Importing From China Without Problems

There are a few common dilemmas that businessmen have when considering importing products from China. You want to go into business with a Chinese supplier, but you’ve heard that Chinese products are sometimes unsafe or that communication can be difficult. If you’re having these concerns, know that the problems that you might encounter with a Chinese supplier are similar to the problems that you can have with a supplier from any other country. If you do some research and learn how to prevent and handle these dilemmas, you can safely import from China.

One common fear is that the quality of the products manufactured in China is low and that the products might be unsafe for the consumer. While there have been reports on the issue and some Chinese products have been taken out of the market, it is partially up to you to make sure that what you’re importing is safe. Make sure that the safety regulations of the market where you’re selling are known to the Chinese manufacturer. Check whether the safety compliance standards match and get samples in order to test the quality of the products. Once you’ve taken these steps, you can safely import products from China, as you’ll know exactly what you’re selling.

Another thing that you might be worried about is payment methods. If you’ve heard that Chinese businesses only accept wire and Western Union transfers, know that this is no longer the case. Chinese businessmen have started to adapt to the international market and now accept various payment options, such as PayPal or a letter of credit. Whatever payment method you opt for, make sure you keep a record of the payments and all documents related to the payment transaction. Avoid sending money to personal bank accounts and ask for company bank accounts instead.

Even if you make a payment through a secure method, you might still worry that you will be the victim of fraud. This can happen with any supplier, not only with those from China. You always have to do your research on a supplier before going into business with them. There are several methods to check if a supplier is legitimate. If you’re new to business and don’t know how to proceed, find an import/export business training program or hire an import/export agent to guide you through the process. Import/export agents are experts in the business and know all the ins and outs of importing. Find an agent who specializes in the import/export business with China.

If you worry that you won’t be able to communicate properly with the Chinese supplier because of the language barrier, know that most Chinese businesses hire employees who speak English specifically to be able to handle international clients. If the supplier you want to work with is not keen on communicating in English, get an import/export agent to handle the situation. You should be able to communicate with your Chinese business partner by phone or via the many tools that the Internet provides, such as Yahoo Messenger, Skype or Google Talk.