Seven Mistakes to Avoid When Importing From China
Many people have found success in importing goods from China to Australia. However, if you plan to get involved in this type of business, it’s important to learn from other people’s mistakes before making them yourself. Here are seven common mistakes a seasoned China sourcing agent in Australia listed that first-time importers should avoid at all costs to keep their businesses on the right track and their bottom line healthy.
Not Checking the Laws and Regulations
You need to know the laws and regulations for importing into the country you are shipping your goods to. If you don’t, there is a chance that your shipment could be seized or destroyed. You want to avoid any delays in customs, so make sure you do your research before you import anything.
Not Doing Your Homework on the Chinese Market
You can avoid many mistakes when importing from China to Australia, but one of the most common is understanding how to negotiate. If you need to learn how to negotiate, you’ll be paying whatever price they tell you, and that might not be the best deal for your business. Make sure you research how much things cost so that when you’re negotiating, it will be more effective.
Not Knowing How to Negotiate
There are a lot of mistakes that you can avoid when importing from China to Australia, but one of the most common is not understanding how to negotiate. If you don’t know how to negotiate, you’ll be paying whatever price they tell you and that might not be the best deal for your business. Make sure you do some research on how much things cost so that when you’re negotiating, it will be more effective.
Not Having a Contingency Plan
One of the most common mistakes is needing a contingency plan, which can be especially dangerous when importing goods from China. If there’s an issue with your shipment, you want to know how you will fix it before it happens.
Not Protecting Your Intellectual Property
The biggest mistake people make when importing from China is not protecting their intellectual property. This can be done by making sure that you trademark your brand and name, register the design of your product, and patent your product. Not only will this help protect your idea, but it will also allow you to prevent other companies from using the same idea as you.
Not Being Realistic About Prices
The difference between the price of an item in one country and another can be enormous. Items imported from Asia, for example, may be less expensive than items manufactured domestically because of their proximity to manufacturing centres such as China or Taiwan. Even if a product is available locally, import duties must be paid on goods coming into the country.
Not Understanding the Culture
Mistakes like not understanding the culture can be avoided with a little research before you make your purchase. For example, if you’re importing goods from China to Australia, you must understand that Australians are quite formal regarding workplace interactions. If someone is in a management position and you’re speaking to them informally, they might think you’re disrespecting them. It’s better to err on the side of being too formal rather than too informal when dealing with Australian company culture.
Not Hiring a China sourcing agent
A major mistake to avoid when importing from China is not hiring a China sourcing agent Australia. If you are importing from China, there are many different products that you could be importing. In order to get the best deals and the quickest production times, it is best to hire a sourcing agent. A Chinese sourcing agent will know all of the factories in your desired area and will be able to guide you through the process. They can also assist with quality control and ensuring that your goods are being produced at an ethical level.