So you want to learn how to import to Australia? That’s great to hear! Importing is one of the most profitable trade based businesses you can get into.
Importing literally opens up a whole new world of products that you can bring to Australia. Some might not currently be available in Australia, or maybe you just want to cut out the middleman and save yourself a lot of money through importing, instead of buying from a local Australian wholesaler.
Other advantages include:
- The benefit of lower production costs in many Asian countries. Products can often be purchased for a mere fraction of the price you’d pay in Australia.
- Obtaining a higher quality product. For example, the finest leather fashion shoes come from Europe, whereas Italy makes top quality leather handbags.
Importing really is a much easier process than you might think. Many people are put off by the unknown (& I was too), but with the right information at hand anyone can start their own profitable importing business.
How to Import to Australia
Step #1 – Identify Your Market
Market research is a vital step to take before starting any business – online or offline. You need to find out if enough people actually want to buy your product in the first place and also check to see how much competition you have. Is the market already saturated or not?
Step #2 – Locate Your Supplier
There are literally millions of potential overseas suppliers – manufacturers, wholesalers, trading agents – that would love to sell to you. You need to sort through them all & locate those that can offer the best deals on a good quality product and can deliver the product on time when you need it.
Step #3 – Check Importing Regulations Through Customs
While it’s ok to bring many products into the country without any special requirements, there are some items that are prohibited or restricted (you need special permission to import). Check with Australian Customs to find out if the product you want to import is ok.
Step #4 – Organise Freight
You have 4 main choices to bring your product to Australia – international courier, the postal system, air freight or sea freight. While sea freight is definitely the cheapest method of freight on a per kg basis, it’s not always suited to the product you want to import & other methods like air freight may end up working out cheaper for you.
It’s just a matter of doing your sums and working out the best option by weighing up the cost factor and how quickly you want your product (air freight is quicker).
Step #5 – Make Payment
The sooner you pay the invoice from your supplier, the sooner your goods will be shipped. Just make sure you don’t pay by cash in advance.
Step #6 – Clear Through Customs
Fill out the necessary paperwork for Customs so they can clear your goods quickly. You’ll also need to pay any relevant taxes and stamp duty.
Step #7 – Start Selling For Profit & repeat the Process Again!
With a bit of thought and planning, importing to Australia really isn’t that difficult. You don’t need to be a big business or have tens of thousands to spend to get started (I started importing with less than $500). Importing is a business that almost anyone can do.
