Importation from China, Dubai and Turkey

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Introduction

Importation is the bringing of goods or services into a country from abroad for sale. Importation is done via two means of transportation water & air. Most African’s and small business men are scared of importation because they think importation must only be Macro (huge quantity like a container of goods). They are equally so scared of custom and clearing because of the high charges in Africa (Cameroon). Please take away all your fears and get rid of all what you have been told.

Macro importation

This is the type of importation where the importer/individual is completely in charge of the entire container. The individual will be responsible to find a custom officer to do the clearing everything for them. You will hear people saying things like “ma container don land”. They will also talk about custom dues and some documentations. They will talk about custom officers and complain a lot about the high rate they paid in other to have their goods released. However, this is not the type of importation that this training will cover. If you want is to ship an entire container to Cameroon (Africa), you can stop your training here and just send me a private message let me guide you privately and also give you the contact of the our trusted/verified custom officer.

This training will cover what is called mini importation. With Mini importation, you do not need all the documentation and all the custom clearing and complications. With mini importation, your shipping agency will cover all the paper work for you. All what you will do is just to pay for the goods according to the weight of the goods. In mini importation, what happens that, you rent some space in the container (you do not own the entire container). For example your shipping/cargo company can price you a square meter for let say 10,000FRS (20$) (this is just an example. We will soon come to that). Mini importation does not mean you can only import for 20k, 50k 200k 500k. With mini importation, you can buy stuffs for up to 5million CFA and more (so do not limit yourself please).

What is mini importation

Mini importation practically involves the buying of products in smaller quantity (when compared to macro importation) from other countries other than your own and selling same in your country with the aim of making good profits. From the above definition you can clearly see that anyone can be an importer, it is not just a particular group of people. OH yes! All of you reading this note can become importers within the next 2weeks and you can start with any amount you have (from 20k to any amount).

What kind of product do smart importers buy?

  • They buy products that solve a problem.
  • Products that make life easier.
  • Products that are in high demand.

Importation Key words

They include:-

  • Exchange Rate
  • Shipping and Clearing Cost
  • Profitability
  • Shipping Company
  • Black market
  • Procurement agent
  1. Exchange rate
  2. The first thing to come to your mind is “What is the current exchange rate?”, “What is the dollar rate now?”, “What is the Yuan (RMB) rate to FCFA? Avoid checking for the current exchange rates on Google! Google neither sell Dollar nor Yuan. This is the most common mistakes mini importation newbies do. Even though that Google shows you the official CB rate, that does not mean you should use that for your calculation. You’re neither going to buy from Google nor CB your exchange rates should be calculated with parallel market rate. You will be buying Yuan from Alipay merchants not Central Bank (CB) For Dollar, shipping companies have their own exchange rate. Their Dollar rate is a bit higher than the actual parallel market rate. So it’s important to know the rate before buying

  3. Shipping and Clearing Cost
  4. In macro importation, the individual takes care of his shipping and he finds a custom office to help him do all what is needed. Meanwhile in mini importation, the individual is completely free from this stress because the shipping company will take care of the clearing and all documentation. The name bearer of the goods will receive a call and they can go and collect their goods with their ID cards. If you are not in the town where the goods arrived which in most cases is Douala, you can ask your shipping company to deliver to your location. While in Douala, they will put your goods on a scale and you will pay the cost of the goods base on the price of 1 kilo. That is to say if one kilo is 8500frs and your goods weight 5kilo you will pay:- Calculations 8500FRS x 5 kilo = 42,500 FRS. This is mostly true for transportation by air. When using water (which I recommend) you will never pay up to that amount or 5 kilo. So air fright is preferable for goods that are very light-weighted.

  5. Shipping Company
  6. A good shipping company is the one that keeps the client inform about the goods at all time they ask for. A company that has a good customer service and fast online replies. A company that is not very expensive and is able to keep their words as far as delivery time is concerned. A company that will call clients to inform them about the arrival of their goods.

  7. Profitability
  8. Every business needs to make profits so they can grow. I believe that the main reason why you’re considering mini importation and pre-order is to make money. In businesses we don’t own, we try our best not to be kicked out by competition. Businesses we don’t own as in products we do not manufacture by ourselves. Something that a lot of people buy from different sources. It is controlled by pricing. The cheaper or more affordable your product is, the more appealing it looks to potential customers. So, we have to outsource ours as cheaper as possible in order to maximize profits. Now the question becomes Even if these rate increase in future, it won’t affect your profits. Remember, a lot of people are actually importing and selling the same products on Jumia, at considerably low prices. We would want to give our pre-order group the convenience to remain loyal with us.

  9. Black market
  10. In most case the prices of currency is are influenced by the black market because currency exchange is done by authorized merchants who also want to make profi. This is why we said you should be update with the black market price for yuan since we will be importing mostly from china. You can get the price from your shipping agency.

  11. Procurement agent
  12. Procurement agent is an individual or a company that help you to be able to safely buy your goods from another country and receive it in the destination country. The procurement agent is usually very knowledgeable about the buying and selling process

ABC to importation

  1. Your Mindset:-
    • Addressing the mindset and correcting mindset when dealing with a Cameroon audience is very important because, in Cameroon, most Cameroonians think the only way to make good money is either to work in the public sector or to travel out (“fall bush”). But however, our neighboring Nigeria prefer business because they understand that, business is the key to great success.
    • You cannot reap where you did not sow (you all know this verse, it’s not coming from me). Sending your money to buy from somewhere is like sowing and when you receive your goods and start making big sales and 200x profit, is like reaping. And we all know that what u reap is always many times larger in size or quantity compare to what you had sowed. However, some people do not sow because of their too many worries and their fears.
    • They will be like:-

    • Are you sure this soil is fertile?
    • Are you sure it will rain this year?
    • Do you think that if I plant, I will harvest?
    • If I buy these goods will it sell?
                    
                        You will never know what works until you try it.observe your life and you will realize that, the things you regret most are not even the things you did (in most cases not all) but they are instead the things you failed to do* it pains right in the bone marrow. (I don’t want to enter this gospel, so let continue with business. But I hope you get it?)
                
                  
  2. knowledge of the currency and exchange rate:-
    • This is a very important point. Some of these sellers will either give you the prices in dollars or in their local currency (RMB). The truth is more that 90% percent of you will be buying from chin since china has everything and alot of shipping companies work with them. So we will look at china in details
  3. A smartphone or a computer (I know you all have this one)
  4. A good browser (google chrome precisely. WHY? Because it translates websites in other languages to English or any language of your choice).
  5. Good and active internet subscription because these business sites have a lot of images and images turn to consume more data that simple text.
  6. An active phone number (you have this too).
  7. last but not the leaset:A CAPITAL of at least 40$(20,000frs)

Shipping campany

The mistake most new babies IN IMPORTATION make is to ship by air. Shipping by air is very expensive and should only be used when your goods are as light as yoni pearls or cotton. Shipping is either by air or by sea. A kilo by air varies from 7500frs to 11000frs depending on the shipping company. Meanwhile by sea, 1kg to 32kg can be up to 9500 FRS to 15000 FRS depending on the shipping company. The most express shipping company is DHL and there are very expensive because they have their own private planes for delivery. DHL takes 1kg at about 27000 frs to 35000frs But we have other cheap shipping companies like Joe cargo, ADI, Jsm cargo and Patanaire . Their shipping rates are really good as compare to DHL. Before the outbreak of corona, shipping from 1kg was around 6500 FRS. But after the complete corona shutdown, the prices have slightly increased. Below is a list of Items that shipping companies consider delicate and must be shipped by air. They also have a slight increase in price when compared with other goods:-

  1. Drugs (medicine)
  2. Powder products
  3. TVs or electronic items
  4. Tea
  5. Batteries , phones ,laptops

Slight increase means instead of 8500frs for a kilo, you will pay 9000frs. These are the contacts of the shipping companies. Ensure to always ask them if they ship a particular product before you order it.

Importation in China

Importing from china is very cheap because the Chinese government has invested a lot in industrialization and automation. Beside that, the labor force is very cheap as compare to other countries like USA, Canada and England. Importing from china is also very easy because they are several shipping companies from Africa to china since their goods are very affordable. The 1688 website/app is an app that is only used by those who reside in china. That is to say, Alibaba/Aliexpress is the App/site which other countries used to buy things from china to their country meanwhile 1688 is the app used by those residing in china for wholesales. For these reasons, most of the products on 1688 are very cheap as compared to Alibaba or Aliexpress. But the difficulties in it now is, how do you buy from them directly since you need to have the Chinese currency to make your purchase? That is where our company comes in. we act as the agent for those buying from china. Our rate is 5% to our trainees and 8-10% to non-trainees. As an agent, we will help double check your products before making purchase but we will however teach you in details so you will be able to check the goods as well. Therefore, everything in today’s training will be very practical.

When the app is open, just find the search bar and type the name of what you want. You will see how the search engine will load and give you result after about 5second depending on your connection and phone’s memory size. Looking at the result, you will notice different prices from the different shop. Yes it’s so because we can never have the same price for an item from every shop in our local market. It’s also so because Chinese people are able to fabricate 5 different quality for the exact same thing. The last reason why is so is because both manufacturers and wholesalers are on these platforms. I will help you to be to detect a scam store and you will select only the manufacturers.

For a step by step tutorial on how to use the 1688 web site(app) in dectacting good vs scammed shops click here

Also 1688 has an app which enables you to search an Item with just an image. However , this app is not available on play store. if you want the app, contact me on whatsapp here

Getting to know Chinese wholesale and websites

What comes to your mind when you think of products from china? Do you Know china has invested a lot in the production industries? Meanwhile Indian has invested a lot in Technology. Many other country have their area of investment which has given their economy the strength and power they need (Please don’t think about us (Africans). We all know our case is sad). China has 1st class goods and the last class of goods you can ever think of. So this training will teach you how to identify and buy the best goods. There are lots of Chinese wholesale websites. However, not all are for international trade. Here is the list:-

  1. 1688.com
  2. aliexpress.com
  3. alibaba.com
  4. taobao.com
  5. madeinchina.com
  6. lovelywholesale.com
  7. dhgate.com
  8. clothing.net
  9. And many more...

For this training, we will focus on first 1688.com because its the cheapest website to buy from china. I was actually meant only for national sales, recently it was open for international buyers

Importation in Turkey

When it comes to Fashion Items, the best country to buy from is Turkey. That is if you don't have that patience to search on 1688.com

How to get contacts in contact with manufacturers

  • Go to shops where they sell quality Turkey Clothes look for the name of the Turkish company that produced them. Google those names and get their contact information.
  • You can also check some of your Turkey clothes at home to check for the seller.

Things to know before you start

  • Turkey unlike china is expensive because only goods of high quality are sold there. Turkey shops most often sell their goods in series. You can start an importation business from china with $40, however you can start a not start importation in Turkey with that amount. So chose your country wisely based on your financial capacity. Also, Turkey does not have a general website like 1688.com in china as of now
  • Communication: Most sellers communicate in arabic language so you will be required to make good use of your online translation tools like google or deepl.com
  • Communication will mostly be throught WhatsApp or Telegram
  • Payment: Means of payment is through procurement agents or shipping companies. You can pay them directly but it would be risky to do that when you are just starting to avoid being scammed. you should only start direct payment after you have worked with a seller
  • Currency used by sellers is Dollar

Step by Step process to buy from Turkey

  1. You need to have an agent: You can request for an agent through a cargo or shipping company That is, one of the cargo agents of the cargo company based in your country will helps you buy what you need.
  2. Send the picture of what you want to your agent or send the agent to a shop if you have a specific shop
  3. Tell the agent how much he will pay for the goods in the case where you are sending them to a shop
  4. Pay your money into shipping company with whom you agent works
  5. Your agent will pick the Item and send it to you through the shipping company
  6. You get notified when your goods get to your country with how much u are expected to pay(cargo fee)
  7. You go to their office in your country and pay for your goods and collect

I'll be sharing with you contacts of Top Sellers of Quality Wear from Turkey and also share with you contact of agents that can help you with the procurement of those goods and making payments to the manufacturers.

Remember I said it's not advisable to pay the manufacturer yourself but instead you will make use of the procurement agent because they bear all risks

Importation in Vietnam

Vietnam has the popular online store called lazada.vn just like 1688.com.Their exchange rate is 1VND (Vietnamese dong) is 0.025FCFA as of today. Enter the site using Google Chrome and use Google translate to translate. Ensure to check for the current exchange rates for your country before you start importing. This lazada.vn is just like our usual 1688 site in china. You can download the Lazada app .

Login to the site with your Gmail account Search for anything using their search engine Please use chrome so that you can translate the page

At the moment I have just one agent that can help you buy.To Contact to my agent My Sunday click here. However if you are in cameroon, a shipping company was recently opened in Vietnam, if you want their contact, just click here

Step by step guid to Buy from Vietnam

  1. Chat with Mr Sunday on WhatsApp
  2. Ask his address or location
  3. Give Sunday's address to your seller in Vietnam
  4. Then you pay Mr Sunday for your goods and he will look for shipping company that will ship to your country

Here is How to Buy on the Lazada website/app

  1. Open the app. Use VPN if your location is not accepted.
  2. search and click on the product you want to buy.
  3. Once the page is opened, click on the chat icon
  4. The chat Icon will take you directly to chat with the seller
  5. Talk with the seller and make conclusions
  6. once you have an agreement about a product, drop mr Sunday’s address to the seller so he can take your goods to Mr Sunday and he will be the one to take to a shipping company that will ship to your destination

NB: Everything in China is in Vietnam and vice versa.

Importation in Malaysia

Malaysia is known for good fabrics. Importation in Malaysia as of now is focused on different types of fabrics. I have the IG and contact of 3 agents that supply internationally from Malaysia. To get their contact, click here

Alternatively there are lots of Africans over there who sell most of these items at wholesale prices. You simply contact them and tell them what you want. Most of them don't stock up actually, they act as drop shipping agents for the stores. Hence they post what's available from the stores and add a certain percentage on it to drop ship.

Malaysian cargo arrives mostly in Kano and it will be shipped to you from there. You pay from Kano to your location not from Malaysia to your location if you are buying from the stores. Cargo leaves mostly on Saturday and arrives in 1-2 weeks.

Things you can buy from Malaysia

  1. Batik
  2. Batik is a type of fabric made from silk and often used to create shirts and accessories. The high-quality material has elaborate, intricate and multicolored patterns making an ideal gift for anyone who likes arts and crafts. Batik is famous in both Malaysia and Indonesia with each region creating their own styles and patterns. The price of Batik varies depending on quality from RM 40 ($9.60) up to RM 100+ ($24).

  3. Sarong
  4. A sarong is a versatile cloth both men and women wear in Malaysia. Each has its own patterns and styles and can be bought for as little as RM 20 ($4.80). Sarongs are extremely adaptable, and you can use them in a range of situations both in Malaysia and back home.

  5. Hand-woven gifts
  6. Bamboo is ubiquitous in SEA and strips are sometimes woven into handicraft such as baskets, ornaments and souvenirs. You should be able to find these on sale in touristy areas or local handicraft shops.

  7. Tropical fruit chocolate
  8. If you’re a fan of chocolate and love tropical fruit, try tropical fruit chocolate. Flavors include the notorious durian as well as jackfruit and many others. You may not be able to bring the fruit back with you, but you can in the form of chocolate!

  9. Songket
  10. A Songket is a type of fabric unique to Malaysia consisting of multi-colored threads interwoven into patterns similar to batik. The material itself can be used to make clothes and accessories or hang on your wall as a decoration. Songket represents the fusion of Chinese, Malaysian and India cultures.

  11. Cucuk Sanggul
  12. For a more traditional souvenir, buy a cucuk Sanggul. Sanggul means to put your hair in a bun. Cucuk Sanggul are hairpins made from either silver or gold with a decorative end. Some have patterns; others have images of animals and mythical creatures. The price ranges from at least RM 100 up to RM 300 ($22 to $74) and higher depending on material quality. You may need to go to a specialist shop to buy one.

  13. Tropical art
  14. Some of the local handicraft and art shops have a selection of hand-drawn pictures and paintings of a tropical environment. Many have vibrant colors and will look perfect hanging in your front room. The art often depicts palm tree, banana leaves and houses on stilts especially in a 'kampung' (countryside) setting.

Importation In Dubai

Dubai is a city in the UAE known especially for luxury shopping. It is actually the largest and the most popular shopping city. A home for designer products and all types of jewelries What can you import from Dubai? Dubai is actually the best place to get real Gold ,Jalamia, perfume and others

What can you Import in Dubai

  • Quality Abayas
  • Designers bags and wallets (Susen etc)
  • Gold
  • Zirconian jewelries
  • Veils
  • Textiles
  • Women Clothings
  • Perfumes and perfume oils
  • Leather (Dubai has very nice leathers car seats)
  • Islamic Clothings

How do you import from Dubai?

There are basically two methods of importing from Dubai

  • The first is to visit Dubai and shop your goods. Most people chose this actually because travelling to Dubai isn't really expensive.
  • The second is to buy goods from Dubai via procurement agents just like we do for other countries. We have so many African brothers in Dubai

Just like china, Dubai also has web to buy online. However some of their website are restricted from people out of Dubai. some of their websites include:-

  • Namshi.com
  • Letstango.com
  • Amazon.ae

Now let's talk about Personal Shoppers. personal shoppers are shop owners or wholesalers. I actually recommend them more because they are flexible. They source and ship to your country so you can contact them I will be sharing contacts of some trusted ones. Some of them have WhatsApp groups or Instagram page for communication.

Everything you need to order perfume in Dubai

  1. Perfumes from Dubai come in canisters. Canister is a type of aluminous containers. They come in 100ml 250ml 500ml 1000ml
  2. You buy and repackage in to smaller beautiful containers for more profit
  3. Image of canister and repackaging image will be send
  4. This size of these perfume here (cameroon) is between 700frs to 1000 FRS.
  5.  MOQ (minimum order quantity) for these perfume is 23 canisters of the same perfume
  6.  Group buying is encourage because the quantity is large
  7.  1 canister is about 8000f when converted and 23 will be around 184000frs that is why I said group buying is encourage for perfume buying
  8.  If you are buying from Papa Mani, tell him to buy bottles and stickers at once.
  9.  I recommend papa Mani because he has good undiluted perfume.
  10.  When you write papa Mani, you can order bottles and stickers for him as well.

Names of most demanded perfume in Africa

  • ck one men
  • ck one men
  • Eternity man
  • Eternity woman
  • 212 VIP men
  • Banana fragrance
  • Sexy love
  • Flower bom
  • Gucci Bloom
  • Tomford black
  • London playboy
  • Sweet aroma
  • Second wife
  • Jadore
  • Baccarat rouge
  • Black opium
  • Versace man
  • Chanel blue
  • Oud wood tomford
  • Polo sport
  • Dior poison
  • Bomshell seduction
  • Sugar baby
  • Creed Aventis men
  • One million man
  • Victoria secret (pure seduction)
  • Aqua Di Geo Armani
  • Carolina Herrera (good girl)
  • Victoria secret (love rush)
  • Creed Aventis woman
  • Tuscan leather
  • Frank Oliver (Oud Touch)
  • Givenchy only gentlemen
  • mudis
  • Sugar baby
  • Oud wood
  • Black opium
  • 212 sexy men
  • D&G the one man
  • Invictus men

Understanding the different Hair Category and How to start this Hair Business NEXT TOPIC

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