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To start my retailer business with products from Chinese manufacturers and wholesalers where do i start from?

I want to start my own retailer and wholesaling business by buying some interesting products from Chinese manufacturers and wholesalers.The problem is I have never been in this business so i dont know where to start from even though i found some good manufacturers and wholesalers on the net.My biggest concern is that if i choose different products from different manufacturers or wholesalers so would i be approaching them all separately e.g.toys from one place,stationery from the other and lamps ,photo frames,jewelry etc.How do i present myself to them and what words to choose to put my order if I am totally a beginner?Do I need to have a business license even if i want to sell them from home?What else do i need to do for a complete step by step process?

Public Comments

1. good question, I would like to know too....
2. You go to the shows which are held in major cities like Atlanta, N Y, Chicago etc....you need your license before you go there with the name of your business etc....depending on your budget you can spend 3 days in Atlanta just seeing half of the show. So you can make choices. A lot of wholesalers demand a minimum order.
3. The first place to check is your local SBA office.
4. Yes, you have to have a business license to conduct business - even from your home. Your residential neighbors probably would not want a retail business in the neighborhood. If your property is not zoned commercial, then it would have to be re-zoned. Neighbors tend to resist this, also. Perhaps you could e-mail the manufacturers and wholesalers and ask for a sample of their product. You could then determine if you wanted to pursue importing the product. If you find a product with excellent quality, price, delivery, etc., the company would probably know of other quality manufacturers. If you need to work from home, you might try putting together a catalog or a website. Good luck to you.
5. I think the most important thing for you is to choose the products that suit your market most, for such things as toy, I don't expect much potential as it is so widely available to anyone. In this past May, I setup my own musical instrument shop online, and abt. two weeks later, my first transaction realized. Of course, my own command of computer knowledge does give a boost as beginning an online business is not so easy. I am a Chinese and if something that I could be of help, you could contact me.
6. I think you need a Chinese person to help you find what you need in China, and I know a website can provide the service , the service is called "Person to Person" http://www.knowhowing.com/persontoperson.htm ， through the service you just like engage a "agent" in China to help you to find what you need in China.