My Fiancee lives in the Philippines, and is interested in having a small import export business between the USA and the Philippines. We’re looking for resources to guide us in the proper business procedures.

Books, Websites, Ebooks, or any resources would be greatly appreciated, especially if you have experience with them.

Thank you!
Currrently product details are unknown. My fiancee is visiting with family, friends, and business owners looking at possible products. Also, they are looking at Ebay to determine the sellability of products.

I recommend reading the articles:

Starting a Home-Based Exporting Business
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol8/exporting.htm

Laying the Foundations of Your Home Based International Trading Business
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol21/trading.htm

Check out the following websites

Federation of International Trade Association http://fita.org/index.html
CMTAC Trade Information Database http://latrade.cmtac.org/trade_info/index.cfm
Don’ts of Importing
http://www.gattiassociates.com/CM/Articles/Articles1277.asp
Flowchart of the export process http://www.export.gov/exportbasics/index.asp
Going Global http://www.going-global.com/articles/

You may also want to check out the following books:

- Import/Export: How to Get Started in International Trade
- Exporting, Importing, and Beyond : How to ‘Go Global’ With Your Small Business
- Selling to the World: Your Fast and Easy Guide to Exporting and Importing
- Start and Run a Profitable Exporting Business
- Start Your Own Import/Export Business

I am importing a few products from the Philippines. Shipping cost is high, and a large box of items could set you back P15,000-25,000 pesos (around $300-$500). If you talk of crates, so much more expensive. I suggest your fiance, aside from looking for products, actually start looking for brokers that can help them.

In my experience, eBay is not the best marketplace for them, especially if you talk of handicraft items. I’ve never had much luck selling Philippine products on ebay. Buyers are not familiar with the products, there’s little demand for it. Shell jewelry boxes from Cebu for example, with matching picture frames are great looking – but I can never sell them on the first listing. Sometimes it takes me 5-10 relists to dispose of the item. I even tried selling papaya soap which is very popular in the Philippines, only to find limited buyers on ebay.

The only thing that sells fast for me from the Philippines are vintage Philippine postcards (circa early 1900s), freshwater and South Sea pearl jewelries, and antique items (Ifugao, Maranaw, and other ethnic tribes).

Thailand is a better place to get products. I have no problem selling pewter liquor holders from Thailand or their jewelries. I also import a lot of benjarong jars, and I can sell them real fast. Even batik paintings sell faster.

My Fiancee lives in the Philippines, and is interested in having a small import export business between the USA and the Philippines. We’re looking for resources to guide us in the proper business procedures.

Books, Websites, Ebooks, or any resources would be greatly appreciated, especially if you have experience with them.

Thank you!
Currrently product details are unknown. My fiancee is visiting with family, friends, and business owners looking at possible products. Also, they are looking at Ebay to determine the sellability of products.

I recommend reading the articles:

Starting a Home-Based Exporting Business
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol8/exporting.htm

Laying the Foundations of Your Home Based International Trading Business
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol21/trading.htm

Check out the following websites

Federation of International Trade Association http://fita.org/index.html
CMTAC Trade Information Database http://latrade.cmtac.org/trade_info/index.cfm
Don’ts of Importing
http://www.gattiassociates.com/CM/Articles/Articles1277.asp
Flowchart of the export process http://www.export.gov/exportbasics/index.asp
Going Global http://www.going-global.com/articles/

You may also want to check out the following books:

- Import/Export: How to Get Started in International Trade
- Exporting, Importing, and Beyond : How to ‘Go Global’ With Your Small Business
- Selling to the World: Your Fast and Easy Guide to Exporting and Importing
- Start and Run a Profitable Exporting Business
- Start Your Own Import/Export Business

I am importing a few products from the Philippines. Shipping cost is high, and a large box of items could set you back P15,000-25,000 pesos (around $300-$500). If you talk of crates, so much more expensive. I suggest your fiance, aside from looking for products, actually start looking for brokers that can help them.

In my experience, eBay is not the best marketplace for them, especially if you talk of handicraft items. I’ve never had much luck selling Philippine products on ebay. Buyers are not familiar with the products, there’s little demand for it. Shell jewelry boxes from Cebu for example, with matching picture frames are great looking – but I can never sell them on the first listing. Sometimes it takes me 5-10 relists to dispose of the item. I even tried selling papaya soap which is very popular in the Philippines, only to find limited buyers on ebay.

The only thing that sells fast for me from the Philippines are vintage Philippine postcards (circa early 1900s), freshwater and South Sea pearl jewelries, and antique items (Ifugao, Maranaw, and other ethnic tribes).

Thailand is a better place to get products. I have no problem selling pewter liquor holders from Thailand or their jewelries. I also import a lot of benjarong jars, and I can sell them real fast. Even batik paintings sell faster.

I have been thinking about and am pretty keen on starting a import export business, but I have no idea where to even start. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.

Since you’ve never been in th import/export business before, I would strongly recommend that you talk to a business counselor before you do anything especially spend money. You have to determine whether you’ll start a web based business or one with a store front. I’d call the local office of SCORE (go to http://www.score.org and input your zip code to find the chapter nearest you), the advice is FREE. Ask for counnselor with import /export expertise and they’ll try their very best to match you with the right person.

The counselor at SCORE will most likely advise you to write a business plan which is very good advice because it will force you to dig out all of the start up details and the costs of starting an import/export business and force you to also understand all of the aspects of this business including the customers you’ll concentrate on (your market ) and how you’ll go after them.

You’ll need to register the business with your state controller’s office and make sure that you have any city and county licenses if any are needed where you live. All of this will come out in a business plan.

Try this link :
http://www.ychange.com/small-business-consulting-articles.html and read some of the articles especially the ones about a business plan and starting a business.
Good Luck

Video from our FREE Online Business Course
http://www.myownbusiness.org
Session 14 International Trade

Question:
“What is the smartest decision you made in starting your linen business?”

Ming Friedman
Linen Pro Designs, Inc.
www.linenpro.com

Topics covered in this video:
International trade, advice, recommendations, import, export

I would say it would be having my own source in China. I went to a Canton fair after my first purchase and realized I could have paid half of what I had paid earlier. Since then I am not only going to the fair but I also go visit the factories. Sometimes the factory will be in the middle of nowhere but they appreciate my visit and know I must be serious about my business. As for the people who don’t speak the language and understand the culture, I suggest starting out by looking for a trading company that you are comfortable working with. Even if you have to pay a small commission it will be worth it because the mistakes you could be making by not having the right help could be just devastating.

Duration : 0:1:11

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