DiFFreight Blog Import from China - Step-by-step guide on how to import goods

Import from China - Step-by-step guide on how to import goods

Import from China - Step-by-step guide on how to import goods

Chinese goods are undoubtedly conquering the market due to their high quality, variety, and affordable prices. Therefore, importing from China is a strategic step in business expansion. However, organizing delivery from China to Ukraine is a complex task with many nuances. DiFFreight has prepared a brief course explaining the key points.

Importing Cargo from China: Main Steps

Here is a step-by-step guide to importing goods from China from DiFFreight experts:

  • Market research and product selection. Determine the demand for a specific product in the Ukrainian market and among your target audience, and gather more information about it. It is useful to immediately calculate your markup and profit, considering all costs. This will help evaluate the margin.
  • Finding reliable suppliers in China. Competition is fierce in China, so before placing an order, review potential suppliers’ ratings, feedback, and quality certificates. Carefully study the prices: create a table of potential sellers with product characteristics and price/quality ratio.
    Most popular online supplier platforms from China
  • Purchasing goods in China. Buy products through a marketplace or directly from the manufacturer. When working with a factory, be sure to sign a contract specifying obligations, deadlines, and penalties. Agree on where the batch will be delivered. Most likely, you will need a warehouse or location to consolidate shipments from different suppliers.
  • Document processing. Obtain licenses and permits for importing this product category (if required).
  • Shipping. Considering time and cost, choose the optimal transportation method. The two best options from China are air and sea freight. For non-perishable and non-urgent goods, sea freight is recommended.
  • Customs clearance and taxation. In advance, while the goods are in transit, prepare all necessary documents for customs clearance and pay the duty.

DiFFreight is your reliable partner in business development: we are ready to take on key functions in organizing the delivery of goods from China.

Shipping Methods from China to Ukraine

Most common online platforms for suppliers from China

Main Challenges and Proven Solutions

Importing cargo from China, despite the thousands of kilometers that separate you, is not without its difficulties. Even if you find contractors or handle everything from supplier selection to delivery, some problems may still arise:

  • The supplier delivered the wrong goods or defective items. Unfortunately, many buyers only discover this when the cargo arrives in Ukraine. Product inspection in China solves this problem—trust DiFFreight for quality control.
  • Freight cost increases. Your cargo is ready for shipment, but the middleman raises the price by 10%, and you agree just to avoid delays? Choose a logistics company that provides a contract with fixed pricing.
  • Incomplete customs documentation. The supplier forgot, and you were unaware—now the cargo is stuck at customs. Work with experienced customs brokers who will prepare a complete document package. This ensures your cargo clears customs within hours!

This is just a glimpse of the potential challenges when handling imports from China on your own.

Ways of cargo transportation from China to Ukraine

Ways of cargo transportation from China to Ukraine

Cooperation with DiFFreight on import from China to Ukraine

After the client independently forms and pays for the order from a supplier in China, the team of professionals from DiFFreight comes into play. Cooperation looks as follows:

  • negotiating freight rates with DiFFreight;
  • determining the price at which the client will sell the goods to their customers, and agreeing on terms;
  • the client provides the buyer's details and information for the expenditure invoice;
  • the supplier from China sends the goods to the DiFFreight warehouse;
  • the cargo is in the process of delivery and customs clearance;
  • after customs clearance, the manager updates the amount below which the goods cannot be sold;
  • the client receives and signs documents and pays the bill;
  • the client sends documents to the address provided by the manager and waits for the originals with the seller's signatures;
  • after receiving the documents and cargo, the service is closed, and the client can sell the goods to their customers.

We understand that even a detailed instruction cannot cover all the nuances that may arise in the process of organizing the delivery of goods from China to Ukraine. Therefore, we have created a special course - "Import Master".

Delivery of goods from China to Ukraine
Get more information

4 risky situations when importing goods from China

On the one hand, China is the world's largest exporter of goods. On the other hand, newcomers to the trade often find themselves in complex situations when ordering goods from China to Ukraine, risking losing money. Therefore, before diving into the world of international trade operations, we suggest examining the potential risks of cooperation with China.

Risk 1. Fraud

When importing goods from China to Ukraine, there is a risk of encountering fraudsters who provide false information about the quality of the goods, prices, or payment terms. Scammers skillfully use payment schemes. For example, they may inform you of a supposed change in bank account details and suggest transferring money directly to their company's account.

To avoid failures in working with China, verify manufacturers and only enter into agreements with reliable suppliers. Avoid direct bank transfers and be especially vigilant when processing payments.

Risk 2. Defective Goods

When ordering goods wholesale from China from an unverified supplier, entrepreneurs may receive a batch of low-quality or defective goods. Defective goods will always differ from the samples of the products sent for initial review.

Want to avoid defects when ordering from Chinese websites? Thorough control of the production process and entering into agreements with a partner who guarantees the quality of the entire batch of goods will help here.

To detect deviations in product quality in advance, you can order a product inspection service in China. This allows you to check the cargo while it is still at the Chinese warehouse and identify defects before the cargo reaches you. We wrote more about how to check the reliability of the supplier and the quality of the product in this article.

Lack of goods is a typical problem when doing business with China without prior market research

Risk 3. Delivery Delays

Logistics is a complex, labor-intensive, and multi-stage process. Chinese suppliers and organize cost-effective delivery of goods from China to Ukraine with minimal risks.

So if you need delivery of large volumes of goods from scratch, it is better to turn to a specialized logistics company. A team of qualified specialists will organize efficient and timely delivery of orders from China, reducing the risk of delays.

To reduce the risks of delivery delays, cooperate with proven logisticians

Risk 4. Unresolved Customs and Legal Issues

Customs issues can affect the process and cost of import. For example, ignorance of the rules for transporting souvenirs made of precious materials results in a sky-high delivery price and nullifies the benefit of doing business with China.

To avoid losing money and time, study customs tariffs, import and export rules. Find a reliable and qualified local supplier who does not hide the legal nuances of the order. You may also need a lawyer to prepare documents or conduct negotiations.

The general strategy for reducing risks when importing from China is thorough planning, using trusted suppliers, and checking the quality of goods. DiFFreight - import experts. We will help you find reliable Chinese suppliers and organize cost-effective delivery of goods to Ukraine with minimal risks. Contact us.

Educational course "Import Master: Step-by-Step Guide to Importing for Your Company"

The course includes 17 video lessons, 5 podcasts, and 2 interviews with experts. During the training, we consider such questions as:

  • registration of an LLC for international import, charter, taxes;
  • accreditation at customs;
  • opening of an individual entrepreneur for international import;
  • foreign trade contract and appendices;
  • negotiations with the supplier;
  • calculation of the cost of importing goods to Ukraine, and much more.

Training will be useful for:

  • novice businessmen planning to start cooperation with China;
  • experienced entrepreneurs who want to expand the range of goods by importing them from China;
  • specialists in logistics and supplies to deepen their knowledge of import issues.

Don't miss the opportunity to enrich your knowledge and improve your skills in the field of international import. Join the "Import Master" course from DiFFreight and take a confident step towards expanding your business.

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