rhkkmk

carol...can you tell me a little about how you have set up your import business...i call it a business, hope you don't mind...
i am interested in doing something similar with lower end jewerly from the jewerler i wrote about in my report...

i would personally carry, or have shipped by mail or usp or air express, anything that i bring in....

have you registered? how did you do that? what elese have you done??

or have you done nothing and are just doing it informally??

thanks...i look forward to your Feb report..

how much did the containers end up costing you and how close to chicago will they deliver them? or will they come to your house....?? did you have to have an expeditor here in usa??

bob

simpsonc510

Bob,
This new venture is all very informal for me! Until now, I've been hand carrying my items in my bags. I've never brought in more than a few hundred dollars worth of my inexpensive silk items, and have sold (cheap) to friends to make a little money for a sorority that does altruistic projects. It was not a money making proposition for me personally.

Since I just retired, I decided to buy a lot more stuff this time and try to help with my travel expenses, at least. My son was in the process of filling a container in Chiang Mai anyway, so my hubby and I contributed!

My family owns a business that does some importing/exporting already, so what we buy in Thailand just adds to our inventory. We have a regular business, with corp tax number, sales tax number, import/export licenses, customs broker in Chicago, etc. I'm guessing you wouldn't need all that!

How "big" do you plan to get with your low end jewelry? Will you open a store or anything like that? If so, you will need to set up your business and get all the proper tax numbers, etc. Or are you just interested in keeping it fun and informal, making a few dollars to help the cost of your trips, by selling at flea markets and selling to friends and acquaintances, or maybe on ebay or a website? If this is the case, you probably don't need to do much... maybe get a salestax number.. not sure if you need that?

Small containers cost several thousand dollars, plus you pay your shipper to inspect and pack each individual item that goes into the container. I doubt very much that you would be wanting or needing nearly that much space. You already have the shipping pretty well in hand, with air express, mail, or whatever.

I hope I've answered at least a few of your questions. Good luck with your jewelry venture. I say, keep it simple and informal!

Carol

rhkkmk

carol---thanks for the info...i just thought this would be another way for me to return to thailand more often...

i noted that your son and husband are regularily in thailand so this now explains why...i had thought it must be the sex and drugs....hahaha i am not interested in anything like what they do...

i thought that this jewerly is so lovely and relatively inexpensive that i could make a little business out of it and provide myself with some additional travel money and provide the clients with some lovely quality items at a relatively inexpensive price...i thought e-bay would be the vehicle...had not thought about flea markets...

i have not investigated how things work with customs or what is involved with this aspect...i do know that they look at things differently if they are brought in for personal use vs for re-sale...i thought that maybe you had done this as you were obviously shipping/carrying stuffs for re-sale on a small scale...

bob

divediva

message for Carol and other importers: is there a packing company and/or shipping company you recommend out of bangkok and chiangmai?
we are planning a 1st time buying trip in october, then we will be going back again in may. our shopping list includes jewelry,
clothing and silk material, bronze statues
and fountains (including buddahs) and tribe
crafts. we sell at our local swap meet and have found it is a great way to make extra money and it allows us to travel.
any suggestions for shopping and shipping
would be helpful

Kathie

diva, I hope you are aware that it requires a permit to take any Buddha image that is considered significant (i.e., old or exceptional in some way, not just a trinket) out of Thailand.

divediva

kathie.....i have seen posts about buddah images not being allowed for export. i am trying to figure out how to optain permits for
export....there is a large buddist community here and we hope to be able to bring 2 different statues. any suggestions?

Kathie

My suggestion: work with a reputable dealer in Bangkok. They will be able to tell you about the requirements and the paperwork and make the arrangements for you.