sourcing a supplier/ foreign transfer charges

heather_helo

ive had a bit of a business idea,
and to do so i need to find a supplier!! i want to sell seeds but the ones i want to sell are a bit exotic, and will have to come from china. (dont worry im not taking on the big boys - ive just found a small niche in the market and want to try and make a go of it)

the problem:
1: i have never dealt with foreign suppliers and im having problems finding one online - whats the best place to start to find a foreign supplier (i dont expect to be given a suppliers name - just an idea where to look.)

2: whats the best /cheapest way to pay suppliers from abroad - what banks give the best rate (lease amount of charges) - i have yet to set up a bank account - and this will have a big influence on the account i choose.

3: whats the cheapest/best software to run an online shop including card payment - paypal is the obvious but to take card payments what is the best way to go - sage pay or others?

as u can tell i have not got much of an online presence at yet and i am a fledgling entrepreneur - so any help welcome

thank you

heather xx

paulwf

How many of these packets of seeds will you sell i.e. is it worth the hassle? It sounds like a great add on product but not sure it is worth it on its own.

I would suggest not trying to run before you can walk. How about selling some seeds from established UK suppliers so you can sort out all the sales logistics before giving yourself the complication of sourcing from China?

heather_helo

i have thought about that but the market is saturated and the profit margins are not grate,
established websites/businesses already have the buying power that i would have to build up after time, i will be offering the normal seeds aswell to help fill out my online shop and to encourage business - but i want to specialize in this "product" as its a passion of mine.

soolin

The best wholesale sources are found by word of mouth or by going to the source and visiting trade fairs. You need to be able to trust your supplier from the outset as most Far East suppliers rely on bank transfers, and of course you get no protection at all if you have chosen a dodgy supplier.

When you do your 'back of an envelope' calculations, remember to factor in not only the uK tax payable on profits but also the import duty and handling charges that you will get when you ship the products in. One other thing, and ths might be a daft comment but I don't know the market at all that you are aiming for, are there any import restrictions on seeds into the UK as I am aware that some other countries do ban live seeds.

paulwf

heather_helo wrote: »

i have thought about that but the market is saturated and the profit margins are not grate,
established websites/businesses already have the buying power that i would have to build up after time, i will be offering the normal seeds aswell to help fill out my online shop and to encourage business - but i want to specialize in this "product" as its a passion of mine.

I understand what you're saying and agree long term if you want to sell online sourcing product direct is the way to go. I just wondered if even if you just broke even if it was worth selling something easy to source to test the water?

paddyrg

I will advise extreme caution importing seeds - they could be carrying all kinds of diseases which could damage local agricultural balance, or have other unforseen effects. For instance...

Japanese Knotweed now runs rampant in places and is tough to kill. Also russian ivy. These started as home decorative plants that went feral. The introduction of rabbits to Australia caused huge problems, grey squirrels wiped out the indigenous reds over here, there are so many instances of unforseen consequences.

And how about toxicity? There may be a steep moral if not legal position if someone's toddler gets a rash from a flower, or if the pollen causes kidney failure (like cats and lilies - who'd have expected that?).

I think sourcing a supplier is just one step of the problem, ensuring it is safe to enter the EU and UK ecosystems surely comes first? If this was an Australian or Kiwi forum, I could tell you the immediate answer would be an outright 'no' for exactly the reasons above, you can't even take an apple from the plane into the country in case it spreads agricultural bugs/weaknesses. Maybe customs, or the border agency have some suggestions? Or the lovely people at Kew may know of a EU source for the plant you want?