Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.

[DrScream]

<div class="bbWrapper">Just ordered your book. Look forward to reading them. I ordered the importing one and the fastlane franchise one as I have a buddy who is about to take his first franchisee on for his business and figure it could help him out as well. Thanks for all your info! This truly is a goldmine of info</div>

 

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[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 72680" data-quote="DrScream" data-source="post: 978676" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=978676" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-978676">DrScream said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Just ordered your book. Look forward to reading them. I ordered the importing one and the fastlane franchise one as I have a buddy who is about to take his first franchisee on for his business and figure it could help him out as well. Thanks for all your info! This truly is a goldmine of info </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>I hope you mean he is selling a franchise and not buying one!<br /> <br /> Walter</div>

 

[DrScream]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 26072" data-quote="Walter Hay" data-source="post: 978722" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=978722" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-978722">Walter Hay said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> I hope you mean he is selling a franchise and not buying one!<br /> <br /> Walter </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Correct! He&#039;s the franchiser to a couple.</div>

 

[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 72680" data-quote="DrScream" data-source="post: 978731" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=978731" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-978731">DrScream said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Correct! He&#039;s the franchiser to a couple. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>My son in law has informed me that he has not sent you the books because he hasn&#039;t received any notification from PayPal.<br /> <br /> Sorry about the delay, but maybe you should check your PayPal account. He is always on the ball and sends the books very quickly after PayPal send him a notice.<br /> <br /> Walter</div>

 

[James90]

<div class="bbWrapper">Hi Walter,<br /> <br /> Is there any ways to make my import trade data private from public sources like Priva, Datamyne, and Import Yeti... etc?</div>

 

[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 69270" data-quote="James90" data-source="post: 980380" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=980380" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-980380">James90 said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Hi Walter,<br /> <br /> Is there any ways to make my import trade data private from public sources like Priva, Datamyne, and Import Yeti... etc? </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Unfortunately it is not possible. All records of shipments in and out of the USA are public and those companies you mention harvest the details and publish them on their sites.<br /> <br /> Walter</div>

 

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[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><b>DELETING A SOURCING AGENT from my book</b><br /> <br /> I am sorry to report that the one and only Chinese sourcing agent that I have ever recommended; Jing Sourcing, has failed miserably in dealing with a mistake they made in handling an order for a Fastlane Member.<br /> <br /> Until now they have given excellent service, but there has been a change of management and this has resulted in a changed attitude that I will not tolerate.<br /> <br /> I am removing their link from my sourcing book, and all of my book users should take note.<br /> <br /> As a result I now advise that DIY sourcing is the safest option. My book provides all you need to know to handle your own sourcing.<br /> <br /> Walter<br /> <br /> <b><span style="font-size: 26px">REVISION. </span></b><span style="font-size: 15px">After further discussions with Jing Sourcing, and recent comments received from a Fastlane member, I am pleased to reinstate them as reliable and very helpful sourcing agents. Among their services they will consolidate samples received from various suppliers that you might be trying, and they will send them in a single package to save freight cost.</span></div>

 

[BAUCE]

<div class="bbWrapper">Not sure if this has been covered but please DONT make the same mistake I made with using Alibaba&#039;s payment &quot;protection&quot; called Alipay.<br /> <br /> I used Alipay thinking it would be similar to PayPal protection on eBay. I made a larger order of a speciality clothing item from a factory I had successfully used before but still didn&#039;t fully trust. After the items were complete I had an inspection company inspect all of the items. 80% of the items failed the inspection. There was some kind of paint specs or burnt plastic all over parts of the clothes. I quickly told the factory and they agreed to replace the failed items. <br /> <br /> 3 weeks later I was told everything was fixed and ready to go. I should have had another inspection done but thought I have Alipay protection in case anything else is wrong. 10 days later my product arrived. They didn&#039;t fix ANY of the clothes, the simply waited a few weeks and shipped them like I wouldn&#039;t realize it or care enough to do anything. I immediately messaged the factory and they told me sorry but those defects weren&#039;t a big enough deal to fix and that I could still sell them. I was furious.<br /> <br /> I reached out to Alibaba with the failed inspection report, messages with the factory stating they would fix the items, and 200ish photos I took of each and every item that failed. <br /> <br /> The told me that this wasn&#039;t enough proof and that I needed to send more in depth photos. This was insane but I obliged. I sent the new batch of photos and the told me they didn&#039;t think the defects were bad enough to refund. They also told me I could sell the items. For the next 6 weeks we went back and fourth. They were no longer sending new comments on the case, they were copy and pasting the same reply. Every time they sent a new message a countdown of a couple days started and if I didn&#039;t respond by then they would close my case. <br /> <br /> I finally gave up and figured I was shit out of luck when I realized I used my Chase credit card to fund the Alipay purchase. A few weeks later Chase refunded the full order amount. I was extremely lucky that I didn&#039;t use my business debit card because I think that money would be gone. That shitty factory still tries to send me messages on different platforms trying to get my business back. <br /> <br /> It feels F*cking amazing knowing they can see the success of my business by seeing my catalog grow on my website. Since then, I do 10-15x the amount of what the order was worth and have found a great factory to work with. Unfortunately I think I will need to find another factory soon as they can&#039;t keep up but at least I&#039;ll have a better understanding this time around.<br /> <br /> Let me know if you guys think I should create my own thread to post this so more people will see it.</div>

 

[Guest-5ty5s4]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 96252" data-quote="BAUCE" data-source="post: 989589" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=989589" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-989589">BAUCE said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Not sure if this has been covered but please DONT make the same mistake I made with using Alibaba&#039;s payment &quot;protection&quot; called Alipay.<br /> <br /> I used Alipay thinking it would be similar to PayPal protection on eBay. I made a larger order of a speciality clothing item from a factory I had successfully used before but still didn&#039;t fully trust. After the items were complete I had an inspection company inspect all of the items. 80% of the items failed the inspection. There was some kind of paint specs or burnt plastic all over parts of the clothes. I quickly told the factory and they agreed to replace the failed items.<br /> <br /> 3 weeks later I was told everything was fixed and ready to go. I should have had another inspection done but thought I have Alipay protection in case anything else is wrong. 10 days later my product arrived. They didn&#039;t fix ANY of the clothes, the simply waited a few weeks and shipped them like I wouldn&#039;t realize it or care enough to do anything. I immediately messaged the factory and they told me sorry but those defects weren&#039;t a big enough deal to fix and that I could still sell them. I was furious.<br /> <br /> I reached out to Alibaba with the failed inspection report, messages with the factory stating they would fix the items, and 200ish photos I took of each and every item that failed.<br /> <br /> The told me that this wasn&#039;t enough proof and that I needed to send more in depth photos. This was insane but I obliged. I sent the new batch of photos and the told me they didn&#039;t think the defects were bad enough to refund. They also told me I could sell the items. For the next 6 weeks we went back and fourth. They were no longer sending new comments on the case, they were copy and pasting the same reply. Every time they sent a new message a countdown of a couple days started and if I didn&#039;t respond by then they would close my case.<br /> <br /> I finally gave up and figured I was shit out of luck when I realized I used my Chase credit card to fund the Alipay purchase. A few weeks later Chase refunded the full order amount. I was extremely lucky that I didn&#039;t use my business debit card because I think that money would be gone. That shitty factory still tries to send me messages on different platforms trying to get my business back.<br /> <br /> It feels f*cking amazing knowing they can see the success of my business by seeing my catalog grow on my website. Since then, I do 10-15x the amount of what the order was worth and have found a great factory to work with. Unfortunately I think I will need to find another factory soon as they can&#039;t keep up but at least I&#039;ll have a better understanding this time around.<br /> <br /> Let me know if you guys think I should create my own thread to post this so more people will see it. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Wow. What a POS factory. Yes your thread would be very valuable!</div>

 

[James90]

<div class="bbWrapper">Walter,<br /> <br /> I’m going on my first overseas sourcing trip to Vietnam and is seeking some pointers on how to “conduct” myself business wise when meeting suppliers.<br /> <br /> I anticipate to meet suppliers in an array of industries, and to visit my current supplier and its competitors.<br /> <br /> Maybe I’m overthinking some of this…<br /> <br /> <br /> How long does factory visits usually last?<br /> <br /> What’s your process for planning out your trip?<br /> <br /> Can I negotiate better deals in person, If I’m already purchasing from them?</div>

 

[Cruiser]

<div class="bbWrapper">Hi Walter,<br /> Finally our first order is ready for shipping in China. <br /> We are awaiting for the Veritas inspection on Monday and hopefully it will pass qc.<br /> We want to send it by air to Dallas, TX.<br /> Do you have any forwarder you could recommend?<br /> Thanks so much for your help!</div>

 

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[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 26427" data-quote="Cruiser" data-source="post: 1001064" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1001064" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1001064">Cruiser said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Hi Walter,<br /> Finally our first order is ready for shipping in China.<br /> We are awaiting for the Veritas inspection on Monday and hopefully it will pass qc.<br /> We want to send it by air to Dallas, TX.<br /> Do you have any forwarder you could recommend?<br /> Thanks so much for your help! </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>When you say &quot;by air&quot; do you mean air freight or air courier? If by air, I suggest <a href="https://kingzlogistics.com/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="noopener">Kingz International Logistics | Welcome</a> There are few international air freight forwarders in Dallas, but this company appears to handle ordinary air freight very quickly. If the shipment is under about 50 lbs you would probably save time and money if you have your supplier send it via <b>PREPAID </b>AIR COURIER, but be sure to get a quote from them first, and don&#039;t agree to a payment on delivery arrangement and don&#039;t give them your air courier account number if you have one.<br /> <br /> Walter</div>

 

[Cruiser]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 26072" data-quote="Walter Hay" data-source="post: 1001169" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1001169" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1001169">Walter Hay said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> When you say &quot;by air&quot; do you mean air freight or air courier? If by air, I suggest <a href="https://kingzlogistics.com/" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">Kingz International Logistics | Welcome</a> There are few international air freight forwarders in Dallas, but this company appears to handle ordinary air freight very quickly. If the shipment is under about 50 lbs you would probably save time and money if you have your supplier send it via <b>PREPAID </b>AIR COURIER, but be sure to get a quote from them first, and don&#039;t agree to a payment on delivery arrangement and don&#039;t give them your air courier account number if you have one.<br /> <br /> Walter </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Thanks Walter, I tried Kingz but they don&#039;t work with China.<br /> Our shipment is about 300kg.<br /> I have a quote from DHL, 3500 USD DDP.<br /> Also got a cheaper quote from Chinafreight.com, 3150 uSD DDP, a &quot;mentor&quot; from SCORE recommended them but they have some mixed reviews online.<br /> Should we go with DHL?</div>

 

[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 26427" data-quote="Cruiser" data-source="post: 1001324" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1001324" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1001324">Cruiser said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Thanks Walter, I tried Kingz but they don&#039;t work with China.<br /> Our shipment is about 300kg.<br /> I have a quote from DHL, 3500 USD DDP.<br /> Also got a cheaper quote from Chinafreight.com, 3150 uSD DDP, a &quot;mentor&quot; from SCORE recommended them but they have some mixed reviews online.<br /> Should we go with DHL? </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Here is a short extract from a lengthy review in 2017 on RipoffReport.com: &quot;<i>Once China Freight Co. Limited gets hold of your products you will be lucky to see them again. AS THEY ARE THIEVES AND LIARS AND FRAUDS THAT STEAL YOUR GOODS AND MONEY.&quot;</i><br /> <br /> A major problem in regard to reviews of Chinese companies is that so many have fractured English, with typically Chinese errors. Fake reviews are commonplace.<br /> <br /> I would play safe and use DHL.<br /> <br /> Walter</div>

 

[BD64]

<div class="bbWrapper">64 pages, coming up on 8 years of post history. What a treasure trove of information. <a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/members/26072/" class="username" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" data-user-id="26072" data-username="@Walter Hay">@Walter Hay</a> thanks for sharing a lifetime of knowledge.</div>

 

[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 69270" data-quote="James90" data-source="post: 994718" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=994718" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-994718">James90 said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Walter,<br /> <br /> I’m going on my first overseas sourcing trip to Vietnam and is seeking some pointers on how to “conduct” myself business wise when meeting suppliers.<br /> <br /> I anticipate to meet suppliers in an array of industries, and to visit my current supplier and its competitors.<br /> <br /> Maybe I’m overthinking some of this…<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Q. </b>How long does factory visits usually last? <b>A. </b>You should allow at least an hour, but I have experienced 3 hour visits, a lot of the time being taken up with hospitality.<br /> <br /> <b>Q.</b> What’s your process for planning out your trip? I know which factories I want to see, and contact the company at least 4 weeks ahead of expected arrival. <b>A. </b>Some communication in advance satisfies them that yiu are not a time waster.<br /> <br /> <b>Q. </b>Can I negotiate better deals in person, If I’m already purchasing from them? <b>A. </b>Yes! Face to face deals are usually much more productive. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Hi James,<br /> <br /> I am sorry that I missed your post, but I hope my reply will be in time to help. I have typed my answers next to the questions.<br /> <br /> Regards,<br /> Walter</div>

 

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[LPPC]

<div class="bbWrapper">Hi Walter,<br /> <br /> I hope you are doing well.<br /> <br /> I have a couple of questions if you don&#039;t mind.<br /> <br /> I had a batch of products (LED table lamp) produced in China that had a defect rate of 8% (or even more). The defect rate slipped through the inspection because only 125 units out of the 4000 units were inspected. Defect means the lamp can not even be turned on.<br /> <br /> I want to give them another chance. I would like to prevent these defects in the coming order and future orders and would greatly appreciate some advice on this.<br /> <br /> My questions:<br /> 1) I would like the inspection company to inspect many more units this time. This costs a lot of money, so I have to restrict the inspection to only check whether the lamp can be turned on.<br /> <br /> How much % of the batch should I inspect this time to find out whether the batch has a too high of a defect rate? Functionality defects should be max 2.5% according to industry standards, if I am correct.<br /> <br /> 2) Does this kind of inspection have a specific name?<br /> <br /> 3) Should I inspect them after they have been packaged and if so, why? The supplier proposes to inspect them before they have been packaged and they want to use this inspection as their own quality control, meaning that the inspection company tells them which one are defective and then they produce more to replace those.<br /> But to my knowledge this is not as good as inspecting them after packaging, because it will not show me whether in future orders the supplier will be able to do their own quality control instead of me having to pay high inspection costs each time.<br /> <br /> 4) Any advice on how to prevent this defect rate in future orders? It is expensive to inspect so many units each time.<br /> <br /> <br /> Any other advice and viewpoints would be greatly appreciated.<br /> <br /> Thanks in advance!</div>

 

[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><b>2023 EDITION of PROVENGLOBALSOURCING NOW AVAILABLE<br /> <br /> The latest edition is now complete and ready for purchase or free copy (see below)<br /> <br /> PURCHASE, see </b><br /> <h3 class="bbHeading"><a class="u-anchorTarget" name="-walter-hays-business-books"></a><a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/walter-hays-business-books.89386/" class="link link--internal"><i>Walter</i> Hay&#039;s <i>Business</i> <i>Books</i></a>&#8203;<a class="hoverLink" href="#-walter-hays-business-books" title="Permanent link"></a></h3><b>FREE COPY for those who have bought a previous edition. (See below)</b><br /> <br /> For your free copy please let me know via DM your purchase details such as website, date, and the above named thread.<br /> <blockquote data-attributes="member: 38501" data-quote="LPPC" data-source="post: 1044731" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1044731" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1044731">LPPC said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Hi Walter,<br /> <br /> I hope you are doing well.<br /> <br /> I have a couple of questions if you don&#039;t mind.<br /> <br /> I had a batch of products (LED table lamp) produced in China that had a defect rate of 8% (or even more). The defect rate slipped through the inspection because only 125 units out of the 4000 units were inspected. Defect means the lamp can not even be turned on.<br /> <br /> I want to give them another chance. I would like to prevent these defects in the coming order and future orders and would greatly appreciate some advice on this.<br /> <br /> My questions:<br /> 1) I would like the inspection company to inspect many more units this time. This costs a lot of money, so I have to restrict the inspection to only check whether the lamp can be turned on.<br /> <br /> How much % of the batch should I inspect this time to find out whether the batch has a too high of a defect rate? Functionality defects should be max 2.5% according to industry standards, if I am correct.<br /> <br /> 2) Does this kind of inspection have a specific name?<br /> <br /> 3) Should I inspect them after they have been packaged and if so, why? The supplier proposes to inspect them before they have been packaged and they want to use this inspection as their own quality control, meaning that the inspection company tells them which one are defective and then they produce more to replace those.<br /> But to my knowledge this is not as good as inspecting them after packaging, because it will not show me whether in future orders the supplier will be able to do their own quality control instead of me having to pay high inspection costs each time.<br /> <br /> 4) Any advice on how to prevent this defect rate in future orders? It is expensive to inspect so many units each time.<br /> <br /> <br /> Any other advice and viewpoints would be greatly appreciated.<br /> <br /> Thanks in advance! </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>In answer:<br /> 1. When booking the inspection you can specify your acceptable defect rate .<br /> 2. There is no industry standard name for such inspections, but you can describe exactly what you want done. You can nominate the percentage of items to be tested. For inspection after production is completed, you order a Post Production Inspection, (PPI) or a Pre-shipment inspection (PSI).<br /> 3. Inspection after packaging is usually required if the item is susceptible to damage or failure if subjected to rough handling. The design and quality of the packaging can be specified firstly when you place your order with the supplier, and your order specifications should be repeated when you are booking an inspection with the inspection company. Relying on a supplier to maintain the quality standard because the first order passed inspection even with flying colors, is very risky, as I state in my book: &quot;If you have your first order inspected, but not have inspections done on subsequent orders, you can save on the inspection costs, but it can be a gamble.&quot;<br /> 4. The most common way of playing safe is to require an inspection during production. Here is a relevant quote from my book:&quot; I recommend that you consider having precise product specifications drawn up. Not only will your detailed specifications show potential suppliers that you are serious, but your specification schedule will make it possible for you to have quality inspections done either during production or before loading for shipment to your destination. See Ch. 26 Inspection Services. If you intend having quality inspections carried out, you should tell the supplier early in your communications with them. This helps to encourage them to maintain good quality control themselves. Those product specifications should also be included if you are paying by Letter of Credit.&quot;<br /> <br /> Regards,<br /> Walter</div>

 

[LPPC]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 26072" data-quote="Walter Hay" data-source="post: 1044770" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1044770" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1044770">Walter Hay said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> <b>2023 EDITION of PROVENGLOBALSOURCING NOW AVAILABLE<br /> <br /> The latest edition is now complete and ready for purchase or free copy (see below)<br /> <br /> PURCHASE, see </b><br /> <h3 class="bbHeading"><a href="https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/walter-hays-business-books.89386/" class="link link--internal"><i>Walter</i> Hay&#039;s <i>Business</i> <i>Books</i></a>&#8203;</h3><b>FREE COPY for those who have bought a previous edition. (See below)</b><br /> <br /> For your free copy please let me know via DM your purchase details such as website, date, and the above named thread.<br /> <br /> In answer:<br /> 1. When booking the inspection you can specify your acceptable defect rate .<br /> 2. There is no industry standard name for such inspections, but you can describe exactly what you want done. You can nominate the percentage of items to be tested. For inspection after production is completed, you order a Post Production Inspection, (PPI) or a Pre-shipment inspection (PSI).<br /> 3. Inspection after packaging is usually required if the item is susceptible to damage or failure if subjected to rough handling. The design and quality of the packaging can be specified firstly when you place your order with the supplier, and your order specifications should be repeated when you are booking an inspection with the inspection company. Relying on a supplier to maintain the quality standard because the first order passed inspection even with flying colors, is very risky, as I state in my book: &quot;If you have your first order inspected, but not have inspections done on subsequent orders, you can save on the inspection costs, but it can be a gamble.&quot;<br /> 4. The most common way of playing safe is to require an inspection during production. Here is a relevant quote from my book:&quot; I recommend that you consider having precise product specifications drawn up. Not only will your detailed specifications show potential suppliers that you are serious, but your specification schedule will make it possible for you to have quality inspections done either during production or before loading for shipment to your destination. See Ch. 26 Inspection Services. If you intend having quality inspections carried out, you should tell the supplier early in your communications with them. This helps to encourage them to maintain good quality control themselves. Those product specifications should also be included if you are paying by Letter of Credit.&quot;<br /> <br /> Regards,<br /> Walter </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Thank you for sharing your helpful insights!</div>

 

[XxThelionxX]

<div class="bbWrapper">Ten years on the forum. Life is gaining some traction.</div>

 

[Walter Hay]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 50645" data-quote="XxThelionxX" data-source="post: 1045373" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1045373" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1045373">XxThelionxX said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Ten years on the forum. Life is gaining some traction. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Yes, I have grown old on the forum.<br /> <br /> Walter</div>

 

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[BrunoB]

<div class="bbWrapper">I can see the last message was posted more than 1 year ago, let&#039;s see if someone replies.<br /> <br /> I imported some different items from China these last 2/3 years, always through Alibaba, but recently I decided that bikes are my niche.<br /> <br /> The last order was a full 20ft container, everything went well even if along the way I had my doubts, but I still know there is much more to know about the import/export rules.<br /> <br /> My question is: <u>How can I import without using Alibaba and make the process as smooth, safe and secure as possible?</u><br /> <br /> I am not saying Alibaba is 100% safe and secure, bad things happen using Alibaba too, but the process is simplified and more secure.<br /> <br /> On Alibaba, there are mainly Chinese manufacturers and wholesalers, which I have nothing against but the problem is that I live in UK and here we have an anti-dumping duty of 48.5% on Chinese bikes on top of 14% duty and 20% VAT, basically an order worth $10.000 (goods = sea freight) the total after custom clearance would be $19.500.<br /> <br /> I am thinking of Importing from Vietnam, but I can not find any supplier on Alibaba. Importing from Vietnam the same $10.00 order would cost me after clearance $12.500 (assuming the goods and the freight cost the same).<br /> <br /> I Found some Vietnamese factories on Google, but I still have not contacted any of them, I am not in a rush to place an order.<br /> <br /> My concerns are:<br /> <br /> 1) How can I be sure the supplier will ship my order after I pay? A local agent is necessary, but how can I know the supplier and the agent do not team up and steal my money? let&#039;s say I pay 30% deposit, they complete the order, I send someone to check the quality and is everything ok. I am ready to pay, and the transfer goes true, but they do not load the bikes into the container. how can I void this situation? maybe I can tell them I pay them after the container arrives at the port and my forwarder agent checks if the container is full? but in this way how can they be sure I will pay them?<br /> <br /> 2) The place of origin has to be Vietnam, or at least not China, because bikes with China as a &quot;place of origin&quot; have the anti-dumping duty added. I am quite sure that the Vietnamese Factory would get the majority of the components from China but as long as the bikes are assembled in Vietnam, they should have Vietnam as the place of origin, if I am not wrong. Saying that how can I know that the supplier/factory does not buy the whole bike from China and sends it to me as a &quot;Vietnamese&quot; bike? it is my responsibility to make sure what is the true place of origin, and if this happens I would be in big trouble.<br /> <br /> Many thanks</div>

 

[Kevin88660]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 140320" data-quote="BrunoB" data-source="post: 1116195" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1116195" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1116195">BrunoB said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> I can see the last message was posted more than 1 year ago, let&#039;s see if someone replies.<br /> <br /> I imported some different items from China these last 2/3 years, always through Alibaba, but recently I decided that bikes are my niche.<br /> <br /> The last order was a full 20ft container, everything went well even if along the way I had my doubts, but I still know there is much more to know about the import/export rules.<br /> <br /> My question is: <u>How can I import without using Alibaba and make the process as smooth, safe and secure as possible?</u><br /> <br /> I am not saying Alibaba is 100% safe and secure, bad things happen using Alibaba too, but the process is simplified and more secure.<br /> <br /> On Alibaba, there are mainly Chinese manufacturers and wholesalers, which I have nothing against but the problem is that I live in UK and here we have an anti-dumping duty of 48.5% on Chinese bikes on top of 14% duty and 20% VAT, basically an order worth $10.000 (goods = sea freight) the total after custom clearance would be $19.500.<br /> <br /> I am thinking of Importing from Vietnam, but I can not find any supplier on Alibaba. Importing from Vietnam the same $10.00 order would cost me after clearance $12.500 (assuming the goods and the freight cost the same).<br /> <br /> I Found some Vietnamese factories on Google, but I still have not contacted any of them, I am not in a rush to place an order.<br /> <br /> My concerns are:<br /> <br /> 1) How can I be sure the supplier will ship my order after I pay? A local agent is necessary, but how can I know the supplier and the agent do not team up and steal my money? let&#039;s say I pay 30% deposit, they complete the order, I send someone to check the quality and is everything ok. I am ready to pay, and the transfer goes true, but they do not load the bikes into the container. how can I void this situation? maybe I can tell them I pay them after the container arrives at the port and my forwarder agent checks if the container is full? but in this way how can they be sure I will pay them?<br /> <br /> 2) The place of origin has to be Vietnam, or at least not China, because bikes with China as a &quot;place of origin&quot; have the anti-dumping duty added. I am quite sure that the Vietnamese Factory would get the majority of the components from China but as long as the bikes are assembled in Vietnam, they should have Vietnam as the place of origin, if I am not wrong. Saying that how can I know that the supplier/factory does not buy the whole bike from China and sends it to me as a &quot;Vietnamese&quot; bike? it is my responsibility to make sure what is the true place of origin, and if this happens I would be in big trouble.<br /> <br /> Many thanks </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>If you receive the bike from Vietnam and all the paper says its from Vietnam how can the custom makes thing difficult for you?<br /> <br /> Everyone knows it must be “made in Vietnam”.<br /> <br /> It’s all about the paper work and that’s what it matters. <br /> <br /> The English common law is all about intentions. <br /> <br /> You must knowingly to reasonably believe that it is made in China despite the paper work says otherwise. How is that even possible and why would you even say that?</div>

 

[amp0193]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 140320" data-quote="BrunoB" data-source="post: 1116195" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1116195" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1116195">BrunoB said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> but as long as the bikes are assembled in Vietnam, they should have Vietnam as the place of origin, if I am not wrong. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>I don’t know about the laws in your country, but in the U.S. the test for country of origin is where the product has been “substantially transformed into a new good”.<br /> <br /> For bikes, this has been tested legally, and unfortunately assembly only is not enough to establish a country of origin.<br /> <br /> The major component (in the case of a bike, the frame) must be manufactured in that country.<br /> <br /> It should be safe to assume that if the frame is made in say Vietnam, and the bike is assembled there as well (using mostly bicycle components from China) that the bike is a Vietnamese made bike (assuming UK law is similar to US).</div>

 

[amp0193]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 64612" data-quote="Kevin88660" data-source="post: 1116204" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1116204" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1116204">Kevin88660 said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> If you receive the bike from Vietnam and all the paper says its from Vietnam how can the custom makes thing difficult for you?<br /> <br /> Everyone knows it must be “made in Vietnam”.<br /> <br /> It’s all about the paper work and that’s what it matters. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>This is terrible advice.<br /> <br /> You are advocating that he break the law to commit criminal import fraud to avoid paying import taxes to the government.<br /> <br /> Could he get away with it for a while? Sure. If his business got any significant size or scale though, then he becomes a target. In the U.S. you can actually collect a bounty from the government if you have proof that a company is doing this. (I actively monitor my competitors’ import filings to see if they are trying to import products under HS codes that avoid duties)<br /> <br /> <br /> The #1 rule of business is don’t do criminal things that can land you in jail.<br /> <br /> Get creative within what the bounds of the law allow, but pay your taxes when they are due.</div>

 

[Kevin88660]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 16059" data-quote="amp0193" data-source="post: 1116208" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1116208" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1116208">amp0193 said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> This is terrible advice.<br /> <br /> You are advocating that he break the law to commit criminal import fraud to avoid paying import taxes to the government.<br /> <br /> The #1 rule of business is don’t do things that can land you in jail. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>Of course I 100 percent agree that don’t do illegal things.<br /> <br /> I was a former military police during my military years.<br /> <br /> Ask for the paper works from the Vietnamese party.<br /> <br /> Your key concern is to protect yourself from any legal liability, not where and how the bike is really made. You are not a investigative journalist.<br /> <br /> If he says it’s made in Vietnam and can certify it’s made in Vietnam I will just take the word for it.<br /> <br /> If two years later the sellers are busted for falsifying the document, your emails record and paper work are consistent with your version of the story.</div>

 

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[amp0193]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 64612" data-quote="Kevin88660" data-source="post: 1116210" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/community/goto/post?id=1116210" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1116210">Kevin88660 said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> sk for the paper works from the Vietnamese party.<br /> <br /> Your key concern is to protect yourself from any legal liability, not where and how the bike is really made. You are not an investigative journalist. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote>This wouldn’t shield you from liability in the U.S.<br /> <br /> It is ultimately the responsibility of a business owner / importer to know where their product is coming from.</div>

 

[BrunoB]

<div class="bbWrapper">I didn&#039;t know the frame origin indicated the place of origin even if the bike is assembled somewhere else. I think it should be the same in UK.</div>