Mini Importation part 1

Before now importation business was considered a business for the rich businessmen.
One needed millions of naira and connection to go into importation of any kind. But since the advent of the internet anyone can now go into this highly profitable business right from the comfort of his or her house without travelling.
Nowadays, importation business is online. You make your orders through the Internet, whether you want it shipped through the sea, air or land, the clearing systems are already structured. It does not need your presence in case you don’t want to leave your job before starting, and the market is available.
Before you start this business, there are six (6) powerful keys to having a successful importation: 1. Have a target market for each of your product; never import a product without knowing your target market. 2. Before you think of importing any product, always have a marketing plan on how to reach your target audience. 3. Do a thorough research on the product before you even think of buying it. 4. Make sure the product you wish to buy meet the needs of a target set of people (your target market). 5. From my experience, buy products that solve the pressing needs of majority of people not those that add to luxury. 6. Start small, grow big. Never buy more than what your marketing plan can take, it is very risky.
Once you have all this in mind, then you can now start to think of building your own Mini Importation business empire.
BASIC TOOLS TO GET STARTED
As a mini importer you don’t need to have anyone abroad or know any Customs officer ‟ agent/forwarder. The essential things you need to start this business from home are:
● Mobile Phone or Laptop/Desktop Computer
● Internet connection
● An ATM card (Mastercard or Visa)
● Startup capital (N10,000 – N50,000 or even more)
● Email address
● Facebook account
● Secured source to get product online
● Reliable courier service
● Your marketing strategy.

In this training, you will be learning how to go about the last three. So relax as you read on.

PRODUCT SOURCING
China is the largest producer in the world and their products are extremely cheap.
China is the main market where everyone purchases products at a very cheap rate.
You can buy virtually anything from china ranging from clothes to personal products to health products. There are so many online sites today where Nigerians can buy items cheaply from china and have them delivered to their houses.

However not everyone believes in online purchase because of bad experiences some of them have had. The belief is always that everything online is a scam.
However the belief, it is not always the case when rules are followed to the letter; one can actually avoid being scammed by buying from trusted sites and following the rules of the site. I personally advise that you buy from sites having Escrow service. What is an Escrow? you might want to ask. Don’t worry you can get the meaning in any good dictionary or better still just relax you will know what it means in the next few sentences so just read on.

One good way most Chinese sites now secure your money is called Escrow. It is based on the principle of a third party company, in this case the owners of the site, holding on to the buyer's money until the buyer receives the item in his own country and confirms that it is exactly what he ordered for, only then and then will money be released to the seller. So you see, with Escrow you are covered.

There are many international shopping websites you can use to import your products, some of which are:
❖AliExpress - www.aliexpress.com
❖Dhgate - www.dhgate.com
❖Alibaba - www.alibaba.com
❖IPmart - www.ipmart.com
❖1688 – www.1688.com

Among the ecommerce portal listed above, I prefer 1688.com but we’ll start with AliExpress

AliExpress is the most popular global consumer marketplace in the world, it is more popular than any other consumer marketplace in the world be it Amazon or eBay. It was launched in April 2010. It is a global retail marketplace targeted at consumers worldwide. The platform enables consumers from around the world to buy directly from wholesalers and manufacturers in china and have access to a wide variety of products at competitive prices. It is my goto place whenever I wish to buy anything from china and it is one of the safest consumer market place so far due to the presence of ESCROW - which means that when you pay for a product on the website, the money is kept with a third party till the product is delivered to you and you‟ve received it in good condition.

You can buy almost anything on this site: laptops, phone/accessories, clothes, shoes and many more. Just search for the product you want and click on buy now. Their products are very
cheap, good and reliable (although not as cheap as 1688)


NOTE: DM ME ON MY WHATSAPP PORTAL TO GET ACCESS TO MY FREE TRAINING ON HOW TO SHIP FROM 1688.com WHERE YOU CAN GET FULL ACCESS TO ANY OF MY TRAINING ON BUSINESS IDEAS TO STARTUP WITH ZERO CAPITAL..... my WhatsApp NO 08142329010

see photos of product I shipped months ago....

sneakers

SIMPLE STEPS ON HOW TO CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT ON ALIEXPRESS
As a first time user, you need to setup your account with AliExpress. The following are the steps to setup your account:
1. Visit www.aliexpress.com
2. Click on JOIN to register
3. Fill in the required field and finally click on create account.
Congratulations, you have successfully setup your account on AliExpress, you can
now proceed to login. The procedure is not more than that. So simple!
I want everyone to create their Aliexpress account this night.

COMPLETE PROCEDURES TO PLACE ORDER ON ALIEXPRESS
1. Visit www.aliexpress.com
2. Click on sign-in and enter the email address/password you used during registration
3. Browse through the categories: Browse through the categories to look for new ideas in the case where you have none. So you go through each category and subcategory to search for new ideas if you don‟t already have one. But in the case you already know what you want to order for, all you need to simply do is go to the top of the page, look for the search box and type in whatever phrase you are searching for (e.g rechargeable hair clipper) and the page will come up with results of all the listings on the website that contain such product.
4. Check out the product details and specification: Ensure you check out the specifications, details and reviews to see if it matches your expectation If you are satisfied with the product details, then you can then add it to your wishlist before adding it to the cart, so you can receive updates about the product in your email especially regarding discount and offers.
5. Input the Quantity and Click on Buy Now: Input the quantity you want and click on buy now. At the point of payment, click on Cancel Payment so you can have a chat with the supplier, so as to negotiate the price before making your payment. This is a secret I use and I want you to do the same so you can buy cheaper than what the seller displayed as the price.
6. Contact merchant: Now that you are very sure that the product is exactly what you want and you are interested in buying, you will have to contact the seller before making payment, you can use the chat button if the seller is online or you can send him a direct message if he is not online (that is offline).
When you contact the supplier, ensure you ask lot of questions, including negotiating the price of the product especially when you are buying in bulk, so below are some questions to ask him, though you can add more to it if you wish.
❖Is this product still available for purchase?
❖Can I get some discount on this product?
❖Can you ship to Guangzhou, China?
❖Do you offer free shipping to Guangzhou?
❖How long will it take you to ship this product to Guangzhou if I order for it?

And some other questions you might want to ask, please take note that it is important for you to ask as many questions as you can especially the ones I listed above before you proceed to make payment. And also take note that when you message a merchant and such merchant doesn’t respond within 48 hours on a working day then you are advised to look for another merchant because if he cannot respond to your message within this time frame, what is the guarantee that
he will respond to your order when you place it. So communication is important and it can go far as getting you a good bargain with the merchant if you master the bargaining skill.

Note – Ensure you negotiate the price with the seller, lots of them are ready to give a reasonable discount. Once the seller agrees to reduce the product price, he/she will modify it at the backend and the new product price will be displayed to you. Also, before you pay for a product, ensure you do a price survey i.e. negotiate prices with other suppliers selling the same product.

7. Specify Your Delivery Method: Before you make payment, specify your delivery method to the merchant, whether you want them to ship via post office, courier of your choice or if you want them to send to a proxy or third party logistic address in Guangzhou China who will do the shipping for you. If you want to use the logistic company to ship your product to Nigeria like I recommend in this training course (Chapter 3), tell your supplier to deduct the shipping fee to Nigeria from the total product price before you make payment on AliExpress.
8. Checkout: Checkout once you have contacted the merchant and you both have reached an agreement, you can now go ahead and make payment for the product. At this point you will be directed to the page where you will provide your payment information such as payment method and details, if you select card, you will be asked to provide your ATM debit card details so that the amount of the order can be deducted from your bank account. At this point, make sure you provide the correct details.

HOW TO GET THE BEST PRICES AND IDENTIFY CREDIBLE
SELLERS
To get the best price for a product, ensure you compare prices with other suppliers selling the same product and also note the following in other to identify a credible seller.
● Seller‟s rating (do not buy products from suppliers whose ratings fall below 95%)
● Buyers‟ reviews/feedback (Check what other buyers are saying about the product)
NOTE - Ensure you pay on AliExpress‟ website so you can be covered by the ESCROW payment system. By now you should know what that means. Do not pay directly to the seller‟s account else you are on your own.

TRACKING YOUR GOODS ON ALIEXPRESS
After you have made payment on AliExpress and it has been verified, click on the product link, you will see the current status of your product at the top of the page.
It will fall in any of this category “pay success”, “shipment” or “order complete”.
Pay success – When your payment is successful.
Shipment – When supplier has shipped your products.
Order complete – When you confirmed you have received the product.

Please ensure you create your aliexpress account.

DM ME ON WhatsApp 08142329010 TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MINI IMPIRTATION BUSINESS.... THIS IS BASE ON MY EXPERIENCE & IT WHAT I DO FOR LIVING

SHIPPING TO NIGERIA
After you’ve made payment on AliExpress, the next thing is to ship your product down to Nigeria. One of the common mistakes people make when it comes to mini importation business is that they tell the supplier to ship directly to Nigeria, what happens when you do this is that you pay more for shipment of the goods than the actual cost of the product itself and you will have to wait for a long period of time before getting your product. A smart importer like me will not use this method because only little profit will be left.
See sample below: A product of $15.45 cost $85 to ship within 9-18 days. That‟s over 5 times the cost of the product.
Don‟t be scared! There is a way forward - the secret to shipping at a very low price is by using a logistic company to ship your product from China to Nigeria.

There are many of them, some of which include:
● Base 1 Logistics
● Chrisvicmall Logistics
● NonnyKings Logistics
● St. Patrick International Logistics
● Cj logistics
● ANYI – NATURE Logistics
● Happy Time Logistics
● Nsibor Express and Cargo Shipping
● Royal Gate
● Nze 1 Logistics

I used Chrisvicmall in the past; but right now, I am using Base 1 Logistics because it is cheaper. The two logistic companies are reliable but I recommend Base 1, since that is what am currently using. Though am not saying anything cannot go wrong, make sure you also do your own research as well.

To ship your product to Nigeria, this company charge $8/kg for express delivery and $4.5/kg for cargo delivery. Express delivery takes 24 - 48hours while cargo delivery takes 7days to deliver to Nigeria. If you want to use this logistic company, you would have to tell your supplier to ship your goods to Base 1‟s office address in Guangzhou China. Once your products have been delivered to Base 1 in China, they will help you to ship it down to Nigeria. With this method, you will be able to make between 100% to 700% profit from your imported goods.

STEPS TO USE BASE 1 TO SHIP YOUR GOODS
To use Base 1 Logistics, follow the steps below:
1. Contact Chinedu on Whatsapp/Wechat, and tell him you want to start using his company to ship your goods. Here are the three Whatsapp & Wechat numbers:
+86 158 1813 4755
+86 136 6899 8812
+86 137 1924 6303
Note - While chatting with him, ask for the Posting Details (Contact Name, China Address & Phone No), save the details and send to your supplier anytime you want to ship your product.

2. Send Base 1 posting details to your supplier on AliExpress and tell him to ship to the address. Also, tell your supplier to write Base1 Posting Details, Your Full Name & Phone No on the cartoon for identification purposes

3. Chat with Chinedu and inform him you are expecting a package from your supplier. Specify the delivery method you want (Express or Cargo Shipping).
It is as simple as that; you will only pay for shipping when your package gets to Nigeria. Once your package arrives Nigeria, you will get a message from Base 1.

You can either go to their office in Lagos to pick it up or tell them to send to your address (the latter attracts a fee, depending on the weight of your package and your location).
NOTE- To avoid delay or loss of parcel, ensure you adhere strictly to the procedures above.


Wares on 1688.com are relatively cheaper than that of AliExpress....I've gotten stuffs from both though Aliexpress is good when you are buying for personal usage and 1688 is perfect for business purpose and bulk buying. 1688 may be treated later

Experience with St. Patrick's International Logistics based on what several people have complained about on social media

1. Timeliness: 0/10
Normal air cargo often takes more than 2 weeks & sea cargo takes more than 6 months.
The company has big challenges when it comes to keeping to time.

2. Price: 0/10
Prices often change when it is time for pick up after exposing the customer to long suffering. Price is not stable. Prices are not published on social media eg WhatsApp or website.

3. Size: 0/10
Company doesn't have large and multiple warehouses/pickup points in Lagos. They use a residential flat in Ajao with little space so large goods are left outside in the rain with no security man. Company uses rivals like Skycargo to ship & add their markup.

4. Customer service: 0/10 Company has no professional staff but rude, irritating & unprofessional staff. They don't always answer calls or respond to texts/chats.

5. Reliability: 0/10
The staff over-estimate weights & volumes. They don't have funtional tape or weighing scale in their Lagos office for confirmation of size and weight. Several disputes arise due to over invoicing. They can change other terms of agreement after collecting consignment eg destination, delivery mode.

6. Tracker with real time updates: 0/10
Tracking number is not provided to customers. They have no Web based tracker for monitoring time, location and status before pickup.

7. Compensation Policy for lost items: 0/10
Company does not acknowledge possibility of lost items even after 2 years & they don't have a written policy on compensation plan for lost or damaged items.

8. Goodwill: 0/10
Their reputation is stained due to extortion of customers. They are notorious for the following:
Failure to follow up with airline & shipper on timely shipments. Incurring demmurage & passing cost to client. Failure to settle custom duty & maintain good standings with the customs officials. Several people have openly expressed disappointment with the company on social media.

Reviews on Google for

St Patrick's International Logistics

Please can you teach me how escrow works ?

Experience with St. Patrick's International Logistics based on what several people have complained about on social media

St Patrick International Logistics
3 Jaiyeola Ajatta St, Ajao Estate, Lagos
08164585092
+8613710706073
+8615920468789
08038383032
0810 195 1252

https://maps.app./9aKG3vkw4Xw2KVAJ9

1. Timeliness: 0/10
Normal air cargo often takes more than 2 weeks & sea cargo takes more than 6 months.
The company has big challenges when it comes to keeping to time.

2. Price: 0/10
Prices often change when it is time for pick up after exposing the customer to long suffering. Price is not stable. Prices are not published on social media eg WhatsApp or website.

3. Size: 0/10
Company doesn't have large and multiple warehouses/pickup points in Lagos. They use a residential flat in Ajao with little space so large goods are left outside in the rain with no security man. Company uses rivals like Skycargo to ship & add their markup.

4. Customer service: 0/10 Company has no professional staff but rude, irritating & unprofessional staff. They don't always answer calls or respond to texts/chats.

5. Reliability: 0/10
The staff over-estimate weights & volumes. They don't have funtional tape or weighing scale in their Lagos office for confirmation of size and weight. Several disputes arise due to over invoicing. They can change other terms of agreement after collecting consignment eg destination, delivery mode.

6. Tracker with real time updates: 0/10
Tracking number is not provided to customers. They have no Web based tracker for monitoring time, location and status before pickup.

7. Compensation Policy for lost items: 0/10
Company does not acknowledge possibility of lost items even after 2 years & they don't have a written policy on compensation plan for lost or damaged items.

8. Goodwill: 0/10
Their reputation is stained due to extortion of customers. They are notorious for the following:
Failure to follow up with airline & shipper on timely shipments. Incurring demurage & passing cost to client. Failure to settle custom duty & maintain good standings with the customs officials. Several people have openly expressed disappointment with the company on social media.