, samples on time and in perfect working order but bulk orders can be a nightmare. They often work on such low margins that they will put more then a few "off" products into the order as the cost of replacing them would cripple them. I've also found that the manufacturer will change details if they are cheaper without even informing you.

This is just my personal experience I'm sure there are plenty on here who will sing the praises of buying bulk from Asia.

niceirishfella

Yep, i have a pal who has a nut and bolt co here in Ireland, and makes sure his company has a presence out there in China all year round, to keep QC in place.
He rotates staff - 1 person spends 2 months out there, then another, then another, etc etc.....
There's no other way.

Bandara

niceirishfella wrote: »

Yep, i have a pal who has a nut and bolt co here in Ireland, and makes sure his company has a presence out there in China all year round, to keep QC in place.
He rotates staff - 1 person spends 2 months out there, then another, then another, etc etc.....
There's no other way.

spot on.

Friend of mine imports containers on a regular basis, he has a chinese guy employed in hong kong who travels to be back end of nowhere to source the best deals, supervises the shipments and checks the quality of the goods before they are packed onto the container.

Doesn't cost him that much in comparison to the hassle shoddy goods / incorrect goods cause.

Might be worth lookign into if your intending to do it large scale.

MrMatisse

Check out alibaba.com for a list of manufacturers/wholesalers ( just before you settle on the supplier you have chosen), plus you can use their alipay system to pay the supplier, some accept paypal also but not many. A good place to dip your toe in the water as there is a good few operators who deal in small quantities.

You will also get some comfort that the company actually exits as they check some of them out (if they have paid for it there known as gold suppliers).Good place to start if your not planning on visiting China and going to the Guandong commodities fair etc, have never been to China and dont speak Madarin/Cantonese.

Buying from Hong Kong will be more expensive then buying from the mainland as 99% of the operators in Hong Kong are agents for mainland manufacturers who add on their margin and are just as happy to sell crap to a foreigner as anyone else.

Maybe dont buy any electronics as you might get burned (literally !)

In Ireland apart from attending a trade fair you would have to contact each shop individually, very time consuming and large operators wont buy of a one man band operation who cant vouch for the safety of its goods. If your set on selling to shops you might consider selling direct to consumers first ( gain experience) plus it gets your name out there and allows you find out if there is a demand for your product before you import large amounts which would be required by retailers. (market stall maybe? 50 quid for a pitch)

In terms of shipping be careful, dont let the wholesaler look after it, they will package your stuff in newspapers, if buying from hong kong you should be able to get a reputable international logistics firm who are not connected to your supplier to deliver to you.

Dont forget to add on customs etc to the cost of the goods, your goods may be stopped at point of entry, although if its in a container it may not be! Revenue.ie the place to start

Best of Luck!

RUDOLF289

Hello Nappy,

I have been in the international forwarding / global transportation field for the last 30 years. I can assist you with ;

1) Transportation from any location in the Far East, Europe, USA. Be it full containers
(20'/40' ctrs) or less than container loads (LCL, aka Groupage)
2) Customs Clearance / Tariff Classification / Duty Calculation / Trade Regulations

Realise this is already some time ago that your thread was posted, but let me know if I can be of any assistance

Regards,
Rudolf289

lecheile

There is a similar discussion going in in Divine inspiration from China thread - some good stuff there http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055523498

RUDOLF289

Hello lecheile,

Thanks for the tip, I am actually involved in that thread aswell.

Regards,
Rudolf289