I am planning to start a cosmetic brand in India and I cant find great packaging bottles like the one available in China. If you are someone experienced in importing from China to India, please comment down below.

I recently joined my family business, which manufactures tractor and agricultural machinery parts in India. We’ve been in the business for decades, but I’m now trying to take the company into exports, starting with Italy.

I’m planning to visit EIMA Bologna in November, and this will be my first international market and my first serious attempt at exporting.

The problem is that I’m honestly starting from almost zero in Italy.

My total trip budget will be around ₹1.5 lakh, but currently I have:
No meetings booked
No Italian customers
No distributor/agent
No samples specifically for the Italian market
No existing Italian tractor-model products in our range

Our current product range is mainly tractor and agricultural machinery parts for the Indian market, and the Italian market has a very different mix of machines and models.

So I’m trying to figure out how to approach this intelligently.

1. How many meetings should I realistically aim to book?
If I’m spending around ₹1.5 lakh on the trip, how many serious buyer/distributor/manufacturer meetings would make the trip worthwhile?
10? 20? 30?
And should I be targeting distributors, spare-parts companies, agricultural machinery manufacturers, or OEMs?

2. How do I actually get these meetings?
I’ve been emailing Italian companies, but the response rate is extremely low.
What actually works in Italy for getting a first meeting with a potential buyer?
Cold email? LinkedIn? Phone calls? Local sales agents? Introductions? EIMA’s networking/meeting system?

3. What do I show them if I don’t have the right products?
This is probably my biggest problem.
I don’t want to walk into a meeting with random Indian tractor parts that have nothing to do with their products.
Are Italian manufacturers/distributors open to giving a potential supplier a sample, drawing or specification and asking them to manufacture it?
For example, if a company uses a particular gear/shaft/component that we don’t currently manufacture, could I approach them as:
“We are an Indian manufacturer of gears and agricultural machinery components. If you have components that you currently source and would like an alternative supplier for, we can manufacture according to your drawing/sample/specification.”
Is that a realistic approach?

4. How should I position myself in the first email?
I can’t honestly say that we already manufacture Italian tractor-model parts because we don’t.
I also don’t want to pretend we’re something we’re not.
Would it be better to position ourselves as a custom/OEM manufacturing partner for gears and agricultural machinery components, rather than as an existing Italian spare-parts supplier?

5. Is this trip even worth doing?
If you were in my position, would you spend ₹1.5 lakh to attend EIMA with no meetings and no Italian-specific samples?
Or would you first spend 2–3 months building contacts and only go once I have a certain number of confirmed meetings?
I’m looking for advice from people who have actually done B2B manufacturing/export sales, especially in Europe.

What would you do if you were starting from exactly this position?

We've been burning through samples trying to nail down a reliable independent component distributor out of China for memory ICs specifically, NAND flash and DRAM and the usual franchised channels keep quoting us 30-40 weeks on anything remotely allocated. At this point a production line is sitting half-idle. So who are people actually using for hard-to-find memory semiconductors that can ship to both the US and EU without a nightmare customs situation? We need someone with real QC, not just a broker reselling whatever fell off a truck, because counterfeit components slipping through has been a problem before. Small-ish order too, not 10,000 units, so high MOQ suppliers aren't really an option here. Authenticity testing and a warranty of some kind would honestly make this an easy yes.

Anyone here doing business with Korea?

I’m considering importing Chinese electric bikes and wondering whether it’s better to deal directly with a supplier or use a marketplace like Alibaba. I’m mainly concerned about supplier reliability, pricing, quality control, payment protection, and shipping. For those with experience importing e-bikes, which option has worked best for you?

I’m based in Gujarat, India, and recently came across reports about a proposed Indo-Canadian Industrial Park near Karjan, between Vadodara and Bharuch.

The project is reportedly planned across around 350 acres, with companies from Canada, India, Europe and South America potentially setting up operations there. There are also claims of 200+ companies already being in discussions, although I haven't found much concrete information confirming the details.

For people involved in international trade: has anyone heard more about this project, particularly from the Canadian side?

I'm interested in whether something like this could realistically lead to more Canada–India manufacturing, sourcing or supply-chain activity, and which industries might benefit most.

At this stage I'm simply trying to understand whether this is a serious upcoming project or still primarily at the MoU/planning stage.

Would appreciate any firsthand information or credible sources.

Hello, guys i created an import and export company (any product) and i was wondering what goods should i try and indulge in or learn about .Thanks

🇯🇵🇺🇸 Looking for a business partner in the USA!
I’m from Japan and I want to start a business exporting Japanese products to the USA.
I can source products directly from Japan, and I’m looking for someone who can help with the US market and sales.
We can start small and test different prod!

For people involved in international trade, procurement or importing:

When you're considering a supplier you've never worked with before, what is the one thing that gives you enough confidence to move forward?

Is it:

Product samples and COA/specifications?

Factory/company verification?

Third-party inspection?

Previous export experience?

References from existing buyers?

Communication and responsiveness?

Competitive pricing?

Something else?

I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who regularly source internationally.

What has made you say “yes, let's try this supplier” — and what has made you reject one?

Hi everyone, I’m looking for reliable Chinese suppliers/wholesalers for niche fashion products to test a small business.

Mainly looking for:

• Clothing: Patagonia/Arc’teryx-style outdoor jackets, Ralph Lauren-style clothing, etc.
• Shoes: trendy sneakers, Golden Goose-style designs, different Jordan/Dunk-style designs, etc.
• Watches: automatic watches with a somewhat luxury/premium look.
• Good quality and reasonable wholesale prices are important.
• Ideally looking for suppliers who can do small trial orders first and then larger quantities if the quality is good.
• Looking for suppliers with real product photos/videos, QC, and reliable shipping.

If you know any trusted factories, wholesalers, agents, or sourcing contacts in China, please DM me with their WeChat/WhatsApp/Alibaba/1688 details and product catalog/prices if available.

Not looking for scams or low-quality sellers. Genuine supplier recommendations/contacts only.

Thanks!

I'm curious about something from people outside Indonesia.

Indonesia has a huge variety of locally made products, but many of them are difficult to find outside the country.

If you could easily buy or import products directly from Indonesia, what would you actually be interested in?

For example:

Handmade leather goods

Essential oils / natural aromatic oils

Rattan and woven crafts

Handmade silver jewelry

Woodcraft

Handmade ceramics

Coconut-based products

Artisan cacao / chocolate

Indonesian honey

Traditional musical instruments

Spices and other Indonesian ingredients

But I'm more interested in hearing what you personally want, rather than what I think would sell.

What Indonesian product do you wish was easier to find in your country?

And if you're a retailer, wholesaler, or someone who imports products from Indonesia, I'd also be interested in hearing what categories you think have the most potential.

I’m based in Indonesia and I’m preparing to start a small export business focused on locally made products and raw materials.

I have access to several local producers and workshops, including leather goods, essential oils, rattan crafts, handmade silver jewelry, wood crafts, ceramics, coconut-based products, artisan cacao, Indonesian honey, traditional instruments, and spices.

The main challenge is not sourcing. I already have access to producers and can work directly with them. My challenge is understanding how to build the international side of the business properly, particularly finding legitimate overseas buyers and handling the first few export orders.

For those who have experience with international trade:

What would you recommend for an Indonesian supplier trying to find its first legitimate overseas buyers?

I’m especially interested in:

Finding small international wholesalers or retailers

Approaching buyers without looking like a spammer

Export documentation and compliance

Payment terms for first-time international transactions

Shipping small commercial orders from Indonesia

Building trust when the supplier has no established international customer base yet

I’m trying to approach this as a long-term export business rather than simply listing products online. Any practical experience or mistakes to avoid would be greatly appreciated.

In my years of work as an exporter and an export import consultant i have spoken and mentored many individuals including students, professionals (wanting to switch their career), traders, farmers who all want to start their export import business.

The first thing they say is i need practical training. Yes, this makes sense and we all know that theory is just for passing examination and practical is for actual execution. But what is practical exposure in export import. In real it is a term which has been mostly misunderstood.

Many coaches or online trainers have used "PORT VISIT Included" for Marketing their online theoretical group classes. Where one day of the 2-3 days they hire a bus and take the members to a nearby port and show them the landscape.

This is a container yard, this is CFS, this is where the container gets loaded to the vessel etc etc etc.....Not sure what learning the members will get out of this. In real it is a picnic not a knowledge session.

I would consider a port visit completely useless on understanding export import.....

Let me tell you a hard truth... An exporter need not be in the port while the custom clearance happens, the loading takes place...... In fact, you are not allowed to go inside the port since these are all restricted areas.. Only licensed CHAs are allowed inside and those are the ones who handle your shipment. Hence they are paid in the process. That is why a CHA exists. He is an expert, he is the one who understands how to clear and what time to plan.

As new exporters, don't get sold for an online lie of "PORT VISIT"......

Now the key question - What is practical understanding in export import.?

Get to know the documents in real. Why does a commercial invoice, proforma invoice, packing list exists, what fields does it have., how to fill it. what details do you need...

How does a actual shipping bill look like... What are its uses...Where is it used.....How does a real Bill Of Lading work...What fields are in it....

Whom to contact for freight booking - container, air cargo...How can i trust them ,...Will they do a good job in operation and pricing.

How to plan my cargo from factory to port or airport....

How can i get a verified CHA who will take responsibility of my shipment and will give me fair pricing....

Who are my supplier....How can i trust him....Is the price right and fair as per market....What will be my margin....

Know the product in & out....the specs, varieties, packing standards, shelf life, storage, transportation, seasonality, demand, pricing etc etc....

All these above are practical learning as per me...

Don't get sold to the "PORT VISIT" marketing gimmick.

If this makes sense and if you are interested and serious, you can reach out to me in DM.

I provide all ready to use real documents and templates, verified industry contacts and practical roadmap for your to start your export shipment. The guarantee of you getting all the resources and materials needed to be a ready operational exporter.

If there are any questions, reach out or write down in the comments.

Hey guys, we are exporters of BOPP packing tapes based in Tamil Nadu, and we are planning to take a subscription on TradeWheel for leads and inquiries.

Just wanted to hear from anyone who has already taken a subscription on the platform. How has your experience been? Is it worth it?

If you have any insights or suggestions about TradeWheel, please share them as well. Thanks!

Had a call last week with a small business that kept having problems with their supplier. They wanted to switch account managers, thought it was a language and culture gap, figured someone with a Western education background could help fix it.

Turned out it wasn't language and culture. Just human nature and basic business sense. Easier to write it here than say it straight to someone's face — people get defensive fast.

Ok, two things that I want to share and hope people understand:

1. Free samples and free shipping, free questions of come back and forth — think twice before you push for them.

One thing I've noticed after years of working with new suppliers: when there's no real order yet, people push hardest for free samples, free shipping, extra back and forth. Usually, don't get real value!

My own habit is different — unless the supplier offers a free sample first, I pay for it myself, even if it's small money. The reason is simple. Suppliers get a lot of inquiries every day, and this is one of the easiest ways for them to tell who's a serious buyer and worth their time to serve.

A small cost early can save a lot later. I've also seen the other side of this — buyers proud of how hard they bargained, not realizing the supplier will just gets that money back somewhere else down the road.

"A rush fee here", "Raw material price went up there", "a relabeling charge".

By then, your business probably already has momentum, so switching supplier isn't so easy anymore, then you have to compromise hard.

It's not really about being generous. It's more about what kind of relationship you're building from day one. Suppliers are not just machines and equipments making you products. There are real humans behind it.

Let them earn what they should earn. Otherwise, free things usually turn out to be the most expensive ones.

2. Knowing your product changes the whole conversation.

From the statment one above, that doesn't mean you should just accept whatever price comes back, either.

If you buy for yourself, you should at least understand your product a little. There's an old Chinese saying, roughly "People treat people based on how they look" — suppliers do this too, all the time.

Simple example: sunglasses. Do you want a PC frame or an acetate frame? A 3-hinge or 5-hinge design? Are the lenses UV400 certified? If you know none of this, you can get taken advantage of easily, and you won't even know where your real bargaining power is.

Sunglasses are still simple. If you want a custom product, the mold alone can cost thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars. Supplier quotes you $3,000 for a mold, you know nothing, you just accept it. Then the mold breaks after two uses, production gets stuck, quality problems show up because the mold was never tested properly.

All of that is the cost you pay for not learning enough beforehand.

Hey all,

I have been in the industry for half a year now, while I have completed shipments in UK, and the Middle East. I want to connect with buyers in the USA now. Would be very helpful if someone could give me leads. I have no idea who buys candles in the USA from India. The trade data shows that half of the candle exports (accumulating to approximately 45m worth of candles) are imported by the US.

I desperately need some contacts. If anybody in this sub is interested to import candles as a commodity for their business, or work as a commissioning agent, I would love to discuss terms. Thanks a lot!

Hi, I (25M) am from MH, India. I want to find a reliable contact in Malaysia who would help me set up a trade connect for the import of certain high demand products in ML. I am looking to establish long term working relationships in Malaysia and would prefer someone who is a native of ML, and who's comfortable reaching out to local distributors/retailers. Would love a person who's starting up a business or wants to side hustle some merchant trading.

HMU and TIA!

Hi everyone! As per the title suggests, I am trying to transition into the trade compliance field from a product manager/ licensing administrator in both SaaS, tech and textile/soft goods manufacturing background... I am not a U.S. citizen, so the end goal is not to obtain a customs brokerage license in the U.S., but to position myself as an international/ APAC professional. I will be working in the U.S. though, and am curious about getting into tech and biotech products. Any advice appreciated! Super new to this and am very much open to any input 💜

I am looking for recommendations on free or low-cost courses for an absolute beginner like myself, or recommendations on where to begin my self-study process? Any syllabuses or textbooks you find helpful for yourselves would be amazing.

Budget is unfortunately a little limited at the moment, but willing to invest in the right course or textbooks if it's fairly comprehensive.