Anyone have experience importing from China?

[IA_Chiefs_fan]

If any of you can advise me as to how I can get set up to legally import, I would appreciate the help.

[Iowanian]

chitown

[CrazyPhuD]

Only mail order brides.

[BWillie]

Me and Dwayne Bowe import chinks all the time. What do you need to know? Personally, avoid the ones that know Kung Fu.

[CrazyPhuD]

But seriously you better have the right connections, I know people who do this and it's ALWAYS the old boys network.

[Crush]

Me and Dwayne Bowe import chinks all the time. What do you need to know? Personally, avoid the ones that know Kung Fu.

This

Sometimes they will just fuck with you and send a Kung Fu trained monkey.

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[loochy]

Talk to Art Vandelay. He is an importer-exporter from New York.

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/12/01/JTGEORGE_big.jpg

[doomy3]

What are you importing? Depending on what it is, it is usually pretty easy. You'll have to pay customs fees, but if this is something that you are going to be doing regularly, you can set up an account with UPS International and ask for incentives. They will broker the customs fees on the front side for you so you won't have to pay them on delivery. Or, if it is smaller items, then you can just pay those fees upon delivery. If it is smaller items, you should just have them shipped to you in smaller loads via USPS Priority or something like that as customs fees will be much smaller that way.

[IA_Chiefs_fan]

What are you importing? Depending on what it is, it is usually pretty easy. You'll have to pay customs fees, but if this is something that you are going to be doing regularly, you can set up an account with UPS International and ask for incentives. They will broker the customs fees on the front side for you so you won't have to pay them on delivery. Or, if it is smaller items, then you can just pay those fees upon delivery. If it is smaller items, you should just have them shipped to you in smaller loads via USPS Priority or something like that as customs fees will be much smaller that way.

Automotive accessories and I'll probably order 50-100 at a time. They will be decent sized so lots of small packages probably won't work. I've been told it is well worth the 15-20% broker fees to have an expert handle things for you. Any comment on that? Thanks for the info!

[doomy3]

Automotive accessories and I'll probably order 50-100 at a time. They will be decent sized so lots of small packages probably won't work. I've been told it is well worth the 15-20% broker fees to have an expert handle things for you. Any comment on that? Thanks for the info!

Yeah, it really is. Call UPS and tell them you want to set up a business account and set up incentives. They will connect you to a broker in your area who handles setting this up. Incentives will shave a percent off your shipping cost depending on the amount of your monthly shipping. The more you ship, the higher the percent is that they shave off. But they'll broker all of the customs fees and such. The UPS International Shipping for businesses is called UPS Supply Chain Solutions.

OR, I could have my freight broker give you a shout and he could get you lined up with several different quotes for what you're looking for. That may be the easiest way. Shoot me a PM with your contact info and details on what and how much and frequency that you'll be importing from China.

[Reaper16]

Wal-Mart.

[Bugeater]

Great, just what we need, more Chinese made garbage in our country.

[Fat Elvis]

Any info on how this would work with software? I have a company in China that I am working with on software development; they have a pretty nifty software package that we are rebranding and repurposing.

[pr_capone]

Whatever you do, don't cross the Triads.

[ChiTown]

Automotive accessories and I'll probably order 50-100 at a time. They will be decent sized so lots of small packages probably won't work. I've been told it is well worth the 15-20% broker fees to have an expert handle things for you. Any comment on that? Thanks for the info!



Honestly, if I were you, I'd work with someone who can get these parts into the US (into a Free Trade Zone - Duty Free), and buy it FOB at a warehouse. In other words, you won't own it until it hits your truck for shipment. If there are problems with shipping, or customs, or duties, etc - it's on someone else, not you. You will sleep better at night and be money ahead. Could you make more the other way? Sure. However, you could also lose everything as well.

[IA_Chiefs_fan]

Honestly, if I were you, I'd work with someone who can get these parts into the US (into a Free Trade Zone - Duty Free), and buy it FOB at a warehouse. In other words, you won't own it until it hits your truck for shipment. If there are problems with shipping, or customs, or duties, etc - it's on someone else, not you. You will sleep better at night and be money ahead. Could you make more the other way? Sure. However, you could also lose everything as well.

I'll certainly keep that in mind. Thank you!

[ChiTown]

I'll certainly keep that in mind. Thank you!

In case you haven't checked in to this, check this out. It's information on costs of putting L/C's in place. Most likely, you'll have to do an Irrevocable L/C:

http://www.creditmanagementworld.com/letterofcredit/lcinternationallocfees.html