Hi Everyone:
Wanted to share my experiences at the Jewelry & Fashion trade show in
Hong Kong.
15 hrs is a long time on a jet built for short people but worth the
trip. Close to 800 vendors attended. Many factory representatives
and talented designers there and attendance was down abit because of
the Sars thing. Sars crisis blown out of proportion by the American
media. Cough cough cough. Min production runs ranged from a couple
of pieces to $5000 dollars min. I was amazed at how many people were
interested in helping me to expand my business as well as theirs.
The guys with the high min took one look at my business card, which
didn't have address(big mistake)and just dismissed me instantly.
That's okay plenty others there to help even the smallest startup
business. Besides next year they won't remember they blew me off,
lol. They all seem to want to expand business but don't want to go to
the U.S. Ok,What an opportunity! I spent the whole four days
introducing myself to as many reps/designers as possible and have
made some important relationships with people that can take my
designs and produce jewelry in all my favorite materials. Met a lady
that has residence in HK (buys raw materials there), factory in
Philipines, and vacation home in US. She has been in the importing
business for awhile. Anyone thinking of developing Jewelry products,
would recommend the trip next June. There is one in Sept also but
heard it is packed and very humid that time of year. Package deals
only cost $600-700. Spent every dime I had there to buy new items
and samples. note: on last day of show prices fell and factory reps
were giving away some samples. Good thing my suitcase had wheels.
Customs was no problem. Will be doing small frequent reorders in the
$500-$1000 range. Wire Transfer seems to be the payment of choice
for imports but I was cautioned on making big transfers to unkowns.
US dollars work fine at show. LOC's seem only to be needed for those
large purchases. Most designs can be manufactored and shipped in 3-4
wks in small runs. Oh, lost my safe key and they had to drill the
lock 1hr before plane left, whew, cheap lock, lol. Have very
expensive key for momento.
Planning on going to the Tuson Az. show in Feb. Seems very few
vendors from Hong Kong go to that show. Met Mineral shop owner that
goes to that show and spends 50k at the show to stock his very
sucessfull shop each year. Anyone been to that one?
Monday, June 30, 2003
Hong Kong June Jewelry & Fashion Show
Informal Entry and license on copy right
Re: [spiers] Informal Entry and license on copy right
In a message dated 6/29/03 7:44:23 PM, tran_timothy@earthlink.net writes:
<
what kind of license & where I need to apply for to start
the small importing business?
***There is no such thing as a license to be an importer... you cannot get
one, because they do not exist.***
Do I need to know specific at first what product to
import in order to apply for a license?
As one business license, can I import different type of goods , product ...>>
***OK, if you want to know about business license, look up your local govt
(town, city, county?) in the phone book and call and ask about a business
license. they will fill you in on what they require.
But, some things to keep in mind: what you are really getting is a
"registration with the tax collectors." The business license simply registers
your
business activity so you can pay taxes. Some products have special licenses
like
guns, tobacco and booze, but those are different licenses. Assuming all of
your products ar not specially licensed, then yes, they can be under one
license.
Yes, you should be able to say "I sell housewares" or "vegetables"... the
"importing" is uttterly irrelevent... which brings up a question... do you have
customers already? If you do, this step becomes very easy. If you do not,
then don't worry about getting a license or anything else. You don't need to get
a license to research whther you'll make money in business. Until people are
sending you checks, you do not have a business... so don't bother with a
license. Get customers first.
John
Sunday, June 29, 2003
Informal Entry and license on copy right
Re: [spiers] Informal Entry and license on copy right
Hi John,
Would you please advice the step:
what kind of license & where I need to apply for to start
the small importing business?
Do I need to know specific at first what product to
import in order to apply for a license?
As one business license, can I import different type of goods , product ...
Thanks
Tim
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 2:12 AM
Subject: Re: [spiers] Informal Entry and license on copy right
>
> In a message dated 5/22/03 1:52:57 AM, fhgu@netzero.net writes:
>
> <entry.
> My understanding is that if the shipment is under $2000 and shipped
directly
> to my home then I would not have to use a custom broker. Does it have to
be
> via air freight? Or it could be via surface as long as the shipment is
coming to
> my home.
>
> ***$2K per conveyance, so it can be trucked or boat or plane, what ever
you
> like...***
>
> I am dealing with candy here, one of the product lines this SE Asia
> manufacture has is candy wrapped or shaped in a well-done Japanese cartoon
character.
> The sales director told me that they are authorized and licensee by the
> Japanese media production company. And that every candy I buy from them,
royalty is
> calculated into the total price. The Japanese media production company has
also
> trade marked the character here in the US. Now, will I have trouble
importing
> and selling these candy in the US? If I apply the idea of "importer as
> manufacture" then I think I will need to obtain license from the Japanese
company,
> but I don't really make them and I am paying royalty already when buying
from
> the manufacture. Any idea?>>
>
>
> ***Aha, this is where the customsbroker you seek t avoid comes in... they
can
> tell you what documentation you need, and as for all that, better safe
than
> sorry. What is your goal? To import these... then get all your info from
the
> customs broker, but for initial samples just have them sent to your house,
why
> waste the brokers talent on an informal entry?
>
> There is another problem that concerns me though... you describe a classic
> "off-the-shelf" item. Say it is popular, and you do well with it, it is
only a
> matter of time that somebody prefers what appears to be your profits
rather
> than what they know to be their own.
>
> Say someone is struggling in the biz eeking out $25,000 per year, and
> believes you are making $50,000 per year. He will come after you, and you
will have
> to cut your prices to survive. This is just one scenario when dealing in
> off-the-shelf items.
>
> Now here is the problem: to get where people notice you, you have to
> reinvest your profits, meaning WHEN they steal your idea, you no longer
have a means
> to recoup your investment, and don't. I suspect this is a source for many
> peoples idea that importing is a matter of finding something cool overseas
and
> making a killing. Outsiders assume that since someone has an office and
space
> at a trade show, and travels, they must be doing very well indeed.
Perhaps,
> but whatever they are making is going into the company the first few
years... it
> is the longevity where these biz pay off.
>
> With 30 years experience, I've seen countless examples of this... people
who
> were on the cover of Inc. magazine for the wonderful biz they had, only to
be
> gone within a year or so.
>
> Competing with existiing products is like having a restaurant where your
most
> used tool is the can opener... people will catch on and lose interest.
But
> you still have the expense of the restaurant itself.
>
> If you are into candy action figures, shouldn't develop your own?
>
> John