Like many things in business, you have two choices. You either do the task yourself or have someone else do it for you. Importing from China is no different except that the time it will take you to get up to speed with everything you need to know is significant.
What it Costs to DIY
When deciding whether to go it alone or to use a professional importing firm, you need to calculate the cost of your time. First work out roughly how many hours it will take you to learn the different types of shipping options and costs, the customs requirements for shipping goods from China to Australia, sourcing a manufacturer you can trust and the email communications with each part of the supply chain. If all of this takes you just 20 hours (conservatively speaking, it will probably be much higher) and you calculate your hourly rate at $100/hour, the shipment will have cost you $2,000. You could have spent your time more wisely on tasks that will nett your business far more such as marketing which can result in sales and business growth.
Quicker to Market
In most instances, Vara Allied can source the product you need, and have the goods in Australia days, if not weeks, earlier than if a business owner organised it. Obviously, the quicker you have stock here, the quicker you can start selling and earn revenue.
Sourcing a Reputable Supplier
Starting from scratch to find a reputable supplier with experience in delivering the right product is daunting as well as time-consuming. Using an importer, they have probably already used the perfect supplier, and communications about your order can begin straight away. Many Australian business owners have given up trying to find a supplier in China because their emails go unanswered. Suppliers want to respond quickly to importers because they know there is far more business available to them.
Having an established relationship is an important part of the Chinese culture, so they are more likely to respond positively to someone they have met face to face and had previous dealings than someone on the end of an email address.
Travel to China
Many people feel they need to step foot on the factory floor before they can trust a company with their order, however, the travel time, transport and accommodation costs quickly add up. Vara Allied visit Chinese suppliers at least four times per year to meet with existing suppliers and source new ones. You are much better off spending the travel time working on your business and leaving the travel up to an importer.
Less Worry Time
Placing an order for goods sight unseen can be a huge financial gamble. What if they arrive the wrong colour, size, shape or material and are useless? Our clients use Vara Allied to place their order because we use trusted suppliers who are used to communicating with us. The communication barriers are often the reason why goods don’t arrive as they should. It’s from experience that we’ve learnt where the errors can occur.
Multiple Payments
Importing yourself means you will need to pay the supplier, the shipping company and duties separately. Each one may require the funds in a different currency, and you will spend more time calculating the cost into Australian dollars and making overseas funds transfers. Using Vara Allied, you safely make payments to an Australian company, and it’s your choice whether to pay in Australian or US dollars.
Shipping
By going direct to a shipping company, you won’t know if you are getting the best deal. You may get two quotes, but by the time you decide which one to go with, the ship could have left port or the ship cargo may be full.
Skip the Paperwork
Vara Allied has a staff member dedicated to completing all the customs and shipping paperwork. Doing this day in day out, she knows what information goes where and how to submit it correctly. You don’t want your goods held up at the port because you didn’t complete the right paperwork.
If you want an obligation-free quote on what we charge to handle your order from start to finish, call (08) 6115 0118 or contact us. We’re only too happy to have a chat to see how we can help you.
