Expats in Asia > Working In Asia

Has anyone ever started a business in China

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ttwjr32:
such a wimp Maxx  hahahhaha 

Lain:
Well export is the side of things I would be looking into. Sadly I have had some experience with being in the US and (and I use the term loosely) working with a few Chinese forms to have them ship products to the company I worked for back about 12 years ago....it was like eating rice with one chopstick.

My thoughts were the same as Paul Todd's...Being ON THE GROUND ~ IN PERSON to ensure that there are as little issues as possible. I already have about half a dozen companies that I am already working with here in the states that have expressed an interest in having a "buyer" on the ground to both inspect quality, and perform the tasks of exporting, documentation....etc.

While this is still just an idea, and I will not make any choices to operate such a company in China until I have been living there for at very least 6 months...or more. I am simply doing some research. Its good to know that at least one member here is working on the ground doing the same...might be easier to simply "contract" with you for these services in the beginning and get an education about the challenges before making any investments towards it.

As mentioned, its for a specific industry that I would serve, and I am an expert in the use of the products, so I know junk when I see it...and BS when its being spoken (well in English anyway). I know that doing business in China will be a daunting task to say the least...but if I am to make it my home.....it offers huge potential in my industry since almost 35% - 40% of the products I already sell are made somewhere in China already...best to cut out 3-4 middlemen and go right to the source!

Thanks guys, might have some ideas once I am there...less than 2 months until I move!!  :-\

Arnold:

--- Quote from: Paul Todd on August 11, 2010, 12:41:20 am ---Good luck with that Arnold. I know a few Chinese businesses that have warehousing in the Czech Rep seems to be a favorite, think it's something to do with "Flexible" import laws. People often think that China is only good for export but the demand for imported goods is huge. Having connections in the Shanghai customs dept is a massive plus point and must help a lot with your importing plans. Like I said I hope it works out and  we soon see you being driven around Shanghai in the latest BMW in an Italian silk suit.

--- End quote ---

Again , thanks Paul . Of course that would be a dream ( #2 ) come true for me . haha

Lain , I wish you all the best also on your venture . One just don't know where a road will lead .. until your on it .

David S:
I'm not sure I'm reading this right, you currently own a business supplying wholesale products to various clients in the US, yes?

If that is the case it sounds not so much that you need to start a new business, but make a few adjustments in your suppliers.  You are right that you are there and can establish a good relationship with some new suppliers.  I'm not really saying you should do this just something to consider.  Maybe make a few test orders while you're there and see how things go.  If nothing else it will help you broaden your base of suppliers and perhaps even increase your margins.

Lain:

--- Quote from: David S on August 11, 2010, 07:31:57 pm ---I'm not sure I'm reading this right, you currently own a business supplying wholesale products to various clients in the US, yes?

If that is the case it sounds not so much that you need to start a new business, but make a few adjustments in your suppliers.  You are right that you are there and can establish a good relationship with some new suppliers.  I'm not really saying you should do this just something to consider.  Maybe make a few test orders while you're there and see how things go.  If nothing else it will help you broaden your base of suppliers and perhaps even increase your margins.

--- End quote ---

Well that is sort of what my company does.....Ya see I have developed an e-commerce system into a new "sales channel" that allows any manufacturer to sell its products directly online via my system. However where it diverges from a normal system is that it can take into account the manufactures dealer network anywhere on earth and sell directly from the dealers inventory to sell "through" a supply chain to the end user.

The system can manage inventories and shipping from the mfg to the end customer and automates the purchase and shipping process. The same system also allows dealers to purchase via the same system from manufactures and allows pricing on a per product basis. More or less its a global purchasing management system that accommodates the entire supply chain in both directions....and I take a small transaction fee for every order processed  through the system, kind of like an Amazon.com for the B2B market.

This system is almost ready for it live launch after almost 4 years of development with a limited amount of clients in the US marketplace....with some international orders. What I am hoping to do is approach Chinese firms that have products in my industry to export, lock in the details into my database, then either market them directly to my existing distributors for a decent profit....or directly to the end customers for a healthier margin. I do not have, nor ever hold any inventory. I operate by creating "networks" based on existing inventories and supply chains by using highly automated web server based software.

Due to the high volume of transactions that the system handles, I really do not have time to "handle" the orders and must rely on the people who do the shipping to simply ship it as my systems generate the purchase orders. Even here in the US there have been technical issues with vendors who simply fail to follow through on order processing in a timely, organized manner and so this creates an issue where I am concerned that Chinese companies will simply drop the ball to many times...or worse yet think that every purchase orders price is "negotiable".....my system works by automation and while price changes are not a problem, it does require participating companies to provide 30 days notice on any changes.

I do see a HUGE potential for exports, and initially I know it will require lots of time for me to both setup and manage new manufactures into the system...but after they are into the system I would like to take a "hands off" method and I am curious if that is even something that can be done in China with manufacturer's? This is why I am considering creating a Chinese based company that is separate from my actual company and simply hire Chinese sales reps to handle the daily "crap" after I get the ball rolling. Just playing with some ideas....plus having a Chinese company could go along way towards gaining long term residential status....especially IF the dollar amounts become significant.

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