Step-1: Product Source
Now it is easy for you to source any items online and offline. For online sourcing, you can search it on Alibaba.com or other online sourcing companies.
1.1 Online Sourcing Products
How to source in Alibaba?
Go to www.alibaba.com, Just type the keyword, the more detail info you type,the more accurate products you will find.
For example, if you plan to search for a fashion scarf, click Alibaba.com, type “fashion scarf”. Then you will find a lot of options to choose.
Then you just send a quote to the suppliers.
If you planning to source Scarf, you can try LuukSourcing.com, they supply all kinds of different scarves.Behind Luuksourcing,there are over 600 Scarf manufacturer, you can go to their scarf website, send the scarf sourcing requirement, they will source manufacturer and do one-stop supply for you.
1.2 Offline Sourcing Products
Yiwu International Trade Market is a great place to visit and check the samples then order directly.
For example, there is Scarves Market in Yiwu Internatonal Trade market, you can directly go and face to face to confirm from 600 suppliers supply fashion scarf, Muslim Scarf, Chiffon Scarf, Silk Scarf…
To get a better view of this market, you can contact us. We can guild you how to Yiwu International Trade Market..
Step-2 China Customs Export
After your suppliers deliver the goods, they will arrange to export from China customs,
what they need to do is:
No.1 Transport the goods by container to China export seaport
No.2 Send the paper document to China customs
No.3 Do the container goods declaration
This step is to tell China customs what is your goods and apply them to export.
This export process is handled by the supplier normally.
This part cost we called inland charge.
Normally
one 20ft container inland charge is around 700USD;
one 40ft/40HQ container inland charge is around 1200USD
When you confirm FOB terms with your supplier, Goods Cost plus inland Charge.
If suppliers quote EXW, they divide the inland charge into each unit piece to distinguish FOB.
Step-3: Transportation By ship
After the goods container is ready on the China export port, The shipping company will take over the container and load it into the boat then transport it to your country import port.
To book container of shipping, you can use your shipping agent to book it or ask your supplier to book. Off course, you can compare the shipping fee first then decide.
To choose which port for shipping?
Normally it is to choose the seaport which is near your location.
For example, if you are located in the west of the USA, you can use Los Angeles or Long Beach port, if you are located in the east of the USA you can use New York port or Houston port.
Your shipping agent will give you the advice to use which one.
Step-4 Your Seaport to your warehouse
When Goods Container arrived at your seaport, you need a shipping agent or we called “broker” who will send your goods document to your National Customs and do the import process for you.
Normally they need 4 documents: Bill of Loading/Packing list/Commercial invoice and some accessories certificate. all those 4 documents will provide by the supplier of your goods.
Apart from that, your shipping agent will give you the bill,including import fee, handling fee, import duty tax fee. Finally, they transport the goods from the seaport to your warehouse.
So before your business transaction, you can find and check a shipping agent to give you probable fee then you can control your cost.
If you do not have a shipping agent, you can search in google “shipping agent” or “broker”. It is better to have the shipping agent or broker is in your local place.
