How to be an importer...and pay for your world
travel
"How much?"
"100 dirhams," answers the young boy, barely
looking up from his work.
You make a quick calculation in your head and
determine that the cost of the hand-fashioned
silver bracelet is about $10. The workmanship is
exquisite, and you find it hard to believe that
these young boys, no older than 8 or 9, are able to
create such beautiful jewelry.
"I'll give you 800 dirhams each," you respond.
"And I would like to purchase 25 of them." The boy
nods excitedly and turns to fetch the wooden box
filled with finished bracelets that is sitting on
the table behind him.
You are wandering the dirt roads of downtown
Tiznit, a tiny pink-walled city of Berbers situated
along a caravan crossroads in southern Morocco.
You've come in search of merchandise to ship back
home and resell. You figure you can sell the
bracelets back home for about $35 to $40 apiece.
That's a profit of 300%.
Not planning to visit Morocco any time soon?
That's OK. You could buy furs in Finland. Finland
is the world's biggest seller of farmed furs. The
pieces are well-made and inexpensive. So you can
buy silver fox furs in Helsinki along the North
Esplanade...and then resell them for a warm profit.
These scenarios may sound exotic and far-
fetched at first. But think again. Purchasing
unusual and unique goods around the world, and then
shipping them to other countries, where they can be
sold for tremendous profits, is becoming
increasingly common among travelers who want to see
the world but who can't afford an endless vacation.
Setting yourself up as a small-time importer
is the next best thing. It allows you to satisfy
your wanderlust while earning at least enough to
pay for your trip. Plus, it makes all of your
travel tax-deductible.
One woman's story
Kathleen Rozelle, an interior designer from
Dallas, Texas, first thought of going into the
international importing business when she and
another designer were planning a trip to England to
visit family. Once in London, they teamed up for a
shopping spree. They shipped their treasures to
Dallas, and then sold everything to clients and
other designers. Within three years, the team made
enough money to pay for the expenses of their trip
(including transportation, accommodation,
purchases, and shipping) -- and earned a $14,000
profit.
Confident after that success, Kathleen and her
family teamed with two other designers for a three-
week buying trip in France. They began their buying
trip at the March aux Puces in Paris, which is open
three days a week. The March Biron section of this
enormous market is the place to search for
antiques.
Another place to shop in France is Rouen. All
the shops here are retail; they are clustered near
the cathedral and close from noon until 2 p.m.
In the south, visit Biot, known for its hand-
blown glass. (You'll have to pay more to have these
fragile items packed and shipped.) Also visit
L'Ile-Sur-La-Sorgue, where the antique shops are
open only two days a week. At Moustiers-Saintes-
Marie, an open-air market is set up every Friday in
the main square. This region is known for its
beautiful hand-painted dishes.
What lessons can you learn from Kathleen's
story?
First, that you must begin by choosing a
country where you'll feel comfortable doing
business. England is a good first choice, because
there is no language barrier. (Of course, you
should also pick a country where you want to
travel.)
Second, study the market back home. Is there a
demand for the items you plan to purchase? This is
the most important consideration when deciding what
exactly to import. The second thing to consider
when choosing a product is personal experience.
What do you know something about? What are you
interested in shopping for?
If you have a bit of experience with antiques
(and if you love poking around in the dark and
dusty corners of antique shops), then go with that.
In this market, smaller pieces of furniture, such
as chairs and end tables, and knick-knacks and art
objects that aren't easily found back home are the
best bets. (Small accessory pieces also make sense
from the perspective of shipping. They can be
stashed inside the larger pieces to conserve space
in the freight container.) Always mix your
purchases. On return buying trips, purchase what
sold well last time, and then buy a few new items
to test.
The Peruvian sweater trade
Antiques is an obvious market for small-time
importers. But it is hardly the only market.
Take Annie Hurlbut, for example. She imports
alpaca sweaters hand-made in Cuzco, Peru. It all
started as a birthday present for her mother.
Annie, then a graduate student at the
University of Illinois, was studying the market
women in Peru. She spent her days at the
marketplace in Cuzco, working with the Andean
women, who make their living selling handmade
tourist goods, especially alpaca sweaters and
ponchos.
Annie planned to fly home to Kansas City for
her mother's 50th birthday party -_ and she needed
a gift. She chose a fur- trimmed alpaca sweater-
coat made by one of the market women. The present
was extremely well-received. In fact, Annie's
mother and friends went so far as to suggest that
Annie had stumbled upon a real opportunity. The
Peruvian Connection was born.
Annie continued her graduate studies, visiting
Peru to do research, and then returning home with
all the handmade sweaters she could carry. Her
mother ran the business end of the company from her
farm in Tonganoxie, Kansas. Their first customer
was a local store, which placed a wholesale order
for 40 garments.
"When my mother told me we had an order for 40
sweaters, I almost panicked. I couldn't even
remember where I had bought the first one."
Annie began running small space ads in the New
Yorker and selling her sweaters across the country.
She personally visited the owners of stores in New
York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and California, asking
if they'd like to carry her line.
By this time, Annie had created her own
design, patterned after what she'd found in Peru.
She'd made the sweaters of the market women into a
classic fashion product that appealed to upscale
boutiques.
The business really took off in 1979, when a
reporter for The New York Times Style Section saw
Annie's sweaters at the Fashion and Boutique Show
in New York. Annie and The Peruvian Connection
received front-page billing -- which brought in
thousands of requests for catalogs.
Annie has been running her import business for
10 years. She spends part of each year at home in
Kansas -- and the rest of the year in Peru. Not
only does her business bring in enough money to pay
for her regular trips to South America -- but it
has grown into a big-time mail-order company that
provides a living for both Annie and her mother.
Annie has organized 25 cottage industries in
Peru that work for her under contract. She works
out the designs and patterns, and then hands over
the production to the Peruvians. Everything is
shipped by air to the United States.
What words of advice does Annie have for
anyone considering getting into the international
import trade?
First, don't try to handle the production and
the marketing yourself. You end up spreading
yourself -- and your money -- too thin.
It's better to come up with a good product,
something that no one else makes as well, and focus
all your attention on the production. It's not that
difficult (or costly) to set up the overseas
production of a product. It's the marketing and
advertising that can drain you. Sell yourself once
to a backer, and then let him handle it from there.
Annie's other piece of advice is that you
should give a lot of thought to where you set up
shop. Americans should think twice, she warns,
before opening a home office for an international
importing company in New York. This city is
overwhelmed with shipments, and you can end up
waiting a couple of weeks to see your merchandise.
Things go much more quickly and smoothly in the
Midwest, for example.
Another thing to consider is customs
regulations. However, Annie assures all would-be
entrepreneurs that they won't have any problems
with customs. Importers bring a lot of revenue into
their home country and are generally treated well
by their home governments.
Nonetheless, you will have to pay import
duties. In the United States, duty is generally
about 20%, depending on the type of goods being
imported.
Cashing in on Brazil's mineral rush
How much money do you need to go into the
import business?
Harvey and Michael Siegel, brothers born in
Long Island, New York, did it with about $400.
A boyhood fascination with rock and rubble led
these two to Brazil, where they filled their
knapsack with $400 worth of agate ashtrays. This
was the beginning of Aurora Mineral Corporation,
which is now a leading wholesaler of semi-precious
stone and mineral specimens, with a client list
that includes the Harvard University Museum, the
Smithsonian Institution, and H. Stern Jewelers.
The brothers didn't fly down to Brazil with
armloads of research, deep pockets, and a long list
of connections. On the contrary, this was a seat-
of-the-pants operation. The Siegels' cousin had
traveled to Brazil for Carnival the year before,
met a Brazilian girl, and decided to stay. He was
their only connection in the country, and he agreed
to act as their agent.
Having a reliable agent can really make or
break an import business. The agent's role is to
screen products, accompany the importer on buying
trips, consolidate orders from multiple suppliers,
and arrange for a shipper to transport your
merchandise back home. You can work without an
agent -_ doing all the legwork yourself -_ but your
job is made much easier if you have someone working
with you.
"It is invaluable to have someone on the spot
to shop the market constantly," says Irving Viglor,
a New York-based international trade consultant. An
agent is independent and acts as an intermediary in
a deal but does not take title to the merchandise.
"Pay the agent a commission to protect your
interest," warns Viglor. "Don't let the vendor pay
the commission. And always check references."
Aurora Mineral Corporation mines for its
minerals (figuratively speaking) in the tiny towns
of La Jeado and Salto Jaqui in Rio Grande do Sul,
Brazil's pampas grasslands bordering Uruguay and
Argentina. Actually, the local Brazilians do the
mining. They dig for amethyst and agate with back
hoes on land leased from farmers. The bounty is
sold by the kilo from wood shacks.
North of Rio Grande do Sul is the state of
Minas Gerais, where quartz crystals, rose quartz,
fossils, aquamarines, topazes, and uncut emeralds
are mined. The finest quality pieces are purchased
in their natural form and sold to museums or
collectors at trade shows.
In addition to the minerals themselves, the
Siegels also import decorative pieces made of
amethyst, agate, and quartz. The stones are carved
into birds, grape clusters, coasters, spheres, book
ends, ashtrays, and clock faces.
These finished pieces are culled from one-
person workshops and larger factory warehouses. "In
Minas Gerais, unlike in the south, you deal with
many small suppliers. An agent is particularly
important here," says Michael.
The recent craze for quartz crystal, believed
by some to have curative powers, has meant big
business for Aurora Minerals. The World Prayer
Center, a Buddhist house of worship in Maryland,
mortgaged its real estate to pay for its collection
of quartz crystal, which it purchased from Aurora
Minerals
Your Brazilian connections
All Brazilian exporters are required to file
annually with the Department of External Affairs in
Brasilia. These records are accessible, free of
charge, from the Brazilian Government Trade Bureau,
551 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10176; (212) 916-3200;
fax (212) 573-9406, or their offices in many major
countries. If you're interested in going into the
import business in Brazil, it would be a good idea
to review these records to find out something about
the competition you'll be up against.
In addition, the Brazilian Government Trade
Bureau offers free consultations for anyone
interested in doing business in Brazil. Other
complimentary services include use of meeting
rooms, conference calls with simultaneous
translating services (you pay only for the
telephone charges), assistance with travel
arrangements to Brazil, and referrals for
accountants, lawyers, and agents who are
experienced with matters of import and export.
The deputy director of finance for the trade
bureau, Luiz de Athayda, can answer all your
questions pertaining to the Brazilian economy,
banking, and financial regulations. Contact him at
the address given above. Or contact the trade
bureau's office in Washington, D.C., (202) 745-2805.
The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce
publishes a listing of trade opportunities for U.S.
businesses in Brazil and vice versa. This
international swap meet is part of a bilingual
business newspaper called The Brazilians. To submit
a listing (which is free of charge) or to reply to
a posting, contact The Brazilian-American Chamber
of Commerce, 42 W. 48th St., New York, NY 10036;
(212) 575-9070; fax (212) 921-1078. To receive a copy
of the newspaper itself, call The Brazilians,
(212) 382-1630 in New York or (55-21) 267-3898 in Rio
de Janeiro.
Choosing an import
If you're intrigued by the idea of setting
yourself up as an importer as a way of paying for
your world travel, but you don't have an idea for
what exactly to import, attend the Frankfurt
International Fair. This exposition, held every
August, is known as the Cannes Festival of Consumer
Goods. It is the best place in the world to preview
the latest European trends. Among the exhibits are
clocks, tableware, home accessories, lighting
fixtures, giftware, housewares, arts, and
handicrafts. For more information on this year's
festival, contact Messe Frankfurt Office, Ludwig-
Erhard Anlage 1, 6000 Frankfurt am Main 1, Germany;
tel. (49-69) 75-63-64.
If you can't make it to this annual fair, you
surely can make it to one of the other 16
internationally renowned trade fairs held each year
in Frankfurt, which has become a mecca for
international importers. For a calendar of the
fairs and more information on how to make
arrangements to attend, contact Philippe Hans,
Frankfurt Fair Representative, German American
Chamber of Commerce, 666 Fifth Ave., New York, NY
10103; (212) 974-8856.
And remember, if you attend any of these fairs
to do research for your import business, all the
costs of the trip are tax-deductible.
A publication that has provided many product
sources since 1963 is Worldwide Business Exchange, a
monthly newsletter with hundreds upon hundreds of
leads, contacts, sources, and resources every month.
It covers not only import sources, but also business
financing, channels of distribution, franchises, new
products, finder's fees, mergers & acquisitions,
venture capital, joint ventures, partnerships and more.
A one year subscription is $48 from Phlander Company,
Dept. 70197, P. O. Box 5385, Cleveland TN 37320. New
subscribers can try it for 6 months for $27.
The value of a home-grown import
The import companies that prove most
successful are those that grow out of a native
cottage industry whose product is considered exotic
or rare back home. That's why Annie Hurlbut's
import business is booming. She discovered a
cottage industry that was already thriving in
Peru -- and then transported the fruits of that
industry back home to the United States, where
alpaca sweaters handmade in Indian designs are
valued -- and not easy to come by.
An idea for a similar import is handmade
cotton clothing from Guatemala. The colorful and
comfortable shirts and skirts being made here can
be bought for virtually nothing -- and then shipped
back home, where young girls are willing to spend a
pretty penny on these fashion statements. We know
of a couple, living in Maryland, who travel to
Guatemala several times a year to purchase the
handmade clothing, and then ship the pieces to the
United States for resale. Like Annie Hurlbut, this
couple is not only able to travel to their favorite
South American country three or four times a year
free -- but they are also making a comfortable
living off of the profits of their small import
company.
The ideas are virtually limitless...handmade
Mexican blankets, which can be purchased anywhere
in Mexico for a few dollars and then resold in the
United States for $30 or $35...brass pots from
Morocco, which can be purchased in any shop or from
any street vendor for about $15; these can be
sold in the United States for at least twice
that...tiny wooden boxes from Uruguay, useful as
decorative objects or for storing jewelry; these
sell for $5 or $6 in nearly every gift shop in
Montevideo and can easily be resold in the United
States for $10 or $15... Similar deals can be
made between any two countries.
Where do you want to go? Which country of the
world are you interested in exploring? That should
be the primary determining factor when trying to
decide on an import. Remember, the whole idea is to
use the import business as a way of paying for your
travel.
An unusual suggestion for the importer in Sulawesi
In Sulawesi, Indonesia, craftsmen make
traditional wooden sailing boats using methods
little changed from those used hundreds of years
ago. These boats, built without hand tools and
without electricity, come minus an engine, and they
have two huge steering oars instead of a rudder.
Known as an Indonesian pinisi, a boat of this
type is a cross between a junk and a 16th-century
galleon. The pinisi was once the sailing ship of
choice among the fierce Bugis pirates, who ravaged
the islands of Indonesia and conquered much of
mainland Malaysia.
It is possible to buy one of these boats for
as little as $5,000 or $10,000. Of course, you
must travel to Ujung Pandang, the capital of
Sulawesi, to do so. But that's where the adventure
begins.
Once in Ujung Pandang, your first job is to
find a reliable agent, who speaks the language and
who knows something about building a pinisi. One
agent we can recommend is a Mr. Rustum, who can be
contacted at Jalan 302/10, Ujung Pandang,
Sulawesi, Indonesia.
But perhaps the most helpful person in the
traditional boat trade in Sulawesi is a Yugoslavian
sailor named Ivo Rebic. Ivo speaks fluent English
and Indonesian and has spent two years researching
traditional wooden boat building. He is your best
bet for reliable and enthusiastic local assistance.
Contact him in care of Evie Rumagit, Jalan Sumba
86/9, Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Once you have found an agent, the next step is
to find a competent builder. The biggest boat
building center in Sulawesi is Tana Beru. At any
given time, there are 50 boats being built along
the palm-lined beach of this seaside village.
One of the most respected builders in this
area is Usman Hasan, an Indonesian Chinese who has
the most Western-style approach to the boat-
building business of anyone in Tana Beru. You can
contact him at Jalan Tokambang 072, Bulukumba, Tana
Beru, Indonesia.
Now, you may be thinking, that all sounds
intriguing, but why in the world would I want to
buy an Indonesian pinisi?
First, it is a wonderful excuse to travel to
exotic Indonesia and have the adventure of a
lifetime.
But more than that, investing the time and
money in building a pinisi in Sulawesi makes it
possible for you to see Indonesia free.
Before you take off for Sulawesi, contact
marinas and boat clubs in your area. Put up notices
on the club bulletin boards explaining what you're
planning to do. If you're lucky, you may be able to
arrange for a buyer -- or a sponsor -- before you
depart for your trip. But at the very least, you'll
build interest in your venture.
Once your boat has been built and shipped back
home, contact all those marinas and boat clubs
again. And place small ads in boating magazines and
newsletters offering your rare and authentic
Indonesian pinisi for sale -- for several times
what you paid for it. You should have no trouble
finding a buyer -- these boats are beautiful and
truly exotic in any other part of the world. Any
boat lover anywhere would be thrilled at the
opportunity to own one -- and probably more than
happy to pay enough to cover all the costs of your
trip to Indonesia.
Buy a Chinese junk
Years ago, the harbor at Hong Kong was filled
with Chinese junks. These flat-bottomed, high-
sterned sailing vessels with square bows and masts
carrying lug-sails served as floating homes for
thousands of the island's residents. Today, these
traditional junks are disappearing from the harbor.
They are inconvenient and uncomfortable places to
live. And few new junks are being built.
But that is not to say it is no longer
possible to buy a junk. You can get one for as
little as $8,000 or $10,000. They are listed
for sale in the classified sections of local
newspapers.
This gave us an idea. You could travel to Hong
Kong, purchase an old junk, and then go on an
extravagant shopping spree in the myriad antique
shops that line the streets of this city. Oriental
carpets. Porcelain and marble statuary. Centuries-
old Chinese vases. Jewelry. Carved wooden boxes.
Then you could pack up all your Chinese
treasures, stash them in the holds of your Chinese
junk, and have your junk loaded on to a huge ocean
freighter and shipped back home.
While your treasure chest is crossing the sea,
contact the local media of the city where the ship
will land. Send out press releases. Alert everyone
in the area that an authentic Chinese junk, filled
with valuable Chinese antiques, will be landing in
the city's harbor. Make it a gala event.
All the press coverage of the junk's arrival
will help you sell the treasures it contains. You
should make enough to pay not only for the antiques
you shipped home, but also for your adventure in
Hong Kong.
What do you do with the junk? Well, you may
decide to keep it -- you'd surely be the only one
on your block to own one. Or you could sell it. A
Chinese junk is a rare and valuable thing outside
its home country. You could sell one back home for
several times what you paid for it in Hong Kong.
The real wealth angle here, however, is not
buying a Chinese junk. It's using your imagination
to unlock profits that no one else ever thought of.
Ultimately, your imagination -- along with your
patience and energy -- is the key to your fortune.
Before you buy anything...
You can simply take off for parts unknown,
with several hundred dollars cash (or traveler's
checks) in your money belt, and buy up a few dozen
of whatever strikes your fancy and you believe will
sell well (and for a premium price) back home. It
really could be that simple.
But taking off blind can also be a bit risky.
Better to do a bit of homework first.
Begin by reading everything you can get your
hands on about the country where you want to
travel. What do the local craftsmen make there?
What do they make it out of? Where can you buy it?
How much will it cost? Will it ship easily?
A good first contact is the embassy or tourist
board for the country where you'll be shopping.
Representatives at these offices should be able to
provide you with some of this information over the
phone; most are natives of the country they are
representing.
Also ask a staff member at the tourist board
for a listing of department stores or specialty
shops in your area that carry handicrafts or other
goods imported from his home country. Then go to
see for yourself what is being sold, for how much,
and to whom.
It is also a good idea to introduce yourself
to the owners, managers, or buyers of a few shops
in your area. Tell them about your shopping trip
and your plans for importing goods back home. Ask
what they would be interested in carrying and what
prices they would charge. (Remember, most retail
outlets mark prices up 100%.) You might even get an
order before you leave.
The other things to investigate before you
take off on your grand shopping adventure are
customs and rates of duty in your country. Explain
to your local customs service what you are planning
to import and to where and ask that you be sent all
relevant information on clearing customs and paying
the appropriate duties.
Setting a price
Don't wait until you've returned home,
suitcases full of silver bracelets and brass pots,
to determine prices for all of your exotic
treasures. If you leave all of this to chance, you
may be in for a very unpleasant surprise.
Instead, do a bit of arithmetic before you
even get on the plane.
Start with the purchase price. What do you
think you'll have to pay for whatever it is you
plan to buy? Add the expected costs of shipping and
duty. This gives you your total cost. Double it,
and you have the cost you can charge the retail
outlets you do business with. Double it again, and
you have the cost the retail outlets will charge
their customers.
Say you plan to buy wool blankets in Mexico
for $8 each. You know the cost of shipping each
blanket will be $1, and the cost of duty will be
$2. That's a total of $11. Double this to get
$22, the cost you should charge when selling your
blankets to a retail outlet. Double that again, to
get $44 -- that is the cost to the consumer. Is
the blanket worth $44? Is it worth more than
$44? Consider the market. What else is available?
How much is it selling for? Who is buying it?
If the total cost to the consumer you come up
with sounds like too much -- or too little -- make
adjustments one way or the other. In the case of
the Mexican blanket, for example, $44 is a bit
high. The retail outlet may only be able to sell
the blankets for $35 apiece. Thus, you can only
sell them for $17.50 apiece. This means that the
most you can pay is $5.75. It's possible to buy
blankets in Mexico for $5.75 apiece -- if you buy
a dozen or more at one time, and if you know how to
haggle. If, however, once you get to Mexico, you
find that you just can't find the blankets you want
for the price you can afford, reconsider. Maybe you
ought to be shopping for silver earrings instead.
Remember also that the whole purpose of
importing the goods in the first place is to pay
for your trip. So, once you've arrived at a price,
determine how much you will make if you sell all of
the merchandise you have imported back home. Make
sure you'll come out ahead -- or at least even. If
not, reconsider, both the pricing and the
merchandise you're importing.
The shipping factor
One of the most important considerations for
anyone in the import business is shipping.
The shipper you deal with is responsible for
picking up your purchases at the shop, packing
them, and shipping them back home for you in 20-
foot containers. With some shippers, you can
arrange for a split-container. This way, the
shipper doesn't send the merchandise until he has
enough going to your city to fill the entire
container. Shipping costs about 15% of the value of
the merchandise when a full container is sent;
about 25% or more when a partially filled container
is shipped.
The shipper should provide you with stickers
(one is attached to every item being shipped), a
shipper booklet (in which you record the merchant's
name, the agreed-upon-price, your company name, and
a description of the item), and the name of a
driver, if you need one. (If English is not spoken
in the country where you're shopping, you'll need a
driver to help you find the markets and to
negotiate with the merchants. A driver can be
expensive -- as much as $75 a day. But this is a
worthwhile investment.)
How can you find a competent and reliable
shipper? Two good places to try are your embassy in
the country where you will be shopping and the
local chamber of commerce office.
Tricks of the trade
Always carry a Polaroid camera, a 35mm camera,
and lots of film with you when shopping for
merchandise to ship home. Take two pictures of
every item purchased, one Polaroid and one 35mm.
Keep two ledgers: one that lists prospects, another
that lists actual purchases. This way, if you're
unsure of something, you can easily go back to buy
it later -- you've got a record of where to find it.
Europe does not have the same type of
wholesale market, but they do have large
wholesalers. They may not be willing to deal with
an individual, which is one good reason to form a
company first. But if you tell merchants that you
are buying for export, they'll usually give you a
15% to 20% discount.
In some countries of Europe, especially
France, the entire country goes on holiday at the
same time. In France, it is the month of August.
Plan your buying sprees around these holidays.
Always keep all of your invoices and receipts.
If your merchandise doesn't arrive as expected --
or if you have to prove the value of your goods to
a customs official -- you will be lost if you've
accidentally thrown away your documentation.
What governments won't allow you to import
Many countries have passed stringent laws
against importing many of Mother Nature's souvenirs
from foreign countries, and many of these types of
products are protected by international treaties.
These laws have been established to protect
endangered animal species. Certain plant species
are also outlawed as imports. If you ignore the
regulations and try to import two dozen pairs of
Brazilian alligator pumps (because you're sure you
can sell them back home for a 200% profit, and you
simply can't resist the opportunity), you risk
having your booty snatched. You may even be hit
with a hefty fine. So check the regulations of
your destination country carefully.
Sell American...And make a fortune doing it!
What would happen if, in your business, all
you did was "buy" from yourself?
You wouldn't make very much money, would you?
Think about it! That's exactly what this
country would be doing if we only "Buy American."
Every time we sell an American made product in
the international marketplace, those dollars come
back into the U.S. economy, increasing profits,
creating jobs, making America stronger. 80% to 85%
of U.S. businesses don't export.
But American products are in demand. Amway
recently went into Mexico, expecting $3 to $4 million
in sales the first year. Instead they hit $15 million
in sales the first year and $50 million the second
year, and said that they have never seen such strong
demand for American products in any of the more than
20 countries they are now in.
Yet it seems that when someone thinks about
getting into international trade, they decide to import
instead of export. Actually, exporting is just as easy
as, maybe even easier than, importing. Besides, as an
importer, you have to buy things to sell here...that
takes money. But, as an exporter, you are selling
things overseas...which doesn't take much money at all.
As a matter of fact, you can actually start your
own export business for a couple hundred dollars. Your
very first order could easily return your investment
ten-fold or more. There are thousands upon thousands
of products you can start exporting tomorrow! Most of
the books and courses on exporting being offered today
are theoretical, not practical. In reality, selling
overseas is no more difficult than a company in New
York selling & shipping a product to a buyer in
California.
A most useful complete startup is a new manual
called "Sell American", available for $104.95 postpaid
from Phlander Company, Dept. 70197, P. O. Box 5385,
Cleveland TN 37320. Or they'll send you a free
brochure describing the book in more detail. Once you
finish reading "Sell American" you can export U.S. made
products simply and easily, and start earning your
fortune in the international marketplace.
With the end of the cold war, unification of
Europe, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and free trade
agreements being established in the Americas, every
entrepreneur should now recall the words of Thomas
Jefferson -- "A merchant, by his very nature is a
citizen of the world." While the governments discuss
the issues of world trade, it is up to us as merchants
(entrepreneurs) to meet the challenge head-on with
action, instead of talk. As an American entrepreneur,
you should make it your responsibility to "Sell
American."
