Rising Above the Dilemmas of Importing From China

In this day and age, China-made products are everywhere. Importing from China can do two things for buyers – keep them excited and bring them fear. Bigger earnings can be made possible through a lucrative import business of trading goods imported from China. But, there’s also that dilemma of conducting with the Chinese whose business culture is totally diverse from yours.

Here are some of the myths and dilemmas linked with the China importing businesses and try to determine if they really are convincing or not:

  • Limited payment options. Before, Chinese businessmen used to exclusively accept Western-Union transfers and wire transfer and bank transfers which are really unsecured. But the latest developments of the Chinese businesses in the international import export business paved the way for their acceptance of internationally acceptable payment options. If ever credit card payments are requested by the supplier, it’s always a good idea to direct it through third party entities such as PayPal. Credit information is treated confidentially and so these are not disclosed to the sellers and buyers whenever they order payments to be withheld in case delivery or transaction problems would arise. If bank transfers are agreed, it’s always safe to transfer first to a company bank account instead of a personal bank account.

You can also opt for other international payment options like the letter of credit (L/C), time L/C or the bills of exchange. The letter of credit (L/C) is more popular as it can be drawn right then and there. Above everything else, the best and most important thing you should always do is to retain a documented record of all your payment transactions. You’ll never know when that time comes when you do need to file a dispute case!

  • Chinese businessmen will swindle you after payments have been made. Before you engage into this type of business, you must learn first about it so you’ll know the ins and outs of this trade. If necessary, go through an import export business training program or hire a good import export coach to educate you about the business. Another way of avoiding businessmen from cheating you at the very beginning is to actually look for a dependable and reputable manufacturer or supplier. It’s always best to avail of reliable payment methods that keep you away from fraud. You could even hire an import export agent whom you can rely on to help you with the negotiations.
  • Communication can be a hindrance. Chinese manufacturers and suppliers already employ English-speaking sales people who’ll help them converse well with international importers. You can already see them on the World Wide Web and made use of the widely available communication tools like instant messaging and chat. Among these are Skype, Yahoo Messenger, GTalk and other tools which make initial conversations and requests for photos, information and quotations possible.

If ever you encounter problems with companies who have not employed English-speaking personnel or interpreters, it’s best for you to get an import export agent. An agent makes sure that complicated issues are well understood and that requests and other obligations are unmistakably discussed both ways.

  • China-made products are unsafe and their quality is unsatisfactory. There have been a number of reports that China-made products have been recalled. These instances have made a lot of people think that China-imported products have poor quality. But the highly influential names in China’s import export business confirmed that the manufacturers should not be completely blamed since they are only following the specifications that customer are giving them. To make certain that the products imported from China are actually safe, importers must look into the safety compliance standards of the end market and have these exactly discussed with the manufacturer. It’s also good to get a sample order beforehand so the products’ quality and safety can be guaranteed.

If you’re still doubtful, hiring the services of a reputable import export agent is the best thing you can do. An agent does the work for you and helps you with your business transactions. So, do keep these things into consideration so you get on the craze of importing cheap China-made products as well as establishing a successful import business.