Questions Before a Trip To India

Hi John,

I have question~ I'm going to India for a vacation in about 1 week. While I'm there, if I decide to buy any jewelry and textiles in large quantities

***Of course, I would buy nothing without purchase orders from customers here in USA, unless you would be completely happy to own for yourself everything you buy in India...***

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On Jul 17, 2008, at 9:35 PM, amy wrote:

what is the best way to ship it back to the USA?

***How large are your quantities? You can carry it, mail it, express it or ship it... the cost/benefit all depends on weight/cube of the shipment.***


I met a man a few weeks ago who works for a company in Seattle called Expediditors.

***Best in the biz tight now....***

He said do not go the standard mail way. He said when I first get to Delhi, find a freight expediting company who I can set up an account. When I'm traveling in Rajasthan or where ever, I can have my goods shipped to Delhi by the supplier or by me, then have the freight forwarding company ship everything back to the United States at the same time.

***Very good advice... but I would say you actually post the goods to Dehli, since if the goods do not arrive, you'll have no suspicions of the agent.***

1. What is the best way to ship large amounts...jewelry, clothing, textiles...ect..

***What is large? Your Expeditors man would be able to get specific...***

2. If I do arrange to have things shipped back by a freight forwarding company,will they take care of all the legalities of the exportation of the goods. I won't need to get a license, they will have it, is that correct? What sort of stuff should I be prepared to know to export?

***Yes, the export agent would handle all of the details... so you need to know nothing... he'll need dated invoices and packing lists...***

3. When I land a try and receive my goods once it gets to seattle, what sort of stuff will I need to show the customs/duties guy?

***A bill of lading, copies of invoices and packing lists... but again, you can have a customsbroker talk to your freight forwarder in Dehli, and they can make it seamless. Again, you must consider the cost/benefit analysis...***

Will I have to show a business license?

***No.***

4. If I bring large amounts back in my luggage, will I have to state to customs what it's for, will I have to claim it?

***Again, I don't know what "large" means here, but Customs does not care what it is for, customs cares what it is... you must declare (claim) everything you have acquired overseas, and customs will charge you duties and otherwise enforce the laws. They have no concern as whether or not you are in biz, it does not matter. You do run the outside risk, if you have a wide variety or items, which would be time-consuming for customs to verify, that they will just seize it all and tell you to get a customs broker to file a customs entry to get it into USA. Probably not, but anything can happen.***

Should I have my business license with me in India and going back through customs coming back into Seattle?

***No one cares, it does not matter...***

Thanks for answering my questions! Your great!

***My advice is never buy anything without a signed purchase order for the goods you are buying. It is normal to do so, and the alternative is just too risky... IN this specific instance, what you see in India will be new to you, but not to any professional buyer in USA. By all means enjoy a visit to India, it will be inspiring... but the cold hard facts are your customers are in USA. The only opinion that matters in business is expressed on a signed purchase order.***

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