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Importing fresh Cut flowers from overseas is a lot more complex than picking up the phone, placing your order and waiting for the flowers to arrive. There are a lot of factors to consider before you go ahead and place your first import order. A Wholesale Importer of Cut flowers needs to decide whether the allure of cheaper prices or better products from overseas is an attractive proposition as it might appear to be at first glance.
Wholesale Importer of Cut flowers import for resale and always must answer the basic question “Is there a local market for the goods you want to import?” They identify the potential target customers and conduct a survey among them to get a feel for whether importing will be profitable.
Focus On The Market
Focusing on your customer’s specific interests will ensure that you are not only supplying your customer the right product but also that you’re supplying exactly the right kind of product that fits your customer’s needs.
For instance, if your market is more concerned with quality or price? Is there a certain feature that dominates their purchasing decision? Are color and size an issue? The more you focus in on what matters to your customer, the more successful your import business will be!
Focus On The Source
Now that you’ve done your research, you are now ready to start looking across the waters. Just as if you were sourcing domestically, there are a number of ways to find someone who will sell you exactly what you’re looking for. You can directly contact the flower farm, find a regional sales representative, find a distributor, deal with a retailer, etc.
There is no right or wrong answer – it mostly depends on you and your marketplace. For instance, if your client relationships are time-intensive, you may want to use a middleman to find your products for you, or you may find the products and let the import agent handle all the delivery details.
The good news is that there are a variety of places available today that will help you find product suppliers for your import business. Trade publications, trade shows, import/export departments, economic development agencies, Chamber of Commerce – the list goes on.
Focus On The Relationship
Once you’ve found a good source, maintain that relationship like you would any other. Be professional, keep your commitments, and hold them to theirs. Once you’ve established a reputation with the company, you may be able to get extended payment terms, suggest product improvements, and receive preferential treatment that can give you an edge in the marketplace.
Again, starting an import business isn’t much different from starting one that sources domestically. Make sure you’re ready, make sure your business is ready, know your market, know your supplier or agent – then go for it!
