Electronic Bookshelf/Electronic Bookshelf.iso/money/travel/import.txt

Text File | 1994-07-17 | 41KB | 736 lines

          How to be an importer...and pay for your world
          travel

               "How much?"
               "100 dirhams," answers the young boy, barely
          looking up from his work.
               You make a quick calculation in your head and
          determine that the cost of the hand-fashioned
          silver bracelet is about $10. The workmanship is
          exquisite, and you find it hard to believe that
          these young boys, no older than 8 or 9, are able to
          create such beautiful jewelry.
               "I'll give you 800 dirhams each," you respond.
          "And I would like to purchase 25 of them." The boy
          nods excitedly and turns to fetch the wooden box
          filled with finished bracelets that is sitting on
          the table behind him.
               You are wandering the dirt roads of downtown
          Tiznit, a tiny pink-walled city of Berbers situated
          along a caravan crossroads in southern Morocco.
          You've come in search of merchandise to ship back
          home and resell. You figure you can sell the
          bracelets back home for about $35 to $40 apiece.
          That's a profit of 300%.
               Not planning to visit Morocco any time soon?
          That's OK. You could buy furs in Finland. Finland
          is the world's biggest seller of farmed furs. The
          pieces are well-made and inexpensive.  So you can
          buy silver fox furs in Helsinki along the North
          Esplanade...and then resell them for a warm profit.
               These scenarios may sound exotic and far-
          fetched at first. But think again. Purchasing
          unusual and unique goods around the world, and then
          shipping them to other countries, where they can be
          sold for tremendous profits, is becoming
          increasingly common among travelers who want to see
          the world but who can't afford an endless vacation.
               Setting yourself up as a small-time importer
          is the next best thing. It allows you to satisfy
          your wanderlust while earning at least enough to
          pay for your trip. Plus, it makes all of your
          travel tax-deductible.

          One woman's story
               Kathleen Rozelle, an interior designer from
          Dallas, Texas, first thought of going into the
          international importing business when she and
          another designer were planning a trip to England to
          visit family. Once in London, they teamed up for a
          shopping spree. They shipped their treasures to
          Dallas, and then sold everything to clients and
          other designers. Within three years, the team made
          enough money to pay for the expenses of their trip
          (including transportation, accommodation,
          purchases, and shipping) -- and earned a $14,000
          profit.
               Confident after that success, Kathleen and her
          family teamed with two other designers for a three-
          week buying trip in France. They began their buying
          trip at the March aux Puces in Paris, which is open
          three days a week. The March Biron section of this
          enormous market is the place to search for
          antiques.
               Another place to shop in France is Rouen. All
          the shops here are retail; they are clustered near
          the cathedral and close from noon until 2 p.m.
               In the south, visit Biot, known for its hand-
          blown glass. (You'll have to pay more to have these
          fragile items packed and shipped.) Also visit
          L'Ile-Sur-La-Sorgue, where the antique shops are
          open only two days a week. At Moustiers-Saintes-
          Marie, an open-air market is set up every Friday in
          the main square. This region is known for its
          beautiful hand-painted dishes.
               What lessons can you learn from Kathleen's
          story?
               First, that you must begin by choosing a
          country where you'll feel comfortable doing
          business. England is a good first choice, because
          there is no language barrier. (Of course, you
          should also pick a country where you want to
          travel.)
               Second, study the market back home. Is there a
          demand for the items you plan to purchase? This is
          the most important consideration when deciding what
          exactly to import. The second thing to consider
          when choosing a product is personal experience.
          What do you know something about? What are you
          interested in shopping for?
               If you have a bit of experience with antiques
          (and if you love poking around in the dark and
          dusty corners of antique shops), then go with that.
          In this market, smaller pieces of furniture, such
          as chairs and end tables, and knick-knacks and art
          objects that aren't easily found back home are the
          best bets. (Small accessory pieces also make sense
          from the perspective of shipping. They can be
          stashed inside the larger pieces to conserve space
          in the freight container.) Always mix your
          purchases. On return buying trips, purchase what
          sold well last time, and then buy a few new items
          to test.

          The Peruvian sweater trade
               Antiques is an obvious market for small-time
          importers. But it is hardly the only market.
               Take Annie Hurlbut, for example. She imports
          alpaca sweaters hand-made in Cuzco, Peru. It all
          started as a birthday present for her mother.
               Annie, then a graduate student at the
          University of Illinois, was studying the market
          women in Peru. She spent her days at the
          marketplace in Cuzco, working with the Andean
          women, who make their living selling handmade
          tourist goods, especially  alpaca sweaters and
          ponchos.
               Annie planned to fly home to Kansas City for
          her mother's 50th birthday party -_ and she needed
          a gift. She chose a fur- trimmed alpaca sweater-
          coat made by one of the market women. The present
          was extremely well-received. In fact, Annie's
          mother and friends went so far as to suggest that
          Annie had stumbled upon a real opportunity. The
          Peruvian Connection was born.
               Annie continued her graduate studies, visiting
          Peru to do research, and then returning home with
          all the handmade sweaters she could carry. Her
          mother ran the business end of the company from her
          farm in Tonganoxie, Kansas. Their first customer
          was a local store, which placed a wholesale order
          for 40 garments.
               "When my mother told me we had an order for 40
          sweaters, I almost panicked. I couldn't even
          remember where I had bought the first one."
               Annie began running small space ads in the New
          Yorker and selling her sweaters across the country.
          She personally visited the owners of stores in New
          York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and California, asking
          if they'd like to carry her line.
               By this time, Annie had created her own
          design, patterned after what she'd found in Peru.
          She'd made the sweaters of the market women into a
          classic fashion product that appealed to upscale
          boutiques.
               The business really took off in 1979, when a
          reporter for The New York Times Style Section saw
          Annie's sweaters at the Fashion and Boutique Show
          in New York. Annie and The Peruvian Connection
          received front-page billing -- which brought in
          thousands of requests for catalogs.
               Annie has been running her import business for
          10 years. She spends part of each year at home in
          Kansas -- and the rest of the year in Peru. Not
          only does her business bring in enough money to pay
          for her regular trips to South America -- but it
          has grown into a big-time mail-order company that
          provides a living for both Annie and her mother.
               Annie has organized 25 cottage industries in
          Peru that work for her under contract. She works
          out the designs and patterns, and then hands over
          the production to the Peruvians. Everything is
          shipped by air to the United States.
               What words of advice does Annie have for
          anyone considering getting into the international
          import trade?
               First, don't try to handle the production and
          the marketing yourself. You end up spreading
          yourself -- and your money -- too thin.
               It's better to come up with a good product,
          something that no one else makes as well, and focus
          all your attention on the production. It's not that
          difficult (or costly) to set up the overseas
          production of a product. It's the marketing and
          advertising that can drain you. Sell yourself once
          to a backer, and then let him handle it from there.
               Annie's other piece of advice is that you
          should give a lot of thought to where you set up
          shop. Americans should think twice, she warns,
          before opening a home office for an international
          importing company in New York. This city is
          overwhelmed with shipments, and you can end up
          waiting a couple of weeks to see your merchandise.
          Things go much more quickly and smoothly in the
          Midwest, for example.
               Another thing to consider is customs
          regulations. However, Annie assures all would-be
          entrepreneurs that they won't have any problems
          with customs. Importers bring a lot of revenue into
          their home country and are generally treated well
          by their home governments.
               Nonetheless, you will have to pay import
          duties. In the United States, duty is generally
          about 20%, depending on the type of goods being
          imported.

          Cashing in on Brazil's mineral rush
               How much money do you need to go into the
          import business?
               Harvey and Michael Siegel, brothers born in
          Long Island, New York, did it with about $400.
               A boyhood fascination with rock and rubble led
          these  two to Brazil, where they filled their
          knapsack with $400 worth of agate ashtrays. This
          was the beginning of Aurora Mineral Corporation,
          which is now a leading wholesaler of semi-precious
          stone and mineral specimens, with a client list
          that includes the Harvard University Museum, the
          Smithsonian Institution, and H. Stern Jewelers.
               The brothers didn't fly down to Brazil with
          armloads of research, deep pockets, and a long list
          of connections. On the contrary, this was a seat-
          of-the-pants operation. The Siegels' cousin had
          traveled to Brazil for Carnival the year before,
          met a Brazilian girl, and decided to stay. He was
          their only connection in the country, and he agreed
          to act as their agent.
               Having a reliable agent can really make or
          break an import business. The agent's role is to
          screen products, accompany the importer on buying
          trips, consolidate orders from multiple suppliers,
          and arrange for a shipper to transport your
          merchandise back home. You can work without an
          agent -_ doing all the legwork yourself -_ but your
          job is made much easier if you have someone working
          with you.
               "It is invaluable to have someone on the spot
          to shop the market constantly," says Irving Viglor,
          a New York-based international trade consultant. An
          agent is independent and acts as an intermediary in
          a deal but does not take title to the merchandise.
          "Pay the agent a commission to protect your
          interest," warns Viglor. "Don't let the vendor pay
          the commission. And always check references."
               Aurora Mineral Corporation mines for its
          minerals (figuratively speaking) in the tiny towns
          of La Jeado and Salto Jaqui in Rio Grande do Sul,
          Brazil's pampas grasslands bordering Uruguay and
          Argentina. Actually, the local Brazilians do the
          mining. They dig for amethyst and agate with back
          hoes on land leased from farmers. The bounty is
          sold by the kilo from wood shacks.
               North of Rio Grande do Sul is the state of
          Minas Gerais, where quartz crystals, rose quartz,
          fossils, aquamarines, topazes, and uncut emeralds
          are mined. The finest quality pieces are purchased
          in their natural form and sold to museums or
          collectors at trade shows.
               In addition to the minerals themselves, the
          Siegels also import decorative pieces made of
          amethyst, agate, and quartz. The stones are carved
          into birds, grape clusters, coasters, spheres, book
          ends, ashtrays, and clock faces.
               These finished pieces are culled from one-
          person workshops and larger factory warehouses. "In
          Minas Gerais, unlike in the  south, you deal with
          many small suppliers. An agent is particularly
          important here," says Michael.
               The recent craze for quartz crystal, believed
          by some to have curative powers, has meant big
          business for Aurora Minerals. The World Prayer
          Center, a Buddhist house of worship in Maryland,
          mortgaged its real estate to pay for its collection
          of quartz crystal, which it purchased from Aurora
          Minerals

          Your Brazilian connections
               All Brazilian exporters are required to file
          annually with the Department of External Affairs in
          Brasilia. These records are accessible, free of
          charge, from the Brazilian Government Trade Bureau,
          551 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10176; [phone];
          fax [phone], or their offices in many major
          countries.  If you're interested in going into the
          import business in Brazil, it would be a good idea
          to review these records to find out something about
          the competition you'll be up against.
               In addition, the Brazilian Government Trade
          Bureau offers free consultations for anyone
          interested in doing business in Brazil. Other
          complimentary services include use of meeting
          rooms, conference calls with simultaneous
          translating services (you pay only for the
          telephone charges), assistance with travel
          arrangements to Brazil, and referrals for
          accountants, lawyers, and agents who are
          experienced with matters of import and export.
               The deputy director of finance for the trade
          bureau, Luiz de Athayda, can answer all your
          questions pertaining to the Brazilian economy,
          banking, and financial regulations. Contact him at
          the address given above. Or contact the trade
          bureau's office in Washington, D.C., [phone].
               The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce
          publishes a listing of trade opportunities for U.S.
          businesses in Brazil and vice versa. This
          international swap meet is part of a bilingual
          business newspaper called The Brazilians. To submit
          a listing (which is free of charge) or to reply to
          a posting, contact The Brazilian-American Chamber
          of Commerce, 42 W. 48th St., New York, NY 10036;
          [phone]; fax [phone]. To receive a copy
          of the newspaper itself, call The Brazilians,
          [phone] in New York or (55-21) 267-3898 in Rio
          de Janeiro.

          Choosing an import
               If you're intrigued by the idea of setting
          yourself up as an importer as a way of paying for
          your world travel, but you don't have an idea for
          what exactly to import, attend the Frankfurt
          International Fair. This exposition, held every
          August, is known as the Cannes Festival of Consumer
          Goods. It is the best place in the world to preview
          the latest European trends. Among the exhibits are
          clocks, tableware, home accessories, lighting
          fixtures, giftware, housewares, arts, and
          handicrafts. For more information on this year's
          festival, contact Messe Frankfurt Office, Ludwig-
          Erhard Anlage 1, 6000 Frankfurt am Main 1, Germany;
          tel. [phone].
               If you can't make it to this annual fair, you
          surely can make it to one of the other 16
          internationally renowned trade fairs held each year
          in Frankfurt, which has become a mecca for
          international importers. For a calendar of the
          fairs and more information on how to make
          arrangements to attend, contact Philippe Hans,
          Frankfurt Fair Representative, German American
          Chamber of Commerce, 666 Fifth Ave., New York, NY
          10103;  [phone].
               And remember, if you attend any of these fairs
          to do research for your import business, all the
          costs of the trip are tax-deductible.
               A publication that has provided many product
          sources since 1963 is Worldwide Business Exchange, a
          monthly newsletter with hundreds upon hundreds of
          leads, contacts, sources, and resources every month.
          It covers not only import sources, but also business
          financing, channels of distribution, franchises, new
          products, finder's fees, mergers & acquisitions,
          venture capital, joint ventures, partnerships and more.
          A one year subscription is $48 from Phlander Company,
          Dept. 70197, P. O. Box 5385, Cleveland TN 37320.  New
          subscribers can try it for 6 months for $27.


          The value of a home-grown import
               The import companies that prove most
          successful are those that grow out of a native
          cottage industry whose product is considered exotic
          or rare back home. That's why  Annie Hurlbut's
          import business is booming. She discovered a
          cottage industry that was already thriving in
          Peru -- and then transported the fruits of that
          industry back home to the United States, where
          alpaca sweaters handmade in Indian designs are
          valued -- and not easy to come by.
               An idea for a similar import is handmade
          cotton clothing from Guatemala. The colorful and
          comfortable shirts and skirts being made here can
          be bought for virtually nothing -- and then shipped
          back home, where young girls are willing to spend a
          pretty penny on these fashion statements. We know
          of a couple, living in Maryland, who travel to
          Guatemala several times a year to purchase the
          handmade clothing, and then ship the pieces to the
          United States for resale. Like Annie Hurlbut, this
          couple is not only able to travel to their favorite
          South American country three or four times a year
          free -- but they are also making a comfortable
          living off of the profits of their small import
          company.
               The ideas are virtually limitless...handmade
          Mexican blankets, which can be purchased anywhere
          in Mexico for a few dollars and then resold in the
          United States for $30 or $35...brass pots from
          Morocco, which can be purchased in any shop or from
          any street vendor for about $15; these can be
          sold in the United States for at least twice
          that...tiny wooden boxes from Uruguay, useful as
          decorative objects or for storing jewelry; these
          sell for $5 or $6 in nearly every gift shop in
          Montevideo and can easily be resold in the United
          States for $10 or $15...  Similar deals can be
          made between any two countries.
               Where do you want to go? Which country of the
          world are you interested in exploring? That should
          be the primary determining factor when trying to
          decide on an import. Remember, the whole idea is to
          use the import business as a way of paying for your
          travel.

          An unusual suggestion for the importer in Sulawesi
               In Sulawesi, Indonesia, craftsmen make
          traditional wooden sailing boats using methods
          little changed from those used hundreds of years
          ago. These boats, built without hand tools and
          without electricity, come minus an engine, and they
          have two huge steering oars instead of a rudder.
               Known as an Indonesian pinisi, a boat of this
          type is a cross between a junk and a 16th-century
          galleon. The pinisi was once the sailing ship of
          choice among the fierce Bugis pirates, who ravaged
          the islands of Indonesia and conquered much of
          mainland Malaysia.
               It is possible to buy one of these boats for
          as little as $5,000 or $10,000. Of course, you
          must travel to Ujung Pandang, the capital of
          Sulawesi, to do so. But that's where the adventure
          begins.
               Once in Ujung Pandang, your first job is to
          find a reliable agent, who speaks the language and
          who knows something about building a pinisi. One
          agent we can recommend is a Mr. Rustum, who can be
          contacted at Jalan 302/10, Ujung  Pandang,
          Sulawesi, Indonesia.
               But perhaps the most helpful person in the
          traditional boat trade in Sulawesi is a Yugoslavian
          sailor named Ivo Rebic. Ivo speaks fluent English
          and Indonesian and has spent  two years researching
          traditional wooden boat building. He is your best
          bet for reliable and enthusiastic local assistance.
          Contact him in care of Evie Rumagit, Jalan Sumba
          86/9, Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
               Once you have found an agent, the next step is
          to find a competent builder. The biggest boat
          building center in Sulawesi is Tana Beru. At any
          given time, there are 50 boats being built along
          the palm-lined beach of this seaside village.
               One of the most respected builders in this
          area is Usman Hasan, an Indonesian Chinese who has
          the most Western-style approach to the boat-
          building business of anyone in Tana Beru. You can
          contact him at Jalan Tokambang 072, Bulukumba, Tana
          Beru, Indonesia.
               Now, you may be thinking, that all sounds
          intriguing, but why in the world would I want to
          buy an Indonesian pinisi?
               First, it is a wonderful excuse to travel to
          exotic Indonesia and have the adventure of a
          lifetime.
               But more than that, investing the time and
          money in building a pinisi in Sulawesi makes it
          possible for you to see Indonesia free.
               Before you take off for Sulawesi, contact
          marinas and boat clubs in your area. Put up notices
          on the club bulletin boards explaining what you're
          planning to do. If you're lucky, you may be able to
          arrange for a buyer -- or a sponsor -- before you
          depart for your trip. But at the very least, you'll
          build interest in your venture.
               Once your boat has been built and shipped back
          home, contact all those marinas and boat clubs
          again. And place small ads in boating magazines and
          newsletters offering your rare and authentic
          Indonesian pinisi for sale -- for several times
          what you paid for it. You should have no trouble
          finding a buyer -- these boats are beautiful and
          truly exotic in any other part of the world. Any
          boat lover anywhere would be thrilled at the
          opportunity to own one -- and probably more than
          happy to pay enough to cover all the costs of your
          trip to Indonesia.

          Buy a Chinese junk
               Years ago, the harbor at Hong Kong was filled
          with Chinese junks. These flat-bottomed, high-
          sterned sailing vessels with square bows and masts
          carrying lug-sails served as floating homes for
          thousands of the island's residents. Today, these
          traditional junks are disappearing from the harbor.
          They are inconvenient and uncomfortable places to
          live. And few new junks are being built.
               But that is not to say it is no longer
          possible to buy a junk. You can get one for as
          little as $8,000 or $10,000. They are listed
          for sale in the classified sections of local
          newspapers.
               This gave us an idea. You could travel to Hong
          Kong, purchase an old junk, and then go on an
          extravagant shopping spree in the myriad antique
          shops that line the streets of this city. Oriental
          carpets. Porcelain and marble statuary. Centuries-
          old Chinese vases. Jewelry. Carved wooden boxes.
               Then you could pack up all your Chinese
          treasures, stash  them in the holds of your Chinese
          junk, and have your junk loaded on to a huge ocean
          freighter and shipped back home.
               While your treasure chest is crossing the sea,
          contact the local media of the city where the ship
          will land. Send out press releases. Alert everyone
          in the area that an authentic Chinese junk, filled
          with valuable Chinese antiques, will be landing in
          the city's harbor. Make it a gala event.
               All the press coverage of the junk's arrival
          will help you sell the treasures it contains. You
          should make enough to pay not only for the antiques
          you shipped home, but also for your adventure in
          Hong Kong.
               What do you do with the junk? Well, you may
          decide to keep it -- you'd surely be the only one
          on your block to own one. Or you could sell it. A
          Chinese junk is a rare and valuable thing outside
          its home country. You could sell one back home for
          several times what you paid for it in Hong Kong.
               The real wealth angle here, however, is not
          buying a Chinese junk.  It's using your imagination
          to unlock profits that no one else ever thought of.
          Ultimately, your imagination -- along with your
          patience and energy -- is the key to your fortune.

          Before you buy anything...
               You can simply take off for parts unknown,
          with several hundred dollars cash (or traveler's
          checks) in your money belt, and buy up a few dozen
          of whatever strikes your fancy and you believe will
          sell well (and for a premium price) back home. It
          really could be that simple.
               But taking off blind can also be a bit risky.
          Better to do a bit of homework first.
               Begin by reading everything you can get your
          hands on about the country where you want to
          travel. What do the local craftsmen make there?
          What do they make it out of? Where can you buy it?
          How much will it cost? Will it ship easily?
               A good first contact is the embassy or tourist
          board for the country where you'll be shopping.
          Representatives at these offices should be able to
          provide you with some of this information over the
          phone; most are natives of the country they are
          representing.
               Also ask a staff member at the tourist board
          for a listing of department stores or specialty
          shops in your area that carry handicrafts or other
          goods imported from his home country. Then go to
          see for yourself what is being sold, for how much,
          and to whom.
               It is also a good idea to introduce yourself
          to the owners, managers, or buyers of a few shops
          in your area. Tell them about your shopping trip
          and your plans for importing goods back home. Ask
          what they would be interested in carrying and what
          prices they would charge. (Remember, most retail
          outlets mark prices up 100%.) You might even get an
          order before you leave.
               The other things to investigate before you
          take off on your grand shopping adventure are
          customs and rates of duty in your country.  Explain
          to your local customs service what you are planning
          to import and to where and ask that you be sent all
          relevant information on clearing customs and paying
          the appropriate duties.


          Setting a price
               Don't wait until you've returned home,
          suitcases full of silver bracelets and brass pots,
          to determine prices for all of your exotic
          treasures. If you leave all of this to chance, you
          may be in for a very unpleasant surprise.
               Instead, do a bit of arithmetic before you
          even get on the plane.
               Start with the purchase price. What do you
          think you'll have to pay for whatever it is you
          plan to buy? Add the expected costs of shipping and
          duty. This gives you your total cost. Double it,
          and you have the cost you can charge the retail
          outlets you do business with. Double it again, and
          you have the cost the retail outlets will charge
          their customers.
               Say you plan to buy wool blankets in Mexico
          for $8 each. You know the cost of shipping each
          blanket will be $1, and the cost of duty will be
          $2. That's a total of $11. Double this to get
          $22, the cost you should charge when selling your
          blankets to a retail outlet. Double that again, to
          get $44 -- that is the cost to the consumer. Is
          the blanket worth $44? Is it worth more than
          $44? Consider the market. What else is available?
          How much is it selling for? Who is buying it?
               If the total cost to the consumer you come up
          with sounds like too much -- or too little -- make
          adjustments one way or the other. In the case of
          the Mexican blanket, for example, $44 is a bit
          high. The retail outlet may only be able to sell
          the blankets for $35 apiece. Thus, you can only
          sell them for $17.50 apiece. This means that the
          most you can pay is $5.75. It's possible to buy
          blankets in Mexico for $5.75 apiece -- if you buy
          a dozen or more at one time, and if you know how to
          haggle. If, however, once you get to Mexico, you
          find that you just can't find the blankets you want
          for the price you can afford, reconsider. Maybe you
          ought to be shopping for silver earrings instead.
               Remember also that the whole purpose of
          importing the goods in the first place is to pay
          for your trip. So, once you've arrived at a price,
          determine how much you will make if you sell all of
          the merchandise you have imported back home. Make
          sure you'll come out ahead -- or at least even. If
          not, reconsider, both the pricing and the
          merchandise you're importing.

          The shipping factor
               One of the most important considerations for
          anyone in the import business is shipping.
               The shipper you deal with is responsible for
          picking up your purchases at the shop, packing
          them, and shipping them back home for you in 20-
          foot containers. With some shippers, you can
          arrange for a split-container. This way, the
          shipper doesn't send the merchandise until he has
          enough going to your city to fill the entire
          container. Shipping costs about 15% of the value of
          the merchandise when a full container is sent;
          about 25% or more when a partially filled container
          is shipped.
               The shipper should provide you with stickers
          (one is attached to every item being shipped), a
          shipper booklet (in which you record the merchant's
          name, the agreed-upon-price, your company name, and
          a description of the item), and the name of a
          driver, if you need one. (If English is not spoken
          in the country where you're shopping, you'll need a
          driver to help you find the markets and to
          negotiate with the merchants. A driver can be
          expensive -- as much as $75 a day. But this is a
          worthwhile investment.)
               How can you find a competent and reliable
          shipper? Two good places to try are your embassy in
          the country where you will be shopping and the
          local chamber of commerce office.

          Tricks of the trade
               Always carry a Polaroid camera, a 35mm camera,
          and lots of film with you when shopping for
          merchandise to ship home. Take two pictures of
          every item purchased, one Polaroid and one 35mm.
          Keep two ledgers: one that lists prospects, another
          that lists actual purchases. This way, if you're
          unsure of something, you can easily go back to buy
          it later -- you've got a record of where to find it.
               Europe does not have the same type of
          wholesale market, but they do have large
          wholesalers.  They may not be willing to deal with
          an individual, which is one good reason to form a
          company first. But if you tell merchants that you
          are buying for export, they'll usually give you a
          15% to 20% discount.
               In some countries of Europe, especially
          France, the entire country goes on holiday at the
          same time. In France, it is the month of August.
          Plan your buying sprees around these holidays.
               Always keep all of your invoices and receipts.
          If your merchandise doesn't arrive as expected --
          or if you have to prove the value of your goods to
          a customs official -- you  will be lost if you've
          accidentally thrown away your documentation.

          What governments won't allow you to import
               Many countries have passed stringent laws
          against importing many of Mother Nature's souvenirs
          from foreign countries, and many of these types of
          products are protected by international treaties.
          These laws have been established to protect
          endangered animal species. Certain plant species
          are also outlawed as imports. If you ignore the
          regulations and try to import two dozen pairs of
          Brazilian alligator pumps (because you're sure you
          can sell them back home for a 200% profit, and you
          simply can't resist the opportunity), you risk
          having your booty snatched. You may even be hit
          with a hefty fine.  So check the regulations of
          your destination country carefully.



          Sell American...And make a fortune doing it!
               What would happen if, in your business, all
          you did was "buy" from yourself?
               You wouldn't make very much money, would you?
               Think about it!  That's exactly what this
          country would be doing if we only "Buy American."
               Every time we sell an American made product in
          the international marketplace, those dollars come
          back into the U.S. economy, increasing profits,
          creating jobs, making America stronger.  80% to 85%
          of U.S. businesses don't export.
               But American products are in demand.  Amway
          recently went into Mexico, expecting $3 to $4 million
          in sales the first year.  Instead they hit $15 million
          in sales the first year and $50 million the second
          year, and said that they have never seen such strong
          demand for American products in any of the more than
          20 countries they are now in.
               Yet it seems that when someone thinks about
          getting into international trade, they decide to import
          instead of export.  Actually, exporting is just as easy
          as, maybe even easier than, importing.  Besides, as an
          importer, you have to buy things to sell here...that
          takes money.  But, as an exporter, you are selling
          things overseas...which doesn't take much money at all.
               As a matter of fact, you can actually start your
          own export business for a couple hundred dollars.  Your
          very first order could easily return your investment
          ten-fold or more.  There are thousands upon thousands
          of products you can start exporting tomorrow!  Most of
          the books and courses on exporting being offered today
          are theoretical, not practical.  In reality, selling
          overseas is no more difficult than a company in New
          York selling & shipping a product to a buyer in
          California.
               A most useful complete startup is a new manual
          called "Sell American", available for $104.95 postpaid
          from Phlander Company, Dept. 70197, P. O. Box 5385,
          Cleveland TN 37320.   Or they'll send you a free
          brochure describing the book in more detail.  Once you
          finish reading "Sell American" you can export U.S. made
          products simply and easily, and start earning your
          fortune in the international marketplace.
               With the end of the cold war, unification of
          Europe, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and free trade
          agreements being established in the Americas, every
          entrepreneur should now recall the words of Thomas
          Jefferson -- "A merchant, by his very nature is a
          citizen of the world."  While the governments discuss
          the issues of world trade, it is up to us as merchants
          (entrepreneurs) to meet the challenge head-on with
          action, instead of talk.  As an American entrepreneur,
          you should make it your responsibility to "Sell
          American."