Like any business, problems surface in the importation business. Some problems are easy to solve while some may be too complex sometimes. It all depends on which type of problem an importer has. In this week’s article, we will discuss how to solve importation issues in your business.

First, it is important we highlight the common problems importers often face with their business. Problems are usually within these three categories. These are:

Sourcing problem- These are problems that have to do with sourcing for goods, such as not knowing where and how to source for quality goods online or offline.

Supplier problem- This could be a problem around supplies. E.g, fake suppliers, fake supplied goods, incomplete supplies etc.

Goods problem- These are problems based on the goods proper. Eg. Fake goods, incomplete goods or substandard quality goods.

Shipping problems- These are logistics problems around shipping such as incomplete documents, wrong shipping method, wrong packaging, mishandled shipping, damaged goods etc.

Payment problems- These are issues around payment, such as the inability to pay suppliers, paying the wrong person, high exchange rates etc.

From these categories, you’d observe that the solution clearly depends on the kind of problems the importer faces at any point in the business. Now that we’ve highlighted the major problems, let’s talk about the solution(s) to each of them.

1. Solution to Sourcing Problem

 Most sourcing problems emanate from not involving an intermediary procurement expert and trying to do it all alone. Even with the availability of mobile apps that have bridged the sourcing gap for importers, sometimes, it is still necessary to involve a procurement expert while doing so. 

You can never go wrong with working with a professional, hence, it is necessary to carry one along and let him/her help with the process of sourcing. Whether you are sourcing online or offline, it is important to involve a procurement expert to not only give advice but also save you the stress of handling it all alone. They can also help you to find the best sourcing options.

Other helpful resources for sourcing:

10 most common problems about sourcing from China you may not have known

5 qualities the best people in the sourcing industry have

8 best mobile apps for china importation business

2. Solution to Supplier Problems

Finding the right supplier is a major challenge and it is easy to get defrauded online considering that there are many fake suppliers out there ready to defraud unsuspecting importers. Again, a procurement expert can handle this for you by making sure they find the right supplier that can supply quality products for you. But what other alternatives are there when you can’t afford to hire a procurement agent? 

The best is to ensure you engage a verified supplier. A verified supplier is a supplier that has the right license and permit to manufacture and supply goods. Not all suppliers are licensed and not all have the right government permits. A lot of legit companies are being impersonated online by fake suppliers everyday. So seeing the logo and license number of the company online are not enough. You are required to go deeper in the research, if you want to engage the right supplier. 

Honestly, it takes days or even weeks to do this because you might have to surf the internet. It becomes harder because of the language barrier as verification and licenses are written in native Chinese language. The solution to working with verified suppliers is to engage a procurement agent that is experienced in dealing with Chinese suppliers. Many procurement experts already have established relationships with Chinese suppliers and it is easy to know who is fake and who is legit. Naiyuan Mart is registered in both China and Nigeria. We have territorial knowledge of the Chinese market and having procurement experts living in China is an added advantage you can enjoy as an importer. Talk to our procurement agent here

Another solution to the supplier problem is to get our verified suppliers list. This has the list of verified and licensed suppliers in major business industries in China. You will have access to different supplier contacts you can work directly with. Also inclusive, is a Alibaba verification guide that teaches you how to verify suppliers yourself. But this guide comes only as a bonus if you purchase the verified suppliers list. Find out more details on the verified suppliers list here.

Other helpful resources for supplier verification:

How to negotiate for better quality with Chinese suppliers

5 reasons you may not find some Chinese suppliers online

Before you buy your next product from China- a complete guide

3. Solution to goods problems

Sometimes the issues could be around the actual goods you want to import. Incomplete goods, substandard goods and warehousing or storage of goods. The solution to these problems is to engage a procurement officer that will help with quality control and inspection of goods. This will ensure that your goods are inspected before they leave the shores of China. Your procurement expert will inspect your goods and help you keep them safe for shipping. You can engage Naiyuan Mart Quality Assurance Agent here.

4. Solution to Shipping Problems

Sometimes, you must have crossed all hurdles but once your goods leave the shores of China, then you encounter problems with customs and immigration officers. The best solution to this is to engage the services of qualified freight forwarders to help you scale the hurdles of shipping problems.

Your freight forwarder will help you secure the right documents for shipping so your goods don’t get impounded by customs. He/she will also help with choosing the right shipping method for your goods so your goods don’t get damaged, lost, or stolen. In essence, once your freight forwarder takes over your shipping for you, you can be assured of the best shipping services and everything will be taken care of. At Naiyuan Mart, we offer dependable quality shipping for all kinds of goods. Find out more here.

Other helpful resources on shipping:

Difference between air freight and sea freight

How to ship your products from China to Nigeria easily

How to find the best freight forwarder in China

How to avoid damaged goods during shipping

5. Solution to Payment Problems

After you must have sourced a legit supplier, and negotiated the best price, the next thing is to pay right? Well, not everyone succeeds at this point. Many importers have paid the wrong person, some have also used the unrecognized payment procedure or medium. The best solution to this is to use a professional procurement agent to pay your suppliers. How this works is that you don’t even need to exchange in dollars or Chinese Yuan or RMB. For instance, you get to pay into the Naira bank account of Naiyuan mart here in Nigeria if you are a Nigerian importer, or the Ghanaian local bank account if you are in Ghana, while they pay your suppliers in RMB over there in China. This does not only save you the stress of looking for where to access RMB but also the risk of paying the wrong person. For more details about how Naiyuan Mart can help you with secured payments, check here.

How to survive high shipping rates and unstable exchange rates as an importer

Conclusion

Now that we have explained the 5 most common problems in the importation industry and how to solve them, we hope that you share this blog to help a business owners out there. Also, you can contact us for more information about our services.