In this guide, I will be showing you how to start a Mini Importation Business from the comfort of your home.
If you are reading this in March 2020, It is no news that the COVID-19 has ravaged the financial markets and economies. Many Countries have been on the lockdown as a result of the outbreak. The importance of having an online business cannot be overemphasized at this point.
Presently, only online businesses can survive the economic meltdown. One of these businesses is “Mini Importation”.
What is Mini Importation?
Importation in times past used to be for the wealthy businessmen alone. It wasn’t a business for a salary earner. Some of the factors that affected the business were: Cost of travelling to the manufacturers country, Cost of buying goods in large quantities, Cost of shipping with containers, Customs and clearing issues.
Mini Importation Business has to deal with buying of goods from manufacturers or wholesalers online, in smaller quantities and reselling for profit.
Some of the websites people buy items online at cheaper rates include: alibaba.com, aliexpress.com, 1688.com, amazon.com,e.t.c.
The websites listed above are platforms where people buy items in large quantities. Chinese Manufacturers and wholesalers leverage on these websites to sell their wares to people from all over the world.
What to Import From China
It is no news that China is a manufacturing nation. In this article, I will be using China as a case study when referring to Mini importation.
When considering items to import from anywhere in the world, some of the factors you should consider are: Price, Weight, Size, and banned items.
Price
As a business-minded person, one of the things you consider when purchasing goods to be sold is PRICE. We all want to buy quality goods at the cheapest available rate. China happens to be the country that offers the best prices as fas as importation is concerned. Most of the items we find in stores today are made-in-china.
Weight
Another point to consider when venturing into mini importation business is WEIGHT. Larger items weigh more and will cost more money to ship.
Every item’s shipping cost from China is dependent on the weight.
A carton of an item which weighs 5kg will cost more when shipping than a carton of about 2kg.
Shipping companies in Nigeria charge up to $6/kg for normal shipping and $10/kg for express shipping.
Size
The size chart for different countries vary.
For those interested in importing items like clothes and shoes, SIZE should be something to consider.
Shoes and clothes gotten from Asian countries are smaller than those gotten from other countries.
Banned Items
Some items aren’t allowed to be imported into the country. Items like Agricultural produce, some body lotions, dietary supplements, e.t.c.
If you are still thinking of items to import from China, you can visit eCommerce websites such as those listed above to see some of the items listed on their platform.
Some examples of light-weight items someone can import are: Wristwatches, sanitizers, face masks, hair attachments, pieces of jewellery, footwear, mobile phone accessories, caps, belts, underwear, bags, lunch bags, makeup kits, e.t.c.
How To Import Items From China
Before thinking of importing anything from anywhere, you should write down a list of items you will like to import and follow the simple steps.
- Do not forget to put into consideration the factors stated above.
- Visit any website you will like to purchase from (Alibaba, aliexpress, 1688, e.t.c). I prefer 1688.com because they offer the cheapest rate. The downside is; the site is in the Chinese language and you will need to translate it to the English language.
- Locate the website’s search bar and enter the items you will like to purchase. For example Leather wristwatch, wireless earphoness or face mask.
- At this point, you will see the same item from different sellers.
- Select a Seller with a positive rating or review and then contact the seller. Do not forget to specify the quantity, size, and color of the items you want.
- Asian websites come with a wide range of payment options. Choose the one that suits you.
- If you aren’t able to pay your supplier directly, you can use a third-party procurement company. In Nigeria, some of use www.chrisvicmall.com. All you need to do is copy the URL of the seller’s store and send to your procurement agent.
A procurement agent will help you in purchasing goods from china while you pay him/them in your local currency.
For those interested in using 1688.com, I have put up a special article to address that. See How to buy from 1688.com.
Do not forget to indicate all the specifications of the item.
Shipping will take from 7-21 days depending on the shipping method you choose.
Items will be weighed and you will be charged a certain sum for every kilogram you ship.
N/B: When buying from sites that sell in large quantities; the price of the item gets cheaper as the quantity increases.
Do not get carried away by relatively cheap items. The cheaper the item, the lower the quality.
How To Sell The Items I Imported
There are various ways of selling items. You can sell your goods by telling family and friends about your imported products. You can also make use of your social media account to sell your goods. Furthermore, you can run social media adverts with very clear pictures or videos of the items you want to sell.
I will suggest you open an online store with any eCommerce website in your country and list your items with them. I use Jumia here in Nigeria.
By listing your item(s) with eCommerce websites, they drive traffic to your online store.
Ecommerce companies provide a platform where buyers meet sellers. As a seller, they only charge you after every successful sale. Monies will be paid into your local bank account.
How fast you sell off your items depend on some factors such as Economic factor, price of your item, clarity of your images and their descriptions, the problem your item solves.
You should look out for items that solve specific problems for people.
Mini importation business is a very lucrative business that can earn you up to 100% return on your investment if done correctly.
A lot of people make the mistake of importing heavy items. These items cost so much money to ship, thus making them expensive to sell.
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