You seem to have a chip on your shoulder, lose it.
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Free registration at the forum removes this block.Ok so here's my question for your Ask me anything. If Alibaba, Dhgate and etc are all to be avoided what sites should I use instead?I am certainly not the only person on this forum who has something to sell. Should they all be banned?
(1) If people failed through following my instructions I would feel very responsible. As yet, not one of the hundreds who are using my book and following the instructions there has reported failure. As I posted above : "On another forum one poster stated that she had searched hard and was unable to find any bad reviews of my book anywhere on the web", and she went on to say "this does not happen in the real world". Now you can be sure that if there were failures out there they would let the world know who they blamed.
(2) I have made the offer that forum members can ASK ME ANYTHING and have only been asked 3 questions there. I have answered them in detail.
- How many newbies complain that they don't get responses to their email inquires to suppliers? In this thread I provided specific advice on how to overcome that extremely common problem.
- I know that it is rare for people to read the fine print and as a result they take the B2B sites' "verification" systems at face value. I have alerted members to the fact that the system offers no protection.
- What is worse is the trust people place in the rating system (Gold Supplier etc) and I have alerted members to the fact that those vendors have been subjected to no more scrutiny than ordinary verified vendors.
- I have encountered large numbers of people who wrongly think they are dealing with manufacturers because they found people on B2B sites listed as manufacturers. I have alerted members to that false notion. The difference to your bottom line will be substantial if you go to manufacturers not wholesalers.
- I have seen on this forum posts about buying big brands and I know that many people do not understand the risks they are taking in importing and selling counterfeits, knockoffs or even genuine branded items. I think it is of value for me to warn about this.
But No... I will not post my safe sourcing sites. REASON:
If someone wants to learn to swim, I will not say: "It's easy. First you need to find a swimming pool. Then you jump in. You'll soon get the idea."
Finding a supplier is only one step in a process that I have seen many people drown in. I have had people write to me seeking help after they have blundered into placing an order without knowing what they are doing. I won't help them blunder in by saying here's the pool, jump in.
Later today I will post my extensive but far from exhaustive list of things that a newbie importer needs to consider before they jump in that pool. Then maybe I can get on and provide more helpful answers to actual questions.
I have already answered that question that has been put twice directly. Here is what I wrote to Boxster:Ok so here's my question for your Ask me anything. If Alibaba, Dhgate and etc are all to be avoided what sites should I use instead?
Ok so I'm not a "newbie" about to jump into an unknown pool, so since you said ask you anything... What sites would you use that are better than the ones that you say should be avoided.I have already answered that question that has been put twice directly. Here is what I wrote to Boxster:
"But No... I will not post my safe sourcing sites. REASON:
If someone wants to learn to swim, I will not say: "It's easy. First you need to find a swimming pool. Then you jump in. You'll soon get the idea."
Finding a supplier is only one step in a process that I have seen many people drown in. I have had people write to me seeking help after they have blundered into placing an order without knowing what they are doing. I won't help them blunder in by saying here's the pool, jump in.
Later today I will post my extensive but far from exhaustive list of things that a newbie importer needs to consider before they jump in that pool. Then maybe I can get on and provide more helpful answers to actual questions."
When I talk about people writing to me seeking help, it is often too late. One lady found a great supplier with a product she knew a lot about and was sure she could sell it successfully. She thought the price was excellent, incorrectly thinking she was dealing with a manufacturer, so she placed a large order and paid thousands of dollars deposit. This was her first venture into importing! After she paid the deposit she discovered that the terms quoted did not include freight although she had thought it did. She had never heard of INCOTERMS and had no idea what FOB, EXW, C&F etc. meant. Because she was buying bulky goods on which freight is charged by volume not weight, the freight was going be several times more than the price she was paying for the goods. On my advice she abandoned the order, otherwise she would have lost much more.
That is a long story, but I relate it because such cases are quite common. I deal with newbies every day, and their ignorance of what is involved is often quite staggering. I will not encourage them to go into importing when their knowledge is so limited that they are risking what for many of them is their total, very small amount of capital.
How naive do you think I am. Can you guarantee that newbies won't read the post?Ok so I'm not a "newbie" about to jump into an unknown pool, so since you said ask you anything... What sites would you use that are better than the ones that you say should be avoided.
There are quite a few that I have not mentioned. The list of such sites is painfully long. In fact I have a list of over 3,000 product sourcing sites, most of which are outright scam sites. Do a Google search for your chosen product and you will probably find many of themHe hasn't mentioned globalsources.com or Made-in-China.com but my opinion is those are comparable with all the others he has listed.
I have posted specific and I believe helpful advice on these threads:
Need help, got response from supplier The only helpful response there was incomplete to the point that if followed could lead the OP to make a serious mistake. I gave a warning about it and stated how to avoid that mistake.
Anyone have experience with colorway and customizing products I gave a specific and helpful answer.
Help... caught in Alibaba hell!!! LOL I gave specific advice with information that would likely be unknown to most members.
What does this Chinese supplier mean? I gave a specific and detailed answer including a way to avoid being hit with surprise costs.
The Process Of Getting Something Made In China? I gave specific and detailed advice.
How naive do you think I am. Can you guarantee that newbies won't read the post?
"But No... I will not post my safe sourcing sites. REASON:
If someone wants to learn to swim, I will not say: "It's easy. First you need to find a swimming pool. Then you jump in. You'll soon get the idea."
Finding a supplier is only one step in a process that I have seen many people drown in. I have had people write to me seeking help after they have blundered into placing an order without knowing what they are doing. I won't help them blunder in by saying here's the pool, jump in.
The old model of 'selling with bait/a trail of breadcrumbs' is dying/declining.
Here, you build a truckload of trust and establish yourself as an authority, provide more than a truckload of value and people will flock to you if there is demand for your product.
For a case study in how to entrench yourself into a community and become an 'expert' in a short amount of time, take a few hours and read @Andy Black 's posts in chronological order. Now he could sell 'magic peanuts that make you a Google Adwords wizard' to us, and we'd buy it, because we trust him.
So just become that, take some time. Bet 5 yuan that it'll work out in your favor
I am certainly not the only person on this forum who has something to sell. Should they all be banned?
Here's that link again that in case you want to sell your book via this forum:
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/pages/advertise/
I suspect the tale of two roads would look like this:
Storm in, try to sell books, and leave two weeks later = 10 book sales.
Contribute first, hang around, get the feel for the board, stay indefinitely and become known as a contributor = 500 book sales.
I posted that ad link first, but I didn't do it to be a smart a$$.
@smithsta Thanks for the breath of fresh air. And thank you also to MJ DeMarco for some cooling comments.I have had the chance to speak with @Walter Hay and his story is very intriguing. (I think you should start a thread or do an INSIDERS call, people would love to hear it)
I have no doubt that his experience and knowledge will put him up there with the most valuable contributors on these forums, so please hang around Walter.
I believe he has good intentions and it's not all about selling his book. He has provided me advice and I haven't bought his book.
I decided that it was going to be too long, so I have posted the first installment on my AMA thread, where I think it will be more appropriate. I hope it generates questions and I look forward to providing helpful answers.No problem Walter.
I'm glad you have decided to hang around. I look forward to your next thread. The fact you are 'finalising a draft' tells me it's going to be great.
Here, you build a truckload of trust and establish yourself as an authority, provide more than a truckload of value and people will flock to you if there is demand for your product.
Lifer, with a wire transfer, you can see if the receiving company's name and address on their bank account (on their wire transfer instruction sheet) match the company name and address that you otherwise have for them. I've never used WU but I assume it goes straight to an individual.How is wiring money any safer than WU?
Yes Nate, that is a reasonably safe arrangement if payment is made to the company.Lifer, with a wire transfer, you can see if the receiving company's name and address on their bank account (on their wire transfer instruction sheet) match the company name and address that you otherwise have for them. I've never used WU but I assume it goes straight to an individual.
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