Importing from China

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

trust me, plenty of people have already thought of that one😉

George Morales89 said: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.

That's gonna be a tough ask—though hey, you never know, right?

Most people importing stuff just optimize the hell out of their shipping and pack those containers tight as a drum... plus, China is massive, so finding a match isn't easy.

I thought maybe this might help someone out.
So, I attended a trade show in Chicago and came across a company with products that were exactly what I was looking for. Once I got back home to Washington, D.C., I sent them an email to get the ball rolling. I ended up working closely with one lady there who was incredibly helpful through the entire process. It took a few months to iron everything out while I was perfecting my order, and honestly, I was pretty nervous—it was my first time importing anything, and we were talking about a total value of around $100,000. She actually helped me find a shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Company, and sent over all the necessary paperwork via DHL, which I then handed off to my freight forwarder. He handled the rest, finding a carrier to deliver two containers directly to my warehouse, and that was really it.
She even asked if I wanted to hire my own agent, but I decided to just trust her to handle everything instead. In the end, everything went perfectly, and they were such a pleasure to work with.

Jacob Long said:That's gonna be a tough ask—though hey, you never know, right?

Most people importing stuff just optimize the hell out of their shipping and pack those containers tight as a drum... plus, China is massive, so finding a match isn't easy.

You're partially wrong there. If you have a business based in Washington, D.C., say a firm like FedEx, they handle consolidated shipping where everything is measured by cubic meters (CBM). You're looking at roughly $170 per CBM, with transit times from the broader Guangzhou area (think Yantian or Chiwan...) over to Cleveland taking about 26 days.

Also, if anyone needs a hand sourcing products, getting inspections done (since people ship pretty much anything under the sun), or just general logistics help... I can help you out.

We seriously need to ban all this low-quality junk being imported from China, especially that dirt-cheap crap they try to offload on us.
I’ve completely stopped buying cheap Chinese goods just so everything can stay $6.75.

Sarah Wilson75 said:We seriously need to ban all this low-quality junk being imported from China, especially that dirt-cheap crap they try to offload on us.
I’ve completely stopped buying cheap Chinese goods just so everything can stay $6.75.

Look, like 90% of what we import comes straight from China anyway. There's nothing you can really do about it. If it wasn't China, we'd just be importing everything from Vietnam or India or somewhere else.

Thomas Clark912 said:Look, like 90% of what we import comes straight from China anyway. There's nothing you can really do about it. If it wasn't China, we'd just be importing everything from Vietnam or India or somewhere else.

We could easily tighten up inspections! If they find low-grade junk or a knockoff, they should seize the shipment on the spot and slap the importer or the company with a fine of at least $100 $0.00.
I’m not anti-importing—hey, bring in whatever goods you want from wherever—but I draw the line at garbage. I'm against importing cheap crap that breaks immediately.
I remember once I bought some cheap shoes made in China for $27, and let me tell you, I ended up with a blister on my heel that was four centimeters long.
I tossed those shoes straight into the trash.
Ever since then, I don't touch anything from China, even if everything is going to $6.75.
Because it’s been proven time and again that "cheap" ends up costing you way more in the long run than just buying something high-quality from the start.
Honestly, I don't care about the price tag anymore, whether something is $27 or $100.

George Morales89 said: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.

This fall—maybe September or October—I'll likely be bringing in a machine myself, coming out of India.
If you aren't in a massive hurry, I'm pretty sure we can find some room in a shipping container. (Maybe heading toward Cleveland?)

Why on earth would we be spending our money on imports when we could be supporting our own people instead?

Hey there,
Can anyone walk me through the whole process of importing goods from China into the US?
I've been digging around online, but honestly, I'm feeling pretty lost on where to even start... I'm trying to figure out what
kind of business I need to set up, how the actual import procedure works, what kind of taxes we're looking at, and all those
other details... Is there some kind of kind soul out there who could point me in the right direction?
Thanks so much in advance
mistytiger

Taylor Hill25 said:Hey there,
Can anyone walk me through the whole process of importing goods from China into the US?
I've been digging around online, but honestly, I'm feeling pretty lost on where to even start... I'm trying to figure out what
kind of business I need to set up, how the actual import procedure works, what kind of taxes we're looking at, and all those
other details... Is there some kind of kind soul out there who could point me in the right direction?
Thanks so much in advance
mistytiger

It's not rocket science...

Find a supplier... get some quotes... make sure you go with FedEx terms. Figure out payment... usually it's 30% upfront and the rest once it ships (you'll get docs via email proving it's en route) or just use a Letter of Credit—it's safer, but yeah, it costs more. As for the costs from China to, say, Cleveland or wherever you want it... customs and sales tax... depends on what you're buying... but roughly? Budget about 12% for duty plus sales tax on top... might even be duty-free depending on the item... it varies...

If you guys are currently doing business or even just thinking about working with China, you really ought to start organizing yourselves. Our market here in the States is way too small to swallow up full container shipments on its own—but if you coordinate
sharing shipping costs among three or four importers, you aren't burying your own capital as deep, shipping rates drop, and once everything clears customs in the US, those overhead costs get split up.
For anyone just starting out and feeling a bit nervous about dealing with Chinese suppliers—honestly, I’d say 99% of them are pretty straight shooters and aren't looking to scam you. I actually live with them (over here in China) and
can tell you they’re incredibly polite and honest (concepts that feel pretty foreign to us most of the time). Sites like Alibaba don't necessarily highlight the best manufacturers; they mostly just show whoever has enough cash to pay for the top ad spots. If you have the means to visit China—you should definitely do it, especially Shenzhen. You'll come back with a great impression and see a side of China that's nothing like what you see on the news. Greetings from China

For everyone constantly whining about how bad Chinese products are. Look, the first Chinese people you run into in your neighborhood are usually folks from rural areas who aren't exactly looking for luxury. They buy what they like, which isn't really our taste or our standards for quality. As for the stuff sitting on the shelves in our local stores? You should probably thank your grocer. They’re the ones going straight to China to specifically order junk that fails every quality test just because it's dirt cheap. It's all about the bottom line for them. Then, they try to build something out of nothing because that's what Americans demand from China. In the end, they just sell you a sob story about their "craftsmanship" while charging you a 20x markup.
From my own experience, I'd say the stuff you see in New York-London-Milan is available right here with the exact same quality, just at a price people can actually afford. It's just that nobody cares about that, since you can't make a 20x profit on it.

Hi everyone!
Heheh!
I’ve been in the import business for quite a while now, sourcing products from various companies over in China, but since things have felt a little shaky lately, I was wondering if those of you working with Chinese suppliers might be willing to share some insights. I'd love to start a conversation about shipping logistics out of China and what the current rates look like—specifically regarding which freight forwarders you trust, and what the pros and cons have been with your recent experiences!

Rachel Morris42 said:Hi everyone!
Heheh!
I’ve been in the import business for quite a while now, sourcing products from various companies over in China, but since things have felt a little shaky lately, I was wondering if those of you working with Chinese suppliers might be willing to share some insights. I'd love to start a conversation about shipping logistics out of China and what the current rates look like—specifically regarding which freight forwarders you trust, and what the pros and cons have been with your recent experiences!

As for prices... they've never been lower... and if you need an agent... well, obviously me. 🙂

Hahaha!
Well, if someone is going to advertise, they might as well be specific about it! (driftingeagle2)
It's a shipment from Yantian, about 40 containers, headed straight for Cleveland.
We’re looking at PEX-AL-PEX piping with brass fittings, totaling about 15 tons.

Like I said... it’s nothing... $1,300 total—everything included, even the fees in Cleveland

Hey everyone.

So, I’m just starting out with importing stuff myself.
I tracked down this supplier over in Indonesia, and I'm looking to buy/import about 50
cell phones.
The guy told me straight up—"If you order 50 units, we'll waive the shipping costs and fees. Our company handles everything."
And from what I hear, there aren't any customs duties on cell phones, so it should just be sales tax.

Does anyone here actually have experience importing phones or anything like that?!

Honestly, I'm a little sketched out that this might be some kind of scam...
....who knows what kind of junk phones I'll actually get ....
....or if they'll even show up at all ....
This isn't exactly pocket change we're talking about here.

Apparently, I also have to report this to the Federal Communications Commission and deal with getting all sorts of permits...

Anyway, if anyone has been through this, please, enlighten me...

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Look, I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I am certain that importing goods from within the EU doesn't trigger those pesky customs duties—whereas everything else from the rest of the world gets hit hard. It’s basic math. That’s exactly why Korean manufacturers started moving their production plants directly into Europe; they were just trying to dodge the tariffs. 🤷

Hey there... so, here's the deal. I've been chewing on the idea of importing a small container of scooters all the way from China, but honestly? I'm feeling a bit lost. I have no clue what the full checklist looks like, who the right people are to talk to, or even what kind of budget I should be setting aside for this whole thing...

🙏