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Exactly!!That's great. A good education for you.
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Free registration at the forum removes this block.Exactly!!That's great. A good education for you.
Well I see you have found it. Yes you are right, the price is $97, but I have a paid support team with a core group that I have trained in sourcing and importing.
Those testimonials you will have seen on my website are genuine. I have hundreds more that I don't publish. I am unusual in that I publicly offer to provide proof of authenticity to the FTC or to fair trading authorities in other countries on demand.
Find and follow his AMA thread. Follow him on this forum. Check out the website in his signature. There are other ways to get what you want.I would love to get the book but it is to expensive for me right now.
PM sent!I will check in he morning and PM you. I am currently speaking to a 3rd supplier claiming to be the factory so I'll research tomorrow and let you know. I kind of want to do this on my own, and maybe just double check my findings with you, Walter.
So...I was up until midnight last night speaking to another supplier! This conversation was all text based through Skype (no video) and it started out pretty slow. But something changed and I cannot pinpoint it. It REALLY started picking up! This conversation was ALL business. The rep from this company also asked a few questions about my business and again I was completely honest saying I am just starting out (which btw, most people say to NOT do!). She could tell I was new the market somehow. But it didn't phase her. We kept talking and I got a sample quote and shipping cost. This supplier was GREAT! She said typically, sample costs are $16/pcs, but for me, it would be $8.pcs. She also quoted a mere $31 for 5 day shipping via DHL. Seeing as how it was midnight and I had to be up at 6am for my J.O.B., we agreed to complete the deal today (tomorrow for the supplier). Plus this has given me chance to research the company a bit.
SO...I told the guys I work with what I am doing (they are slowlane conformist so no worries...yet), and I already have my 1st sale!! HAHA!!!. Momentum is a beautiful thing!!
Find and follow his AMA thread. Follow him on this forum. Check out the website in his signature. There are other ways to get what you want.
I think that your enthusiasm is catching! Even the suppliers have detected it. I hope they don't take advantage of it, so be a bit wary, regardless of how well negotiations appear to go.So...I was up until midnight last night speaking to another supplier! This conversation was all text based through Skype (no video) and it started out pretty slow. But something changed and I cannot pinpoint it. It REALLY started picking up! This conversation was ALL business. The rep from this company also asked a few questions about my business and again I was completely honest saying I am just starting out (which btw, most people say to NOT do!). She could tell I was new the market somehow. But it didn't phase her. We kept talking and I got a sample quote and shipping cost. This supplier was GREAT! She said typically, sample costs are $16/pcs, but for me, it would be $8.pcs. She also quoted a mere $31 for 5 day shipping via DHL. Seeing as how it was midnight and I had to be up at 6am for my J.O.B., we agreed to complete the deal today (tomorrow for the supplier). Plus this has given me chance to research the company a bit.
SO...I told the guys I work with what I am doing (they are slowlane conformist so no worries...yet), and I already have my 1st sale!! HAHA!!!. Momentum is a beautiful thing!!
I've never read Walter's book so I can't speak from personal experience on the book but in the grand scheme of things what is $100 bucks? Get a part time job for a week and buy it. If I can learn 1 thing from a book it is worth the read. I just finished reading a book called "New Money Staying Rich" by Phillip Buchanon. Worth far more than the $20 I spent to get it. Knowledge is far more valuable and far more powerful than a little bit of money it takes to buy a book. Again, I've never read his book but if you believe he knows what he is talking about then get the money and buy it.I would love to get the book but it is to expensive for me right now.
Well...I didn't want to do a progress thread, because frankly, I'd rather devote my time to other things, but MAN am I EXCITED!!! I think I found my niche...MY pain point!!! That being said, I don't know how much time I am willing to devote to this thread at this time.
A little background: My first thought of my own business was to fix and flip cars and I've wanted to this for a VERY long time. I've done it the past and been relatively successful at it. But at the time of this writing, I now have TWO vehicles just sitting, waiting for parts. SO it hit me...this may not be the best fastlane strategy. Inventory sitting and cannot be sold (for profit anyway), and plus one of my vehicles is a COMPLETE money pit! This specific vehicle, I was told it needs one part to get running right. Well, it did need that one part, but it needed SO much other work in addition to that "one part". $3500 later I think I can FINALLY sell the car (we have emissions testing here so if it cannot pass emissions, car is practically worthless...or a parts car). I will still make money, but not the profit I has hoped for. This all led me to believe fix-n-flip is just too risky. Plus I also found out that you need A LOT od capital to get dealer's license.
SO...I've been looking around on this forum and it seems there are a lot of people importing from China (www.alibaba.com and such) and selling through various means. This seems like a much more stable, more viable "fastlane" way to start a business. So I thought about it for a few minutes thinking to myself, "What am I interested in?" First thing to mind was LED light bars for off-roading...these things sell for $1,000+! I Thought I had it...until I checked alibaba and the cost/piece and shipping and the market. I cannot make money with that product, and in fact, I'd end up losing money.
So then, taking the advice of Eco Man and the advice in Mr. DeMarco's book, I started thinking about what do people need? What is an evergreen product people need? What is major pain point people have? I thought about things like dishes, glasses, cookware, silverware, 800 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, but nothing really "stood out". Plus the market seems saturated with these products anyway (too much competition). I also thought "How can I add value to these already existing products?'
I spent like a week, maybe even 2 weeks looking around my house, my yard, my slowlane job...what do people need? LED lights for the house, sunscreen, car seat covers...I checked on Craigslist to see what people need, what they are getting rid of. Nothing. Nothing said to me, "I can add value to this and sell it!" Until it happened...One Friday when leaving work, my _______ (you really didn't think I'd tell you my product, did you?) broke...again. I was like #$%^! Now I need to buy this.
I went to my usual spot to buy said product and their main display had absolutely nothing I liked. I did manage to find more of what I needed in a different location, found something I liked and bought it. I stepped out of the store and said, "I don't like this." But I'll just deal with it. About 2 days later, it hit me...what if I started a business selling this product? Not only sell it, but offer a lifetime warranty? Offer a product that you buy once and once only? This particular product has been a HUGE pain point for me personally for DECADES! I thought to myself, what if I never had to buy this again? What if I buy one that is light, comfortable and fairly inexpensive and never had to buy it again? How wonderful of an idea!!
So I had my product! Now the research. I checked on ebay and amazon and even did a Google search for my product with a lifetime warranty and it was as I expected...only a few HUGE name brand players, but the warranties were very tightly written...so much so it almost made them pointless. I checked alibaba and through researching my product, I found the exact features I want for my product.
At this point, I am in contact with SEVERAL suppliers to see if they offer what I want. Pricing and shipping is right where I expected it to be, and my margin will be so great that offering a lifetime warranty is still VERY profitable. Funny, because when I checked the biggest, most well know supplier of my product, it seems they are doing the EXACT same thing!!! My warranty and material will be different, setting me apart. One pain point for me right now is the time difference...I am asleep when they are awake and emailing me. I lose SO much sleep right now because I am SO ANXIOUS!!
So now the REAL fun begins! Once I find a supplier that offers EXACTLY what I want, I'll order a sample. From there, if demand is there, I want to brand my product, copy write/trademark it, get an LLC, and make it a viable business. I even have a company name and slogan picked out, checked the web and the domain is expired, but I can do a .net or .biz. I want to compete with the BIG DOGS!
I think that your enthusiasm is catching! Even the suppliers have detected it. I hope they don't take advantage of it, so be a bit wary, regardless of how well negotiations appear to go.
As I mentioned in my PM you have done well in finding one definitely genuine manufacturer and one likely so far. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Ecom man. I would personally hesitate a little at spending money on an eBook, so I can understand why people don't.I've never read Walter's book so I can't speak from personal experience on the book but in the grand scheme of things what is $100 bucks? Get a part time job for a week and buy it. If I can learn 1 thing from a book it is worth the read. I just finished reading a book called "New Money Staying Rich" by Phillip Buchanon. Worth far more than the $20 I spent to get it. Knowledge is far more valuable and far more powerful than a little bit of money it takes to buy a book. Again, I've never read his book but if you believe he knows what he is talking about then get the money and buy it.
I've never read Walter's book so I can't speak from personal experience on the book but in the grand scheme of things what is $100 bucks? Get a part time job for a week and buy it. If I can learn 1 thing from a book it is worth the read. I just finished reading a book called "New Money Staying Rich" by Phillip Buchanon. Worth far more than the $20 I spent to get it. Knowledge is far more valuable and far more powerful than a little bit of money it takes to buy a book. Again, I've never read his book but if you believe he knows what he is talking about then get the money and buy it.
HAHA! Yup! He annoys the crap out of me now! But he IS the reason I am here, the reason I purchased Mr. DeMarco's book, the reason I am once again trying the entrepreneur avenue.
In the meantime, I suggest you ignore their recommendation to use Alibaba and to filter by Gold Supplier etc. If you check out my AMA you will see why I say Alibaba is a risky site to use.You're right, i've did the startupbros jumpstart group thing for 400 euro's and it was worth it. in the next few months i will buy Walters book. I'm gonna write it down somewhere before i forget.
That's right - Fake it till you make it. As for a business card, there are plenty of templates available including Windows and you can make up your own without the website on it for the time being.SO....One of the supplier has request my business card (through alibaba)...I don't have a business card. I don't even have a business (yet)! I DO have a name picked out, a logo, a slogan, but no business card. I plan on getting some, but I need to wait until the .com domain I want is available so I can put my website on my business cards. I can only assume the supplier wants my business card to check MY business just as I checked THEIR business. Any suggestions? I have told this supplier that I am just starting out, but at the same time, I hope I have conveyed the idea that I currently have a business (I have not said I do, but I have not said I don't if that makes any sense). Fake it till you make it, right?
Yeah, I made one...vistaprint, screenshot and crop. But I wonder if the supplier is requesting the business card in alibaba site?That's right - Fake it till you make it. As for a business card, there are plenty of templates available including Windows and you can make up your own without the website on it for the time being.
It is not likely that they mean the business card in the Alibaba site. I would just send them a scan of the one you have made up.Yeah, I made one...vistaprint, screenshot and crop. But I wonder if the supplier is requesting the business card in alibaba site?
I am not encouraging using alibaba. I just seem to have gotten real lucky in finding my suppliers...and fairly quickly too. I'm still reading through your AMA (18 pages now) and I have already read the 2263 thieves of alibaba post. There's just not enough hours in one day!!!
HAHA
HAHA! Yup! He annoys the crap out of me now! But he IS the reason I am here, the reason I purchased Mr. DeMarco's book, the reason I am once again trying the entrepreneur avenue.
In the meantime, I suggest you ignore their recommendation to use Alibaba and to filter by Gold Supplier etc. If you check out my AMA you will see why I say Alibaba is a risky site to use.
@Walter Hay, turns they just wanted my contact info...phone and email as it was hidden on alibaba. Nevertheless, I have a business card designed now. Since I don't have a need to hand it out just yet, I'm going to redo it.It is not likely that they mean the business card in the Alibaba site. I would just send them a scan of the one you have made up.
Yes, you are one of the lucky ones. A lot of people do well on Alibaba, but it is too risky for me to recommend it.
Thanks a @Brentnal! I am SICK of working for someone else. I've wanted my own business for decades, just never knew how to make a reality..never knew what to do. But that day my ______broke at work, it finally hit me! Of course being part of this forum put the idea of importing in my head. It's...waaaaiiitt....it's a PROCESS!!!I am beginning to like this thread, you don't seem like one of those people who quit after a week or two. Keep going, fail+learn+repeat=succeed
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