Import Export Business Answers

Question about Exporting to Jamaica.

message: I have a family member that is living in Jamaica. We are trying to find out the laws of me buying stuff here in the US and shipping them to Jamaica where she can sell out of a store. I just need help finding out if i need a license and if so what type. Are you able to help me with this question? Please let me know.

Answer:

You are asking a question that could have many potential
answers.

Most of the time, there are no licenses required to ship
something from country to country unless it is considered
hazardous like chemicals, weapons, etc..

If you are talking about large, container size shipments, then
you should talk with a freight forwarder to assist you. If you are
talking about boxes that can be shipped via the post office, you
can talk to someone at a reasonably sized post office.

If it is small enough to ship via the post office, it will most likely
be the cheaper way to both ship and get through customs. See
many times there are no restrictions or fees other than shipping
from the country a product ships from but there are fees (customs,
duties, etc) that are due by the buyer upon receipt.

You may also find some information posted at the US Postal web site at www.USPS.com - there is usually a customs form
you have to complete at the Post office showing what is in th e
package and the estimated value (this is how the receiving
country ends up taxing or charging customs).

As an example, we used to sell an automotive product on our
web site and in Canada, they charged about $25 on a $150 valued
item which was about 16 to 17% of the items value.

Fresh food items often require special handling due to bugs,
spoilage, etc..

Hope this will help get you pointed in the right direction.

Ron Coble
International Business Services

How To Price A Product

Pricing your products or services is one of the single most important marketing decisions that business owners must make. Especially if you are using the Internet to market your products and/or services because time waits for no business when dealing with the speed of cyberspace. Potential customers have instant access to tons of information and your competitors are a mere mouse click away.

You must get the price right... the first time because in the digital marketplace, there are very few second chances. "Make Your Price Sell!, The Masters Course" helps you turn your website visitors into pricing experts.

This FREE course provides your website visitors with the strategies and info they need to determine the "Perfect Price." This course details background pricing theory, profiling target markets, key business models and the importance of a product or services perceived value, and much more.

These factors represent the big picture for your visitors to consider. The perfect price is most important when you are actually at the point of selling and monetization is merely the 4th of the four-step CTPM process. Here is a break down of the ultimate online success equation...

Right Processes + Great Products(or Services) + Perfect Price = Customer Satisfaction

You may download your FREE "Make Your Price Sell - Masters Course" by clicking on this link.

International Business Information

Import Export Business Question:

I am interested in the import/export business. I only what to be an agent, at this time. I would like to know if I locate the buyer, where do I get help to close the deal and make a fee for my efforts.

I have been to export/import site's I have a lot of this information from export.gov and us export.gov

This information is helpful but you can have all the information in the world if you don't know the steps to process.. it's no good. I have plenty of contacts; I have done my home work. I was told that the freight and banking information is important and the freight companies part, helps with the paper work.. send me information. I have a lot of the information already, that's where I started!

I am looking for your help to refine the process. as I am more detailed oriented.

What is our first step? etc... I have a list of manufactures etc... I want to do a deal. as an agent 1st then move up the latter. So what ever product I can move as an agent, without the licensing part, (at this time) I'm in. I have a list of buyers also. but we need to know the preliminaries; evaluate opportunities, product , shipping, country, pricing, etc..

Import Export Business Answer:

I understand exactly where you are at - I was there 20 years ago - I
only wish the Import Export Toolkit self study course we offer had
been available then as we make it available now - see details here:
Starting An Import Export Business

The course provides you with the step by step you are seeking - yes,
some of it may be redundant to what you already know, but if you are
seeking step by step, then the toolkit is your best resource.

This person never followed our advice in getting a comprehensive self-study course and about two weeks later emailed us again with the following request:

Follow Up Question:

i have a diamond deal i would like so help on

Our Answer:

Sorry cannot help you on this one except to say, BE VERY CAREFUL.

Most diamond sales are locked up through the big diamond buying companies and
this is very much a closed market just as Oil, Urea, Sugar, Precious Metals, etc..

These type of deals are generally foisted on those who have little or no knowledge of
the import export business but who have a lot of interest in getting rich quickly and easily - sorry, there just is no such thing in this industry or any for that fact.

FOLLOW UP COMMENTS:

The above exchanges illustrate what I call "Blinded By The Hype". This person does not view the import export business as a business, but views it as his lottery ticket where he can make a quick score and sit back drinking margaritas on a beach somewhere for the rest of his life.

Literally, he would be better off buying lottery tickets because he is not serious about going into business and at least when he buys a lottery ticket, he really does have a chance of winning something as opposed to losing everything he owns and maybe more if he follows the yellow brick hype path that he apparently is doing.

Comments, criticisms, suggestions are always welcomed!

Ron Coble
Coble International Marketing Services
http://www.importexporthelp.com/