87Likes
Simple really:
1) you have no experience
2) you dont know what you are doing
3) you are taking advice on an anon forum and changing your plans based on it
4) you claim to be poor but have 25K to play with - 25K is a lot of money to spend on learning lessons.
There are people who do this regularly and professionally. Lower your risk by letting them help you the first 1 or 2 times so you can learn the techniques before venturing headfirst into it...
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23-03-2014, 02:56 PM #41
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23-03-2014, 03:02 PM #42
Assumptions... or Educated guesses?
I have a Chinese friend in Shanghai, he studied at my university in the U.S. as a foreign exchange student, we were roommates freshman year. If my first venture in Shenzhen is unsuccessful, I'll fly him down to HK to go with me the next day.
I consulted with him on this before coming on here, he's a Chinese citizen and doesn't know much about the import/export logistics of an American bringing in a sizeable amount of cash or leaving China with a large quantity of goods, but he's offered to meet up with me in HK if need be.
Again I appreciate all the input.
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23-03-2014, 03:12 PM #43
Does it matter? 25K is a lot for a poor person to be making "Assumptions" or "Educated Guesses" with. You are being quite glib for someone with no experience and very little limited amount of money. This is not a good sign.
*sigh*I have a Chinese friend...
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23-03-2014, 03:20 PM #44
Point 1: I have no experience. You're right. But I'm not talking about performing open heart surgery for the first time. At the very worst I travel to HK, visit Shenzhen, learn the lay of the land and don't make any purchase.
Point 2: I didn't know PRECISELY how to go about some of the logistics of this venture so I used Google and after a few searches I came across this great forum, and after a plenty of feedback from the forum community I've decided the best way to handle my aforementioned cash into China, goods out of China concern.
Point 3: Why is that a bad thing? I trust/value the opinion of the people who are in HK. I think I'm safe to assume the majority of replies are from people who are currently living in HK and know the lay of the land.
Point 4: Ehh, you know that the definition of wealth or lack of wealth is very relative. I don't consider myself wealthy or well off, just a humble, hungry, curious college student with entrepreneurial aspirations. There is no risk of me losing any of this money if I figure out the logistics beforehand...
As to your last point, again, we're not talking about performing open heart surgery, enlisting one who "does this professionally" would just mean cutting into my profit margin. Perhaps the difference of philosophy is a generational thing, if I'm having car trouble, I'm going to google/youtube the issue, and if I can't tackle it myself, I'll take it into a mechanic and be at his mercy.
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23-03-2014, 03:46 PM #45
No, at the worst, you come here and get all your money taken away from you with nothing to show for it. The more likely event will be that you will end up dealing with someone who will recognize your naivete and will take advantage of it to your monetary detriment.
Have you actually spoken with someone who is in the business of buying/selling China branded cell phones? Every sector of import/export industry has their own quirks and idiosyncrasies. If you dont know them, at best you will look like an inexperienced person and get taken advantage of small time. At worst, you will get taken advantage of big time.Point 2: I didn't know PRECISELY how to go about some of the logistics of this venture so I used Google and after a few searches I came across this great forum, and after a plenty of feedback from the forum community I've decided the best way to handle my aforementioned cash into China, goods out of China concern.
See my answer to point #2. Just because someone is in HKG or China does not make them an expert in dealing with a specific commodity.Point 3: Why is that a bad thing? I trust/value the opinion of the people who are in HK. I think I'm safe to assume the majority of replies are from people who are currently living in HK and know the lay of the land.
You are simply wrong. Its great you have confidence but the risk of you losing all of your money is great based on what I've read in this thread...Point 4: Ehh, you know that the definition of wealth or lack of wealth is very relative. I don't consider myself wealthy or well off, just a humble, hungry, curious college student with entrepreneurial aspirations. There is no risk of me losing any of this money if I figure out the logistics beforehand...
You are correct but you would learn valuable lessons at a fixed small price; you may even find that they add value. Once you've learned the ropes, then you can strike out on your own if you find it to be so easy. Remember, they must be doing something right to stay in business. If it was so easy (going direct), they would have been out of business long ago.As to your last point, again, we're not talking about performing open heart surgery, enlisting one who "does this professionally" would just mean cutting into my profit margin.
did you find any articles and/or youtube videos shwing you how to find, buy, export, transport and import these phones ? If yes, please share them - I'd love to learn.Perhaps the difference of philosophy is a generational thing, if I'm having car trouble, I'm going to google/youtube the issue, and if I can't tackle it myself, I'll take it into a mechanic and be at his mercy.
Based on the questions you are asking here, I dont think you have...You're trying to change your approach based on what you are hearing here but the problem is that people here are giving you generic advice and no one has yet told you exactly how to structure this transaction and transport issue.
Feel free to try to tackle it yourself and good luck with it.
However, as someone who has a lot of experience in import/export, I just see a lot of risks from what you've written and can also see this potentially ending very badly for you.
Lastly, since you seem to value google/youtube so much, dont forget to search and learn from countless mistakes people have made and monies that have been lost due to deals gone wrong in China.
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23-03-2014, 03:49 PM #46
What I don't get, for a straight forward product like a phone why don't you simply order them from China from wherever you are now? They can handle the export too.
Do you really believe showing up at a random store in SEG will get you a better price? You are aware that China has VAT, right?
If price is important then the cost coming to HK plus hotels etc. should be considered too.
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23-03-2014, 03:56 PM #47
China has VAT as well as export subsidy for many products. No idea if these phones are subject to VAT nor any idea if they are eligible for export subsidies....
Eventhough I know next to nothing about these phones, I know enough not to expect to get the best deal by walking around SZ looking for them.
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23-03-2014, 04:01 PM #48
I'm 100% certain I can get a better deal if I was to go straight to the source and handle the export myself. I was told so..... I was told that the potential discount is worth the trip over the short and long term.
But moreover, I'm going to meet a supplier who I can trust to supply my storefront over the long term, I would like to meet face to face and a real life relationship with whomever it is, seems like the right thing to do.
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23-03-2014, 04:03 PM #49
We can certainly assume he has not even applied for a China visa yet. :P
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23-03-2014, 04:04 PM #50
Oh, forget about finding branded phones at wholesale prices in Hong Kong or China, that is not how the supply chain works. The scam websites that offer Iphone 5 for 65-205.00 each with shipping from HK or China for free sound too good to be true? Well they are. I thought you were talking about quad or octocore Chinese Android phones.( I have a 9.7 China Quad tablet that's just a little slower than my iPad mini at 25% price from SEG)
How would Apple, Sony, Samsung be able to charge so much for their phones if anyone could just waltz into China and buy for wholesale?
Originally Posted by GlobalExport:
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