The Canton Fair has really flourished beyond recognition over the past 10 years. Anyone working in the import/export trade with China should definitely consider attending the fair. Before you do, here are some of things you should know –knowing is half the battle and how rich your experience at the Canton Fair will depend on you.

You will need a lot of patience to just get to the Canton Fair. What you have will certainly be tested. No matter how you get to Guangzhou, be prepared to stand in line and wait. You should try to remember that you are going though the China’s Inspection and Customs. It is important to be polite and calm and have all your documents ready. Not being prepared, or arguing with the customs officers will only delay your travel time even more.  [...]

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Great minds are a terrible thing to waste. There always has been and always will be those who use those minds to deceive others. I doubt anyone can go through their lives without knowing at least one person who works hard to avoid work. The import/export world has its share of these people too. Great minds have created some pretty interesting and often convincing scams you need to look for in your import/export business. A few of them are listed below.

• Fake/Fraudulent Companies—Any time you are dealing with people you don’t know, especially when they’re on the other side of the world, it can be risky. It is always possible that the person you’re dealing with is fake or fraudulent and will vanish once they receive your money. You obtain a background check for each company you deal with. It should be done by a third party, and should include that company’s credit record and verification of legal registration.  [...]

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Once you’ve finally waded through the various suppliers, went through the mind numbing and culturally frustrating negotiations, and actually chosen a supplier, you think your work is done, right? You couldn’t be more wrong. There are still a lot of things you need to do to make sure production and shipment go smoothly and the product you receive is the quality you want.

Here are a few tips to help you:

• Make sure you visit the factory while your product is being developed. This is especially important if your product is technically sophisticated. You’ll want to visit to be assured that everything is being produced to your specifications and meet quality your satisfaction. If the Chinese get stuck and can’t figure something out, they won’t tell you. The process will go much more smoothly if you give it a more “hands on” approach and see for yourself things are produced properly.  [...]

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