The newest guide for importing small quantity from China 2023
Bestsuppliers as a professional B TO B sourcing company, always receive inquiries from our overseas buyers that want to order small quantities to start up their business as their limited investment budget. A lot of our customers drop their inquiries to us via our website. and many of them have no previous experience of importing goods from China, they may think it’s just very simple to complete bulk orders.
What is small b to b import businesses and small quantity, buyers
A small B2B (business-to-business) import business refers to a company that imports goods from a foreign supplier to sell to other businesses in their local market. The business typically sources products from overseas manufacturers or distributors and resells them to retailers or wholesalers in their home country. The products can range from raw materials to finished products, and the company is responsible for managing the logistics of shipping and handling customs clearance. Small B2B import businesses may operate online or through a physical storefront and typically have a limited number of employees. Generally speaking, the customers that purchase less than 2,000 USD in one order are defined as small quantity buyers, as this amount can only just reach the MOQ, of the factory, There part of buyers are usually business starters for goods import. They usually have no rich experience in importing from China.
What are ideal products for small wholesalers?
Small business importers usually have a limited budget for import, they will buy not more than 5,000 USD per order. so they must know what are the valuable products to import. below are some useful tips to consider for small-quantity buyers :
1. Lightweight and compact:
The shipping cost is always a problem for small quantity importers. as many times, the shipping cost will be even higher than the order cost. So Products that are small and lightweight will be more recommended, as they have lower shipping costs, which will be easy to start up for those buyers with limited investment.
2. High-value or high-margin products:
Products that have a high perceived value or high-profit margins can help offset the higher unit cost associated with small orders. The high-value products have also higher margin profit than low-value products. So the product sale price can easily and fast cover your cost.
3. Customizable or personalized products:
Suppliers may be more willing to produce small quantities of customized or personalized products, which can be a competitive advantage for small-quantity buyers.
4. Non-perishable and durable products:
Products that are not perishable and can withstand shipping and storage for longer periods of time are more suitable for small-quantity orders.
5. Products with low minimum order quantities:
Some suppliers offer low minimum order quantities, which can be a good option for small-quantity buyers.
6. Examples of products that may be suitable for small-quantity buyers include:
clothing, accessories, electronics, cosmetics, toys, and promotional items. However, it ultimately depends on the specific product, supplier, and order quantity.
Here below I also list the products that are suitable for small quantity buyers, these include promotional items, accessories., and electronics. Toys, and clothing
7. choose special products, instead of normal items
Generally speaking, those common items are much more difficult to sell, as these items will be bought by most customers. So in this sense, you will have more competition when importing from China, with the increasing competition in the selling market. Let’s just take industrial toilet paper as an example, actually, normal toilet papers are very common goods. and not only you, there are numerous people importing them for selling even with very low profit. So it will be hard to compete with them. That’s why you have to import some special industry goods. Such as a “non-slip handle shovel”. or light steel stainless farming shovels”.
Non-slip handle shovels a very popular products among our customers from Russia, and also African countries, as these shovels are used a lot in Russia for snow removal, in African Countries, such as Nigeria, and South Africa, the shovels are mostly used for mining, construction site . where the real working conditions are usually severe and tough. so a durable and easy-operation shovel is very helpful for workers.
Tips for finding the right Chinese suppliers for small quantity
Small quantity buyers usually find their suppliers online by Google search, which is the most efficient and convenient way, instead of coming to China physically to find a factory.
When in consideration of the air flight cost and hotel and all these traffic fees, it’s always better to look for the suppliers online, as you don’t have to spend a lot before starting your business, Then it’s not an easy task to find a supplier that can meet your need, which will still take a quite long time to talk with potential suppliers before you decide which is the one that fit you. So you may spend a long time looking for suppliers by visiting China, but if you have enough time and budget economically to come to visit China's wholesale market, here I will recommend you to read my guide TOP China Wholesale Markets for All Products.
Online B-to-B marketplace Alibaba
Whether you are a larger or smaller buyer, you can always find suppliers on Alibaba, which is a famous B-to-B marketplace in China, but remember if you are buying goods for less than 400 dollars per item, you might stop sourcing on Alibaba, As they have MOQ requirement that must be over 400 USD.
DHgate and Aliexpress
Then you have to ask for help on DHgate and Aliexpress. Both of them have lower MOQ requirements than Alibaba, Usually, DHgate is born for smaller quantity buyers who are tending to purchase quantity between Alibaba and Aliexpress. , Aliexpress is more like for retailers.
For both DHgate and Aliexpress, many buyers will have concerns if DHgate or Aliexpress is legit and safe to buy. just as my previous guide explained they are all safe. What you need to do is to know the tips to avoid problems.
How to Ship from China when buying small quantity order
Shipping method is always a big problem for small buyers, as you know sometimes the shipping cost will be even more expensive than the goods cost, so they have to give up importing from China. But anyway, there will be some common shipping ways that you can choose
International express and air freight
International express and air freight are two different shipping methods used for transporting goods from one place to another. International express shipping is faster and more reliable compared to air freight, but it is also more expensive. Air freight is suitable for large items and is often used for international shipping.
Consolidate cargo from different suppliers
Many of our overseas buyers will buy from different suppliers. You may place several bulk orders from different suppliers, So in this case you can choose to consolidate cargoes together and deliver in one shipment. In this way, you can save your shipping costs.
Let’s just take an example. if you import 4 different products from 4 different suppliers, if you send the order separately by express, you may spend more than consolidating them together for shipping. but if you consolidate orders together. You will need a person to help you consolidate different cargoes in China, our suggestion is to find a reliable forwarder that has their own warehouse. so you can store your finished bulk order in the warehouse, which is usually free of charge but many forwarders don’t have a warehouse. They just pick up your cargo from the supplier. And then send it to the shipping company to load in the container,
Your other option is to ask one reliable supplier and let other suppliers send all cargo to him, then ask your forwarder to pick up all orders in his warehouse for consolidation together.
The end
Import small quantities from China is an important step for many small buyers to start up their business, so you must consider it seriously and completely in the right way, Hope this article can help you out importing small quantities, and initiate well your business, BESTSUPPLIERS We are an experienced all-in-one sourcing company with years of experience in foreign trading, we are keen to serve you from product sourcing to import. Contact us right now for more suggestions.
