Since the entry into force of the Chile-China FTA,
trade with the Asian giant has grown considerably, at rates above 15% per year,
which made China the first trading partner of Chile in 2009. Due to this, the
98% of products of Chinese origin can enter our country with zero tariffs,
which has significantly increased the number of companies and entrepreneurs who
have seen in the eastern country a great opportunity to do business.
However, there is still a certain degree of
ignorance about the import process, generating typical errors that can be
avoided.
Knowledge of
the Regulations
Most of the products can be entered into Chile
without any problem, but there are categories of products that require visas,
approvals or special certifications before entering the country: Products of
plant or animal origin, fertilizers, chemicals, medicines, cosmetics, Food,
cement, among others, are products that require special authorizations. It is
important for the importer to know what the specific requirements are for
importing a particular product, and what is the protocol for certification,
approval or entry authorization .
Choice of
Provider
There are people who send money to suppliers
without even being sure that the company exists. Fortunately, there are
mechanisms for background checking on Chinese companies, and even intermediated
means of payment, that make a transaction much more secure now than it was a
few years ago. In the personal or small-scale shopping sites, there are evaluations of people who have
bought before from the same supplier, and there is even the possibility of
confirming the payment once the product has arrived in Chile , which makes an
import operation very safe. In the case of slightly larger purchases, although
there are no evaluations, it is possible Finding out if the company is
officially registered, how long it has been operating, if it has export
experience, if it accepts secure payment methods, among other things, and it is absolutely necessary to do before
importing.
Cost
calculation
This is a very important issue, and that sometimes
makes the difference between a good business, a regular one, and a downright
bad one. Many people consider only the cost of the product and the cost of
shipping, but forget to include expenses such as import tax (zero if it comes
with a certificate of origin), VAT, and other expenses that occur locally
(deconsolidation, customs agent , other local expenses). In imports of less
than one container, the expenses in Chile associated with an import can reach
up to 40 or 50% of all expenses incurred (not counting the cost of the
product). Before importing, the importer
must calculate all expenses until the product reaches his home or warehouse.
Product
specification
Some importers make the mistake of buying without
knowing exactly what they are buying, or without providing the necessary
technical information so that the supplier knows what the importer wants. For
this reason, it is necessary to specify
in as much detail as possible the product that is being sought, via a technical
sheet, request samples, and then carry out a cargo inspection at origin to guarantee that what is being shipped
corresponds to the agreed specifications.
Price
expectations
Many people think that everything in China is
extremely cheap, which is partly true, since many profits can be generated by Import products from China. However, as in any other order of
things, the higher the quality of the product, the higher the price and the
higher the volumes, the lower the prices. It is important to manage and
understand the cultural aspects that affect a negotiation with a Chinese
supplier, and not to haggle too much on prices, especially if gray areas are
left in the product specification and the volumes to be imported are not too
high , since it is possible encounter surprises when receiving the product.
For those who are looking for alternatives in
China, “finding out the specific regulations for the product I want to import,
take the time to look for and choose a supplier that suits my needs as an
importer, be clear about the costs and expenses that are generated by When
importing the product, specify as much as possible the product that I want to
import and understand the way of negotiating of the Chinese suppliers. These
aspects can make the difference between a successful business and another not
so much ”.
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