10 Pro Steps To Import Best Products From China To India [2019]

If you plan on diversifying your business and wish to leverage more affordable products, the best thing to do is to import from China to India. However, before you rush to import your first batch, there are a couple of things that you should keep in mind. The information we provide in this article should act as a guide which will help you when it comes to importing goods from China to India.

Detailed Step By Step Guide For Importing From China To India

If you plan on importing products from China to India, you will need a guide to help you throughout the whole process. This is especially so if it’s your first time. In this part of the article, we’ll give detailed instructions that you ought to follow for the process to be an efficient and successful one. Let’s get right into it:

Step 1: Identify Your Rights As An Importer

Before you import any commercial goods into your country, you will need to identify if you have the import rights. It doesn’t really matter if you’re importing as an individual or as a business.

There are quite a number of regulations aimed at goods being brought in for business purposes. It’s up to the customs authority to make a judgment call about whether the products qualify as personal use or as commercial. For example, if you bring in several units of very similar products, they will most likely not pass the credibility test as items for personal use.

Step 2: Identify The Goods You Want To Import From China To India

You need to decide on a specific product that you are going to import. There is a lot of research that goes into finding the right product so the process is quite tiresome. While choosing the best products from China to import, check important factors such as pricing, demand, and quality.

You will make money through your business if your products sell. Choosing the wrong product means that you will incur losses in terms of time, money, and other resources. The most important thing that you need to do if you want to be a successful importer is to choose the right product to resell.

Step 3: Ensure That The Goods are Permitted In Your Country

After you have already chosen the goods you want to import, make sure that they’re not prohibited in your country. You should also find out whether the governments subjects the products to any permits, regulations, or restrictions.

It is your responsibility as an importer to make sure that the products comply with the set rules and regulations. Otherwise, if you violate these restrictions you will spend huge amounts of money in paying fines and penalties. Also, the goods could be detained or even destroyed.

Step 4: Classify The Goods And Calculate The Landed Cost

Determine the 10-digit tariff classification number for each item that you import from China to India. These numbers are used to determine the rate of duty that you ought to pay. They’re used alongside the Certificate of Origin.

After determining the numbers, calculate the total landing cost. You should do this even before placing your order. While calculating the landing cost, include the initial price of the product, the shipping charges, the charges of Customs clearance, duty, and tax.

Step 5: Find A Reliable Supplier And Place An Order

Now its time to place your order with your supplier and identify the shipping terms that will be used. The Proforma Invoice (P/I) which includes the harmonized system number, description, and value per item will indicate the package dimensions, weight, and the terms of the purchase. The proforma isn’t legally binding but is really helpful in budgeting your future purchases.

Find out if the supplier is willing to ship your order to the nearest port or airport. This will greatly reduce your shipping cost.

Step 6: Arrange Your Cargo Transport

There are different costs that are associated with shipping goods. Such costs include container fees, packaging, terminal handling, and broker fees. All these individual costs have to be taken into account when calculating the total transportation costs.

Make sure that you look at the various transportation options such as sea freight, air freight, or courier service. As you arrange for cargo transport, consider the fact that delays might happen if the shipment isn’t dispatched as scheduled or if the goods are held by customs. So be prepared and plan accordingly.

Step 7: Choose A Good Freight Forwarder Partner

Logistics are a highly valued aspect of business in the modern world. Choosing a good logistics provider almost always guarantees smooth operations, manageable costs, continuous cash flow, as well as import from China to India duty.

If your freight forwarder partner gets things wrong, that would cause a rise in costs and wastage. At worst, the result would be a failed business model that would eventually need to shut down. Companies lose a lot of money if their logistics are not managed well.

Step 8: Track Your Cargo And Get Prepared For Arrival

During the time which your goods are in transit, check your commercial invoice, packing list, the bill of landing, and other necessary documents to stay updated on the shipping.

In the event that a problem arises which needs troubleshooting, then you should know the steps that your goods follow before they reach you.

Step 9: Hire A Good Customs Agent

You will need to hire a licensed customs clearing agent to assist you in clearing the batch at the port. Calculating the numerous expenses in the port is not an easy task so it’s best that you get an agent to help. The import from China to India agents will help you calculate the handling charges, custom duty, transportation charges, among others.

The agent also clears the goods through quarantine when necessary. This way, your work will be made easier and smoother.

Step 10: Obtain Your Shipment

When the goods arrive, it’s now time to go and collect. Make the appropriate plans to go pick up your shipment. If you had chosen the to-door service, you can just wait for your shipment to be brought to your designated address.

Pro Tips Fro Importing Goods From China To India

As an entrepreneur who imports products from China, there are certain rules that you should follow. One doesn’t just get in this type of trading without following rules and expect to be successful. You will have to pay attention to various aspects to keep making profits. Here are some useful tips:

1. Never Assume Anything

You should not make any assumptions about a product’s availability. There have some reports about vendors selling products that are displayed on their website but are out of stock. This happens a lot because most times a supplier’s website is not up-to-date. It is possible that some of the products have been discontinued and are no longer produced.

Always ask about the product’s availability before making an order and actually paying for the goods. Also, ask if they have any new products that are currently not displayed on the website.

2. Don’t Let The Vendors Intimidate You

Although some suppliers may seem a little cold, most of them are actually very friendly. Expect that most of the suppliers will respond to your queries in a quick and friendly manner. Feel free to discuss the samples with them and ask questions for further clarification.

These suppliers are real people just like you and I. So don’t be afraid to have conversations with them and express yourself freely.

3. Always Trust Your Gut

Always give the supplier the benefit of doubt but go with your gut. However, do not tolerate suppliers who keep insisting on selling you something even after you have declined severally. They might resort to sending you spam messages insisting that you buy what they’re selling. If this happens, don’t’ hesitate to hit the spam button.

Trust your instincts- always.

4. Be As Specific As Possible

Be very specific when you are talking to your supplier about exactly what you want. Make it clear from the start that you want a specific product in a specific color, fabric, or size.

Do not assume that the supplier knows what you want. Specifically, state in your message what you want; otherwise, you will receive a totally different product than what you wanted.

5. Don’t Always Look For The Lowest Prices

Do not be fooled by a quote that looks alarmingly cheaper than the others. Such a significant difference should be a major red flag and you should be warned. Very low prices come with a high risk of low quality or reputation risks.

6. Ask For samples

Samples are a huge investment for any entrepreneur. This is especially so if your company plans on spending millions of dollars on the products. Even though it’s quite expensive to get the samples, it’s totally worth it. The risk/reward ratio is much higher for online stores, not to mention the difference in lifestyle.

When you get the sample, you know exactly what you will be selling before you start selling.

7. Know That You Won’t Always Get What You Want

In spite of following all the right procedures, it’s still very possible for you to get products that are nowhere near the product that you ordered. For this reason, it’s always advisable that you always start with a small order and later on proceed to get bulk orders. If a supplier messes up a small sample order, the chances are high that next time they will still mess up. If possible, request pictures of the samples to make sure they’re okay.

8. Don’t Be Afraid To Pay Via Wire Transfers

Most of the major suppliers usually accept payment through wire transfer. Other accept payments via PayPal and western union. Find out what works best for your supplier and use that method- if it’s also convenient for you.

If you decide to pay via wire transfer, ensure and confirm that you have the exact wire information including beneficiary information, address, swift code, and account number.

9. Act Bigger Than You Actually Are

In your emails, always use the words “we” and “our” instead of “I” or “my”. This makes your company seem larger than it actually is. These words also display a sense of teamwork and unity in the company.

10. Know That There’s A Difference Between Manufacturers And Trading Companies

Some of the most noticeable differences between manufacturing companies and trading companies are the prices and the MOQs. While you’re starting out, it makes more sense to buy your goods from a trading company because these offer a much lower MOQ. When you have established your self well, start dealing with manufacturing companies since these offer lower prices per unit since you’re buying in bulk.

The Best Agents To Import From China To India

There are numerous sourcing agents in China- some of them are great to work with while others aren’t. When choosing, find one that understands your requirements, communicates well and has great professional knowledge in the field.

In this section we’ll have a look at three import from China to India agents that you can work with:

1. OyeExpress

OyeExpress prides itself in providing the best platform for buyers in India to get door-to-door delivery of their shipments. They get the goods from the port in China and bring them to the exact place you want it delivered in India.

In addition to that, they take care of all the paperwork for you making the process much easier.

2. Falcon

Falcon has a strong network of logistics agents across the world making them a reliable product sourcing agent from China to India. They clearly understand the depth of overseas markets and guide the client on every aspect of outsourcing a product. While offering product sourcing services, Falcon also ensures that the products are of the finest quality and available at economical rates.

3. Silic International

Silic International is a professional China import agent that is based in Delhi, India. They have a rich experience in the import and export of hundreds of products in more than 200 different industries such as machinery, electronics, apparel, textile, footwear, chemicals, etc.

Silic International sources, inspects, and procures the products of your choice from China and delivers safely to you.

The Best Products To Import From China To India

The importing business in a mammoth industry that is worth billions of dollars. Over the years, the business of import from China to India keeps growing as business people bring various products from this global manufacturing hub.

Some advantages of importing products from China to India include low cost, high-profit-margin, skilled labor, and cheap manual labor. Here’s a list of some of the best products from China to import:

1. Clothes

Clothes will always be in demand. China offers a wide variety of clothes that are not only affordable but also high-quality. In addition to the clothing, some importers bring textiles that can be sewn into clothes according to the buyer’s specifications.

2. Motor Vehicles

The automotive industry is another industry that has proven to be quite profitable over the years. The importers get highly functional cars as well as accessories and spare parts that are used for repairs. This is especially a booming business for those specializing in motorcycles.

3. Electronics

Another category of products that are not only popular in India but the rest of the world too are electronics. These include a wide range of products ranging from smartphones, laptops, and TVs. Electronics are easy to sell and bring good profits.

4. Pharmaceutical Products

Pharmaceutical products are also a great venture. The health industry is one of the most important for the human race. This means that at no point will this business run a major risk of collapsing. Although importing pharmaceutical products is challenging, it has the potential of generating a lot of profit.

5. Plastics

Over the years, the demand for plastics and related products has increased due to urbanization. Plastic is the main material used for packaging in the market. Its also used for toys and bottles.

Over to You

We hope that you got enough information about the process of importing goods from China to India- we hope that the tips we have given continue to help you along your journey. As you carry on with the business of import from China to India, allow yourself to keep learning along the way. You may make a few mistakes here and there, but never give up on your entrepreneurial dream.

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