The basic rules of business are supply and demand.
You make money but supplying an item that has a high demand and not enough supply – ensuring your customers are willing to pay premium prices in order to own it.But despite this proven maxim, there’s a common myth that it’s possible to sell ice to Eskimos with the right strategies.

This lesson covers the logistics of importing goods from China to your country. If your shipping terms are Delivered Duty Paid or Cost, Insurance & Freight, then you won’t have to do anything until the merchandise arrives in your country. But if your terms are Freight on Board, it will be up to you to organize a large part of this process yourself. And remember, even if you are lucky enough to get DDP or CIF now, it might prove impossible to negotiate on subsequent imports from different companies.

Goods imported into the UK require the following:

A completed C88 form
An attached copy of the supplier’s invoice
Goods classified appropriately in order to ensure that the correct tariff is applied
Any special licenses that may be required

Most people would agree that the most difficult part of importing merchandise is the bureaucratic nightmare that goes with it. We’ve all heard the horror stories of outrageous duties being charged, goods being confiscated and so on. Remember that if you don’t want to handle customs yourself, you can use a Customs broker who will clear goods through customs on your behalf and take care of all the technicalities.

Making sure you can import your item legally and according to your country’s regulations is a necessary part of the import process. Thankfully, the number of importing regulations is relatively few. However, we do recommend using a broker the first time around.

Canadian Border Security Association has a policy of keeping a profile on all importers. Importers with a good profile – that is, who consistently provide accurate documentation – will be rewarded with less border scrutiny and are able to take advantage of special release options.

What do I need to import goods to Australia?
You don’t need a license to import to Australia in general, however some products may require special licenses. Click here for information on prohibited or restricted goods.

China is fast becoming a production super power, manufacturing a hefty proportion of the world’s consumer products - particularly in the technology sector.
And what does this mean to you?