Import/Export

[Anonymous No.9948667]

I know /biz/ is a crypto board but hopefully I can get some feedback here. Anyone in import/export? I’ve always found it interesting since a young age but am too chicken shit to actually start something, even something small on the side. Anyone in the field that can tell me what to expect? Pros and cons?

[Anonymous No.9948798]

>>9948667
Okay, here's how these thread work OP. You ask about a particular product or class of product, do you want to import apples, dragon dildos, mint condition Indonesian Vinyl pressings of 1980's pop music, cc-cameras... what?
Also - WHICH ONE!? Are we talking about perishables or non-perishables - which affects what means you use to transport them. And what country? Even within the U.S. You can't just say "anyone in import/export". They are utterly different industries, when you import you have to market to either b2b or consumers locally, when you export generally you're going to export to a local distributor someone else who takes care of the marketing. But even that might be so because you haven't given a product class!

[Anonymous No.9948805]

>>9948667
>>9948798
Don't you need a really good connection in the product's country to do this sort of business?

[Anonymous No.9948985]

>>9948805
Or a good connection to your country's market. If you were involved in the right organizations and knew the right people you could have purchasing power.

I advise O.P. start dating a rich old broad (or homo). who likes to cruise around the med. Pick up 'antiques' in Mid-East warzones and North Africa. There is a glut of shipping space, keeping container rates low. You might even be able to buy a ship from DRYS in ten years, if you look good naked.

[Anonymous No.9948996]

>>9948805
Depends on the product. Depends whether you're importing or exporting.

[Anonymous No.9949098]

>>9948798
>>9948985
Interesting. I really have no idea what products I’d specialize in, I guess leaning towards food since it’s always in demand. But I know it’s perishable and harder in some ways I suppose. I live in the US and would probably import from the balkans since I know several languages from the region and have some connections to farmers for raw material. Maybe later I’d branch more into actual products? I have never met anyone in the business so I appreciate your insight. Do you work in this industry?

[Anonymous No.9949125]

>>9949098
no, I'm a NEET and I live in my moms basement

[Anonymous No.9949189]

>>9949098
Be more specific. I know someone who imports a very bulky consumer product from overseas and they have been kind enough to walk me through how it all actually works - invoices, insurance, correspondence, marketing etc.
The only insight I can offer without more specificity is determine what your value proposition is, then determine who your customer is, then and only then can you start thinking about product: because even within a product category there are so many different variants. I know this friend of mine, he had a whole product range he imported and he was vary surprised by the form-factor they ended up choosing.

[Anonymous No.9950047]

>>9949189
Thanks for getting back and sorry for the slow reply, was outside mowing. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get in contact with someone local in this business but who really wants to help a potential competitor. I’m sure it’s doable to get some info from them tho. Really good info about doing all the research before attempting anything. Currently I know a lot of people who keep bees and make honey to sell in their local markets over there. I’m interested in looking more into maybe importing that here but I need to do research if Americans are only interested in that cheap Chinese half honey half sugar shit sold at the supermarkets. How does you friend like this kind of work? Is he content with it?

[Anonymous No.9950335]

Unironically, my mother in law imports stuff from the USA to Belize to sell. Things like kitchen supplies, cheap electronics, name brand sneakers/clothing ect. It’s basically all she does. She comes to the USA 3/4 times a year for a few weeks, buys stuff, take it to the port and palatizes it, than sells it back in Belize.

She does know very important people in customs in Belize and pays damn near nothing in fees, she just basically buys the customs people some stuff and let everything through.

If you don’t have connections in customs of the import country, they will tax all your profit away.

[Anonymous No.9950386]

>>9950335
I wanted to add, I go on vacation there frequently and they recognize her and her daughter, so by default I’m cool. All the America’s and Brit’s get their bags checked, I go through the citizen line and have never even had any of my stuff checked. I could probably smuggle all types of shit. The country is so un populated and the airport so small that everybody knows everybody.

[Anonymous No.9950450]

>>9950335
>>9950386
That’s pretty cool. I’ve had family in Eastern Europe who do something similar and customs always just waves them thru!

[Anonymous No.9950571]

You fucking newfag you just googled business meme and use it if you actually want advice put effort you maggot

[Anonymous No.9950682]

>>9950571
We got a badass over here.