Importing Wholesale Products to Sell on eBay

by: Skip McGrath

I could also call this article Importing for Beginners. More and more eBay sellers are finding success importing directly from overseas. Just the very word – Importing – sounds scary. And it used to be, but that is no longer the case. So many of our goods now come from overseas that import practices have become common and well understood.

Importing directly from overseas may be the most profitable form of buying wholesale products to sell on eBay or your website. More and more small sellers are discovering just how profitable this can be.

Products manufactured in, for example, the Far East are usually sold to an importer. The importer then sells to a distributor, who then sells to a retailer. At each step along the way a markup is added.

If you can import products to sell directly, then you can buy at the manufacturer’s price and eliminate the middlemen. This is not as hard as it sounds. It is not uncommon to find products you can import to sell on eBay at markups of 200% to 300% even after paying for the freight, customs duty and fees.

The first thing you want to do is contract with a freight forwarder and a customs broker. Just Google both of those terms and you will find plenty of companies who provide this service. These companies will do all of the technical work, handle import arrangements, filings and paperwork for you. They charge a fee for their services, but the cost of goods from overseas is so much lower than you will pay if you buy from an importer or distributor, that there is still plenty of room to make money even after you pay these fees.

One way to start importing with low risk is a website run by the Import/Export giant, Global Sources. WWW. GlobalSourcesDirect.com lists hundreds of products available from exporters in the Far East for immediate delivery in small quantities. Many of these wholesale lots cost less than $200 and this is a great way for the small eBay seller to get their feet wet.

Here are some excellent free publications that give you the basics of importing.

U.S. Import Requirements
Explains import requirements for a person interested in establishing an importing business. Click Here to download

Importing into the United States
A guide for the Commercial Importers explains process of importing goods into the U.S., including informed compliance, invoices, duty assessments, classification and value, marking requirements, etc. Click Here to download

Tips for New Importers and Exporters
Importing goods without researching entry requirements in advance can be a costly experience. Click here to download