posted on December 13, 2000 07:59:18 AM
Hi again everyone! Question for you. I've found a wholesaler that I want to buy from but they are located in Turkey. I'm a little leery about buying from overseas, but the prices are great! They say I can fax them an order or order online (but I won't because the site's not secure) and that I can use my Visa (which I think protects me better if the deal goes sour, doesn't it?)
Okay, so is there anything else I need to worry about? They aren't charging me shipping, but are there duties or anything like that I need to think about? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
posted on December 13, 2000 09:03:00 AM
There are a lot of hoops for you to jump through. Don't go into the importing business without knowing the rules.
It will give you a lot of information. You MUST calculate the prices of the duty, etc. It may not be as much of a bargain as you think.
If you are buying for resale, you might need a broker. I checked with my state, and there were too many hoops to jump through, so I decided to just stick with US companies.
posted on December 13, 2000 01:22:39 PM
Don't let all of that discourage you! You may not be aware of it, but the US Government is chock full of experts and resources sitting around just waiting for someone to help -- just like you! Try your local branch of the the US Department of Commerce. They can use their embassy in Turkey to check ou tthis business for you to see if it is legit, what the deal is, set up great contacts for you and smooth the whole process along. Try it -- I sure did years ago and it was a terrific help.
posted on December 13, 2000 05:00:44 PM
Thanks for the advice. I called my local customs office, and they looked up the product for me. Turns out there is no duty on the product, and the manufacturer is paying shipping for me, so it looks like I might be set. Thanks again!
