Importing from China

driftingeagle2 said:If you listen to Goldman... I’d be out of a job entirely..

Unemployment is climbing...

Definitely doesn't feel very patriotic..

And I'm curious—which specific products from China are actually competing with American ones?

Totally irrelevant.

The whole world does business with China, yet America wants to boycott them?

As if it's somehow wrong for the average American to grab something cheap—especially when there isn't even an American substitute available.

Alright... gotta admit, I've seen some pretty wild imports over the last few years...

Check this out... one of the more... interesting examples was a container full of straws from China...

Like, we seriously can't even figure out how to make a straw ourselves... 🙂))

I even had one inquiry once... importing eggs from China...

Yeah, obviously. Only the high-end stuff gets imported here. 🙏 🙏
Long live the market, baby!!! 👋

It all comes down to what people are actually willing to cough up
Long live the free market!

Honestly, you could import just about anything if there's a buyer out there

I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of what it costs right now to ship a 40ft container from China to a port like Savannah or Houston? Is there basically no container traffic going through places like Florida? Thanks

Shipping a 20' container from Xiamen over to a port like Savannah or Houston usually runs you somewhere between $2,600 and $2,800, though honestly, it all depends on which carrier you pick and what season it is—rates fluctuate like crazy. You’ve got plenty of options in those major ports, so I’d say just fire off some inquiries or reach out to a freight forwarding agency; they can usually point you toward someone reliable. There’s also the route where you go directly through your supplier in China to find a carrier, and sometimes they can snag you a much better deal than you'll find on your own...

As for those wondering how the import process actually works... it's pretty straightforward, really. You send an inquiry to the supplier, they shoot back a pro forma invoice, and then you nail down the payment terms. If you haven't worked with them before—and if you aren't sure about their reliability, I’d strongly suggest using a Letter of Credit rather than just a wire transfer—you get everything settled. Then you coordinate with your freight forwarder to announce the arrival and work with the carrier to arrange the transport. Containers typically spend about 30 to 40 days in transit, and once they arrive, the forwarders handle the customs clearance and get them released...

Miss Ida’s got some pricey shippers... 🙂

We could even head out to the Jersey Shore... if you're actually looking for something specific, just hit me up

"We can even arrange a trip out to the Plains... if there's something specific you're looking for, just let me know."

Check your inbox

Dennis Lewis5 said:Until Markowski finally decides to show his face—and he better, seriously, please!—is there really nobody else here who actually imports from China and knows the ropes of how this whole thing works?

I work for a company that imports some goods from China.
Honestly, I think you should just go there. Yeah, the flight is pricey, but you won't truly get it until you see it with your own eyes. Plus, for a lot of products, they require you to buy in bulk. You really have to haggle with them, too. Even if you fly out there and strike a deal, they might end up sending you something slightly different. They aren't 100% reliable, and shipments can be late... but man, they are cheap. And the gadgets and machinery they have? It's unbelievable. There are things I didn't even know existed until my company started importing from them. It’s wild. You really have to experience that madness and excitement in person to understand.
If I were in your shoes, I'd go. Both for the business side of things and for the quick trip—it'll be a totally different culture than ours. You might as well combine pleasure with business; it'll definitely help your career. And the flight isn't even that bad, you can find deals around $2167 dollars. Even a 4-star hotel with Wi-Fi can cost you about $25.

Chloe Sullivan14 said:God! It makes me want to scream. This obsession with importing from China... it’s ridiculous. They just flood the market with junk, and then everyone wonders why they're constantly replacing broken stuff. But apparently, that doesn't bother the average person here in America. I personally refuse to buy anything made in China. I’d much rather pay a little extra for quality than deal with literal trash. I won't even step foot in their stores, let alone give them a dime. Honestly, we should be supporting our own American companies so our people actually have jobs, instead of bumping into some little fat Chinese person on every street corner. I get that domestic goods cost more, but importing garbage isn't the answer.

Look, you don't have to step inside a Chinese store to be buying their goods. There's a factory right here in town that sews clothes for Benetton, and everything they produce says Made in China. So, let's not get ahead of ourselves with these naive arguments; I'm pretty sure about 80% of what you see in American stores was manufactured in China.

Hey everyone 😉 Got two questions here, so if anyone can help me out... 🙂

1.) I'm planning on heading over to China for business if God willing. Can anyone recommend a solid guide or someone I could partner with right now who can scout out companies for me? I don't want to waste my damn time wandering around looking for specific products. I've heard there are these "sourcing agents" who handle all this, but I have zero clue who to even ask about them. Ideally, they’d inspect the goods before shipping so I know I'm actually getting what I paid for, find the best supplier, and vet the company so I don't get screwed by some shady internet scam.

2.)

I know a woman who lived in China for 5 years and now does sourcing—helping companies find partners, handling imports, all the paperwork stuff... you can grab her number via PM...

Since the guy who posted that sounds like a total amateur, please if anyone has info on this lady, shoot me a DM with her contact. Thanks 🙏

Jacob Long You seem like you really know your stuff regarding this topic, so I was wondering: is it actually worth importing something to the US in a quantity like this: 5,000 units of some packaging boxes (metal ones... etc.) that cost about $0.60 over there? Or is it only worth it for massive bulk orders? And how do I even calculate the total cost including all the shipping, customs, and whatever else... just to see if it's even worth bringing in—because unfortunately, I haven't found anyone in the US making them. 😢

Thanks in advance!

James Ruiz84 said:Hey everyone 😉 Got two questions here, so if anyone can help me out... 🙂

1.) I'm planning on heading over to China for business if God willing. Can anyone recommend a solid guide or someone I could partner with right now who can scout out companies for me? I don't want to waste my damn time wandering around looking for specific products. I've heard there are these "sourcing agents" who handle all this, but I have zero clue who to even ask about them. Ideally, they’d inspect the goods before shipping so I know I'm actually getting what I paid for, find the best supplier, and vet the company so I don't get screwed by some shady internet scam.

2.)

I know a woman who lived in China for 5 years and now does sourcing—helping companies find partners, handling imports, all the paperwork stuff... you can grab her number via PM...

Since the guy who posted that sounds like a total amateur, please if anyone has info on this lady, shoot me a DM with her contact. Thanks 🙏

Jacob Long You seem like you really know your stuff regarding this topic, so I was wondering: is it actually worth importing something to the US in a quantity like this: 5,000 units of some packaging boxes (metal ones... etc.) that cost about $0.60 over there? Or is it only worth it for massive bulk orders? And how do I even calculate the total cost including all the shipping, customs, and whatever else... just to see if it's even worth bringing in—because unfortunately, I haven't found anyone in the US making them. 😢

Thanks in advance!

I might have someone I could recommend to you—shoot me a DM if you're interested.

James Ruiz84 said:Hey everyone 😉 Got two questions here, so if anyone can help me out... 🙂

1.) I'm planning on heading over to China for business if God willing. Can anyone recommend a solid guide or someone I could partner with right now who can scout out companies for me? I don't want to waste my damn time wandering around looking for specific products. I've heard there are these "sourcing agents" who handle all this, but I have zero clue who to even ask about them. Ideally, they’d inspect the goods before shipping so I know I'm actually getting what I paid for, find the best supplier, and vet the company so I don't get screwed by some shady internet scam.

2.)

I know a woman who lived in China for 5 years and now does sourcing—helping companies find partners, handling imports, all the paperwork stuff... you can grab her number via PM...

Since the guy who posted that sounds like a total amateur, please if anyone has info on this lady, shoot me a DM with her contact. Thanks 🙏

Jacob Long You seem like you really know your stuff regarding this topic, so I was wondering: is it actually worth importing something to the US in a quantity like this: 5,000 units of some packaging boxes (metal ones... etc.) that cost about $0.60 over there? Or is it only worth it for massive bulk orders? And how do I even calculate the total cost including all the shipping, customs, and whatever else... just to see if it's even worth bringing in—because unfortunately, I haven't found anyone in the US making them. 😢

Thanks in advance!

It really just comes down to how much space those goods actually take up—I mean, unless you're filling at least one 20-foot container with either small boxes or some other product, what's even the point? A 20-footer is basically half a semi-truck, or less... why bother otherwise?

It’s mostly the Chinese who throw out those numbers—just seeing how many they can cram into a small, large, or high-cube container.

So if they’re giving you an FOB quote from some port in China—you know, a specific one—you really need to hit up some freight forwarders for the ocean leg to your destination. Just keep in mind those rates and extra fees fluctuate constantly... it's a moving target. It’d be smart to nail down exactly when the goods will be ready, too, since prices shift every single quarter. Maybe grab a few different quotes and see what sticks? You'll want the destination port to be the one closest to you—it all adds up, and trucking a container overland is going to kill your margins. The agents can handle the land portion for you, or you could try hunting for your own carrier to save a bit... though honestly, having an agent handle the whole headache might be worth the extra cash.

You can just look up the customs rates in the tariff yourself—or, if you don't feel like dealing with all that paperwork, just hit up your usual freight forwarder and have them run the numbers for you. Simple enough, right?

Once you've gathered all that info—which isn't exactly rocket science to pull together—you can figure out your actual landed cost per unit. From there, you've got a decent idea of what you could flip it for... so really, it just comes down to whether the math actually works in your favor, right?

Shoot me a DM—my company actually has ten people on the ground in China who can pull quotes for just about anything almost instantly if you send over a photo. We don't really deal in these specific items ourselves, but honestly, finding the product or a decent price is never the issue—it’s all about having a buyer lined up. Since these guys are based in China, they might even be able to source the exact same thing from the same supplier at a much better rate and handle the invoicing directly. We could even help coordinate shipping to your port or right to your door... just a thought, depending on what makes more sense for your bottom line.

Jacob Long thanks a million for that detailed breakdown. Sent you a PM.

Alright, one more thing—because honestly, all of this feels like straight-up sci-fi to me 🤣
where on earth am I supposed to find "freight forwarders"? 😕

And how do I even figure out the customs tariff for my stuff? I downloaded that spreadsheet you sent, but I can't make heads or tails of it 😕 and I don't see China anywhere? It's just a bunch of other countries... 😢
I'm still waiting on some paperwork this week, so it feels stupid to start calling freight brokers before my business is even officially up and running. Fingers crossed everything is ready by the end of the week.

I'd love to chat via PM, because the company I work for actually has 10 people on the ground in China who can grab quotes for pretty much anything incredibly fast. If you just send over a photo, we can check. We don't usually deal with these specific items, but getting the product and a good price is never an issue—it's really just about finding someone to sell it to. Since these folks are in China, they might be able to source the exact same thing from the same factory at a way better price and invoice you directly. We can even help organize shipping to the destination port or right to your doorstep, so you can compare and see what makes the most sense for you.

Now THAT is something I am DEFINITELY interested in!!! Please hit me up in the PMs!!! Thanks 🙏

James Ruiz84 said:Jacob Long thanks a million for that detailed breakdown. Sent you a PM.

Alright, one more thing—because honestly, all of this feels like straight-up sci-fi to me 🤣
where on earth am I supposed to find "freight forwarders"? 😕

And how do I even figure out the customs tariff for my stuff? I downloaded that spreadsheet you sent, but I can't make heads or tails of it 😕 and I don't see China anywhere? It's just a bunch of other countries... 😢
I'm still waiting on some paperwork this week, so it feels stupid to start calling freight brokers before my business is even officially up and running. Fingers crossed everything is ready by the end of the week.

I'd love to chat via PM, because the company I work for actually has 10 people on the ground in China who can grab quotes for pretty much anything incredibly fast. If you just send over a photo, we can check. We don't usually deal with these specific items, but getting the product and a good price is never an issue—it's really just about finding someone to sell it to. Since these folks are in China, they might be able to source the exact same thing from the same factory at a way better price and invoice you directly. We can even help organize shipping to the destination port or right to your doorstep, so you can compare and see what makes the most sense for you.

Now THAT is something I am DEFINITELY interested in!!! Please hit me up in the PMs!!! Thanks 🙏

1. If you haven't imported anything yet and you can't read a tariff code, you're heading straight into a nightmare.
2. Customs tariffs are actually straightforward enough; it basically says
US 0% vs Other 5%. Since China isn't part of the US, that means you're stuck with the 5% rate, for example.
3. Don't trust everything you read online.
4. There's goods that require certifications, quality testing, specific labeling, phytosanitary certificates, homologation, and an endless list of annoying regulations from various government agencies. I could go on until tomorrow. We can't just guess what you're trying to bring in.
Just tell us plainly if you're importing dog food or scooters, and then we might be able to help.
5. Plenty of Chinese manufacturers have the right to produce goods but don't actually have the authorization to export them out of China, and you absolutely have to verify that.
6. A lot of products are subject to quotas, current bans, or permanent prohibitions.
7. Tons of Chinese goods carry a CE mark, but that doesn't mean a thing here in the States.
8. Most goods have to pass specific testing before they can hit the American market—Textile industry, Construction materials, and plenty of other sectors.

Take us, for instance, when we import construction materials like Cement.
We request that the inspectors perform a check directly at the factory. Once they test a silo containing 2,000 tons of cement, we gain the legal right to import that entire 2,000-ton batch from that specific series into the US. (Keep in mind, we cover the inspection fees, the testing, travel costs for the inspectors, and their daily per diems.)

You could also try claiming the goods are just for your own personal use, but if you then sell those items to Retailer X, and the market inspectors show up at their shop asking for the certifications for the CHINA-import byANA77 goods, and the retailer says, "I don't have them, I'm not responsible, it was ANE77," then the inspectors come after ANE77. They'll slap you with a fine ranging from $100,000 down to $1,000 $0.00 plus seizing and destroying the rest of the inventory from ANE77 and all her customers.

wearytrucker22 sorry, but your post didn't sound friendly at all! I honestly can't tell what you were trying to get at, but if you’d actually bothered to read my previous post, you’d see exactly what I’m looking to import:

James Ruiz84 said:Hey everyone 😉 Got two questions here, so if anyone can help me out... 🙂

1.) I'm planning on heading over to China for business if God willing. Can anyone recommend a solid guide or someone I could partner with right now who can scout out companies for me? I don't want to waste my damn time wandering around looking for specific products. I've heard there are these "sourcing agents" who handle all this, but I have zero clue who to even ask about them. Ideally, they’d inspect the goods before shipping so I know I'm actually getting what I paid for, find the best supplier, and vet the company so I don't get screwed by some shady internet scam.

2.)

I know a woman who lived in China for 5 years and now does sourcing—helping companies find partners, handling imports, all the paperwork stuff... you can grab her number via PM...

Since the guy who posted that sounds like a total amateur, please if anyone has info on this lady, shoot me a DM with her contact. Thanks 🙏

Jacob Long You seem like you really know your stuff regarding this topic, so I was wondering: is it actually worth importing something to the US in a quantity like this: 5,000 units of some packaging boxes (metal ones... etc.) that cost about $0.60 over there? Or is it only worth it for massive bulk orders? And how do I even calculate the total cost including all the shipping, customs, and whatever else... just to see if it's even worth bringing in—because unfortunately, I haven't found anyone in the US making them. 😢

Thanks in advance!

And I don't need any special certificates for those because they're just packaging—not for food or chemicals, just basic decorative little boxes.

Just because I don't know everything doesn't mean I can't learn, and hey, just for your info. Jacob Long actually walked me through this whole process in more detail than you ever did, and she really went out of her way to help since we hopped on Skype. It's not rocket science, but when it's your first time, you ask questions because you don't know where to start. Jacob Long 😘 and thanks again, seriously.👍

Does anyone know an American company I can work with to buy bulk orders, like GPS units from China? I found a supplier on MadeInChina and already reached out. I’ve got the pricing and terms squared away. Now I just need to wire the funds and wait for delivery. That said, I’ve heard some pretty horror stories about these deals going south.
Does a verified list of trustworthy Chinese suppliers actually exist? Or better yet, is there a domestic firm that handles everything—importing, customs paperwork, and quality inspections over in China?

Mark Davis62 said:Does anyone know an American company I can work with to buy bulk orders, like GPS units from China? I found a supplier on MadeInChina and already reached out. I’ve got the pricing and terms squared away. Now I just need to wire the funds and wait for delivery. That said, I’ve heard some pretty horror stories about these deals going south.
Does a verified list of trustworthy Chinese suppliers actually exist? Or better yet, is there a domestic firm that handles everything—importing, customs paperwork, and quality inspections over in China?

Any business registered for importing can bring goods in, provided the product meets all regulatory standards.

7.A lot of Chinese goods carry a CE mark, but honestly, out here in the States, it doesn't mean much on its own.
I have to disagree with you there... I actually picked up a Samsung Galaxy S24 on eBay recently, and to get the green light to import a mobile device like that, the Federal Communications Commission has to approve my request. They won't even look at it without that CE Declaration of Conformity. Ugh, dealing with all this bureaucracy is such a headache.

I have a potentially better idea: just open a factory in China and manufacture something there😁

Hi there,
I’m looking into importing a grinding machine from a company in China, General Electric Inc., and I was wondering if anyone here has experience importing goods from China or could offer some advice. The shipment is about 100kg and valued at roughly $600. I’m in no rush, so I’d prefer the most cost-effective shipping method possible—maybe some kind of consolidated shipping? If you know of any freight forwarders that handle groupage or have space to bundle my stuff with their existing shipments, I'm all ears.
Thanks for any tips.