"How to Deal With a Chinese Supplier As An Amazon Seller"

As a kid I was always fascinated with the story of Christopher Columbus.

I admired his gaul to reach for the undiscovered, the unknown.

I could almost hear him in an Italian accent saying:  The world-a, she is-a round-a, not-a flat-a

In his day, he was right.  There were vast oceans and tremendous dangers and costs and it took months to cross the sea.

Fast forward a few hundred years.  If he were alive today, I do believe Mr. Columbus would say:  The world-a is no longer round-a.  Its-a flat-a again.

The dangers of crossing an ocean have dropped to a few hours and the risk and cost are practically nothing.
Its like the world is flat again…

We live in a time where you can get items from almost anywhere in the world in a few days and for very little money.  

We can look into an electronic box and see and talk or type to almost anyone, anywhere in the world….for FREE!

Don’t speak the language?  No problem.  One click and the entire written message is translated into any of 100 plus languages.

Manufacturing costs in say China are a fraction of the cost for the same items made in say the USA.  And yes their quality is fine, BTW.
So why do people still have reservations about getting their items manufactured and shipped from outside of their own country?

The simple answer is, I don’t know.

But this wouldn’t be a very good blog post if I didn’t show you how to do this better and make you feel comfortable with ordering your items from overseas, would it?

Here are some comments that people typically say to me.

What if they take my money?
What if they somehow try and take advantage of me?
How do I know if I can trust them?
I don’t know how to communicate with them or I’m uncomfortable with their language.

OK, Here are some ways to make you feel more comfortable…

I think we all sometimes think we’re the only honest person in the world.  Obviously, not true.  99% of people are honest.  We all just assume the 1% are far greater in number than they really are.

Just because someone is from a different country or speaks a different language by no way means they don’t have integrity or pride in their work.

I’ve had the good fortune to travel to alot of places in the world I wanted to go.

Before I traveled, I saw the differences.  After I traveled, I see the similarities.

So accept that most people will be honest and they have incentives to do a good job to get and keep your business.

If you can get over your fears, what’s the next step?  

Protecting Yourself with Suppliers
I’m going to presume you use Alibaba.com.  If not, its a great resource.

Although this article is not about Alibaba, Alibaba is a database of suppliers and manufacturers based in China.

It’s where you start your search for products.

Alibaba has several features that you should be aware of and use.

One is the gold star rating.  This is actually purchased by the supplier.  However to maintain their rating they have to meet and maintain certain standards  This gold start it is not cheap and if a supplier is will to buy this it is a sign that they are an established company and will be serious about their business.  

It is created annually and the rating will also tell you how many years they have been a gold star member.

Another is the response rate.  This measures how well and how fast they respond to inquiries.  To me this shows how much they value you.  I want a supplier who will actually talk to me.

The escrow feature.  Most suppliers will prefer that you wire transfer them the money.  This is fine and common in international business.  However, once wired, you have no recourse.
This is why Alibaba will keep any of your payments in escrow until you agree to release them.

Paypal and Credit Card  If you look at the suppliers information they will show how they can be paid.  Some will list paypal or a credit card.  I prefer to use this type of payment, simply because if I do have an issue, I am protected.

Skype.  Some but not all suppliers will be available to talk to you using the audio or even video aspects of Skype.  I am a big proponent of this in that you get to see them and they get to see you.  Win, win.

Language.  They will speak passable English.  Even they’re the only one at their company, you will be able to communicate.  You don’t have to speak their language.  Just speak, slowly and clearly and you’ll be fine.  

The last time I thought about something being “Lost in Translation” was the Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson movie.

Getting the supplier to trust you
What do you mean?  They doubt you….It’s your responsibility to convince them you’re serious and trustworthy.

Try and see things from their prospective.  To them, you’re just an email inquiring about a custom order, usually for a small quantity.  Accept what we said earlier, everybody believes they are honest and its the other people who are not.

The simple solution is to be professional.  Use good grammar and business language and etiquette.  Honor your commitments and be punctual.

Above all, be polite.  One thing I have found and appreciate is that most non English speaking cultures value politeness and respect much more than western cultures.

See, "The Secret To Becoming A Likable Person"  and THIS Resource for help in successfully working with suppliers.

Just Jump in…

I’ll just say in closing,  There are never any guarantees in life.  But the overwhelming chance is that things will work out.

But even in the worst case, your downside is only a few hundred dollars.  Not life changing is it?  The upside, however is a monthly passive income of several thousand dollars.

Success favors the bold.  Put your fears aside.  Just get started.

What would you like to add about your experiences with suppliers.  Let everyone know in the comment box below.

Click HERE now to start building your own high profit Amazon Business! 
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"10 Simple Steps to Starting An Amazon Private Label Business"

If you’re like me you’re already tired of New Year’s resolutions.  I understand and can relate with you.

I do seem to laugh this time of the year.  Here it is a few days into the new year and I’ve already not done well with my food and exercise goals.  (Hope springs eternal)

However, I’m already well on my way to scaling up my Amazon private label business for this year.

This is possible because last year at this time I sat down and asked myself what I wanted to do with my business and how could I create a scalable passive income business.

I created my 10 Steps to Starting an Amazon Private Label Business plan and more importantly took action and actually far exceeded my goals as an Amazon Private Label seller last year.

As I’m doing my planning for this year, I already have my next 6 products scheduled to be released.


That’s when I started thinking about so many of the people I come across who are talented and capable.  

If this Amazon stuff is so possible and relatively easy compared to trading time for money as an employee or other ways to make money online, why do more of these talented, capable people not sell on Amazon?

I wish I knew.


The how to information is available.
It’s not expensive to get started.  
You can can get started in less than a month.  
If you have a job, you can keep it until you are ready to leave.  
You can scale the business up to whatever level you would like.
You build an asset that you can one day sell.

The list goes on and on.

So is it just a matter of planning?  Having the right steps to follow?  Or is it simple human anxiety?

Probably some of each.
What if you planned to be a successful Amazon Private label seller this year and actually took action?

Next January would you be like me and other Amazon sellers who are coming off of a very financially lucrative December holiday season or would you still be saying wouda, coulda, shouda if you did nothing?

So I decided to put together a very, very basic plan to help you get started.

Here goes…10 Steps to Starting an Amazon Private Label Business

1. Decide on a market
2. Decide on a product
3. Find a supplier
4. Private label and purchase the product
5. List it on Amazon
6. Seek out reviews
7. Spend a little time managing your business
8. Rinse, wash, repeat with new products to scale up your business
9. Enjoy your new passive income lifestyle
10. Kick yourself for not starting sooner….

OK, overly simplistic, but not really.  These are very doable steps.  Will it all fall into your lap.  Of course not?  Will it take some time and effort?  Sure.  What in life doesn’t?

If you’re serious about getting started, I have two ways to help you.

I have some FREE training available at: http://TinyUrl.com/qaxjdmk

For those of you looking to get going sooner without delay or procrastination , I have my paid training available at: http://TinyUrl.com/qaxjdmk

NOTE: This article was reprinted here by permission from one of my mentors, Mark Scott Adam's Blog
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"Dropshipping For E-Bay & Amazon Sellers"

Dropshipping for eBay & Amazon

How to find real dropshippers that will work with small eBay and Amazon Sellers

Understanding Dropshipping for eBay and Amazon

Dropshipping is selling something you don't own. That may sound illegal –but it’s not.

Dropshippers are companies that offer merchandise for sale that will ship the merchandise directly to your customer once you pay for it. Here is how eBay dropshipping works:

1. You find a company that agrees to dropship. You list their merchandise on eBay, Amazon or your website for sale without first purchasing it.
    
2. When the item sells, you collect the selling price (retail) and the shipping cost from you customer.
    
3. Now you send the wholesale (lower) price + the shipping and handling fee to the dropshipping supplier.
    
4. The supplier then ships the item to your customer.
    
5. Your profit is the difference between the retail and the wholesale price

Disadvantages of Dropshipping for eBay and Amazon

1. Lack of control – When you dropship, you are at the mercy of the shipper. They control the packing and shipping experience. If they pack and item improperly or take too long to ship, the customer will blame you –not the dropshipper. Poor service from a dropshipper can negatively affect your customer satisfaction ratings on eBay and Amazon.
    
2. No control over inventory – If a dropshipper fails to warn you about their low inventory level, you may sell an item that they cannot deliver. This puts you in a very bad position with eBay and Amazon. If it happens too often you could find your account suspended or closed.

Advantages of Dropshipping for eBay and Amazon

1. No up front investment in products - When you sell dropshipped products, you don’t pay for merchandise until it sells. This eliminates tying up money in inventory.
    
2. Eliminates risk – If something doesn’t sell, your only risk is the listing fees
    
3. Product depth and variety – When you buy products to resell, you are limited in the number and type of products you can sell by the amount of cash or credit you have to purchase. When you dropship, you can list many more products for sale

There are two types of dropshippers and it is important to understand the difference:

1. Aggregators
    
2. Manufacturers or Master Distributors

Let's look at each type before you decide what kind of company you want to work with.

1. Dropshipping Aggregators -- Aggregators, also known as Dropship Warehouse Companies, are basically middlemen.  They advertise heavily on the web claiming to have millions of brand name products you can sell online. Many of them also offer pre-made websites loaded with these products.

These companies list products in a virtual warehouse that other, real wholesale companies, have in stock. Aggregators don't really have any products in stock.

If you sign up with one of these companies, you will soon find that most of the merchandise they offer is already selling on eBay or Amazon for about the same price they are offering it to you. I have been selling on eBay successfully for over 4 years and in my opinion, although there are some exceptions, it is very difficult to make money on eBay with these types of sellers.

In general these companies make their money from membership fees or handling fees. When you order something from them, they order it from the real wholesaler, mark up the cost and/or charge you a fee. Because of this it is very difficult to make any money as they have basically made a big piece of your profit.

2. Dropshipping Manufactures and Master Distributors -- There are hundreds of actual manufacturers who will dropship. Some of them do it directly while others use the services of a master distributor. When you work directly with a manufacturer of the product or their master distributor, then you are getting the lowest price available. This is where you can make the most money on eBay or a web site.

It is not well known, but there are thousands of manufacturers who will dropship for you. I currently work with several different companies who will dropship for me.

You can get a list of these manufacturers in the member’s section of THIS WEBSITE  for people who purchase these E-Bay And Wholesale Sourcing Materials .

I highly recommend you grab your copy now to guarantee your online business success !
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"The Importance of Trust for Online Retailers and How You Can Create Yours"

For online store owners, you need your customers to trust you. The customer isn’t walking into your brick and mortar store, buying a product and taking it home with them. They need to trust that the item is as described and that they will receive the item after purchase.

This is why services like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) are important to online retailers. The BBB’s slogan is “Start with Trust” and their vision is, “An ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other.”

The BBB sets standards for marketplace trust and encourages best practice by companies and will denounce bad marketplace behavior. They report on several things;

1. Company Information
This is where you learn about when a company started, what they are all about & contact information.

2. Performance
When a company gets a complaint filed to the BBB, the BBB will report what the issue was and if the company resolved the situation or not.

3. Rating
The BBB will assign ratings to companies, from A+ (highest) to F (lowest). These ratings are based on your history of complaints, how long you have been in business, type of business, background information and more. You can see how each item is graded and assigned points which make up the overall rating.

4. Accreditation
BBB Accreditation is an honor and not every company is eligible. Your business must meet the BBB’s high standards before you can be invited as an accredited business. Once you are accredited, that means that you have agreed to live up to the BBB’s Standards for Trust.

Once you are listed on the BBB’s site and you get your rating, you can then place a BBB seal on your website for customers to click on. This will take your customer to your BBB profile page where they can read more about your company.

With the high rate of scams and fraudulent activity online, customers like to see these types of accolades on your site so they can feel confident about shopping with you.

For more information about how to become a BBB Accredited Business, go HERE.

A company I've done business with for several years WorldwideBrands.com just celebrated their 10 year anniversary for being a Better Business Bureau Accredited business & are one of the worlds best for helping new & experienced Online Business Owners experience massive success.

You can find how they can help you by clicking HERE now!
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"The Secret to Being a Likeable Person" by Pastor Rick Warren

“Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner. Soon Potiphar realized that the LORD was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant.” (Genesis 39:2-4a CEV)

If you want to stand out at work, you need to be likeable. If people don’t like you, they’re not going to trust you, and they certainly won’t promote you.

A lot of people think that likeability is just a matter of personality. You’re either a likable person or you’re not.

But nothing could be further from the truth. Likeability is not personality; it’s character. It’s behavior. It’s how you choose to relate to other people. Likeability is possessing the attractive attitudes — and those are choices — and the relational skills that cause others to want to work with you.


Do you want to be liked by other people?

Here’s the big secret: Like them. That’s it. If you like people, guess what? They’re going to like you. If you don’t like people, they’re not going to like you. To be likeable you just have to like people. You have to genuinely enjoy them.

You have to choose to be interested in others and think less about yourself.

Joseph is a good example of likeability in Genesis 39:2-4: “Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner. Soon Potiphar realized that the LORD was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant” (CEV).

Potiphar took a guy who started off as a slave and promoted him to the manager of his household because he noticed he was a good person, and he liked him.

What are the attractive attitudes that make someone likeable? How about humility? Would you rather be around someone who is arrogant or someone who is humble?

How about cheerfulness? Would you rather be around somebody who’s cheerful or grouchy?

How about empathy? When you tell others that you’re not feeling well, would you rather they respond, “That’s too bad” or “I’m really sorry. What’s going on?” When you’re empathetic with someone who is hurting, guess what? You’re likeable. Bosses like people who are empathetic to their stress, who understand, who look at a situation from somebody else’s viewpoint.

When you help somebody else succeed, then you’re going to be likeable. And when you’re likeable, you’re going to go far.

Click here to play today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick.

Talk It Over

• What kind of character traits does it take to empathize with and encourage people who others consider unlikeable?
• How do you want to be perceived by others?
• What are some ways you can care for people in your workplace this week?

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" The Step-by-Step Guide to Overcoming Distraction"

“Bring the mind into sharp focus and make it alert so that it can immediately intuit truth, which is everywhere. The mind must be emancipated from old habits, prejudices, restrictive thought processes and even ordinary thought itself.” - Bruce Lee
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An Addict's Guide to Overcoming the Distraction Habit

By Leo Babauta

Yesterday wasn’t a very focused day for me — I got work done, but I also researched a bunch of newish personal interests (mostly programming and cycling), played an iPhone trivia game with my kids, read a bunch of online articles, and did very little of the writing I’d planned.

Digital distractions have also pulled me from reading and meditation in the last week. I think they plague all of us to varying extents.

Realizing this, today I closed all the tabs I’d been researching and reading, bookmarked a few things to read later, shut down the trivia game on my phone, closed email, and took a break.

I meditated.

I showered, and contemplated what was important to me.

Then I got on my bike to get outside and get the blood circulating.

Then I found a place with no wifi, and sat down to write.

This is a guide for my fellow addicts. Those of you who have as much trouble as I do fighting off the temptations and distractions, this is for you. From one addict to another.

Recognizing When it Happens
One of the insidious things about the distraction habit is we often don’t even realize it’s happening. It sneaks up on us, like old age, and before we know it we’re addicted and powerless.

But actually we’re not powerless. The power we have is our awareness, and you can develop it right now. Pay attention to what sites you visit, how often you’re looking at your phone, how long you’re spending in front of a screen all day.

What I did when I wanted to develop an awareness of my smoking urges was carry around a pencil and small scrap of paper, and put a tally mark on it each time I had the urge to smoke. I could still smoke, but I’d have to put a tally mark first.

This built my awareness muscle, and it allowed me to insert a small space between the urge and my subsequent action. Into that space, however small, I could eventually make a choice. That is where the power comes in.

See What's Going On

Once you’re aware of the distractions and urges, you can start to examine the causes.

After hours of following temptations online (learning all about cycling and programming, for example), I stopped and asked myself, “What’s this all about?”

It was about fear — the fear I didn’t know what I was doing and was going to screw it all up. I now know it doesn’t matter if I screw it up. My value as a person isn’t tied to my successes or failures. So I closed all the tabs, and decided to focus on one program, and one bike ride. I’ll learn as I do.

My distractions are also often about fantasies — I really hope I’ll be a great programmer or start doing century bike rides or Ironman triathlons. Realistically, I don’t have time to do any of that. So I have to let the fantasies go, because they almost never come true. Unless you’re willing to devote your entire life to one of them for a year or two.

Distractions, of course, are often about the fear of missing out. We can’t possibly take part in every cool thing everyone else is doing, but we also don’t want to miss out on any of it. So we look online for what’s going on, what other people are doing and saying, what’s hot. None of that actually matters. What matters is being content, doing things that make people’s lives better, learning, being compassionate, helping. Let’s let go of what we’re missing out on, and focus on the difference we want to make in the world.

Taking Action
So you’re building an awareness, and you’ve examined your causes. If you haven’t yet, take a few minutes to walk around your office or house, or better yet get outside, and contemplate these things.

This article can wait.

Now there are further steps you can take. Consider taking one or more of these:

• Start closing as many browser tabs as you can. Bookmark some things, save others in your favorite “read later” service (such as Instapaper or Pocket), and let others go.
• Block your favorite distractions for a few hours. Games, social media sites, news sites. You don’t really need to go to them that often.
• Write down the times you’re going to check email and other messages. Want to process email for 20 minutes at 10 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM? Write that down. Stick to it.
• Get away. Go outside for a walk. Ride your bike. Go for a run. Take the kids to the park.
• Meditate. Sit still for just a couple minutes, without any distractions, and put your attention on your breath. Return to the breath when you get distracted.
• Read. A paper book. Close all screens and just give yourself some quiet reading time.
• Find a place with no wifi. Or turn off your router. Write without distractions. Close all applications besides your writing program.
• Delete social media accounts. I recently went back on Facebook to connect with my family during my dad’s hospitalization and death. But the privacy violations and useless things being posted there sent me running, and I deleted my account again.
• Delete distractful apps on your phone. Games, social media, whatever you tend to turn to when you want a bump of distraction.
• Eat without a device. Pay attention to your food. Notice the textures, flavors, colors, healthfulness that you’re putting into the temple of your body.

Of course, there are other things you can do. Go on a retreat. Practice mindfulness in bits throughout the day. Take a day off of screens. The possibilities are endless.

Considering What's Important
What’s truly important to you? Social media? News? What everyone else is doing all the time? Games?

I’d submit we try to do everything, but then we’re not really focusing on anything. We’re not going to make any of our little fantasies come true if we pursue all of them.

What is the one thing you want to pursue right now? Can you focus on that for at least a month? If not, maybe it’s not that important to you.

What are the most important things in your life? Pick 3-4, or 5 at the most. How much of your time is devoted to these things? Can you cut out other things to focus on these? Can you give your 4 most important things your full attention?

In my life, my writing, my family, my health, and my learning are my four most important things.

And no, I don’t always devote my full attention to them. I often need to step back and remind myself of what’s important.

Falling in Love All Over Again

In his book, The Art of Stillness, Pico Ayer says, “sitting still is a way of falling in love with the world and everything in it.”

This is absolutely true. This is why distractions can be so harmful. They’re turning us away from the miracle of life all around us.

Sit still for a few minutes, and pay attention to what’s around you. Notice the quality of the light.

Appreciate any people who might be nearby. Notice the quality of your thoughts, the sensations of various parts of your body, the loveliness of your breath as it comes in and out.

Fall in love with life all over again. And then devote yourself lovingly to it completely.
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"How To Get Started Selling On Ebay - eBay Tools, Tactics and Tips For New Sellers"

Learning how to sell on eBay is pretty easy. The trick is learning how to sell on eBay and make money doing it. I have been selling on eBay profitably for several years. Let’s take a look at some of the key strategies I use:

 

How To Sell on eBay ~ Product Selection

If you want to learn how to sell on eBay, the first thing you need is something to sell. Most new sellers start by selling items they have around the house or in their garage or attic. Its easy to find things to sell but not all of them may actually have a market on eBay. The problem with listing things that don’t sell is that you waste listing fees. But there is a simple answer to this problem –and it is a free eBay tool called The Completed Listing Search.  Here is how it works:

First type the name of a product you want to sell into the eBay search box.  Once the results come back, look in the left hand column for a radio button that says: Complete Listings.

When you hit that button, the page will reload, but now it will show you all of the listings for that item that have ended in the past 30 days. Here is a screenshot of how it looks.

Completed Listings for Used Cowboy Boots

How To Sell on eBay ~ Listing your item

OK – now you have some idea of what that old pair of cowboy boots you found in your closet are worth. Also, you can see that there have been sales so this looks like a good item to sell. You are ready to list your item.

Before you start a listing, stop at the Seller Information Center. You can find it by clicking on the Sell tab at the top of any eBay page.

When you click on that link, you will go to a page that looks like this:

When you click on the link that says Get Started, you will go to a page that offers you different tutorials including how to set up your account.

I won’t take you through all of these steps as they are pretty self explanatory right there on eBay. Instead let’s focus on making your first listings successful. By the way, one of the things that helps you learn how to sell on eBay is the List your first 5 free every 30 days. This is a great gift from eBay to help news sellers learn how to sell on eBay.

 

How To Sell on eBay ~ picking your category

Once you start your listing, one of the first decisions you have to make is what category to list your product in. This is an important choice.  Over 80% of people find products on eBay by searching. But the search engine lists products by category. If you are in the wrong category, your listing may not be found by searchers.

 

How to Sell on eBay ~ Writing your auction title

The auction title is what is displayed when someone searches. If you go back to the illustration on the cowboy boots search results, what you see are the listing titles that are displayed next to the photos.  eBay gives you 55 characters (including spaces) to write your title.  You should treat those spaces as very valuable real estate. Make the most of every character.

Be sure and include exactly what you are selling including brand names, model, color, size etc. Think of what you would type into a search engine to find that product and use those words.  Do a search for the item and see what words your competitors are using.

 

How to Sell on eBay ~ Use a sharp photo

After your title, the photos you use are the next most important item. Take the time to take a good photo. Use a tripod so your image is sharp. Place your item on a neutral background and be aware of anything else in the photo except your item. Avoid using your flash if possible as it causes deep
shadows and reflections.  You can get plenty of free digital photo tips at www.ezauctiontools.com.

 

How to Sell on eBay ~ Write a complete description

Writing incomplete descriptions is one of the most common mistakes made by new sellers on eBay.

Here are the steps to writing a description that sells:

1. First state clearly what you are selling
2. Next describe the item in detail
3. List any features, accessories, etc.
4. Describe the benefits
5. Try and give the item a value – for example, “These Cowboy Boots sell for over $200 new.”
6. Always put your shipping cost in the auction description. Although eBay has another place to list it, buyers often don’t see it unless you state it right in the description.
7. Ask for the sale. At the end of your listing ask for an action such as: “Place your best bid now so you don’t lose out to a last minute sniper.”

 

How to Sell on eBay ~communicate with your customers

One of the secrets to success on eBay is good communication with customers.  Check your email twice daily or more often if you work from home. Be sure and answer any questions quickly and politely. Use the person’s name if you know it. Sign the email with your full name and check your spelling and grammar before you hit send.

There is a lot more to learn about how to sell on eBay, but these tips should get you off to a good start.

If you want to learn how to start and run a professional eBay business, pick up a copy this excellent product, "The Complete E-Bay Marketing System" created by my friend Skip McGrath.

You can grab yours by clicking HERE now!
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