PART OF FORWARD GROUP
Importing products from China
Many people have their eyes on China, an industrial giant that makes cheap goods and sells them all over the world.
Importing products from China It is very attractive to many people, in both the business and private sectors. Importing from China has existed for decades. At first it was commercial importers who imported products from China to market them in Israel and make money, followed by private importers who buy goods in this quantity or that for personal use.
Importing products from China has become available to everyone, both those who buy large quantities and those who want to bring in single products. Everyone says that buying products from China is simple, but how do you actually start?
Here is a short guide to importing from China:
Step one: how to find factories in China for importing
Finding factories and contacting them is much simpler than you think, even if you do not speak Chinese. In fact, the search for factories actually begins with a search for goods: you look for the goods that suit you and in this way you meet different suppliers.
There are 3 main methods for finding factories and goods:
1. Visiting exhibitions: many exhibitions are held in China that attract importers and purchasing people from all over the world. The exhibitions are held by different themes and you must come to the exhibition relevant to you. At exhibitions you will see different goods from different suppliers and can negotiate with them.
2. Through websites: many suppliers offer their goods on websites such as Alibaba. Some sites and suppliers sell wholesale and some are also willing to sell in small quantities. On the sites you can search for goods by subject and contact the various suppliers. Anyone who wants fast import of small quantities can simply buy from China with a credit card.
3. Through intermediaries: there are Israelis who operate in Israel and in China and offer services for purchasing from China. They do charge for their services, but their extensive experience and familiarity with suppliers certainly give you value.
Step two: quality control
There are many factories in China, some more reliable and some less. We have often heard of cases of inexperienced importers who did importing from China and received poor quality goods, very different from the samples shown to them at the exhibition. For this reason it is important to choose carefully the factories you work with. Quality control can be done through Israeli intermediaries located in China who offer their services; they have a lot of experience and can make sure you receive the goods you expect. A second option is to check the factories' rating on Alibaba before importing from China.
In summary
Importing from China is an intensive matter, and it is important to consider every step carefully and to work only with factories you can trust and communicate with easily in English. It seems the more challenging part is actually selling the goods in Israel.
Forward has a local representation that allows closeness to suppliers and factories, a great advantage for an Israeli customer who wants to import new products from China.
In addition, because Forward also does business consulting, a customer who wants to import from China also receives an opinion on how feasible the import from China is.
