Importing Armenian Stone Necklaces

1. United ARAMUS Importing Armenian Stone Necklaces

2. Importing a Product from Armenia to the U.S. Continue to View The Steps!

3. Step 1-Choose How To Import • Indirect Importing • Direct Importing • Custom Brokers

4. Indirect Importing • Indirect importing involves working with other companies or people who specialize in buying products abroad or otherwise assisting importers. There are many different variations on this theme, of course, so you should always ask a potential import partner to describe exactly which services they offer and what they charge.

5. SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPANIES THAT HELP INDIRECT IMPORTERS Important Merchant Commission House Resident Agency Import Broker Wholesaler

6. Direct Importing • Like indirect importing, direct importing has many different variations, with each variation changing your level of involvement in the transaction. The most obvious way to directly import is to do it all yourself, beginning with selecting the product and country of origin or source country, figuring out the restrictions, handling the relations with the supplier, negotiating the contract, and ultimately getting the product to Washington State for sale.

7. Some Methods of Direct Importing On Your Own Foreign Export Merchant Foreign Brokers Foreign Manufacturers Agent Hiring a Traveling Buyer

8. Custom Brokers • Customs brokers merit special mention, regardless of how involved you are in your direct import transaction. A good broker can be invaluable, because brokers can clear goods through customs, provide guidance on customs documentations, procedures, restrictions, and quotas and provide other services.

9. Step 2- Find A Supplier • Finding the Supplier • Making the Decision • Negotiating the Contract • Test Shipments

10. Finding A Supplier • Now that you've made some decisions about your potential import transaction, you will need to find a reliable foreign supplier to produce your product on terms that will satisfy you. This step is crucial to the success of your venture, because the supplier controls your ability to get your product to your consumer. Unless you are a seasoned veteran of international trade, make sure you get professional assistance when choosing a foreign company to work with and when drafting the all-important terms of the contract.

11. Making a Decision • After you have several suppliers to choose from, you will need to make your decision. Start by asking for information from the potential supplier. How long has the company been in business? What are their production capabilities? Can they meet your projected need? You may also want to find out if the company will have the ability to increase production if your needs grow, as well as determining how much of the supplier’s present capacity is already committed to other purchasers. You will want to make sure that your orders remain a priority and that they will not be "bumped" to satisfy the needs of other purchasers. You might want to find out if a government agency is a purchaser, because that might increase the possibility that any shortages could affect you.

12. Negotiating the Contract • The importance of having an attorney assist you in negotiating and drafting your contract with your supplier cannot be overemphasized. An experienced international attorney can help you understand what clauses will need to be included to ensure that any risks are minimized and potential problems covered in advance. Without an attorney, you could find yourself facing legal problems not only at home but in your country of origin as well, and those problems will not be minor.

13. Test Shipments • Before you sign the contract with your potential foreign supplier, you may want to have them send you a test shipment to see how the products fare during transport and to determine whether the goods you receive will be the same as any samples you may have seen. This may not be an option if you are having a product made to your specification, because your supplier may not be willing to gear up production on that product unless they have a firm agreement with you. However, if you can get a test shipment sent, it can tell you a lot about your potential import. How does it arrive? Do changes need to be made in the packaging? You may learn other information from a test shipment, which may make it worth your time and potential effort to arrange.

14. Step 3- Paying For Your Products • Letters of Credit • Documentary Collections • Cash in advance • Open Accounts

15. Letters Of Credit • Until you have a good relationship with your supplier, that company is likely to require that you pay by irrevocable letter of credit (L/C). You will need your bank to establish a line of credit providing for issuance of letters of credit. Be aware of the terms under which L/C’s will be issued by the bank on your behalf, including fees and other requirements. You may want to ask for extended repayment terms through the bank, in order to spread your cost over time, if such terms are acceptable to the seller.

16. Documentary Collections • If the seller in your country of origin asks you to pay cash in advance of shipments, be aware of the potential difficulties you may have in getting your money back if something goes wrong. Remember that you are dealing with someone in a different country, with a different legal system and different rules about enforcing and collecting debts. It may be extremely costly and difficult for you to try to get a refund in a foreign country. Because of this and other serious risks, paying cash in advance for items you want to import into the U.S. is strongly discouraged. Make sure you consult with your banker and, if necessary, an experienced international trade attorney and are aware of any risks you may be facing with the method of payment you chose.

17. Step 4- Get the Papers Together • The paperwork required for your products to enter the United States includes an Entry Manifest, an "Evidence of right to make an entry," a commercial invoice or a pro forma invoice when the invoice is not available, packing lists (if appropriate), and other documents necessary to determine "merchandise admissibility.

18. Step 5- Get your Shipment • When your shipment reaches the U.S.A., the carrier will notify his or her agent or your designated customs broker that it has arrived. It is now your responsibility to arrange for examination of the goods by U.S. Customs and their release. You can do this yourself or hire the services of a licensed customs broker. Until you become familiar with the often complex maze of U.S. Customs laws, regulations and procedures, you should not attempt to handle this task alone. Hiring a qualified customs broker will save you time, money and effort.

19. Step-6 Evaluating Your Experiment • Now that you have completed your import transaction, you should take a moment to examine your experience. Were there parts of the import process that did not work well for you? Were there things that you really enjoyed? What were your best sources of information? Which agents would you work with again? What would you do differently?

20. Thank You. The end