export agent.

[julian widener]

Hello,
I have looking into the import export business for a while now and I'm interested in becoming an export agent. Basically following up on trade leads and sourcing products from u.s. manufacturers. I've seen some information out there but a lot of it seems like some "get rich quick schemes" for sale from a lot of companies. If anybody could help me as far as letting me know if this business is really worthwhile and some good inside tips and strategies that will help my business become successful will be greatly appreciated.
thanks
julian

 

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[Topaz]

Hello,
I have looking into the import export business for a while now and I'm interested in becoming an export agent. Basically following up on trade leads and sourcing products from u.s. manufacturers. I've seen some information out there but a lot of it seems like some "get rich quick schemes" for sale from a lot of companies. If anybody could help me as far as letting me know if this business is really worthwhile and some good inside tips and strategies that will help my business become successful will be greatly appreciated.
thanks
julian

Hello, have you got started yet? I too am interested in becoming an agent as well. I've come across a few courses but like you I'm not for any get rich quick schemes or hype. If you found a course or information, feel free to share. Thanks.

 

[Lescinsky]

Hello,

I can tell You little more about my experience about purchasing agent in Europe. I have been working in steel structure production unit as an export manager and traveling a lot around the foreign customers. What I saw is that in company I was employed profit margins were too high comparing to the market demand, but the same time I have had experience with search of subcontractors for the the factory. So I moved from employee to self-employed outsourced purchaser.

What have worked for me and what not:

• You have to decide from the start are You going to invoice Your buyer or producer as You can`t sit on the both chairs. I have made my effort to help buyers to get as best prices as possible so the only way I would be able to get it is push producers as much as possible and invoice buyer for this service.
• Getting commision from producer side is much more complicated as they always find the reason not to pay or pay less than agreed.
• You have to be open to Your customers and make his life easier. In that case they will not try to contact Your suppliers directrly. But if they will You have to be pushing Your producers before for such a good offers, so direct contact will not get any better but worse offers for the buyer. In any way there will be buyer who will try to contact Your supplier and opposit as well, but You with hard work it is possible to keep the loyal ones (suppliers and producers). Maybe it is possible to make the legal documents to not make this possible but I choose to be open and make as much of the possitive result to the customer so he will not want to use his time to go beyond me.

I am still in process to get the system improved so I am also open for any suggestions from You guys.
What I achieved so far is 4-5 reliable producers and 2 customers. Now I am working on increasing the amount of customer base.

 

[Topaz]

Hello,

I can tell You little more about my experience about purchasing agent in Europe. I have been working in steel structure production unit as an export manager and traveling a lot around the foreign customers. What I saw is that in company I was employed profit margins were too high comparing to the market demand, but the same time I have had experience with search of subcontractors for the the factory. So I moved from employee to self-employed outsourced purchaser.

What have worked for me and what not:

• You have to decide from the start are You going to invoice Your buyer or producer as You can`t sit on the both chairs. I have made my effort to help buyers to get as best prices as possible so the only way I would be able to get it is push producers as much as possible and invoice buyer for this service.
• Getting commision from producer side is much more complicated as they always find the reason not to pay or pay less than agreed.
• You have to be open to Your customers and make his life easier. In that case they will not try to contact Your suppliers directrly. But if they will You have to be pushing Your producers before for such a good offers, so direct contact will not get any better but worse offers for the buyer. In any way there will be buyer who will try to contact Your supplier and opposit as well, but You with hard work it is possible to keep the loyal ones (suppliers and producers). Maybe it is possible to make the legal documents to not make this possible but I choose to be open and make as much of the possitive result to the customer so he will not want to use his time to go beyond me.

I am still in process to get the system improved so I am also open for any suggestions from You guys.
What I achieved so far is 4-5 reliable producers and 2 customers. Now I am working on increasing the amount of customer base.

Thanks for sharing your experience. So is a Purchasing agent the same as being an ex/im trade agent?

 

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[Lescinsky]

Thanks for sharing your experience. So is a Purchasing agent the same as being an ex/im trade agent?

I were doing a lot of importing (purchasing from one country) and providing transportation to other country, but not buying and selling trough my company but sales agreement were signed direclty by two parties and I were like an intermediate so the deal is signed for the best possible terms for buyer. Not sure if it is exactly the same but I think that strategic decisions should be more or less similar.

 

[Walter Hay]

Hello,
I have looking into the import export business for a while now and I'm interested in becoming an export agent. Basically following up on trade leads and sourcing products from u.s. manufacturers. I've seen some information out there but a lot of it seems like some "get rich quick schemes" for sale from a lot of companies. If anybody could help me as far as letting me know if this business is really worthwhile and some good inside tips and strategies that will help my business become successful will be greatly appreciated.
thanks
julian

@julian widener, I wrote briefly on this subject in my thread, you can see it here: [URL="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/sharing-my-lifetime-experience-in-export-import-product-sourcing-specialist.55062/page-8#post-418756"]Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.[/URL]
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/julian-widener.34481/
I also wrote more extensively here: Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.

I hope these might help you.

Walter

 

[Topaz]

I were doing a lot of importing (purchasing from one country) and providing transportation to other country, but not buying and selling trough my company but sales agreement were signed direclty by two parties and I were like an intermediate so the deal is signed for the best possible terms for buyer. Not sure if it is exactly the same but I think that strategic decisions should be more or less similar.

Ok.

 

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