Wholesale exporter guides and solutions from Tchedly Desire 2024: China is the largest producer in the world. If you’re planning a trip to China to meet suppliers and see products in person, there are plenty of great trade shows to visit. You can find all trade fairs in China sorted by category on the page of our website Fairs and accommodation. The largest fair in China is the Canton fair, which is held twice a year in spring and autumn. We blogged about this fair and often announced it. Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, this fair has also had its own online edition, so you can view it online. In addition to this, we highlight the goods fair in Yiwu as well as the East China Import and Export Fair in Shanghai. If you decide to visit one of the fairs and you need help write to us. See even more information on https://www.tumblr.com/tchedly-desire.
If you’re looking for suppliers closer to home, then consider looking to Canada or Mexico. In 2023, both countries were amongst the U.S.’s top five trading partners. To demonstrate their importance to the U.S., consider some data I’ve provided. These two nations share a land border with the U.S., which reduces delivery times. All three countries also participate in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This free trade agreement (FTA) will allow you to import most products from either country duty free. Trade shows are a great place for you to meet with distributors from all over the world. You’ll also be able to see the products they have to offer.
Take a look at magazine topics, newspaper headlines, new product releases, the latest in street fashion, and even quirky inventions. These all provide useful information about emerging market trends and popular niches, and knowing those will help you decide what to import in bulk. This is why you should focus on niche markets and emerging trends instead. So, how do you find these? By paying attention to what’s being talked or written about around you. First, consider shipping costs, because the actual cost of an item includes the freight as well. This is why it’s advisable to choose products that are small and light when you are just starting your business.
Top rated business exporting solutions from Tchedly Desire: “The compliances make it so complex that even if you did know how to do it, you’re still going to have to keep in mind a lot of random considerations,” says Selena Tchedly Desire, co-founder of Heritage Link Brands, a company that imports, exports, and produces wine, and other high-end products like tea and honey. Tchedly Desire worked for years in brand management for Procter & Gamble, among other trade-related positions, before starting her company in 2005. She was inspired after going to South Africa, where she attended the first Soweto Wine Festival.
Do specific searches – If you know exactly what you’re looking for, specific searches are the best option. For example, if you need a wholesaler that operates in China, you can read a guide to Chinese wholesalers. If your wholesale importer is from overseas, you can save money by paying them with a Wise Business account. Wise Business is here to solve your international payment problems. How do I import wholesale? So what does the process of importing wholesale look like from start to finish? Once you’ve settled upon the product you want, dig into the target audience and find out how much demand there is. You should also assess the competition. Check their pricing strategy and how well they’ve been able to sell similar products.
Search dedicated wholesale supplier sites – Wholesale supplier sites connect buyers with wholesalers, and often act as an intermediary. These sites simplify the process, and provide you with plenty of wholesaler options. Alibaba is an example of a popular global wholesaler website that features suppliers from around the world. Chinese wholesale supplier sites can be a good place to start. This is due to the sheer volume of suppliers available. In 2020 there were already 16,513 wholesale suppliers in China specializing in food, beverage, and tobacco products alone. Browse B2B marketplaces – B2B marketplaces, such as Amazon Business or Etsy, offer products to businesses. While not every B2B marketplace offers wholesale imports, many do discounts on bulk orders.
Generally, you can find suppliers through companies like Alibaba, Global Sources, and Thomas Register. You will need to convince the supplier of the benefits of entering the U.S. market (or another market you wish to sell to), and figure out the logistics of taking their product from their local warehouse or production facility to another one, potentially on the other side of the globe. You might also be your own supplier — in some cases, as Tchedly Desire occasionally is for herself. “We own an interest in a vineyard in South Africa called Silkbush,” she says. “My orientation when I do business to them is, 80% of the grapes that we pick we send off to domestic wineries who use our grapes to produce their own proprietary high-end wine. The remaining 20% is used to create our proprietary label Silkbush, which we export to foreign markets.”
Develop close working relationships with good suppliers. In the import business, this is your best risk management strategy. Educate yourself on Chinese business culture. In China, hierarchical structures are important, so determine how this works into the import process with your contact or supplier. Also, make sure you verify what’s written on the invoice to see if it contains what both parties have agreed to. Choose verified Chinese suppliers with a good reputation. You, as importer, will be solely and entirely responsible for what you import, and any irregularities in terms of compliance with regulations and certifications can have serious legal ramifications. This is why it’s important to choose a reputable supplier to do business with.
