If you're looking for a great product to sell to your customers, travel makeup bags are a great option. It has perfect size, especially for shipping.
Travel makeup bags are perfect to sell, but there are some key things you should know. This article is a complete guide for importing your ideal travel bags from China suppliers.
What to Expect…
Importing Your Travel Makeup Bags
Importing from a different country can be daunting. What do I need to do? Does the supplier handle things for me or should I worry about its port of entry? In this guide, we’ll look at how you should prepare for your product.
Picking Your Travel Makeup Bags
This can be the toughest part! How do you know you have the right taste for style? How do you know it will sell? Or if the quality is any good? Together we go through some steps that will help you pick the right travel makeup bag from China.
Finding the Right Suppliers
Choosing the right supplier is like choosing your business partner. You can only reach the level of quality, scale and success based on that partner. You will learn some practical steps to filter out bad suppliers and find some good ones. You'll also learn some key soft skill identifiers that will help you determine if you're going to have a good long-term partner.
Some Problems and Their Solutions
Business is full of different seasons. Some good and some bad. Learn some of the problems you can avoid and how you can get ahead of the game.
Are you ready for your complete guide to travel makeup bags? Let's get started!
How to Import Your Travel Makeup Bags
We know we want to bring in some great products to our customers. But getting it imported, especially if you have limited experience doing it, it will be really scary. That can’t be further from the truth. It’s actually pretty easy these days.
It's important to know that a lot has changed over the past couple of decades. We turned from being a very nation-based economy to a truly global economy. Industries are dependent on the global market. That's good news… especially for you.
There are a few key things to consider about importing any goods.
1.Are there any fees or legal steps about getting it in my country?
a.Knowing what’s expected from you is very important. It’s good to know the laws in your country and any steps you have to take for your incoming product.
2.Do I have the space to store it?
a.Having a system in place is crucial. Are you prepared for inventory? You want to make sure you can order in bulk to save money.
3.Is it secure and can I expect it to actually arrive?
a.How do you know those products are going to get to you? After all, you’ve never met your suppliers if you just contacted them online. And it may be very far away from you.
Legal Steps to Importing
Legal requirements depend on your industry. For example, actual makeup has a lot of things to consider. There are regulations in the EU and USA that limit many chemicals. This can be a real headache and problem if you are trying to import some to your country.
The good news about travel makeup bags is that there is no such problems when importing them. They don’t go on your skin and nearly have no chemicals.
Research if you need to do anything for importing your products just in case.
If you are dealing with a good supplier site, they should also be able to help you since they work with business owners every day.
Don’t get scared away from importing when it comes to restrictions and requirements. And when you pick a product like travel bags, you should expect a smooth process. Talk to your supplier and see what they say about it.
When Talking Space and Logistics
Do you have the inventory space to store your products? It’s important to figure out your process before you order your travel makeup bags. Find some space that works for you and your goals.
There are generally two types of inventory systems, the pull system, and the push system.
Pull
Order the product as you need it.
Push
Order a bulk amount of products ahead of time and sell as many as you can.
Since we are ordering from China, it’s important to go for a Push system to save costs on shipping and importing.
How Do I Know It Will Get to Me Safely?
The internet is full of sketchy suppliers. And many buyers have gotten burned from ordering a batch of product only to find out it was a scam all along. To prevent this from happening, it's important to find reputable sites and partners that you can trust.
Find a site that has many suppliers, almost like a directory, that can provide you with great partners to work with. Sites like Made-in-China.com provide a rating system by actual buyers, giving you the certainty you need.
Here is a quick checklist to make sure you do your due diligence.
Research Like Crazy
Check out reviews. Talk with suppliers. Consider joining Facebook groups or communities that might know some of the suppliers on your shortlist. All these things will give you information on whether or not you should trust the supplier.
Go with Your Gut
It sounds counterintuitive. You just read that you should research your supplier. But if you don’t feel right about it, it’s a sign that maybe you need to spend more time investigating and researching whether you are making a safe business choice or not.
Get Your House in Order
Make sure you are prepared to receive the bags and what you need to know beforehand.
How to Select Products
“Is this the right choice?” We’ve all asked it. And we’ve all had a fear of taking a product risk. Travel makeup bags are a great product to sell… but how do you know you are buying the right style for your customers?
Ask yourself these questions.
Is it right for my audience?
Is it good quality?
Does it represent my brand?
Is the supplier equipped to fulfill my expectations?
Does it have good ratings?
Can I add value to the product by customizing it to my brand and audience?
It's important to know your audience. What do they enjoy? What kind of colors and styles will they buy? Consider sending emails or speaking to customers on what they like. Do your market research to find out what is unique to your audience.
After that, take advantage of your supplier directory sites. You can check out product ratings and reviews. See what is being sold the most. Try to find products that are growing in sales but not yet a top seller… this might be a good option for you to sell it with less competition.
The best way to really put a unique value on your product is by partnering with a supplier to add a customized addition. Think of what your customers will love and see if you can add value to the product.
Last but not least, search sites like Amazon and see what people are buying (and what they are not), this will give you a general idea of the direction you should go.
How to Find Suitable Suppliers
How do you find the authentic travel makeup bag factories in China? Use supplier directory websites that specialize in China. It’s also good to know where the real factories for these bags are located. Quanzhou city, Fuzhou city and the Fujian province are leaders in this industry.
Use these supplier directories to study the ratings and reviews for your suppliers. This can be one of the most valuable steps you take. Also, speak to your suppliers. Are they helpful? Polite? Are they willing to work with you to create the right product? All this gives you insight into the quality of partners they will be.
The best way to find these suppliers is through www.Made-in-China.com. Go to their homepage, click on suppliers on the top and search “travel makeup bags”. You can see suppliers that create the product. If you are still having a hard time, just try searching the same phrase under products. See what you like and find the supplier that provides it.
The most effective way to find a good supplier is visiting China in person. The Shanghai Bag Show is a phenomenal event and place to find the right travel makeup bag. You get firsthand insight into the industry and get to speak to your suppliers in person.
Common Problems and Solutions You Should Know About
If you’ve been in business for a while, you know many problems can come your way. Some of them you can avoid and some of them just happen. The best thing we can do is to prevent common mistakes, have solutions ready and anticipate challenges along the way.
Here are a few problems to consider before you go ahead and take that dive.
Neglecting Importing Regulations
Out of everything you need to know about importing, it's good to do your research in your country. Since travel makeup bags are a neutral product, you shouldn’t expect a lot of trouble. But check to make sure a regulation or tariff doesn’t get in the way.
Picking the Wrong Travel Bag Supplier
This can cause a lot of damage. You can get late inventory, product mistakes and more. The best way to avoid this is by checking credits and qualification. See where they operate and what their factor reputation is like. Speak to the supplier and feel out how they treat you. All these things will help you overcome common importing problems.
Picking a Poor Travel Makeup Bag
Ever order something in bulk to find out it’s a horrible product? That can cost you lots of time and money. Try to see if online stores are selling similar products to see what customers generally say about it. A great way to avoid this problem is by ordering a sample. It will cost a little extra per unit but it’s worth it and can save you from major headaches.
Choosing a Bag Outside of Your Brand
Who are target audiences? If you have a store with an established brand and target audience, picking the wrong product could mean unsold property or damage to your brand. Even if you don’t have a brand, you are selling this one product out in the market, make sure you know who it’s going to. Avoid this problem by studying your target audience and seeing what they want. You can always order a small quantity (even if it costs more per unit) to test the market.
Miscalculating Profit Margins
Ever get the numbers wrong? You think you're making money, then all of sudden you realize you are in the red. It's not a fun place to be. Make sure you calculate all the costs. R&D, operating costs, importing, shipping to customers, marketing and more. Does your supplier's cost per unit make sense for a good margin? Solve this problem by working your numbers in multiple scenarios, calculating every possible thing. Share them with business-minded friends who can give you a second opinion.
Lastly, join a community or group that can help you make the right decisions. Connecting with experienced professionals will save you a lot of roadblocks along the way.
Use this guide on how to import travel makeup bags to get started. It’s an exciting product and industry to get into.
