The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Shipping goods from China to EU

Anything considered a "hustle" and not necessarily a CENTS-based Fastlane

ameszaross

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
18%
Oct 11, 2021
11
2
Hey everyone,

I am planning on importing food boxes made of sugarcane - making it biodegradable - from China, but the shipping costs are so high that it would take all my profits away, making it impossible to even operate with a 10% profit margin.
I heard the shipping prices jump high during christmas season, but this time the only solution would be if the DDP prices were reduced by at least 50%, which seems pretty unlikely to happen.
I contacted various local forwarding agents, and the manufacturer did the same in China, but I was still not able to come up with a decent solution.
I wonder if there is anyone who had struggled with the same thing before, and what was their solution to it.
There's no way I am going to give up on this project, so I am constantly looking for ways to resolve this issue, but it would be a huge help if anyone could give me some useful tips.


ameszaross
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Antti

Bronze Contributor
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
169%
Dec 21, 2017
75
127
Finland
Ocean freight shipping prices have skyrocketed during the pandemic. Did you check train freight price from China to Europe? I have no experience of it but I heard it's more competitive now when ocean shipping is so expensive.
 

ameszaross

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
18%
Oct 11, 2021
11
2
Ocean freight shipping prices have skyrocketed during the pandemic. Did you check train freight price from China to Europe? I have no experience of it but I heard it's more competitive now when ocean shipping is so expensive.
Yes, the only option pretty much is railway shipping, since my country doesn't have a port, and air freight also won't work because the prices are even higher for that.

Unfortunately railway shipping prices also cost a ton, right now I am contacting tens of different forwarders to try to get the price beaten down, but haven't succeeded so far.

At the moment the shipping prices that I received so far are way higher, than the goods itself.
 

Jobless

Silver Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
141%
Jun 8, 2017
394
557
EU
If the point of the product is to be sustainable (including biodegradable) it makes little sense to import it from the other side of the world. But I could be wrong. Can you get government subsidies or something for it?

If the product is of a low value per volume or weight unit, it makes less sense to transport it long distances. Try to figure out a way to create it locally. Some products are simply never worth transporting, the math does not work out.

Are all manufacturers located in China? Are similar boxes being imported from China to where you are already?

Who manufactures the machines for creating the boxes? Where can the raw materials be sourced?
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ameszaross

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
18%
Oct 11, 2021
11
2
If the point of the product is to be sustainable (including biodegradable) it makes little sense to import it from the other side of the world. But I could be wrong. Can you get government subsidies or something for it?

If the product is of a low value per volume or weight unit, it makes less sense to transport it long distances. Try to figure out a way to create it locally. Some products are simply never worth transporting, the math does not work out.

Are all manufacturers located in China? Are similar boxes being imported from China to where you are already?

Who manufactures the machines for creating the boxes? Where can the raw materials be sourced?
Unfortunately there is not really another way to get it, there are no manufacturers in Europe, or if there are, their price/unit is way too high, and getting machines for manufacturing it locally is a goal in the future, but that has an incredibly high price.

Yes, there are similiar boxes that are being important from China, in fact, the only ones that are available are imported from China.
 

BradleyMatthew

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
10%
Nov 25, 2021
21
2
Unfortunately there is not really another way to get it, there are no manufacturers in Europe, or if there are, their price/unit is way too high, and getting machines for manufacturing it locally is a goal in the future, but that has an incredibly high price.

Yes, there are similiar boxes that are being important from China, in fact, the only ones that are available are imported from China.
I am a product manager by profession in China.
About the logistics maybe I can help you, but I would need to get to know your exact specifications and weight.
In China, it is often difficult for you to get direct access to logistics companies. Especially if the shipment is small. The ones you can get in touch with to give you a quote are what we call freight forwarders in China. They will take a profit between the logistics provider and you. During this time they take even more.
 

ameszaross

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
18%
Oct 11, 2021
11
2
I am a product manager by profession in China.
About the logistics maybe I can help you, but I would need to get to know your exact specifications and weight.
In China, it is often difficult for you to get direct access to logistics companies. Especially if the shipment is small. The ones you can get in touch with to give you a quote are what we call freight forwarders in China. They will take a profit between the logistics provider and you. During this time they take even more.
I can send you a sheet where every detail of the goods is provided, I would highly appreciate your help.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Walter Hay

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
401%
Sep 13, 2014
3,318
13,305
World citizen
@ameszaross There are manufacturers in countries other than China. With my lifetime experience in shipping, exporting, and importing, I had no trouble finding some for you. I have kept that information private because this is your project and it would be better for you to not have it displayed.

If you need more information and want it kept confidential, just reply to my message.

I have sent you a private message with links to 4 manufacturers, one of whom will surprise you, because they get their raw materials from Germany. We will also keep between you and me the knowledge of what other raw materials they use.

I have also included details on how to find freight forwarders near you.

Walter
 

ameszaross

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
18%
Oct 11, 2021
11
2
@ameszaross There are manufacturers in countries other than China. With my lifetime experience in shipping, exporting, and importing, I had no trouble finding some for you. I have kept that information private because this is your project and it would be better for you to not have it displayed.

If you need more information and want it kept confidential, just reply to my message.

I have sent you a private message with links to 4 manufacturers, one of whom will surprise you, because they get their raw materials from Germany. We will also keep between you and me the knowledge of what other raw materials they use.

I have also included details on how to find freight forwarders near you.

Walter
Thank you Walter, I have replied.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top