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How to start an import business?

espressogespressog subscriber Posts: 4
edited June 2006 in Strategies & Tactics for Getting Efficient
Hi,My wife and I are looking to start an import business but not sure how and where to start.  We already have contact with the foreign manufacturers and establish a relationship with them.  What do we need as an establishment over here to start receiving shipments?  Please apologize if my questions are vague or not to the point but this is totally new to me.TIA.
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    espressogespressog subscriber Posts: 4
    Hi Cissy,Thanks very much for the reply.  The items are galvanized and ceramics planters.  They come in different size and I think  the best way is shipping the whole container.  I have the catalog from the manufacturer already but I guess I need to have samples here to present to my prospective customers as well?1) Do I need to establish myself as an import business company before starting worrying about shipments?  Will sole propriertorship work or do I have to be a corp?2) Do I want to be a saleperson for that manufacturer and earn a commission or do i want to be a sole direct distributor?3) To be able to determince the price, I need to find out all of the costs which are the item itself, shipping cost, custom taxes and what else?Thanks again.
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    espressogespressog subscriber Posts: 4
    Thanks very much Cissy.  I`ll make some inquiry into Unishippers
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    oldfrenchyoldfrenchy subscriber Posts: 0
    Nice to see someone else asking the same questions I am interested in knowing.  I have been importing from Vietnam for some time now, in very small quantities, using the USPS, but its very expensive, and for ocean shipments, it takes over 3 months.  My other complication is that I am in Montana - not alot of Ports here!
    In the process of trying to find other options, I ran across this place.  I don`t necessarily recommend them or not, but their online quote system gave me a great overview of just how many different costs are involved.
    http://www.shipping-worldwide.com/</A>
    Good luck, and I will be hoping more people help out here. 
    from the desk of OLDFRENCHY (<!-- e -->mark@oldfrenchy.com<!-- e -->) :ugeek:
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