Online Shopping Blog » China Import

Putting Chinese Online Wholesale Markets in the Spotlight

Red — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:54:09 +0000

Look up the latest financial news from any major international news outlet and two topics are likely to surface amongst the current top stories: the European Debt Crisis and the possible effects this will have on the fast growing Asian economies. Recent events clearly show that more hard financial times are drawing closer as the eurozone economies of Greece, Ireland, and Portugal inch toward default and fears of contagion heighten amongst EU member countries, especially in Spain, where a default could spell a meltdown of the entire European Monetary Unit.

With this European “double dip” on the horizon, many are looking to Asia, which, no doubt will be affected. Chinese investors today expressed that it would show no interest in bailing out European debt stating, “We (China) can’t just go save someone. We’re not saviors. We have to save ourselves.” Analysts are also saying that the economic downturn caused by fears arising from the European debt crisis might have a negative effect on fast growing export-driven Asian economies such as China and Indonesia.

Where does this all put online wholesale markets based out of China? While figures have shown that the Chinese manufacturing industry has contracted in the last 3 consecutive months, online wholesalers in China are optimistic that this will not affect their profits in the near future. Online wholesalers are hoping that the affordable prices that they are able to offer customers for electronics, apparel, and other consumer items will continue to drive buyers to their sites especially as consumers again prepare to cut spending.

In fact, many online wholesalers can trace their origins to the 2008 global financial crisis, many of them starting as a response to the increased demand for lower priced goods when consumer spending was at an all-time low. Fast forward a couple of years and people continue to patronize Chinese online wholesalers for the same reasons that they did back in 2008. It is no doubt then that online wholesalers are staying optimistic despite fears of another system-wide meltdown should global markets face the sudden decline of the euro.

What’s clear to Chinese online wholesalers is that customers are still buying, whether in Europe or in any other region for that matter. Business is just as healthy as any other day. Online wholesalers are also attributing customer loyalty to an improvement in product quality brought about by better research and development and manufacturing practices amongst growing Chinese product manufacturers. The improvements go back full circle to Chinese online wholesalers who bring new products to the forefront and process the bulk of orders directly from manufacturers.

Whatever the case is, many Chinese online wholesalers have expressed their determination to stay afloat no matter what happens in the world markets and continue to provide quality computers, security devices, and other products at affordable prices that will be hard to resist. Many even encourage customers to spend now in anticipation of a possible rise in Chinese manufacturing costs. At the moment, as with the European financial crisis as a whole, only time can tell.

Cheap Golf Equipment – Gear Up for a Stellar Day on the Course!

Red — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:59:30 +0000

China has been making golf heads for the bulk of golf equipment companies for a pretty long time now. Because of the cheap skilled labor and plenty of technical expertise, companies such as Adams, Callaway, Cleveland, Cobra, Nike, TaylorMade, and Titleist agree that it is a “no-brainer” to have their heads manufactured in China because it helps them increase their profit margin and offer top quality products at a lower cost.

In fact, Chinese golf clubs were once a topic of controversy because first-rate quality clones of popular golf clubs were making its way into US markets, at costs US companies could not compete against. And the clubs were very good; many players claimed that they were better than any club that could be bought in the US, simply because orders of clubs from China could be customized to fit a player’s needs as specified by a professional clubfitter and manufacturers of golf clubs from China could offer them a wider choice of shafts and grips.

Although some companies still clone the golf clubs of popular US brands, many Chinese manufacturers have left the business of cloning US golf clubs to venture into making their own golf clubs, allowing them to compete more directly with the big name players in the industry – taking with them the cheap skilled labor and technical expertise that they once used to clone brand name golf clubs or that they had offered as manufacturing subcontractors for US companies. This has allowed Chinese golf club manufacturers to develop their own products and still be able to market their high quality golf clubs at impossibly low prices. Where a Callaway golf club in the US might cost upwards of $400, Chinese golf equipment manufacturers are able to produce their own golf clubs and have them marketed by online wholesalers for under $40 – that’s a mere 10% of the price of the Callaway club for a golf club of comparable quality!

Aside from high quality golf clubs, Chinese manufacturers are also able to produce high quality golf balls and golf bags at the same incredibly low price. Chinese golf balls come in a variety of designs, hardnesses, and grades. Three layer and two layer variants exists, as do different types of cores, all to suit your particular style of play. Aside from that, there are more creative balls as well – from different colors to plated balls to glow in the dark balls for evening play!

Their years of experience with working with different types of fabrics and materials also allow them to produce high quality golf bags, again, at prices that are impossible to beat anywhere else. They produce different types of golf bags – from ordinary golf bags to golf bags with wheels, that are intended for those who prefer to self-caddie, to golf bags with stands to help keep your golf clubs within easy reach.

As much as it is a no-brainer for US companies to have their products subcontracted to manufacturing companies in China, it is also a no-brainer that Chinese golf equipment companies are here to stay. If you’re looking to gear yourself up for a stellar day at the golf course, but fear the equally astronomical costs of US brand name golf clubs, look to China and its selection of cheap golf equipment!

The Free Post: My Feelings About Bigboxstore

Red — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 04:39:37 +0000

Today I decided to do something off-the-clock. . . literally. Yes, I’m not timing this post in, because I just want to be absolutely honest. In the few months that I have been with the online wholesaler, Bigboxstore, I’ve since other people’s responses about Bigboxstore. I’ve seen negative comments and positive ones, too, and I’ve heard good reports and bad ones as well. I can’t tell you with absolute authority that all of the positive comments are true and none of the negative ones are false, but I can you that the people at Bigboxstore do their job pretty much as they’re expected to do.

A customer might ask me if I’ve been a customer of Bigboxstore myself, and my answer would be that I have. Both while I was at China and when I was back home (let me keep my homeland secret for a couple more posts). I’ve ordered my share of products from Bigboxstore and I can attest that I am indeed satisfied with the quality of items I received.

My first order with Bigboxstore was a HDD media player that I now use as both a media player and a home network file server. When I made the order for the HDD media player, it was packed and shipped the next day, and I got the EMS tracking number to track my order. The order was scheduled to arrive within 2 weeks, and that’s basically what happened. I was able to track my order as it moved from Shenzhen to Guangdong where it was shipped via air, and as it was handed over to customs in our country. Sadly, however, customs (which is notorious for being corrupt in my country) held my shipment and made me pay exorbitant fees – that is, however, an altogether different story, albeit, not befitting this blog in any way.

I’ve been using my HDD media player since it arrived and I’ve been able to set it up to function over the wireless network. I admit that it didn’t take me very long to get it all up and working (about 15 minutes, all-in-all) because I have a lot of experience in installing and troubleshooting electronics and computers. It also doesn’t take a lot to keep it working, and that, I know, isn’t because I’m good at installing and troubleshooting electronics and computers. The product itself is very well made and the Linux-based firmware is solid.

In another instance, my boss (he’ll probably want his name kept secret) offered to give me a laptop from the catalog when my own laptop (an Acer Aspire 4740) stopped working. I was eventually able to isolate the problem on my Acer to a badly manufactured mainboard and had it repaired and also was able to find a computer to use while the laptop was being repaired, but my boss’ offer showed that he was confident that his products would work and would not result in a loss of productivity.

Here's my HDD media player from Bigboxstore.com. My Acer laptop is currently connected to it, because I'm doing a very very large file transfer (because as with any wireless network there are limitations in speed, of course). This picture is temporary. I'll get a better picture up, as I'm in a bit of a hurry right now.

So, in conclusion, I can’t deny the fact that there are people who have given bad reviews of Bigboxstore. I also can’t say whether they’re true or not, but from firsthand experience, working for and buying from the company, I can tell you that they’re definitely a legitimate and reliable company to do business with.

Relief for the Most Expensive Room in the House

Red — Fri, 27 May 2011 09:38:38 +0000

Off of the top of your head, tell me, with furnishings excluded, what do you think is the most expensive room in the house? Most people will say it’s the kitchen, or the living room, or maybe even the master bedroom. I can tell you that I was surprised when I found out what the most expensive room in the house is in one of my architectural classes one day: without furnishings, the most expensive room in the house is the bathroom. In fact, you might also be surprised to know that it’s the only room in the house that you can use even before it is furnished. No wonder Hang Fung Gold Technology Group in Hong Kong decided to build a bathroom made of gold!

Bathrooms accrue their expensive price tags because of the amount of material that goes into building them. Tiles, waterproofing, a bath tub, a toilet, a wash basin, a toilet roll holder, the faucets, cabinetry, pipes, and more – all these add up until you’ve got a small treasure in the form of an entire room in your house. And truth be told, there are really very few things you can do to keep the costs down if you want to make your bathroom comfortable – and almost everybody wants a comfortable bathroom.

Of course, you can cut costs by buying cheaper materials and fixtures, and there are many ways of doing this. You can also buy your materials and fixtures from a lower rated manufacturer, but you can never be sure about the quality. There are also lower priced items by reputable sellers, but lower priced items from the same seller either aren’t very much cheaper or are from a product line that you won’t find very comfortable at all.

Before studying architecture, I was lucky enough to have dated a girl who is now one of the project managers for a toilet fixtures manufacturer in my country, and I also met and made friends with several individuals associated with the toilet fixtures industry while in school. They all filled me in on a little secret: many popular brands do not manufacture their own fixtures, manufacturing is outsourced to original equipment manufactures (OEMs) in China, where there are abundant deposits of fine clay and working with ceramics is a centuries old trade. In fact, they make almost every fixture in the bathroom in China, from the faucets to the towel bars and rings to the tubs and wash basins – you name it, they make it there.

The thing is, there is nothing that stops OEMs from using the same manufacturing techniques for products of their own design. OEMs however agree not to put the brand of the companies that outsource manufacturing to them on the products they manufacture. But of course, products without recognizeable brand names don’t sell very well. OEMs are a tightly kept secret and companies like Roca or Kohler go through a lot of measures to keep consumers from finding out who actually manufactures their products. That girl I had dated even told me that when bathroom fixtures arrive at their warehouse, the only in-house manufacturing that occurs is the imprinting of the company’s logo and brand name and the final glaze firing of the products.

So the best way of getting the best quality bathroom fixtures at rock bottom prices is to go right to their very source: China. Many Chinese OEMs will sell products of their own that they manufacture with the same techniques with which they manufacture their clients’ products. With some diligent searching you might find a few of the “heavier” bathroom fixtures like bath tubs, wash basins, and toilets from online sellers, but smaller fixtures are usually quite easily available. You’ll find bathroom and shower faucets, soap holders, and more from a good online China shop.

Sick of Ebay? Try out Bonanzle

FC Barcelona and Manchester United F.C. Jerseys in Time for the UEFA Champions League Finals

Red — Sun, 22 May 2011 21:01:40 +0000

Football fans around the world are looking forward to Saturday, May 28, 2011. Kickoff starts at 8:45PM UTC on that day for the most anticipated event of the season: the UEFA Champions League Finals. It will be the deciding match between the two best football clubs of the 2010-2011 football season and boy what a match we have in store for us this year. Saturday’s finals match-up pits two of the most famous football clubs in the world right now: Manchester United F.C. of the English Premier League and FC Barcelona of the Spanish La Liga.

The two teams both know the sweet victory of success in the UEFA Champions League Finals, as both have won the cup three times. In fact, the rival teams have met each other twice in major UEFA finals before; first in 1991 in Rotterdam, where Manchester United took the UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup, and later in 2009 in Rome, where FC Barcelona took the UEFA Champions League Title, and their honor back. This year marks a defining moment for each team, as only one team will walk away with the title and will clear up the issue of who is the better team overall. Ironically, the encounter will take place where both teams won their first European Champion Clubs’ Cup: between the old Twin Towers at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Naturally, the fans of both teams are getting riled up, but because of the match-up between the two closely rivaled teams, even fans of other football clubs are taking sides with who they think deserves the right to bring home the title cup. Without a doubt a line will be drawn between the two sides and each side will be cheering their favorites on. Every football fan will want to have a piece of the action and will jump at the chance to show their support for their team. There will be viewing parties spilling out onto the streets, mascots, giant gloves, balloons with team names printed on them, face painting, flags, men with their favorite players’ names printed on their bare chests, and every manner of showing alliance to a particular side. But one thing more than anything will be hanging from almost every fan’s shoulders – their team’s jersey.

For a fan, there’s no better way to show support for a team than to don the identity of the team itself embodied in the jersey. The team’s colors, the team’s logo, the team’s sponsors, the team’s very look and fashion all brought to bare by someone who would otherwise be just an ordinary person. It’s a matter of confidence and of pride.

If you don’t have a Manchester United or FC Barcelona jersey yet, then I can imagine that you’re thinking of buying one right now – or maybe you’ve always wanted to buy one before but are always driven away by the price. If you’re one of the two, or really just want one, here’s a little tip: many football jerseys made in China offer the same quality as original football club merchandise at a fraction of the price. Buying an original jersey will cost you close to US$100, after taxes and shipping, but buying a jersey from China and shipping it to California, USA will cost you only US$52.81. If you’re from Spain you can get it to you for only EU€31.23. If you’re a Manchester fan from the UK or will be at the Wembley Stadium to watch the game, the jersey will cost you only GB£44.22. You can order one piece just for yourself, or get a discount by ordering three or more for you and your buddies. And best of all, those prices are quoted for expedited shipping and will be delivered to you in 3-6 days – just in time for the UEFA Champions League Finals game between Manchester United F.C and FC Barcelona! If you’re in the market for a jersey, then why not buy from China.

Start Your Dropship Business With a Wholesale Supplier From China

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:10:44 +0000

In starting any business, there is a need to do some market research prior to the actual operation so that the business will not only turn out effective but also successful in the long run. For an online business like drop shipping; you need to choose the kind of product to sell, know the type of market or customers you want to sell the product to, be aware of your competition and how strong they are, and most of all you need to build up significant and effective business connections along the way.

Before embarking on your journey as a drop shipping entrepreneur, you need to have a reliable source from which you will be acquiring your products to sell. Actually there are so many wholesale suppliers you can choose from, but choosing the best and most reliable supplier is not an easy task. In choosing your supplier, consider some factors like quality of the products, prices, and the terms and conditions of business transactions. Depending on the kind of product you wish to sell, you can categorize your options of suppliers so that you will be able to significantly shorten your list and be able to have a clear assessment of each potential supplier. In addition, it is necessary to do your research on your prospected suppliers so that you will be able to weigh all the odds. Chinese suppliers are known to be the best in the industry. With all their quality products and highly affordable prices, any drop ship customer will certainly be able to benefit from it.

Starting your dropship business with a wholesale supplier from China gives you the advantage of purchasing products at significantly low prices. The reason for such low prices is that the cost of labor in China is very cheap. Another thing, China also has a relatively huge labor force which enables suppliers from China cope up with all their customer’s high demands. In this case, any dropshipper who partners and contracts business with Chinese suppliers will have no worries of running out of products along the way, and getting quality products directly from China ensures the cheapest goods to sell available in the entire globe.

Shopster.com Online Selling Platform – Is It Worth Spending Time on?

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:15:17 +0000

Shopster is another web site about social networking for products. This online marketplace offers a lot of benefits to online retailers with all their online selling activities. The Shopster’s online selling platform is a good alternative to sell products on the internet because it dramatically reduces retailer’s inventory costs and retailers are able to connect to thousands of dropshippers and sellers instantly. With Shopster, all types of online retailers are able to build their own online store on the online selling platform for free. Whether or not you have your own products to sell online, this online selling platform gives you the option to choose either to sell your own products or to search for products online that you can sell.

You can actually find a lot of online marketplaces on the internet and some of the popular web sites that offer social networking of products are eBay, Bonanzle and iOffer. All these web sites have their own unique and special online selling platforms. Ebay, being the most popular of all e-commerce web sites, is known to be the world’s leading e-commerce Company since 1995 up to now. Just like eBay, Bonanzle is another e-commerce company that was established during the 90’s; with which they have already established a strong foundation. On the other hand, although iOffer and Shopster have already made a good reputation in the online selling industry, these two e-commerce companies have yet to go through a lot of hands-on experiences in the online business industry. But what sets Shopster apart from eBay, Bonanzle and iOffer is that it is a good alternative for retailers and suppliers in looking for products to sell online. With its free merchant network, the Shopster’s online marketplace allows retailers and suppliers to build their own online store, connect to other merchants, find dropship products to sell and or sell their own products through new and improved channels. Now, can you still ask if it is worth spending time on?

Trade Shows – An Alternative Way to Look for Wholesale Suppliers

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:28:37 +0000

Having an online business of your own, you must source directly from a legitimate wholesale supplier in order for your e-business to become truly profitable. But finding genuine wholesale suppliers these days may not be that easy due to the fact that there are many fake wholesalers polluting the business world nowadays. There is an alternative way to effectively look for genuine wholesale supplier for your business and that is through trade shows.

In a trade show there are varieties of companies and service providers that exhibit their new developments and products. You can take advantage of meeting new people and making new contacts for your online business. With the countless options you have in a trade show, you’ll always find that genuine wholesale supplier that is perfect for your business. Here is a tip on how to locate genuine wholesale suppliers in a trade show:

Socialize with all the manufacturers that are present in the trade show. Make sure to collect as many calling cards as you can so that you will have more options to choose from later on. Once you have spotted the perfect wholesale supplier for your business, initiate a move to build business relationship with that supplier. Discuss your interest and make sure to get the necessary details about their company. This is your time to gather all the necessary information and learn how their company operates.

Always participate to wholesale trade shows because it is usually where thousands of wholesalers and suppliers gather as one community. Don’t miss the chance to meet reputable manufacturers and genuine wholesale suppliers. Make sure that you are actually attending the wholesale trade show. This means that your dealings should be a business to business event which is open only to those who belong under the same category. In a trade show, you are assured to be transacting business only with the real wholesale suppliers.

How to Choose a Wholesale Distributor From China

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:56:09 +0000

Having a reliable wholesale from China connection is a must if you are looking to sell goods online. Buying direct from the manufacturer is the best way to ensure that you have a comfortable profit margin. For electronics products, the lowest cost manufacturers are located in China. However, it can be difficult to choose from the numerous Chinese “wholesale manufacturers” advertising products online. This blog post will cover the most important things to look for from your supplier.

1. Find a real wholesaler. Just because a company has a professional looking website does not mean that they are actually giving you a manufacturer direct price. Make sure you do some preliminary research – check user reviews or look into a wholesale supplier directory (e.g Yahoo directory). If you overlook this step you may go into business with a company that is actually a retailer, charging a price far above what a wholesale distributor would. This eats away at your profits, and can be avoided by conducting a careful search.

2. Find a company that ships products in a timely manner. When a customer orders a product, they want to have it in their possession quickly. Since you will most likely be ordering the product from a China wholesale distributor only after your customer has paid for the product, that product will have to make its way to them all the way from China. Days can turn into weeks, and lead to a poor seller rating. If you advertise that you will ship the product within 5 business days, you better make sure your distributor has the same guarantee. Otherwise, your buyers will become frustrated with the length of time it takes for products to arrive.

3. Find a manufacturer with a (free) dropshipping service. Not sure what dropshipping is? Follow this link: wholesale dropship. Basically, wholesale dropshippers offer to ship products directly to your customers. Just submit your buyer’s shipping address and the product goes straight to them. You have no need for costly inventory, and all you see is the profit. There are many wholesale suppliers that will offer this service free of charge, so don’t get stuck with a company that charges extra for it.

4. Check the return policy. Consumers are aware that electronics manufactured wholesale in China may be somewhat lower quality. Therefore, it is best to assure them that if they receive a faulty product, it can be returned for a refund. However, you probably only want to do this if you can also get your money back for that faulty product. Make sure you are working with a Chinese company with a reasonable return policy.

Ways to Maximize Your Drop Shipping Profit Margins

admin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:39:47 +0000

Drop shipping products to online customers can be more tricky than it sounds. While it is a great way to start retailing products without a large upfront investment of cash, it also requires you to coordinate overseas shipping and maintain a good seller rating on e-commerce websites. As drop shipping becomes more popular, profit margins are growing slimmer. Those looking to make money retailing China Wholesale goods need to find ways to distinguish themselves from the competition. Below are some tips to maximize your drop shipping profit margins.

Sell a unique product! This may seem obvious, but it is still common to see pages and pages of auctions on eBay selling the exact same mobile phone. For some cell phone models there are virtually no profits to be made for entry-level drop shippers, simply because the price has been driven down so low. Don’t sell these types of products! If you are just starting out, you will never be able to compete with the bulk prices of power sellers. It is better to do the research first to find out which products are in short supply. This will allow you to mark up the price on that product, netting yourself a nice profit. You can easily do research on eBay to see the number of sellers currently offering a certain product. However, this can be overwhelming given the multitude of products available on eBay. Another way to find products that may be in high demand is to check SaleHoo’s Research and Analysis Lab. This site allows you to see the potential success rate of selling specific products. In addition, it will suggest related niches that might be profitable, and recommend e-commerce sites that have a limited supply of certain items.

Double-check your supplier’s stock. Back orders can kill a sellers feedback rating faster than a scam artist hacking your account. This occurs when you sell an item online that your supplier does not currently have in stock. If you are drop shipping exclusively (and have no stock yourself), this can seriously delay delivery of the product that your buyer is expecting. Don’t let this happen to you! Make sure to check ahead of time to ensure that your auction items are currently in stock, and have a backup supplier just in case. This will allow you to complete orders in a timely manner, resulting in a high feedback rating, more buyers, and more profit.

Take advantage of all the e-commerce options. Apart from eBay, there are plenty of other sites available to sell goods online. Amazon, Craigslist, and Bonanzle are all viable competitors to eBay, and you may find that some products auction for very different prices depending on the site. Some items that are in constant supply on one site may be rare on another. Finding which products are most scarce on each website will allow you to maximize your drop shipping profit margin.