[AMA] Importing & wholesaling for resale on eBay.

[Dicky Dee]

now i have excluded US from my shipping but putting the item on the co.uk site and from there excluded US. Now ive noticed that my product dont show up on the .com site. Should i list it on the .com and ship to us but for much more money and in that way make buyers from us not choose me?

If you dont specify shipping to the U.S. in your ad it wont show up on ebay.com

 

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[MoneyDoc]

Is there anyone that ships from Canada? If so, how do you do it?

I cannot launch my website due to one problem, shipping! Everything else is ready for launch...

 

[Dicky Dee]

Is there anyone that ships from Canada? If so, how do you do it?

I cannot launch my website due to one problem, shipping! Everything else is ready for launch...

Are you referring to the cost of shipping? Us Canadians have that problem where shipping is 3 times the price of the U.S. consider marketing a product towards your own country or dig a lot harder to find the right products where the shipping wont eat your margins.

 

[Dicky Dee]

Also if any Canadian importers have any questions are just want to bounce some ideas off each other feel free to pm me as i know our hurdles are a bit different from our american counterparts.

 

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[ljb7]

Awesome thread, still have a lot to cover but it's getting very late and I just have one question before I call it a night..

I've been looking around all day and just getting to grips with all of this and think I've stumbled across a product that is not only selling on eBay, but also at a massive margin. >$1 per item, selling anywhere from £25 to £50. Infact, the product I found on eBay is the exact one I found on alibaba.

I have one concern though, these sellers who are listing this item and closely related ones are claiming them to be sterling silver in all their seperate listings for them. Pretty much every single one.

Now I can't say for sure about the closely related items yet because that'll require some more digging (even though I'm pretty much positive), but the seller who is seller the item I found on alibaba afterwards, is 110% making false claims. I know this because I went to the suppliers site and it tells you what their product contains. And let me tell you, it's definitely not 92.5% pure silver... I've just had a little read about sterling silver and ebays position on sellers who claim their items to be sterling when in fact is only silver plated, but what confuses me is that they've listed these items multiple times. Let me add the fact that although not all of the items they listed have sold, some have. When I checked this sellers feedback, along with a couple others, I was surprised to find that they didn't have any negative feedback. The one selling my potential product has 100+ positive reviews and that's it, the others, 600+ positive etc.

This kind of puts this product in a grey area, I don't want to start my importing future by lying about products, but it will be interesting to see if that one word will make all the difference. I'm also suprised they haven't been caught by ebay (can I use that to my advantage)?

I know for sure I can undercut their prices and still make good margins. I'm just wondering if you have experienced anything like this yourself?

Thanks.

 

[Ecom man]

Awesome thread, still have a lot to cover but it's getting very late and I just have one question before I call it a night..

I've been looking around all day and just getting to grips with all of this and think I've stumbled across a product that is not only selling on eBay, but also at a massive margin. >$1 per item, selling anywhere from £25 to £50. Infact, the product I found on eBay is the exact one I found on alibaba.

I have one concern though, these sellers who are listing this item and closely related ones are claiming them to be sterling silver in all their seperate listings for them. Pretty much every single one.

Now I can't say for sure about the closely related items yet because that'll require some more digging (even though I'm pretty much positive), but the seller who is seller the item I found on alibaba afterwards, is 110% making false claims. I know this because I went to the suppliers site and it tells you what their product contains. And let me tell you, it's definitely not 92.5% pure silver... I've just had a little read about sterling silver and ebays position on sellers who claim their items to be sterling when in fact is only silver plated, but what confuses me is that they've listed these items multiple times. Let me add the fact that although not all of the items they listed have sold, some have. When I checked this sellers feedback, along with a couple others, I was surprised to find that they didn't have any negative feedback. The one selling my potential product has 100+ positive reviews and that's it, the others, 600+ positive etc.

This kind of puts this product in a grey area, I don't want to start my importing future by lying about products, but it will be interesting to see if that one word will make all the difference. I'm also suprised they haven't been caught by ebay (can I use that to my advantage)?

I know for sure I can undercut their prices and still make good margins. I'm just wondering if you have experienced anything like this yourself?

Thanks.

Well one of two things is happening. They are getting their products from a different source and are actually selling sterling silver like they claim or they are lying about what their product actaully is. A lot of people who purchase things online dont know the first thing about sterling silver or silver plated. The only way to know for sure is to purchase one of their items and test it. It is possible the seller on eBay just purchased it and didn't check on the silver content and just assumed the alibaba seller was telling the truth.

 

[Hallsy86]

I got my first product yesterday and listed it today. They shipped fast and the quality was great. I'm excited to get started. No sales yet but I listed it in a category that was a little different than I normally would so I could add variations but if I don't get a sale soon I'll change the category and just have two different listings.
I should get my second product tomorrow which I expect to sell pretty well and has good margins. The quality of it is going to make it or break it so hopefully the samples are good.

 

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[exclusives88]

@Ecom man

I learned my lesson. Never to wire money (T/T). I officially got scammed. I wired them money and the next morning (this morning) they told me that the person I was working with is no longer working for their company and they just found out. They sent this e-mail using the same e-mail that I was communicating with. Unfortunately, the wire has been cleared and I can no longer cancel. I've imported many products from dhgate and alibaba and never has an issue. This is a lesson learned and I will be more careful next time.

I found a really great product on DHGate. How can I minimize the risk that it isn't a fraud? Since the above happened to me, I'm hesitant on making another transaction. Do you still have to be careful with DHGate or are they credible companies? On the website, they state that everything you purchase through DHGate is through an escrow service. Would that eliminate my risk?

 

[Ecom man]

@Ecom man

I learned my lesson. Never to wire money (T/T). I officially got scammed. I wired them money and the next morning (this morning) they told me that the person I was working with is no longer working for their company and they just found out. They sent this e-mail using the same e-mail that I was communicating with. Unfortunately, the wire has been cleared and I can no longer cancel. I've imported many products from dhgate and alibaba and never has an issue. This is a lesson learned and I will be more careful next time.

I found a really great product on DHGate. How can I minimize the risk that it isn't a fraud? Since the above happened to me, I'm hesitant on making another transaction. Do you still have to be careful with DHGate or are they credible companies? On the website, they state that everything you purchase through DHGate is through an escrow service. Would that eliminate my risk?

Everything purchased on Dhgate basically has double protection. All purchases made through dhgate are through dhgate's escrow service. They don't release the money to the seller until your items tracking number shows you received it. Even then they don't release the funds for 48 hours so if all the products are crap or they send you empty boxes you just tell dhgate within 48 hours and they don't release payment until you and the seller work it out. You are also protected through your credit card company. Dhgate accepts all major credit cards so even if things don't go well with the escrow service you can call your credit card company and put a hold or a cancellation on the payment.

 

[exclusives88]

Everything purchased on Dhgate basically has double protection. All purchases made through dhgate are through dhgate's escrow service. They don't release the money to the seller until your items tracking number shows you received it. Even then they don't release the funds for 48 hours so if all the products are crap or they send you empty boxes you just tell dhgate within 48 hours and they don't release payment until you and the seller work it out. You are also protected through your credit card company. Dhgate accepts all major credit cards so even if things don't go well with the escrow service you can call your credit card company and put a hold or a cancellation on the payment.

This is gold. Makes me feel much better buying through DHGate then.

 

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[Dicky Dee]

@Ecom man

I learned my lesson. Never to wire money (T/T). I officially got scammed. I wired them money and the next morning (this morning) they told me that the person I was working with is no longer working for their company and they just found out. They sent this e-mail using the same e-mail that I was communicating with. Unfortunately, the wire has been cleared and I can no longer cancel. I've imported many products from dhgate and alibaba and never has an issue. This is a lesson learned and I will be more careful next time.

I found a really great product on DHGate. How can I minimize the risk that it isn't a fraud? Since the above happened to me, I'm hesitant on making another transaction. Do you still have to be careful with DHGate or are they credible companies? On the website, they state that everything you purchase through DHGate is through an escrow service. Would that eliminate my risk?

Just wondering was this a gold supplier and did you click the onsite check for filtering when searching on alibaba? Posting the company on here would be beneficial to avoid others from getting scammed by them.

 

[exclusives88]

Just wondering was this a gold supplier and did you click the onsite check for filtering when searching on alibaba? Posting the company on here would be beneficial to avoid others from getting scammed by them.

I made a buying request on Alibaba and have gotten several e-mail request from misc. manufacturers. Most of them were Alibaba paid members. This specific company e-mailed me. I talked to them on skype and everything seemed legit. After I made the payment, I asked if they can send me a link to their Alibaba profile account. The person would not answer and 20 minutes later said she was busy and will get back to me. The next morning, I got an e-mail saying that "she" does not work for the company anymore. They even used the same e-mail address I was communicating with!

Going forward, I will filter for the gold supplier and e-mail them one by one. It was much easier with buying requests but then you will be bombarded by e-mail request and probably most of them are scams. Here is the link to their website. Please do not associate with this company: www.hk-bnr.com

On another note, I was going to buy a sample size through DHGate and they wanted me to pay via western union... Ignore these scumbags!

 

[MoneyDoc]

I made a buying request on Alibaba and have gotten several e-mail request from misc. manufacturers. Most of them were Alibaba paid members. This specific company e-mailed me. I talked to them on skype and everything seemed legit. After I made the payment, I asked if they can send me a link to their Alibaba profile account. The person would not answer and 20 minutes later said she was busy and will get back to me. The next morning, I got an e-mail saying that "she" does not work for the company anymore. They even used the same e-mail address I was communicating with!

Going forward, I will filter for the gold supplier and e-mail them one by one. It was much easier with buying requests but then you will be bombarded by e-mail request and probably most of them are scams. Here is the link to their website. Please do not associate with this company: www.hk-bnr.com

On another note, I was going to buy a sample size through DHGate and they wanted me to pay via western union... Ignore these scumbags!

Just to let you know bro, anything branded from China is fake. If you see a supplier selling an iPad, don't bother dealing with them. They will either scam you or send you a cheap plastic copy.

However, I do have an authorized armani dealer that I deal with who's located in China. I get the $400 watches for $120 including DHL delivery The watches are real as I have done a sample order with him, they all come certified and I got it confirmed to be real from an armani dealer in Canada. So there might be a needle in the haystack but very very unlikely.

 

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[exclusives88]

Just to let you know bro, anything branded from China is fake. If you see a supplier selling an iPad, don't bother dealing with them. They will either scam you or send you a cheap plastic copy.

However, I do have an authorized armani dealer that I deal with who's located in China. I get the $400 watches for $120 including DHL delivery The watches are real as I have done a sample order with him, they all come certified and I got it confirmed to be real from an armani dealer in Canada. So there might be a needle in the haystack but very very unlikely.

Thanks for letting me know. I wasn't looking for any branded products. I was looking for generic templates and was planning on branding it under my own name. I was trying to get the cost under $25. It would make a pretty big profit margin.

 

[MoneyDoc]

Thanks for letting me know. I wasn't looking for any branded products. I was looking for generic templates and was planning on branding it under my own name. I was trying to get the cost under $25. It would make a pretty big profit margin.

Just curious, how much did they scam you for? (if you don't mind sharing)

 

[exclusives88]

Just curious, how much did they scam you for? (if you don't mind sharing)

Not Much. $160.Just going to move on...

Last month (first month) I sold around $800. Made around $200 profit so it sucks that this loss will pretty much wiped out my profits for the month. I even had a international buyer that wanted to buy $600 worth of products but shipping was outrageous so I was not able to fulfill it.

 

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[exclusives88]

Is USPS first class mail the cheapest if it is a small product and under 14 oz? I still think $2.00 for shipping a 4oz product is expensive!

 

[Dicky Dee]

@exclusives88 Yeah i tried using the buying request thing before as i thought it would be easier as well but a lot of the scammers mixed in with real factories end up messaging you. I only search now with the filters gold supplier and onsite check.

Any companies on alibaba that sell brand name anything is most likely a scam even if you're looking for another product they offer. You're actually lucky to have U.S. shipping, in Canada our rates with tracking are triple yours if not more and i cant seem to find a solution to this at the moment either!

 

[Ecom man]

@exclusives88 Yeah i tried using the buying request thing before as i thought it would be easier as well but a lot of the scammers mixed in with real factories end up messaging you. I only search now with the filters gold supplier and onsite check.

Any companies on alibaba that sell brand name anything is most likely a scam even if you're looking for another product they offer. You're actually lucky to have U.S. shipping, in Canada our rates with tracking are triple yours if not more and i cant seem to find a solution to this at the moment either!

I've heard of that problem with shipping in Canada many times. Seems like a perfect opportunity for someone to come up with a solution and make their own fastlane!

 

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[MoneyDoc]

I've heard of that problem with shipping in Canada many times. Seems like a perfect opportunity for someone to come up with a solution and make their own fastlane!

This is what I mentioned in the thread before.

If we can create a USPS for Canada, we can become millionaires overnight! Shipping small quantities is a HUGE problem in canada. I'm actually researching the logistic field, how shipping companies work and why it's so expensive in canada.. SHIPPING WITHIN CANADA IS RIDICULOUS! I mentioned 100 times before, I paid $13!!! To ship a dog collar worth $10 to a city 10 minutes away from me! Is that FAIR?

Hell, I might as well start a company delivering small quantity products within Toronto my self!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ecom man]

This is what I mentioned in the thread before.

If we can create a USPS for Canada, we can become millionaires overnight! Shipping small quantities is a HUGE problem in canada. I'm actually researching the logistic field, how shipping companies work and why it's so expensive in canada.. SHIPPING WITHIN CANADA IS RIDICULOUS! I mentioned 100 times before, I paid $13!!! To ship a dog collar worth $10 to a city 10 minutes away from me! Is that FAIR?

Hell, I might as well start a company delivering small quantity products within Toronto my self!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah those prices are ridiculous! Sure looks like an opportunity to me.

 

[Dicky Dee]

Yeah those prices are ridiculous! Sure looks like an opportunity to me.

I've thought about it but i really have no experience in this field at all, not sure where to start....this is the part where its good to network with a lot of people who do different things!

 

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[pmsmith2032]

I'm brand new on this forum and have been reading through the forum (have also read the Millionaire Fastlane book). I'm learning a ton but have a couple of questions:

1. In researching a products, I've come across one that is only being sold by a couple of sellers on ebay. Margins look good so far and there seems to be demand. I contacted a couple of Chinese sellers on Alibaba and received the following response from one: "Could we know if you have agent right for this products?". Does this mean this is a branded /trademarked item? It is sold under a brand name on ebay but the brand is not well known and is not sold in any stores in the U.S. I've seen the product refered to as a knock-off ebay product. The listing on Alibaba from the seller that responded did not refer to the brand name (although a couple of other sellers on Alibaba refer to it). Thoughts?

2. Are there any tax implications when reselling products from China? I'm not planning on starting a LLC or corporation right away (although I will once I start making money) so I'm concerned about taxes. Do I need to file with the state (Illinois) or federal at all? Any special reporting?

Sorry if either of these issues have already been addressed (I'm about half way through reading this thread). This site is GREAT! Thanks in advance!

 

[SeanyHang]

Since the last time I posted a few things have happened. I purchased terapeak, researched the living sh*t out of around 80 products (took hours and hours and days..sucked - but you gotta do what you gotta do), finally settled on one of the products that looked good and searched for a supplier.. I then found 5-6 suppliers on alibaba that were gold and sent a message to all of them, saying how they're the best company for my product.. 3 suppliers responded to me, I chose the best one (in my opinion ) and ordered 10 samples (2 different variations of the product/5 samples each). Got the samples and listed them last Thursday (the 11th.. it's now the 16th). I've sold all but one sample of the first variation of my product, the second one hasn't sold anything yet - so now I know which one to order in bulk. All in all I've ALMOST made a profit as the whole order was 108 (shipping included) and I've made about 80 dollars (if I sell all my samples I'll be in the green).

My question is how fast should I be selling these products to really be pursuing them? I don't have many ebay feedback ratings (only 14 -all 100%) which definitely deters some people from buying from me. Should I buy, say 100 of this item and just wait a few months to sell out or try to find a hot product that will sell really quickly?

 

[Guest24480]

I've read through most of the thread awhile back, hopefully this question hasn't been answered yet.

I was wondering what your experience with branded products on Alibaba was. If there is a certain manufacturer who is selling something and in the product picture there is already a brand and/or packaging indicating that there's a brand (it's usually very bland and generic), will the product be sent to you in these generic brand containers?

I would look to start my own brand fresh and don't want their generic brand packaging, I want to create my own with their product. Is this something I need to specify to them or is that a no no? Should I just figure out the packaging myself and transfer the product into my own packaging? Or should I just avoid products like this altogether?

Thanks for your help.

 

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[Ecom man]

I'm brand new on this forum and have been reading through the forum (have also read the Millionaire Fastlane book). I'm learning a ton but have a couple of questions:

1. In researching a products, I've come across one that is only being sold by a couple of sellers on ebay. Margins look good so far and there seems to be demand. I contacted a couple of Chinese sellers on Alibaba and received the following response from one: "Could we know if you have agent right for this products?". Does this mean this is a branded /trademarked item? It is sold under a brand name on ebay but the brand is not well known and is not sold in any stores in the U.S. I've seen the product refered to as a knock-off ebay product. The listing on Alibaba from the seller that responded did not refer to the brand name (although a couple of other sellers on Alibaba refer to it). Thoughts?

2. Are there any tax implications when reselling products from China? I'm not planning on starting a LLC or corporation right away (although I will once I start making money) so I'm concerned about taxes. Do I need to file with the state (Illinois) or federal at all? Any special reporting?

Sorry if either of these issues have already been addressed (I'm about half way through reading this thread). This site is GREAT! Thanks in advance!

When referring to an agent most of the time they mean a shipping agent to deal with importing products by ship. The only way to know for sure woukd be to ask. I always import using air shipping so no need of a shipping agent that way.

In regards to taxes at this point most people who sell online dont have to charge sales tax. It is up to the purchaser to pay the tax themselves. Don't be surprised if that changes in the future though. If you are referring to income taxes there will of course be taxes on any profits that you make. Talk with a tax professional about how to decrease your taxes owed with deductions and to see what other requirements there might be in your specific state.

 

[Ecom man]

Since the last time I posted a few things have happened. I purchased terapeak, researched the living sh*t out of around 80 products (took hours and hours and days..sucked - but you gotta do what you gotta do), finally settled on one of the products that looked good and searched for a supplier.. I then found 5-6 suppliers on alibaba that were gold and sent a message to all of them, saying how they're the best company for my product.. 3 suppliers responded to me, I chose the best one (in my opinion ) and ordered 10 samples (2 different variations of the product/5 samples each). Got the samples and listed them last Thursday (the 11th.. it's now the 16th). I've sold all but one sample of the first variation of my product, the second one hasn't sold anything yet - so now I know which one to order in bulk. All in all I've ALMOST made a profit as the whole order was 108 (shipping included) and I've made about 80 dollars (if I sell all my samples I'll be in the green).

My question is how fast should I be selling these products to really be pursuing them? I don't have many ebay feedback ratings (only 14 -all 100%) which definitely deters some people from buying from me. Should I buy, say 100 of this item and just wait a few months to sell out or try to find a hot product that will sell really quickly?

There is nothing wrong with having a product that isn't a "hot seller". It is up to you to decide if it is worth the hassle based on what your profit margin is. It appears (based on what you said) that you are doubling your money. I would not dump a product that is doubling money even if it is a slow seller.

It looks like you are selling them on average 1 per day. Personally I wouldn't order a 3 month supply(100 of them) unless i felt that they would sell really well around Christmas. I would order 40-50 and then reorder as needed. (Assuming the seller will work with you in the quantities purchased) If you feel the item would be purchased as a gift for Christmas as well then I have no problem with buying in larger quantities.

I currently am in the stocking up for Christmas sales time. I am ordering way larger quantities than normal so as to try and not run out over Christmas. If 100 wont break the bank and it would make a good gift, I might even order a couple hundred.

 

[pmsmith2032]

Thanks for the response Ecom man! Do you ever offer a warranty on your products? For example, a think I read somewhere that someone recommended offering a lifetime warranty in their description on their product as so many people forget about it a month or two after they purchase the item.

Also, what do you think of a product that weighs anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds (depending on the model) and is approximately 12"x12"x17"? Is that too big (product would be priced between $45 - $65 depending on model)? If not, what would be the best way to ship to customers and how much should I figure cost to be (I live in Illinois)? Finally, I'm assuming a shipping cost of $238.00 for five samples is high (the seller is quoting $5.95 a kilogram).

Thanks again!

 

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[blackz_11]

I run a small gym clothing business and have been having problems tying down a good reliable supplier, however I may have found one pending samples being made. Most of them are in Pakistan, which they don't have Paypal there, the ones that do are set up by someone outside of Pakistan I believe.

Anyway, I am too struggling with trying to find the best way to pay for samples. Like many people here, a lot of suppliers do say Western Union etc however like Ecom man says it is best to get a feel for the company before sending anything (response time, website, how many years of gold membership etc). I have used Paypal before but also successfully paid twice using Western Union. The way I work with this current supplier is I send them a screenshot of the Western Union confirmation of the amount being paid, however I blank out the MTCN or part of the MTCN which they ultimately need to to collect the money. Once my samples have been made and pictures of the sample have been sent over of said item with print etc, I then send the full MTCN.

This may help others, it may not depending on what items you are getting. As my items are clothing and requires them to actually create it with my spec I can see that they have taken the time to do the work asked, it also allows me to get a heads up of the quality before I actually receive it.

 

[Ecom man]

I've read through most of the thread awhile back, hopefully this question hasn't been answered yet.

I was wondering what your experience with branded products on Alibaba was. If there is a certain manufacturer who is selling something and in the product picture there is already a brand and/or packaging indicating that there's a brand (it's usually very bland and generic), will the product be sent to you in these generic brand containers?

I would look to start my own brand fresh and don't want their generic brand packaging, I want to create my own with their product. Is this something I need to specify to them or is that a no no? Should I just figure out the packaging myself and transfer the product into my own packaging? Or should I just avoid products like this altogether?

Thanks for your help.

Many times a supplier can add your brand onto packaging for an additional cost. They will only do so if you are purchasing a certain sized order of course. It is normally more cost efficient to have them do this in China than it would be for you to do it yourself.