Thread: How to start my Wholesale Import/Export Business?

I have been doing whole sale for almost 2 1/2 years now probably a little more longer and have learned alot through out the process and how it works... I want to stop selling individual items such as buying in bulk and reselling it and start doing wholesaling directly with businesses. I have had few clients already wanting to purchase 500+ items from me for variety of different items with the potential of doing a more long term business with me. What is the best way to do this? Is creating a website based solely on products such as cases which I am mostly focused on a good idea so customers can browse the site and let me know what the want? I would really appreciate your feedback on this. Thanks!

Hello bonkers123,

That's great about your import/export business! I've been interested in the dynamics of importing and exporting, such as dealing with customs and freight services. Do you own and actually import and export the items yourself? Where are the items located before purchased? If you wouldn't mind, I think it would be awesome if you could share some of your advice and knowledge you have learned through your hard work.

I wish I could give you expert advice on my end, although I have very little understanding how what you wish to accomplish would work. I think that developing a website would be excellent imho, as well as having downloadable PDFs of some sort to give ideas of product lines and high level costing to the purchasing business. I am unfamiliar with what you are import/exporting, but possibly sending out samples might help as well.

Best of luck, and sorry I couldn't be more of assistance. I look forward to an update!

find supplier at sites like alibaba.com or tradekey and resell their stuff .

horne
have you had success and experience with such suppliers?

A few years ago I imported 10,000 hemp bags and backpacks from China, created a website and a color brochure with thumbnails of each bag. I hand delivered or posted the brochures to relevant shops and due to my lack of SEO experience at the time I wound up having most of my sails through the brochure. I don't actually believe my example is necessarily the norm but it's how it worked out for me. I now believe that had I known more about marketing my website I would have had the reverse experience.

I dealt directly with the factory in China who also directed me to their international shipping agent who I used. The shipping company took care of most of the details and import paperwork and the confusing part of the learning curve passed relatively quickly. If you do import from abroad I would recommend getting insurance. I scrimped at the time and there was a painful couple of days when it looked as if my shipment had been lost and I would have been stranded out of pocket.

Wish you luck in your endeavours :-)

well i use the site to check my prices to the market, but you can have good connections through the site .

Biz_Finder,

Thank you for sharing your story! I have a few questions if you don't mind.

How did you initially get into contact with the supplier? Were you actually in China or did you find them on something like alibaba?

also, when you said

Originally Posted by Biz_Finder

I now believe that had I known more about marketing my website I would have had the reverse experience.

Did you mean that you would've had more sales on the website rather than through the brochure?

Thanks again!