Awesome Attendance at ASD This Year!

For a guy like me, it can get awfully lonely out here in China sometimes, and when I’m not getting utterly sandbagged by the mind-blowingly unreliable Internet in this country, I’m getting a lot of encouraging news from the front lines in the USA about trade shows and conventions that are heating things up for the new year! It looks like the ASD Show in Las Vegas was a tremendous success, and that’s saying a lot in light of all the bad news we’ve been getting lately about everything from unemployment figures, rising health care costs, and the real estate market woes around the world making us feel as though there aren’t enough roofs to go over all of our heads.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the highlights from this year’s show at the Sands Expo Center and Las Vegas Convention Center, which took place from February 28 to March 03, to see what’s cooking in the world of retail and wholesale for now. Things were good, even for a supposedly bad time, as the showroom floors were flooded with attendees and dealers who were getting orders filled, sharing valuable information about trends and market shifts, and generally having a good time. The whole thing took place on a space just over 610,000 feet, and while that sounds impressive, keep in mind that the show garnered attention from over 45,000 attendees who were culled from the best of independent retailers, department stores, national chains, and internet retailers who were there to see and be seen as the nation’s longest-running merchandise trade show continued its “Evolution of ASD” theme with a turnout that exceeded the previous year’s numbers by 15 percent.

China wasn’t the only country that made its presence felt, as buyers from Latin American countries like  Mexico, Argentina, and Costa Rica were there to assess the situation, and pick up some goods. About 85 countries were represented overall, and this is clearly the kind of thing that lets everyone out there know that this global community of buyers and dealers will persist, in spite of the odds. I’m convinced that the ones who align themselves strategically with partners who increase their market position will be able to overcome outside influences like trade sanctions, political uneasiness with foreign trade issues, and other obstacles, as they create relationships that supply customers without all the absurdity. E-tailers, keep your eyes on this show and its continuing influence on the market… there’s a tremendous amount of buildup and pressure to perform in a sales environment that is quickly cutting out the traditional stages of the purchase cycle, through online sites that cater to customers directly and with efficiency that allows even the most crippled Internet users (like myself) to make the right choices.

ASD Las Vegas will be next held August 8 – 11, 2010 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information visit www.asdonline.com and keep your eye on the pages of Toptenwholesale.com for updates on the industry at large while you continue your efforts to Find it. Source it. Profit!

Hitting the Ground While Running in 2010

I’m back at my desk now, and the smell of sulfur is finally starting to fade away as the local Chinese New Year celebrations have slowed to a nearly tolerable point. Make no mistake, I’m still being jarred by the repetitive explosions of something that sounds like carpet bombing outside my window at 06:00 these days, but the people of Hangzhou are getting back into work mode again, and that means the world of wholesale and retail can once again resume its momentum with trade partners in China… and oh, what a world it is we’re living in. The hot news right now on the USA front is that the ASD trade show will be in full swing before we know it, with a stellar collection of sellers and dealers who are ready to pull out all the stops for an event that is sure to kick things off with a bang. You can learn more about the March 2010 ASD Las Vegas Exhibition by visiting their site, and by getting a feel for what you shouldn’t be missing when the time rolls around.

Let’s also talk about the trends for the new season, and what things you might want to look at to maximize your visibility on the radar screen. There’s always a lot of goods out there to sort through, but it’s up to you to choose the ones that fit your buyers best, and finding them can be tricky. You could start with a look at the highly useful toptentrends site, to get a clue about what the leading search results are pulling in. From what I can see, it’s adult DVDs and novelties that are burning things up right now, and that really comes as no surprise since drastic times call for drastic measures amidst recent months of holiday madness, year-end upsets, and international scandals making us all just want to spend less time outside… and maybe more down-time with our significant others. Sounds like good sense to me, but we mustn’t forget to come up for air every now and then!

There’s a whole new attitude within the international community coming to light as well, as boundaries – both physical and virtual – become harder to define, and we enter an age of Internet controversy and trade policies that seem to be getting slapped and kicked around every time anyone sits down for a talk with the Dalai Lama, or when Beijing takes another big move to curb domestic lending, or the stability of the highly-fragile yuan’s safety net  makes news. All of this, whether we like it or not, has to be taken into consideration – as the smart wholesalers and retailers out there know that the winner is the one who can anticipate the best paths to follow… not necessarily the ones who recover from disaster with the least damage inflicted. The time has passed for damage control, and the time has come for doing the research and taking the time to build relationships that matter, in order to construct rock-solid partnerships that transcend arcane politics. Come back often, as we continue to provide news and insights that can help you build those relationships as you Find it. Source it. Profit! with TopTenWholesale.com and our network of vertical search partners.

Let Sleeping Tigers Lie

I’m about to drop off the face of the Earth for a few days, and when I come back… it will officially be the Year of the Tiger! Sounds a little crazy, right? Living in China is challenging, and not always a smooth ride at times… but there’s a lot to be thankful for as the Lunar year wraps up, and wholesalers around the world who participate in programs and partnerships with Chinese manufacturers take a breather – whether they like it or not. Food, family, friends, and fireworks are the orders of the day for the locals. The whole country seems to stop for a moment, as celebrations that are similar to the western world’s Christmas holiday take over, and little else matters besides making the rounds as the new year makes its grand entrance. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, it also means a very large – and often unscheduled – hiccup in business activity. Some things you should know about this extremely significant holiday can be found right here in today’s blog post, and this might be valuable information for those who don’t really understand Chinese culture, or haven’t had the chance to visit yet.

Eye of the Tiger! Photo by Jingjing Hong.

What exactly happens in China during the big event known as 春节 (chun jie, Spring Festival) that most people outside of the PRC don’t know anything about? Well, you can Google or Wiki it for starters, but that’s not going to give you the straight dope on the more – let’s just call them interesting – aspects of the holidays that aren’t going to be found on too many of the mainstream media outlets. Except maybe this one. I’ve been talking to a lot of wholesalers, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers here in my neck of the woods, and the one chord that always strikes the most deeply comes from cultural misunderstandings and a sudden breakdown in communication during this time of year.

Let’s start with the supply chain. I was having lunch with a French expat associate of mine a couple of days ago, and we were talking about the painful realities he deals with these days as he tries to solve issues that his customers are having with regard to sudden stoppages in shipments and deliveries from China. He works with European wholesalers who need a lot of little mechanical parts for their products, and the factories that produce these goods have literally shut their doors. Did they go out of business? No, they just don’t have the manpower to keep the assembly lines humming along. In fact, many of the companies that supply goods to the outside world are going through the same thing, as migrant workers make their mass exodus out of the city, and back to their respective countryside villages to celebrate the new year. Many of them won’t be coming back, either… which means that they will not only be looking for new jobs, but the companies that rely upon the goods they produce will be drumming their fingers on their desks until things start moving again. Unfair, you say? Ask anyone out here, and they will tell you 没办法  (mei ban fa, there’s no way) and shrug their shoulders as they resume chatting on QQ. Safety in numbers can work against you sometimes, and when the world’s low-cost manufacturing center sleeps, the rest of the world can do little else than wait.

My advice? Don’t try to fight it, just learn to anticipate and develop your own workarounds to the problem. China changes fast, but some things never change. It’s not necessarily the end of the world either, as countries that are growing weary from kowtowing to the moody Dragon have begun looking for alternatives in India, Brazil, and other eager manufacturing centers that show some promise. This could be the break you need as well, if you’re a smaller operation looking for the window of opportunity to fulfill a niche in sourcing or void in service that your competition is not able to take care of. It helps to understand the culture of the countries that are making the most impact on the environment, and at the end of the day we’re all doing this for the same reasons. With profitability on your mind, you just might even find some new ways to enjoy the downtime by taking in the New Year’s Special on the CCTV network, and sipping 白酒 (bai jiu, Chinese liquor) while eating a steaming bowl of 饺子 (jiao zi, dumplings) with friends and family. That’s what I’ll be doing, anyway… and when the party’s over I’ll be ready to get back to work.

Cheers, and Happy New Year to all of you! 新年快乐！

Rueben

China’s Internet: Better Buckle Up

It looks like Hillary Clinton is all over the news again, and I see big events brewing up for online wholesale and retail as a result. She can be seen on every channel these days, as people are tuning in to hear what the US Secretary of State has to say. People are talking about her. Her face can be seen on magazine covers and flickering computer screens across the country. Everyone knows who she is, and what her position is as President Obama’s right-hand woman, dishing out the foreign policy like it’s spoonfuls of some mysterious medicine for us to take. Sometimes it looks and tastes awful right away, and sometimes it’s the aftertaste that gets to you. At any rate, people in this country are paying close attention to what the former First Lady has to say… whether they understand the words that are coming out of her mouth, or not.

“Countries that restrict free access to information or violate the basic rights of Internet users risk walling themselves off from the progress of the next century.”

I’m not talking about the people in the USA, by the way. I’m talking about the people in China. Since I moved to China in 2006, I have watched how the Chinese take particular interest in high-profile people who make up the American tapestry of fame and shame, including everything from celebs to politicians, business leaders to sports idols. These days, Hillary is right up there with Beyoncé Knowles. Legendary, intimidating, and downright scary to some… for others, she inspires and brings hope for more balance as the fight for unrestricted Internet access wages on. By now, we all know what’s going on with the Google versus China news that’s been lighting up the headlines, along with Clinton’s statements regarding the matter.

According to the Wall Street Journal: “Google said on Jan. 12 that it will remain in China only if the government relents on rules requiring the censorship of content the ruling communist party considers subversive. The ultimatum came after Google said it uncovered a computer attack that tried to plunder its software coding and the email accounts of human-rights activists protesting Chinese policies.” Whoa… did I just see the word “ultimatum” thrown in there? I thought nobody hands the PRC an ultimatum, and gets away with it!

The writing’s on the wall, I think. While the rest of the free world seems to be cruising the information superhighway, China has been rumbling along on a back country trail with toll gates and check points at every intersection. Chinese authorities are getting very cautious about how they handle this case, as a large number of citizens become more vocal about not being too pleased with the rules of the road. Some State-run media outlets, on the other hand, are trying their best to portray Google as an angry loser in the race to claim market share against Baidu.com, China’s homegrown search giant. Things are getting interesting, as I have personally been hearing from roughly a 50-50 mix of Google supporters and naysayers – all of which are in the wholesale business – each giving perfectly rational arguments to support their beliefs. In the end, our beliefs pretty much converge as we all try to Find it. Source it. Profit!

Wholesale Takes on China in 2010?

While it’s no secret that China does things its own way, there are a lot of mysteries and unknown forces behind the red giant’s motives, especially for those who have not spent any appreciable time inside the mainland. For those in the wholesale and retail business, it’s often easier – and far more tempting – to simply ignore the variables, and allow the numbers to take over, approaching everything from a purely mathematical and economics-driven model that takes the pressure off of anyone who might have to face some messy cultural and personal choices.

This, unfortunately, is not the way it works. Even as you read this now, the world is talking about the latest wave of news-making events coming out of the Far East: Avatar, the box-office smash, has been getting closer and closer to overtaking the world record for ticket sales, and it has already become the number one movie in China. This comes after the record-breaking grosses of the movie 2012, which very recently took the top spot in the PRC as well. While James Cameron is laughing all the way to the bank, China’s government is not as enthusiastic about the idea of a Hollywood movie captivating people’s minds and hearts with such efficiency. The response? Quickly pull the movie from over 1,000 theaters, and replace it with something more Party-friendly. Ouch.

No more Avatar, but…

you can watch a movie

about Confucius instead!

Google has been both on and off the ropes in the past week, as the Internet search juggernaut openly snubbed Chinese leadership in frustration, after failing to make their desired numbers on the mainland since they attempted to insert themselves with Google.cn in 2006. There are many reasons for Google’s lack of momentum in the PRC market, but after making such a public and vocal statement these days… the cards have been laid down, and the stakes have been raised for the next hand. I’m also anticipating a new wave of third-party tech to emerge, as the demand for software that permits users to leap the GFW (Great Firewall of China) floods the market.

Where all of this goes will be anyone’s guess, but it’s going to open up a whole slew of new opportunities for those who wish to build relationships and make business with China, as the emerging belief seems to be that there are more than a few ways to access the inside mechanisms of the PRC, and it is no longer necessary to play by the old rules of the game, now that so many ordinary citizens have become empowered by the instant connectivity of the Internet. There may be some real options developing, as a double-digit drop in China’s export industry has triggered a massive campaign to gain market share from other countries to boost sagging numbers from manufacturers and wholesalers inside the mainland. It stands to reason that the Dragon will be a little less assertive in the future, when many of its customers go from being purely consumer-based, to those seeking to do the selling. It looks almost like the wholesale business – which had dutifully built up the PRC in a few short decades – is now a force to be reckoned with as the global community rejects impractical obstacles as they continue to Find it. Source it. Profit!

Scarves: This Season’s Most Versatile Accessory!

I’ve noticed a lot of scarf activity in the world these days, and especially a lot of little scarf shops popping up around me. The weather here in Hangzhou has become more what we’re used to seeing this time of year, and that means the girls – and boys – are wrapping up to keep the cold air from putting the chill all the way down to their bones! I can also see that in some parts of the USA, the weather is getting pretty fierce… and when the wind starts to blast us, a scarf comes in very handy to keep cold air from finding its way inside. If you’re looking for some solid sources and great partners in the scarf business, taking a look at suppliers like these, because they will lead you to some great search results… but first, let’s make sure you know what you’re looking for.

What’s your scarf knowledge, anyway? Have you been looking for some scarves to carry, but aren’t sure what materials to look into, or what styles to offer your customers? Does the thought of keeping a supply of thousands of scarves on your shelves scare you? These don’t need to be reasons to keep you from finding the right product for your customers, and here are a few pointers to get you started, if you need some background information on these hot apparel accessories:

• Material matters: If you’re looking to provide low-priced goods to your customers, you may want to stay away from some of the exotic wool and cashmere blends out there. Plenty of synthetic blends exist, and they tend to be rather durable with colors that don’t fade too quickly, thus bumping up their value.

• Style: Are you going for classic, or crazy? There’s an endless choice of patterns, shapes, and sizes to wade through… but the best thing is to know your market, and pay attention to what’s already selling well. Solids have been doing great, as well as plaids and stripes. I’m also seeing a lot of glittery and shimmery materials working themselves into the mix, with silk being another venerable option. Of course matching these with hats and gloves is a time-honored practice, too.

• Bulking up the sale: As I mentioned just a moment ago, a great way to build the sale is to connect the dots for your customers, and put groups of items together, for an improved sale total. Get creative, and find other goodies on your site that could benefit from this sort of arrangement as well… it isn’t that hard to make a fun and interesting catalog filled with pictures of models wearing the combined selections you’re promoting, is it? Give it a try, and show everyone what they could be wearing, as soon as they click the buy button on your checkout page.

• Shipping: This is perhaps the best part. Scarves are light, and easily packaged into small and conformable little parcels that keep shipping costs low. This ties in directly with increasing the sale, and building up the item per transaction count… since offering scarves as economic and easy ways to push the value of an outfit or accessory sale will be made better from giving customers extras that are versatile and simple, like scarves.

Don’t forget to promote your scarf selections online with banner ads and well-designed landing pages, and to make the effort to reach out to those of your markets that would benefit most from your latest items on offer that can be worked into a sale along with apparel, accessories, gifts, handbags, jewelry. Now wrap yourself up in your favorite scarf, and good luck getting started as you Find it. Source it. Profit!

Techliquidators.com Electronics Liquidators by the Pallet!

2009 has been a whirlwind of a year, and 2010 is looking like it will bring bigger and more exciting examples of change, as we find new wholesale opportunities opening up around the globe. Technology has swept up the other categories this time around, and it comes as no surprise that there are a gazillion retailers, wholesalers, and distributors offering their goods to anyone within reach. Which ones do you want to follow up on? With so many that are falling under the sub-par range, it’s often difficult to extract the right one for your business from the bunch. I’m going to give you a lead to one wholesaler that’s putting the best goods right in front of us, as Techliquidators.com makes its appearance on the pages of Toptenwholesale.com today!

Liquidation is the theme with this wholesaler, and it doesn’t take long to figure out that they’ve got the game figured out after visiting the Techliquidators site. Everything is easy to follow, easy to access, and the part I liked best was the terrific real-time auction feed on the home page! Nice touch, as it provides instant savings offers to anyone who wants to jump on a hot deal at the spur of the moment. At the time when I visited the site, I saw things like Franklin 5-Language European Translators, Energizer Camcorder Batteries, Guitar Hero & Rockband Products, Mixed Electronics, and Furniture – some of which were being auctioned off by the pallet or by the truck load - at great prices! On top of that, a data sheet is provided for each pallet being offered… click here to view an excel spreadsheet sample from the Techliquidators website.

Another thing of particular noteworthiness was the variety of goods on offer through  Techliquidators and their partners at Dealtree and BestBuy. With buying power like this, it’s easy to see why the deals are hard to beat. Have you checked out what Dealtree has going on? Here’s a mind-blowing list of trade-in program partners that should give you some idea of what they’re doing:

Dealtree / Best Buy

Buy.com

Casio

Dell

Ebay.com

Gateway.com

HiEd

Kodak

Nokia

Olympus

Sharp

TomTom

Toshiba

UCLA Store

USC Bookstores

Of course, all of this power is directed and channeled through members like Techliquidators, to bring the savings directly to you. By the way… if you’re wondering who uses a site like Techliquidators, here’s an overview of the categories they mainly deal with:

• New Items - These are products that come from retail stores or distribution centers, with the majority of this inventory still contained within the original manufacturer’s box, and factory sealed. These items are being liquidated because they are overstock, out-of-date, or discontinued.
• Returns - These products come from retail stores. Most of the units have not been looked at by a service technician, so the savings can be great for dealers looking to catch some goods at a great price.
• Liquidation - These products come from two sources: Service centers and retail stores. Service technicians have inspected the items and determined that it is not economical to repair the units, but some clients find value in these types of merchandise by either auctioning or brokering the products “as is” or by having qualified technicians work with 2 or 3 units of the same kind to create one working unit.
• Misc / Mixed - These products are a mixture of products and may include New Items, Returns, Liquidation, Retail Pulls, and Reconditioned. When possible, Techliquidators will indicate the approximate percentage of each type of product represented in the mix.
• Retail Pulls - These are a mix of open box, demonstration, and various end-of-life items pulled from retail stores. Demonstration units will not include box and/or accessories. On a routine basis, aged products are pulled from retail stores.
• Reconditioned - Products that have been tested, accessorized, and placed in fresh packaging. For these goods, Techliquidators takes extra steps to ensure that products function, and have a certain degree of cosmetic appeal for resale purposes.

As you can see, something for virtually anyone can be found in the wholesale electronics sector. If you’re in need of some great savings and accessibility on electronics, electronics liquidators, pallet liquidation, and truckloads of related merchandise… Techliquidators is the one for you!

TopTen Countries Sourcing the Goods, the Bags, and the Ugly

Handbags, and their extended family of accessories, have been called the single most important fashion item by many a designer, industry expert, and consumer alike. There’s no doubt about it; the business is highly lucrative, and this has led to some incredibly inspired designs over the years… as well as a few losers. Within this competitive and intense atmosphere of designs coming and going… trends ebbing and flowing… comes the knock-offs, the fakes, the rip-offs, and the just plain ugly versions of the real thing. It can cause some worry for the designers who market the top-dollar goods, since it cuts deeply into their market share, but who’s to say that regular people with non-designer budgets shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy high fashion at a low price? For this, the designer-inspired replicas and original designs available on the search listings of toptenwholesale.com come in pretty handy, but maybe you’d like to know a little more about where the stuff comes from? Let’s take a quick walk around the world, as we check out some of the top countries producing bags these days. Naturally, I’m going to steer away from haute couture, since the majority of wholesalers are looking for discounted items at rock-bottom prices.

Check out my sneak-peek into the world of China’s night markets!

To be fair, there are a lot of places making fake goods that didn’t make this list. Therefore, I invite you to comment and share your findings with the rest of us, in order to help increase awareness – especially amongst the first-time and newbie wholesalers! So, without further ado, let’s swing by my neck of the woods – Asia – to begin our world tour…

• China / Taiwan
• Not a real surprise there, since these two have been cranking out the fake goods for quite some time now, and continue to be the world’s leaders in making knock-offs of pretty much anything you can imagine. I live in Hangzhou, and I see them everywhere. Let me be more specific: I SEE THEM EVERYWHERE. Fake bags are literally falling off the backs of bicycles and electric scooters, as they dodge and weave their way past thronging crowds of shoppers who may very well be waiting for the sellers to show up with these goods. The most interesting aspect of this selling environment is the fact that most of the dealers will simply wait until the big-name department stores shut down for the day, and set up their little blankets with portable lighting rigs right in front of the stores that carry the real goods! Ooh! Ouch! Wince! I can practically hear the collective teeth of the designers grinding… but it happens almost every day here, and there’s a lot more cities in China besides the one I happen to be in.

• Malaysia
• Unlike the frenzy of the Chinese night markets, the markets in Malaysia are open 24/7 for you convenience! It’s usually best to stroll through the shops in the morning, when things tend to be a little more subdued, and the goods are fresh from their drop points. Haggling and bargaining is the key here, although the indoor air-conditioned shops will usually keep their goods at a fixed price, to offset the cost of being in a nicer facility than outside in the sweltering heat.

• Singapore
• There seems to be a raging debate over whether high-grade fakes are produced by these manufacturers, but the truth is that there are a massive amount of them being shipped out of Singapore to parts unknown in Vietnam and Malaysia. It looks like CHANEL is the flavor of the week every week in this part of the world, and there are a lot of nicely crafted knockoffs making those A-grade producers in Korea a bit jealous.

• Thailand
• If you’re thinking of Patpong in Bangkok, then you’ve obviously done your homework! The famous night market in Patpong is home to many of the goodies shipped in from a few of our previous winners on the fakes list, but there are plenty of manufacturers putting their own touch on bags within the country as well. The fakes are a riskier prooposition, though; similar to the counterfeight goods produced in mexico, these bags tend to weather and fade in a big hurry, exposing their flaws in a matter of days – or hours- much to the buyer’s chagrin!

• India / Saudi Arabia
• You’ve come to another one of the heavy-hitters in the fake goods category, and this time you’ll notice that the emphasis is on quality. Of course you’ll find some cheapies that fall apart if you look at them too long… but there are a surprising number of manufacturers and sellers who advertise their wares as being “identical to the real thing in every detail, right down to the serial numbers embossed on each item.” There are money-back guarantees if you’re not delighted with your fakes, and there’s real-time custoemr service from the sellers, too. Some of the actual designers could learn a thing or two from the counterfeiters about customer service, it seems.

• Turkey
• Kiyici Genuine Fake Bags. Need I say more? In a move that reminds us of the Indian and Saudi sellers from the paragraph above, we seem to be noticing a new wave of fakers who stand by their products with pride! Even the NY Times covered this phenomenon, and it might come as a surprise that you won’t necessarily save money buying these goods.

• Indonesia
• Bali is renowned for being a high-grade tourist destination, and the fake goods are certainly making themselves a part of the local scene as well. In a short time, visitors can find themselves face-to-face with some beauties like MIU MIU knock-offs, and the usual stable of brands like LV and GUCCI, to name a few. Quality ranges from sky-high to bottom of the barrel, so this is considered a riskier place to locate the goods by many.

• Russia / Ukraine
• Ah, Russia… with leadership that has been famously touted as being a large scale crime group, it’s no surprise that there are some close ties with their equally-famous neighbors to the south in China. Lots of goods, and I do mean lots are being shuttled back and forth  between Russia and the PRC. Every kind of bag is in production, and there’s such a Byzantine mazelike network of sellers, distributors, and dealers… that nobody seems to really know where the goods come from. I’ve talked to a few of them, and they simply laugh and shrug emphatically when asked.

• Germany / Italy
• What? You didn’t know that some of the biggest outlets for fakes are coming straight out of the EU? To be fair, there’s a good number of them even coming out of the USA – and I suspect this number will increase over the coming months and years – and access to quality materials and machinery make the difference here. On top of that, branding the goods as “made in Italy” is easier to accept when the stuff really is made there! Capitalizing on the fame and reputation of the world’s most famous fashion countries has its benefits, after all.

Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, etc… these are also on the list, as well as a dozen more. I think you’ve got the picture, though. Be aware of what goes on, keep your wits keen, and remember that due diligence is the only real measure of control you’ve got available at all times as you continue to Find it. Source it. Profit!

TopTen Tips for Importing and Exporting This Holiday

It looks like foreign trade has experienced a very turbulent and predictably headache-inducing conclusion… after the global economic recession triggered a wave of changes and reassessments in everything; from foreign policy, to how goods are valued on the international market. In short, it’s all up in the air right now, and it would seem almost as if there is no order to any of it… but the good news is that amidst the chaos lies a great deal of opportunity! The other side of this is that the opportunities will only be discovered by the wholesalers and retailers who are willing to dig deeper than everyone else, and expose the best chances to build valuable relationships and find the sources that can be relied upon. A large part of your search for great partners in this field can be narrowed down by visiting the directories at toptenwholesale.com, manufacturer.com, wholesaleu.com, and offpricenetwork.com for a head start. This is one of the best ways to locate those great items like general merchandise, apparel, accessories, gifts, electronics, handbags, jewelry, toys, and more!

Another thing to do is start with some ground rules in export and import. While the topic can seem a little broad at first glance, importing and exporting can be explained best by starting with the basics. If you are trying to get your head around what to do with all of the information, advice, and statistical data available – but you’ve found no solid starting point – this guide may be for you! Read on to see what I have to say about the TopTen things to look out for when kicking off your own export and import business…

1.Always maintain your integrity, and try to get into a business that you know something about… and enjoy doing. I’m not going to kid you, this can be a very tough business. I’ve probably quit about a half-dozen times while out here in China. It helps a lot to have a personal interest in whatever you’re selling, since motivation can hit an all-time low when you’re back’s against the wall in a deal. The best part of this is the feeling you’ll have when you emerge triumphant!

2.Focus on the customer… under-promise and over deliver. Bad service – it’s everywhere. It can also become your best friend, since so many other companies are willing to go this route. If you’re the one that gains a reputation for being the customer service king or queen, you’ll be in a very good place indeed.

3.Never ever run out of cash. What? You haven’t been reading the headlines since late 2008? There’s a lot of trouble you can get into by using credit recklessly, and my advice is to avoid it altogether every chance you get. Sometimes it’s necessary for security reasons, or to make the conversion or repatriation of currency possible… but you should always back your moves up with cold, hard cash if you want to sleep soundly at night. Harder to do than using credit, but it may save your business in the event of another period of instability in the global market.

4.Hit the books. Whether you opt to take international trade classes at the college level, or just spend a lot of time researching the topic, you’re going to have to learn something in detail before you blast off on some adventure in the wild and often unruly world of foreign trade. Grab a cup of coffee, and find a comfy chair… because you’re going to be reading and researching for some time before you ever reach out to a foreign supplier or government entity. Want proof? Check this out. Instant headache!

5.Personally visit your offshore suppliers or customers, and while you’re at it… visit the trade shows too. I can’t stress this one enough. You must get ample face time in front of your new trade partners, if you even hope to get the best price, best service, and best chance of not getting ripped off! Scams are coming out of the woodwork these days, and it will only get worse before it gets better. If you fall into the trap of believing the stuff on somebody’s website without ever knowing anything about them or making them feel personally obligated to you, then you are asking for trouble.

6.Inspect and approve merchandise before it is shipped. This one kind of ties in with point number 5… but it’s worth giving its own number. If you’re shipping a high-volume load of goods, and you’ve put a lot of money behind it… do us all a favor and take a flight out to wherever you are sourcing from. I know a guy from Africa who supplies uniforms and industrial safety wear to companies in his home country, and he always makes sure he’s the last to personally touch the shipping container before it’s locked up and transferred to the ship. Guess what? He’s never been ripped off since he started doing it. He also reckons he’s made up for the travel expense with the money that wasn’t lost.

7.Take advantage of online resources. Become an online resource. Nothing beats the Internet for ease of information-gathering… but when you become the source of information, the world really opens up to you. This doesn’t mean you need to be an expert in the entire field, but if you begin posting your findings and stories on the Internet, you’ll be amazed at how many others are looking for the same info as you were, back when you were just a noob…

8.Consider hiring an international trade consultant… but don’t neglect to become personally familiar with all monetary transactions. In short, hire the right person for the critical stuff… but make sure you know enough to keep that bean-counter from taking a little skim off the top.

9.Use a trade lawyer for agent and distributor agreements and licensing requirements. Not much more I can say about this one, since the legal stuff is something few of us enjoy sinking our teeth into. Make sure you get the right person for the job, and get updates on what’s going on at all major turning points.

10.Start on a very small scale. My mum used to tell me if I played with fire, I will get burned. Start with a small fire, until your hide gets thick enough to handle the really hot stuff.

With these little nuggets of tried-and-true wisdom, you can feel good about making the move towards expanding your horizons to include the vast array of goods that are available from outside sources. Don’t fear the challenges that lie ahead, and be prepared to do the work required to get yourself up to speed on handling this new operation of yours. If you’re looking at checking out the China market for some wholesale goodies, remember that doing business with China can at times be on friendly terms… and often turn into aggressive ones in a big hurry. Recent financial leverage gained by the PRC has made them the new bully on the block in some regards, and you’ll find that this attitude can manifest itself quite openly at the bargaining table… but you may be surprised to find another bargaining session taking place right before your goods are released to be shipped! Remember the guidelines above, and take a deep breath as you Find it. Source it. Profit!

TopTen Reasons to Attend the International Home and Housewares Show 2010

The International Home and Housewares Show 2010 (March 14-16) will be the place to see the latest designs, concepts, and styles of new and exciting items next year. Will you be amongst the lucky ones who get a close look at the goods before everyone else does? This awesome show will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago with the sole aim of boosting home goods products on a global front. The various products that will be exhibited are divided into four separate shows that will be held within the event, and more than 2000 exhibitors will be present to display various home goods products while unveiling a host of other innovations.

To give you a quick and easy overview of the show’s proposed highlights, check out my handy little list of TopTen Reasons to Attend the International Home and Housewares Show 2010:

• The exposition provides a platform for over 60,000 buyers from more than 110 nations throughout the world. That’s a lot of pairs of eyes, and they won’t just be focused on the goods on display… in other words, a great chance to do some effective networking.

• The event will be held at McCormick Place, which isn’t a bad place to be! Located in Chicago and easy to find, it’s a great venue for attendees to relax and take in all the sights in comfort and convenience.

• Those who might want to attend this event would be individuals in the fields of: Specialty & department stores, mail order/catalog companies, gift/gourmet shops, mass merchandisers/discounters, hardware stores, home & garden centers, e-tailers, importers/exporters, distributors and manufacturers representatives.

• Many of the items on display will cover themes such as: cookware, kitchen gadgets, cutlery, specialty appliances (electric and non-electric), tabletop, decorative accessories,  kitchen textiles, home storage items, personal care, lifestyle furnishings, and specialty foods.

• At the time of this writing, the IHA (International Housewares Association) has posted on their website: “There is no charge for trade participants to attend the Show for those who register before midnight Saturday before the Show starts.”

• CNN Headline News will be covering the event, and will also position kioks around the show’s floorspace to allow easy access.

• Be on the lookout for space-saving storage solutions to make some waves during the show…

• Pay attention to what the Chinese maufacturers are doing these days… for example, a huge signing between Hamilton-Beach and Galanz is resulting in a comprehensive line of Hamilton Beach and Proctor Silex branded microwave ovens, which will be on display at the show.

• Online registration can be done!

• Many other questions can be answered at the FAQ page provided by the IHA.

No reason to delay… just take a look at the information about the show, and get your schedule cleared for the second week of March 2010!