Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.

[Niptuck MD]

@Walter Hay do you have suggestions on shipping companies to get from india to usa? for example how to go about negotiating with the shipbroker or agent regarding containers (if i buy my own used ship container) is that a better option?

 

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[JayTGold]

I wouldn't see refusal to accept PayPal as a red flag. Many genuine manufacturers won't use it.

You might need to offer to pay the escrow.com fees. Chinese businesses are generally not familiar with escrow.com, so you might need to give them some information about their history, structure, affiliations, and relevant government regulations that cover them.

They should be willing to accept a Letter of Credit. That is very safe, provided the documents they provide are genuine.

Walter

Hello Walter!

Great thread and awesome information. Just bought your book today actually!

Now, Ive been starting my search of suppliers in china for a product Im looking to import.

Ive narrowed it down to 2 suppliers, however was wondering if you had the time for me to send you the links to give them the once over and see what you think of them as far as being reputable?

I dont want to rush into this as i dont want to be scammed out of my initial investment.

Thanks!

 

[Walter Hay]

@Walter Hay do you have suggestions on shipping companies to get from india to usa? for example how to go about negotiating with the shipbroker or agent regarding containers (if i buy my own used ship container) is that a better option?

Buying your own container not only presents logistical problems but also added cost. I would not recommend it.

Rather than dealing direct with a ship owner, I suggest you get quotes from local (Indian) freight forwarders, or alternatively, freight forwarders located near the US destination port.

Asking for quotes from several forwarders will possibly get a better price for you than trying to bargain with just one.

Walter

 

[Walter Hay]

Hello Walter!

Great thread and awesome information. Just bought your book today actually!

Now, Ive been starting my search of suppliers in china for a product Im looking to import.

Ive narrowed it down to 2 suppliers, however was wondering if you had the time for me to send you the links to give them the once over and see what you think of them as far as being reputable?

I dont want to rush into this as i dont want to be scammed out of my initial investment.

Thanks!

If you have allowed your name and contact details to be kept for updates when you bought my book, you should receive within a few days an extensive update on Alibaba. This update includes my recommendations on how to check the trustworthiness of suppliers.

Rather than risk delay, I will send it to you now via PM. It's hot off the press.

Walter

 

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[Late Start]

Walter, I've had a lot of success with my initial imported product, but that success hit a temporary snag last week that has me re-evaluating my methods completely. Back in the spring I found the product I was looking for from a sole supplier on Alibaba, got samples from them, and was off to the races. The product took off huge, and my second order was once again excellent, but then a week and a half ago I received my third shipment, and learned the hard way that I need to have my shipments professionally inspected instead of me just physically checking the product before shipping to Amazon. I learned from a couple of customers that my latest shipment had a strong chemical smell. As this is a baby feeding product, I checked the small supply I had kept on hand, verified it did indeed have a smell, and immediately pulled all inventory from Amazon and notified any customers potentially affected via e-mail.

Thankfully I caught it early enough that I believe less than 50 got out to customers, likely significantly less than that, but needless to say it's been an expensive mess. My agent (who I now believe does not work for an actual manufacturer, but is merely a sourcing agent) said that the shipment must not have been cured for two hours at 225 degrees, which is required for my (silicone) product. Some testing at home lends credence to his theory. I quickly placed a replacement order for 2100 units at a very measly discount and arranged for inspection through Topwin. After talking with Samson at Topwin, he says they have found more and more that agents will switch factories after one or two orders to cut costs and increase their own profits. This would definitely explain the massive oversight on the last shipment.

If that is the case, there's no real way to know if the CSPIA lab report he sent me (that I have verified as legitimate) will actually apply to future orders, is there? If he is indeed using multiple factories, what are the odds that each factory uses the exact same materials?

The plot has thickened again of late, as his company's Alibaba listing is gone. There are now several companies on there offering the same products (his was originally the only one), but his is gone. I'm planning to have Intertek in Illinois certify the incoming shipment (assuming I get it - they've bumped the inspection twice now - first from the 26th to the 28th, and then to the 29th), but how likely is my agent to honor using the same factory from now on if I specify that in the contract?

Your thoughts on the whole fiasco would be greatly appreciated it. I've got meetings this week with a couple of potential domestic manufacturers. I realize tooling will require a sizable investment, but after the last two weeks, I'm willing to find the capital. Selling baby products, and as a father myself, having absolute trust in every stage of the process is critical, and I'm sure prospective liability insurers I am contacting will agree. I'm grateful for my quick success, but it coming so unexpectedly rapidly has me learning a lot of things the hard way.

BTW, I just purchased the book - seemed like the least I could do given the value you've provided on here.

 

[Walter Hay]

Walter, I've had a lot of success with my initial imported product, but that success hit a temporary snag last week that has me re-evaluating my methods completely. Back in the spring I found the product I was looking for from a sole supplier on Alibaba, got samples from them, and was off to the races. The product took off huge, and my second order was once again excellent, but then a week and a half ago I received my third shipment, and learned the hard way that I need to have my shipments professionally inspected instead of me just physically checking the product before shipping to Amazon. I learned from a couple of customers that my latest shipment had a strong chemical smell. As this is a baby feeding product, I checked the small supply I had kept on hand, verified it did indeed have a smell, and immediately pulled all inventory from Amazon and notified any customers potentially affected via e-mail.

Thankfully I caught it early enough that I believe less than 50 got out to customers, likely significantly less than that, but needless to say it's been an expensive mess. My agent (who I now believe does not work for an actual manufacturer, but is merely a sourcing agent) said that the shipment must not have been cured for two hours at 225 degrees, which is required for my (silicone) product. Some testing at home lends credence to his theory. I quickly placed a replacement order for 2100 units at a very measly discount and arranged for inspection through Topwin. After talking with Samson at Topwin, he says they have found more and more that agents will switch factories after one or two orders to cut costs and increase their own profits. This would definitely explain the massive oversight on the last shipment.

If that is the case, there's no real way to know if the CSPIA lab report he sent me (that I have verified as legitimate) will actually apply to future orders, is there? If he is indeed using multiple factories, what are the odds that each factory uses the exact same materials?

The plot has thickened again of late, as his company's Alibaba listing is gone. There are now several companies on there offering the same products (his was originally the only one), but his is gone. I'm planning to have Intertek in Illinois certify the incoming shipment (assuming I get it - they've bumped the inspection twice now - first from the 26th to the 28th, and then to the 29th), but how likely is my agent to honor using the same factory from now on if I specify that in the contract?

Your thoughts on the whole fiasco would be greatly appreciated it. I've got meetings this week with a couple of potential domestic manufacturers. I realize tooling will require a sizable investment, but after the last two weeks, I'm willing to find the capital. Selling baby products, and as a father myself, having absolute trust in every stage of the process is critical, and I'm sure prospective liability insurers I am contacting will agree. I'm grateful for my quick success, but it coming so unexpectedly rapidly has me learning a lot of things the hard way.

The lab report would be suspect at this stage. Incompletely cured silicones often have a strong acetic acid odor (like vinegar), or a ketone odor (like nail varnish), and that should be detected in a quality inspection if the inspection company knows to look for it.

BTW, I just purchased the book - seemed like the least I could do given the value you've provided on here.

Hi Late Start, I'm very sorry that you have encountered this problem. It is actually quite a common occurrence when a trader convinces someone that he is the manufacturer. Traders will often shop around when the product is generic and if they can find a better price from a different manufacturer, they will change without telling you.

I don't now Topwin Inspection Service, so I looked them up and got a warning notice from McAfee, so I dropped it there. Topwin might be OK, and maybe their site has been hacked, but I would prefer to use one of the big European inspection services.

Regardless of what you specify in your order, the agent having done this once will almost certainly lie to you and say he is using the same factory as for the original order. Most silicone molders will use the same raw materials, but if they come from different chemical manufacturers they could have different odors.

If you haven't yet paid for the latest order, I would hold off for now. There are two things you could do:
1. If the agent is still in business, insist on a total replacement for the faulty items. You can possibly offer a sweetener by conceding that you will pay freight.
2. Find some local business that has an oven where you can bake the products at 225 degrees. It will cost you, but could minimize your loss.

Then you should set out to find a genuine manufacturer. My book will help you in doing that. You should contact my support team and ask them for the Alibaba Update September 2016. That, in addition to the big section in my book on the subject of Assessing Suppliers will help you know how to check out suppliers. You should be able to find the factory that made your first order.

The big consolation is that you have found a good selling product. If you need more help let me know.

Walter

 

[Paul Thomas]

Hi Walter - I'm interested in potentially using China/Asia for the manufacturing of a product I'm developing. The first step would be to get price quotes on both a mold (if needed) and per units costs. I want to ensure that they don't just take the idea and pass it off as there own, and want to ensure that I'm going about it the correct way. Also want to ensure I'm communicating well enough to scale as smoothly as possible with no import experience if it ends up successful. I want to also explore USA manufacturing.

Can your book help me with this, or is moreso suited to private label and minor changes to products?

Thanks for all the value you've provided here!!

 

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[Walter Hay]

Hi Walter - I'm interested in potentially using China/Asia for the manufacturing of a product I'm developing. The first step would be to get price quotes on both a mold (if needed) and per units costs. I want to ensure that they don't just take the idea and pass it off as there own, and want to ensure that I'm going about it the correct way. Also want to ensure I'm communicating well enough to scale as smoothly as possible with no import experience if it ends up successful. I want to also explore USA manufacturing.

Can your book help me with this, or is moreso suited to private label and minor changes to products?

Thanks for all the value you've provided here!!

My book only has a little over 1 page dealing with this matter, and doesn't go into detail about protection of IP rights. I do explain the need to engage a lawyer with experience in international IP, but there is always a risk that your product will be copied regardless.

It is common for new designs submitted by buyers to appear on the market before the originator of the design even gets a prototype.

If you intend proceeding I believe you would find my book valuable in relation to the entire process of locating trustworthy, genuine manufacturers, and being sure you cover all the bases.

In your situation I would probably look for a manufacturer in the US first, but even then it is not always smooth sailing. I know of some US manufacturers who are having the bulk of their products made in China, but they continue to produce one or two products in the US so that they can call themselves manufacturers. If the company you contact turns out to be in that category, your IP will be at risk unless they have parts manufactured in different Chinese factories and do the assembly in the US.

That is something you might be able to organize yourself, by using more than one manufacturer with none of them knowing the total design, and you arrange local assembly.

It is also worth remembering that any new product on the market, wherever it is manufactured, is likely to be copied. Your best chance of success is to have the product made and hit the market, developing a good reputation for your product before copy cats start to undercut your prices. There are plenty of successful brands that withstand el-cheapo competition because they have established a good name for the product and the brand.

Walter

 

[Late Start]

Hi Late Start, I'm very sorry that you have encountered this problem. It is actually quite a common occurrence when a trader convinces someone that he is the manufacturer. Traders will often shop around when the product is generic and if they can find a better price from a different manufacturer, they will change without telling you.

I don't now Topwin Inspection Service, so I looked them up and got a warning notice from McAfee, so I dropped it there. Topwin might be OK, and maybe their site has been hacked, but I would prefer to use one of the big European inspection services.

Regardless of what you specify in your order, the agent having done this once will almost certainly lie to you and say he is using the same factory as for the original order. Most silicone molders will use the same raw materials, but if they come from different chemical manufacturers they could have different odors.

If you haven't yet paid for the latest order, I would hold off for now. There are two things you could do:
1. If the agent is still in business, insist on a total replacement for the faulty items. You can possibly offer a sweetener by conceding that you will pay freight.
2. Find some local business that has an oven where you can bake the products at 225 degrees. It will cost you, but could minimize your loss.

Then you should set out to find a genuine manufacturer. My book will help you in doing that. You should contact my support team and ask them for the Alibaba Update September 2016. That, in addition to the big section in my book on the subject of Assessing Suppliers will help you know how to check out suppliers. You should be able to find the factory that made your first order.

The big consolation is that you have found a good selling product. If you need more help let me know.

Walter

To be fair, he never told me he was with the manufacturer, I simply made the assumption being a complete neophyte. For all I know, he is.
The good news is that nearby Pittsburg State University has a school of technology with and extensive plastics program, and they have volunteered their services in getting the product cured for the best price possible - free.

I spoke with my agent over Skype last night, and the reason their Alibaba listing in inactive is due to the fact that it has been suspended for two weeks by Alibaba. It should return October 1st. I unfortunately already paid for the next order at a very minimal discount, as it was more imperative to get back in stock than any other considerations. I chalk it up to an expensive lesson learned. I've got a patent attorney investigating the product, and if it looks like the product doesn't run the risk of infringement, I'm actively in discussions with a nearby, family owned firm to manufacture with them. I know tooling will be very pricey, but from the profit potential of a custom designed, made in the US version of this product, I should be able to recoup the cost fairly quickly.

Topwin came recommended from a fellow seller who is their customer. They're currently delousing their website.

 

[Walter Hay]

To be fair, he never told me he was with the manufacturer, I simply made the assumption being a complete neophyte. For all I know, he is.
The good news is that nearby Pittsburg State University has a school of technology with and extensive plastics program, and they have volunteered their services in getting the product cured for the best price possible - free.

I spoke with my agent over Skype last night, and the reason their Alibaba listing in inactive is due to the fact that it has been suspended for two weeks by Alibaba. It should return October 1st. I unfortunately already paid for the next order at a very minimal discount, as it was more imperative to get back in stock than any other considerations. I chalk it up to an expensive lesson learned. I've got a patent attorney investigating the product, and if it looks like the product doesn't run the risk of infringement, I'm actively in discussions with a nearby, family owned firm to manufacture with them. I know tooling will be very pricey, but from the profit potential of a custom designed, made in the US version of this product, I should be able to recoup the cost fairly quickly.

Topwin came recommended from a fellow seller who is their customer. They're currently delousing their website.

That's great news. Good old Pittsburg State U. I like their price.

Your assumption is understandable. Almost all suppliers present themselves in a way that at least suggests that they are manufacturers, even if they don't make that claim. If you can have your product made locally at a cost effective price that would be a good move. It might be worth pricing the mold in China, but buying it there could put your local manufacturer's nose out of joint, so keep that in mind.

Walter

 

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[Money Talks]

Hi Walter,

I’m new to the importing business and I bumped into this thread while looking for information. I just joined the forum because of your thread! I’m only half way reading it and I’m already overwhelmed by the extraordinary amount of valuable information you are providing here. I’d like to express my gratitude for your generosity and involvement.

 

[petkovic]

Dear Walter,

first of all, I am floored by your display of selessness! This is the most hands-on, practical advice I have found on this great forum. Thank you so much. I was looking at different business models for a while and was hooked to importing by @Vigilante's thread, now I have finished yours.

In the meantime, I have
1. stopped reading material about mindset
2. purchased your excellent book and finished 75% of it
3. identified 3 products with good to great potential
4. Contacted ~15 suppliers (with varying results)
5. started a progress thread (see https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...g-business-for-germany-and-possibly-eu.70337/)

For one particular product, I received no reply from anyone. For the others, responses started trickling in after 1 to 4 days. I use the message templates you provide in your book with small modifications, where necessary. There was one thing I ran into with every reply I got: I use the alternative sourcing sites you suggest so mostly the price is not quoted on that site.

When I contact them I ask for a catalog and price list and virtually always receive a catalog without prices. What is the most professional way to inquire about the price? Do I just simply ask them for the price or do I have to ask for a quotation based on an order quantity?

What I did now was that I asked for some technical details about the product and also the price but I felt I might be moving too fast. This was quite recent, so I have not had any responses yet.

Would be glad to know your take on it!
Michael

 

[Money Talks]

I just finished reading the whole thread. It includes so much useful information that I decided to print it to pdf so it is easier to read and look up. Those interested can download the pdf here: http://www.mediafire.com/file/l1ynj...xport_import._Product_sourcing_specialist.pdf

Thank you Walter for your continued support.

 

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[Walter Hay]

Dear Walter,

first of all, I am floored by your display of selessness! This is the most hands-on, practical advice I have found on this great forum. Thank you so much. I was looking at different business models for a while and was hooked to importing by @Vigilante's thread, now I have finished yours.

In the meantime, I have
1. stopped reading material about mindset
2. purchased your excellent book and finished 75% of it
3. identified 3 products with good to great potential
4. Contacted ~15 suppliers (with varying results)
5. started a progress thread (see https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...g-business-for-germany-and-possibly-eu.70337/)

For one particular product, I received no reply from anyone. For the others, responses started trickling in after 1 to 4 days. I use the message templates you provide in your book with small modifications, where necessary. There was one thing I ran into with every reply I got: I use the alternative sourcing sites you suggest so mostly the price is not quoted on that site.

When I contact them I ask for a catalog and price list and virtually always receive a catalog without prices. What is the most professional way to inquire about the price? Do I just simply ask them for the price or do I have to ask for a quotation based on an order quantity?

What I did now was that I asked for some technical details about the product and also the price but I felt I might be moving too fast. This was quite recent, so I have not had any responses yet.

Would be glad to know your take on it!
Michael

Hi Michael, It's great to see you making progress already.

In relation to prices not being quoted on the B2B sites, at least that is as honest as the prices quoted on sites such as Alibaba, where the prices quoted there often bear no relationship to what you will finish up paying.

Only in some industries such as promotional products is it standard practice to publish price lists. The request for prices with catalog is rarely answered, so as you have found, you are left with the need to ask directly in relation to the specific products of interest to you. It is acceptable to ask for a price for a range of quantities, but I still advise against asking what is their MOQ.

Walter

 

[petkovic]

Hi Michael, It's great to see you making progress already.

In relation to prices not being quoted on the B2B sites, at least that is as honest as the prices quoted on sites such as Alibaba, where the prices quoted there often bear no relationship to what you will finish up paying.

Only in some industries such as promotional products is it standard practice to publish price lists. The request for prices with catalog is rarely answered, so as you have found, you are left with the need to ask directly in relation to the specific products of interest to you. It is acceptable to ask for a price for a range of quantities, but I still advise against asking what is their MOQ.

Walter

This was very helpful for me, thank you!
Still waiting for my first price quote...

 

[Walter Hay]

I just finished reading the whole thread. It includes so much useful information that I decided to print it to pdf so it is easier to read and look up.

Thank you Walter for your continued support.

@Money Talks, I hope people don't make the mistake of thinking that my AMA thread teaches everything you need to know. Some of the earlier posts are already obsolete, and I have my hands full doing a thorough revision of my book ready to publish next year for free download by all my book users, so I can't also go through all those posts to see what needs to be changed. I also send out update bulletins to my book users, the latest being last month. I don't publish those updates online, and some of them contain seriously important information.

I have seen too many people get started in the importing business without sufficient guidance. Maybe I should put a disclaimer in every post warning that I don't intend this thread to provide all the information needed to safely and confidently invest your time and money in a new importing venture.

It actually frustrates me somewhat when people contact me for help to recover from a disaster resulting from them starting off only with information they have gleaned from forums and blogs. You might be surprised how often this happens. I'm a soft touch, so I still usually help them out, but it adds to my workload and I am "retired" after all. Just as well I still enjoy what I am able to do in this industry.

Walter

 

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[Scotch]

@Walter Hay I've just finished this thread and firstly I must express how grateful I am that you've taken the best part of 2 years helping us just starting on our importing journey, and I will most definitely be purchasing your book in the next day or two.

In the meantime, I hope to get your thoughts on something.

If you were starting out selling B2C, would you use an established ecom site such as Amazon and leverage their already existing customer base (and thus violate the commandment of control since your products are listed on "someone elses" site, and exist/rank at their discretion. Or would you build your own website and maintain full control whilst building up your own brand, customer base and reputation?

I know you said you're not big on marketing etc, but I bet you've got a damned lot more experience than most of us,

The opinion of others such as @Vigilante would also be appreciated.

 

[Walter Hay]

@Walter Hay I've just finished this thread and firstly I must express how grateful I am that you've taken the best part of 2 years helping us just starting on our importing journey, and I will most definitely be purchasing your book in the next day or two.

In the meantime, I hope to get your thoughts on something.

If you were starting out selling B2C, would you use an established ecom site such as Amazon and leverage their already existing customer base (and thus violate the commandment of control since your products are listed on "someone elses" site, and exist/rank at their discretion. Or would you build your own website and maintain full control whilst building up your own brand, customer base and reputation?

I know you said you're not big on marketing etc, but I bet you've got a damned lot more experience than most of us,

The opinion of others such as @Vigilante would also be appreciated.

Hi Michael, In my opinion, Amazon is a good starting point, but you would also be well advised to set up your own eCommerce site. If you establish a brand on Amazon, that will lead to people looking for that brand, and consequently some or maybe many will find your site.

Amazon can't prevent you from displaying your brand name/logo on the goods and packaging, but they don't like people advertising their contact details on the goods.

It's important to not wade in where there is massive competition that will usually only lead to a price war. Look for products that are unique, or have not previously been imported to the UK. My book can help you find such products.

Walter

 

[petkovic]

Walter,

do you have experience with CE certification? From what I understand, my product needs a CE label but my supplier does not explicitly state that it is certified.

I want to ask them about CE conformity but I am a bit worried that I reveal that I am a Newbie because there are a few things I don't understand yet:

1. Does a CE certification apply to the entire product or only to he electrical parts?
2. Assuming the product is CE certified and I change the shape of a metal or plastic part, does it need a new certification?
3. How well are Chinese companies generally educated about and equipped to deal with CE?

Any insight from you would be very appreciated!

 

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[Walter Hay]

Walter,

do you have experience with CE certification? From what I understand, my product needs a CE label but my supplier does not explicitly state that it is certified.

I want to ask them about CE conformity but I am a bit worried that I reveal that I am a Newbie because there are a few things I don't understand yet:

1. Does a CE certification apply to the entire product or only to he electrical parts?
2. Assuming the product is CE certified and I change the shape of a metal or plastic part, does it need a new certification?
3. How well are Chinese companies generally educated about and equipped to deal with CE?

Any insight from you would be very appreciated!

You will need to get your supplier to obtain a CE certificate. If he doesn't have one or is reluctant to go to the trouble and expense, you can have it done yourself, or, for the products that I know you intend importing it is even possible to self certify. That is a complex process, but it doesn't necessitate any testing. The big proviso is that you must be confident in the product and the supplier.

In case you want to go down that road I will show a link below for the procedure.

In reply to your questions:
1. The certificate covers the whole product.
2. Change of shape won't require a new certificate for your products. If you were importing toys that could be an issue in relation to safety.
3. Most would have a basic knowledge of the requirements. They should all know that they have to obtain the certificate from an accredited body.

CE certification is required for a very wide range of products, not only electrical. Here is a UK guide, but it covers all of the EU requirements, including the DIY approach: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ce-marking#products-that-need-ce-marking

Note: As an importer or seller, you assume all the responsibilities that legally apply to the manufacturer.

Walter

 

[Money Talks]

@Money Talks, I hope people don't make the mistake of thinking that my AMA thread teaches everything you need to know. Some of the earlier posts are already obsolete, and I have my hands full doing a thorough revision of my book ready to publish next year for free download by all my book users, so I can't also go through all those posts to see what needs to be changed. I also send out update bulletins to my book users, the latest being last month. I don't publish those updates online, and some of them contain seriously important information.

I have seen too many people get started in the importing business without sufficient guidance. Maybe I should put a disclaimer in every post warning that I don't intend this thread to provide all the information needed to safely and confidently invest your time and money in a new importing venture.

It actually frustrates me somewhat when people contact me for help to recover from a disaster resulting from them starting off only with information they have gleaned from forums and blogs. You might be surprised how often this happens. I'm a soft touch, so I still usually help them out, but it adds to my workload and I am "retired" after all. Just as well I still enjoy what I am able to do in this industry.

Walter

Thanks for the heads-up, Walter. I'm aware that this thread is not the panacea for newbies, but it definitely is a very good starting point. Thanks to this thread I heard about you and you ebook, which I am now reading with zest.

 

[Late Start]

Walter,

An interesting wrinkle to my story has come up. The new order was inspected, and I approved the shipment despite the inspection failing (which was due to a size specification error on my end). The inpsection was done on the 29th, and the product supposed shipped out the 30th- just in time for the big holiday.

All three previous 1000 unit orders I've placed with this manufacturer were shipped via UPS Air, and I could track it from China to Customs to the States - the whole trip. Never had an issue with delivery.

The tracking number my agent gave me *this* time was a domestic UPS Ground tracking number, which originates at a PRO SUCCESS (DALLAS) LTD in Cornell, TX. My agent told me last week that the tracking number would start showing progress as soon as the shipment hit the US, and now that piece of info makes sense. So instead of door to door, this time it was shipped air freight.

I have a friend who has been waiting on a late shipment for a couple of weeks now, and the tracking number his supplier gave him links up to the exact same origination company in Texas. I'm assuming it's some sort of pseudo freight forwarder. My order was twice the size of previous orders (2000 units), so I'm assuming they shipped freight to save costs. That said, my friend's shipment has been stuck in some sort of black hole, though mine is supposed to arrive by Friday.

Should I be concerned? I wouldn't be worried except for the aforementioned friend's situation. Sounds like I need to have a chat with my agent. If nothing else, I paid with PayPal Credit, so I can always threaten to report a problem to them.

Lord I'm ready to switch to US manufacturing next year...

 

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[Late Start]

Update: I think I've gotten to the bottom of everything.

In doing so, I've decided to write an alternative book to Walter's entitled "Learn Importing As You Go, and Lose Thousands In Missed Sales Along The Way!"

Coming soon to a Kindle near you!

 

[sdemierre]

I just got scammed in alibaba.com I bought a product and the seller tried to convert the 50 kilogram sample into a 20 feet container, when I said no he refused to send the ítem. Because my comunication was viã email and not viã alibaba, they refuse to refund my money.

Lesson: Only deal with a seller if the email matches the one registered in alibaba, otherwise the seller can claim that he is not related to the person that contacted you.

 

[exclusives88]

If I can't find a quality product from alibaba or other sources that you've mentioned in your book, where else can I look at? All factories that list this product are the exact same stuff. They even use the same pictures.

 

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[petkovic]

If I can't find a quality product from alibaba or other sources that you've mentioned in your book, where else can I look at? All factories that list this product are the exact same stuff. They even use the same pictures.

Dig deeper! If that fails (and I doubt it actually will), look for a product in another niche. I honestly don't want to shit you with this answer but I believe it is what you have to do.

I had the same impression as you did in the beginning and I kept changing niches because of that. Then I found my first one or two "original" manufacturers and it opened my eyes to see: "ok, so this is what I have to look for". You start to get a feel for it and it really took only a couple of nights for me.

Example of a niche I am currently researching heavily:
Alibaba: ~800 suppliers (didn't bother to check)
From alternative sites: ~40 traders all selling more or less the same. 2 or 3 manufacturers of original but unsuitable products. 2 manufacturers of original and relevant products. 1 of them answered my first email -> bingo

 

[exclusives88]

Dig deeper! If that fails (and I doubt it actually will), look for a product in another niche. I honestly don't want to shit you with this answer but I believe it is what you have to do.

I had the same impression as you did in the beginning and I kept changing niches because of that. Then I found my first one or two "original" manufacturers and it opened my eyes to see: "ok, so this is what I have to look for". You start to get a feel for it and it really took only a couple of nights for me.

Example of a niche I am currently researching heavily:
Alibaba: ~800 suppliers (didn't bother to check)
From alternative sites: ~40 traders all selling more or less the same. 2 or 3 manufacturers of original but unsuitable products. 2 manufacturers of original and relevant products. 1 of them answered my first email -> bingo

Thanks for the advice but I have several SKUs under my brand with this niche so I'm not looking to switch. If the product is same for all manufacturers than I believe there is a barrier to entry when I can develop a better one. However, before I do I want to make sure I deplete all of my resources in finding a supplier that has something truly unique from the rest.

 

[Walter Hay]

Walter,

An interesting wrinkle to my story has come up. The new order was inspected, and I approved the shipment despite the inspection failing (which was due to a size specification error on my end). The inpsection was done on the 29th, and the product supposed shipped out the 30th- just in time for the big holiday.

All three previous 1000 unit orders I've placed with this manufacturer were shipped via UPS Air, and I could track it from China to Customs to the States - the whole trip. Never had an issue with delivery.

The tracking number my agent gave me *this* time was a domestic UPS Ground tracking number, which originates at a PRO SUCCESS (DALLAS) LTD in Cornell, TX. My agent told me last week that the tracking number would start showing progress as soon as the shipment hit the US, and now that piece of info makes sense. So instead of door to door, this time it was shipped air freight.

I have a friend who has been waiting on a late shipment for a couple of weeks now, and the tracking number his supplier gave him links up to the exact same origination company in Texas. I'm assuming it's some sort of pseudo freight forwarder. My order was twice the size of previous orders (2000 units), so I'm assuming they shipped freight to save costs. That said, my friend's shipment has been stuck in some sort of black hole, though mine is supposed to arrive by Friday.

Should I be concerned? I wouldn't be worried except for the aforementioned friend's situation. Sounds like I need to have a chat with my agent. If nothing else, I paid with PayPal Credit, so I can always threaten to report a problem to them.

Lord I'm ready to switch to US manufacturing next year...

I hope it has been sorted out, because there are only a handful of houses located at what was once the town of Cornell TX. I think you will find that PRO SUCCESS (DALLAS) LTD is a Chinese company.

This gives me cause for concern. The good results with the first two shipments suggest that this might have all been part of a long con.

If shipment method is changed without consultation, that is a red flag. Chase them up urgently. Contact PayPal as soon as you want to. Contact your credit card supplier too.

If it really has been shipped via air freight, be prepared for some substantial ground charges. Never accept shipment by air freight without an all-inclusive quote door to door. The difference in freight cost overall can be substantially less than air courier rates, provided the quote is all-inclusive.

Walter

 

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[Walter Hay]

I just got scammed in alibaba.com I bought a product and the seller tried to convert the 50 kilogram sample into a 20 feet container, when I said no he refused to send the ítem. Because my comunication was viã email and not viã alibaba, they refuse to refund my money.

Lesson: Only deal with a seller if the email matches the one registered in alibaba, otherwise the seller can claim that he is not related to the person that contacted you.

Thanks for publishing this warning from your own experience. There is absolutely no benefit to buyers to conduct a transaction outside of the B2B site's system. B2B sites such as Alibaba provide little enough real protection without increasing the risk to zero protection.

Walter

 

[Walter Hay]

If I can't find a quality product from alibaba or other sources that you've mentioned in your book, where else can I look at? All factories that list this product are the exact same stuff. They even use the same pictures.

It is possible to sort through the multitude of suppliers and find the real manufacturer. My latest bulletin updating Alibaba will provide some help in that regard, but if you still can't work out who is genuine, PM me with the product details, preferably with a list of the suppliers and I will check it out for you.

Walter