Sourcing & Import from China Tips and Guide

Perhaps next to prostitution, conning as a profession could be regarded as the oldest trade around since day one unchallenged. Nothing beats the easy money reaped by the professionals, they encroach our daily affairs without single trace of audacity.

We were all being taken advantage by the Con man one way or another. Many of us just too ashamed and angry to warn and share with others especially risking being a laughing stock. Its everyday affairs, from paying too much by high pressure selling for products and services your didn’t actually need, not getting the 100% benefits claimed by the salesman, ripping of by the merchandisers on discounted items, shoddy overpriced tour packages where you charged to your credit cards.

I’m sure you can related to these stories or even had a story of your own to tell. Today, I would like to share with you the contemporary tricks used by the Chinese Con Man and how to avoid giving your money or valuable away for nothing in return. Either in your hometown or when you finally making your first maiden trip to the awaken dragon of the east: China. Scams related to Chinese Con Man are a thriving enterprise, lubricating the gigantic wheel of change in China.

1. ATM card cloning: An organized syndicated installed hidden video camera on the ATM enclosure to capture your pin or using adhesive to jam your ATM card for later retrieval

2. Lottery/Lucky Draw: Organized ways to build credentials with siphoned bio-data on a survey conducted earlier, the perpetrator surprise the victims as the lucky winner of a recent draw. They went all way to solidify their trustworthiness, sometimes to the extend of having a synchronized testimonial standing by to clear one doubts, some even had people to receive you in style should you choose to visit their establishment. They demanded deposit from you in a variety of excuses before one can claim the prize.

3. Legal affairs: Using pre-recorded phone messages mass broadcasting to common folks for violation with the local authority, victim who fall prey and chose to speak with the officer will be offered for out of court settlement. These operators were experienced and will threaten the victims with tone of urgency to coerce you to hand over the money through wire transfer. They kept occupying your phone line to prevent you from calling out to ask for advice and help. With conversion of probably 5 to 10%, it’s a lucrative business model. 100 calls, 10 responded, 5 ended up being scammed.

4. Begging: Handicapped individuals controlled by syndicates who operate with 10
to 15 professional beggars with profit sharing scheme. They were chauffeured and accommodated and apparently some had more saving in their bank account than you and me.

5 Scratch and win: Door to door salesman soliciting victims on a persuasive pretext of high value lucky draw opportunities who then coerce the lucky star with grand prices as bait in purchasing many explosive marked up useless products together with high pressure selling. The “lucky” one often ended up with tons of junks paid with premium prices.

6 Business Venture: Often proposing irresistible lucrative business deals where
buyers, sellers and middleman except yourself are all in the same gang. They befriended you and showed off their easy ways of ripping victims of as baits and suggested to count you in. At the beginning, exhortative profits were shared until one got hooked and decided to put in all he had.

7. Multilevel Marketing: No doubt there are genuine operators which distribute
genuine physical products. Many others relaying on member’s fees to sustain the hierarchy. With unbeatable profits guaranteed often in a range of 50 to 100% many fall prey into this scheme and never saw their money again.

8. Yes, last but not least, the sexual entrapments. This one is so effective, it seldom
fails to generate tons of money for the perpetrators. By seducing a married and well-of man to an affair and use this for extortion.

There are many more similar Chinese scams and the theme keep changing but one thing for sure if you wouldn’t want your money be exchanged hand against your will, remember this, if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is. Always listen to your hunch as you be surprise our first hunch is pretty accurate. The trick is avoid engagement in the first place, learn to detect the suspicious proposals and avoid it at all cost. If you do get into the first initiation stage, call your friends, relatives for help, the risk is too high if you handle this all by yourself.

Do not think for a moment to contempt the con man as they are professionals and had many resource and tactics to lure you to their many attractive baits. Anything that tackles your greed, sympathy and sexual desires are mostly scams. Many people actually knew but were too defiance and ended up paying the price and kept it to themselves instead of warning others, The con man knows our weakness and take full advantage of it laughing all the way to their banks.

Illustration
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Following are some of the illustration for your references. (on the phone)

Him: Congratulation, Mr. Bosso, you just won our first price on our annual lucky draw!!!!!
You: Oh, great, where are you calling from? (Find out their background)

Him: We are from XXX corporation, we just completed our annual draw and you are our top price winner, a new Mazda 626.
You: Wow, thanks, oh. Hold on, I got another line. ( Keep the caller waiting for 2 mins, many will move on to another target and hang up)

Him: Mr. Bosso, we are so excited to present you the new car but to claim it we need you to deposit the duty fees right now otherwise your entitlement will be forfeited
You: Wow, oh no, my cell phone battery’s juice is running low, hello? Hello?
Hello? ( Pretend losing the other party and cut the line). Google the XXX corporation and call the mainline to enquire if there is such a lucky draw really took place.

By David Foo
Author is the founding member of the of the
Free China Manufacturers Directory To be downloaded here
http://www.chinawholesalesourcingguide.com/12aszx/09-zx3/MadeInChina_Magazine16.exe
http://www.chinawholesalesourcingguide.com/
http://www.singapuraproperty.com/

Perhaps one of the most intimating actions is how to negotiate with a Chinese retailers when you stumble across some un-resistible products that captured your attentions.

Almost everyone who ever did bargaining before had encounters of being taken advantages of. Almost immediately you thought you had made a killing, you knew you were paying too much at the next shops but it’s too late at a non fixed price market place. No refunds, no exchanges, once cash exchanged hands, that’s it.

Women tends to bargain a lot better than man due to their delicate and aggressive nature, I believed women derive extreme satisfaction even close to an organism when they successfully clinch the best deal of all and when they hysterically shared with their friends. In fact, most shopping places will have their business closed down if there aren’t women shoppers around spending either their but most of the time their husband money.

We must understand how these Chinese businessman established their retails networks, They had probably dealt with hundreds of tourists buyers like yourself on a daily manner. They had seen it all and had shared insider information with their competitors. Basically they way they operate is adopting dollar averaging selling tactics. They treat most foreign buyers as big fishes, trying their best to lure you to their baits and tug the line in slowly for the final kill.

They assess you for your spending power and age group, how keen you are interested in their wares and just try their luck with an asking price of few hundreds if not thousand percents of the cost price. From previous experiences, they knew the conversion rate, meaning how many people will actually pay for that prices without any negotiation.

The ball will be on you to bargain, most didn’t dare and even felt embarrassed to go too low and will be extremely thrilled if one able to make the kill at 50% discounts and go tells everyone about it. As a matter of facts, 9 out of them had already been ripped off and will never knew about it. However, when the Chinese retailers countered some hard balers, they will then settle for less, leveraging on dollar averaging selling, a certain level of margin model can be sustained.

Sure, business needs to have profit margin to thrive. Depending on the rental and thus the location and volume, some managed to achieve decent margin, some at extorsive levels.

Unlike in Japan, where all the products are fixed with listed prices, China businessman tends to be more scheming or perhaps enterprising. Following are some of the tips to help you to negotiate effectively even with just a calculator, hand gesture and some serious acting.

1. Snoop around on your favorite items and persuade your friends or other members on the tour to join force to increase your bargaining power; group buy.

2. Team up with your friends to distract the Chinese businessman when you are
Delivering your punch lines. (See illustration below)

3. Downplaying the value of the merchandise by commenting on its disadvantages, such as the lack of options, colors, defects here and there and offer a 25% of the asking price.

4. Referring to repeat purchases by your friends who had bought for 25% of the asking price. You might just hit the jackpot, He probably cant recall as he dealt with hundreds of sales enquiries daily.

5. If you senses you are cornered by high pressure selling tactics, you need to get out of the situation as soon as possible, stay cool and be very persistence, no, no, no, no,. no, no. it’s a patient game, they wear you out until you give in. Most resorted to dig their way out by compromising by paying a hefty premium on the products of which cost a tiny fraction across the street. Another effective way is to plead your way out. If needed, cry and tell them your sorrows. Practice before you go

6. Consult others, ask your tour guide, how much is the reasonable buying price for common souvenirs. Check online on internet of these merchandizes, there are tons of forum and discussion blogs out there to use as references. With the figure in minds, you can bargain effectively.

7. Visit the local wholesale markets, you will be surprised how much money you can saved with just the mild negotiation with the wholesalers. The rule of thumb is not to buy anything in tourist centers and high end establishment areas.

All the best on your bargaining with the Chinese Merchants, remember, this is your hard earn money, make it work harder for you. You entitled the right for a fair deal.

Sample illustration:

You: How much each?
Him: RMB$200

You: Too expensive
Him: How much do you offer ?(this is the moment with great challenges)

You: How much can you offer?
Him: RMB$190

You: Too expensive, my friend bought it for RMB$40 last week
Him: No. no. impossible, I lose money selling at this price

You: Its true, you see, this one had some defects here, didn’t look as nice. Gibe me more discount
Him: RMB$180

You: You got to be kidding, I offer you RMB$50
Him: No, no. too low, I lose money, RMB$170

You: RMB$60 for 5 of the same items, deal? I got to go, quick. (Give him pressure and had your friends distracting him with interest on appearing higher value products)
Him: Okie, Okie,. 5 for RMB65. (He wanted to go attending your friend and didn’t mind making less on this lower priced items)

By David Foo
Author is the founding member of the of the
Free China Manufacturers Directory
http://www.chinawholesalesourcingguide.com/
http://www.singapuraproperty.com/

By David Foo
Probably the only places in Asia which legalized prostitution are HongKong and Singapore. This lucrative service industry are strictly regulated with the routine health screens which the service providers are compelled to undergo to contain the STD outbreak by the relevant health authority. These places didn’t have their unique offering advertised but most taxi drivers will competently and knowingly deliver you there so long you make the discreet enquiry minus of the sordid details.

If you had been to Singapore recently, you would had your breath taken away with the openness and brutal practicalities practiced in their well know red light districts. It would drastically transform your impression of the city country’s reputation of being a cleaned and effective country. It will only strengthen your positive takes of this place.

Like many other industry, 90% of the staff are foreigners here humbly making their living comforting hundreds if not thousand of hungry and action seeking man daily. This place is Geylang. Geylang as the name implies is full of vibrancies and actions after the sun goes down. It’s a mini united nations here with ladies from all around the world, primary make up of Thai, Chinese, Philippinos, Indonesian, Indian and occasionally eastern Europeans to cater for a variety of clienteles. You can literally felt the excitement in the air just by being here.

There are two major categories, those primary from Thailand offering their primitive charms at a fees in row of row of terrace houses. Each operation comprise of 10 to 15 cuties with a pimp enticing you with their negotiation skills. Diligently describing the contrasting individual personalities of the lady. Fees are fixed of around USD$25 for a quickie of 40 min, no hassles, no hidden traps, it is as easy and convenient as fast foods, step in, select, consume, pay and get the hell out.

The 2nd type is relatively new, mainly of them are moon lighting here from their day jobs or on short social visit pass. The real thrills begin here if you are adventurous with some level of uncertainties. It is like a box of chocolate, you wouldn’t know what you will be getting next. These free lancers paraded with invisible discipline one after the others throwing their killer attractive gazes at you as you walk by on the street well lit by the street lights. One can genuinely felt he is highly valued like a VVIP inspecting a parade. Having the undivided attention drawn toward him.

It a flea market out there where one can be pleasantly surprised with a rare find. Fees including short use of hotel room comes to USD$100 for an hour. Many Chinese lady made on average 2 years of the ordinary wages back home here on a short visit of 20 to 25 days, closing 3 deals a day. It is a one of a life time opportunity to make quick money for the start up capital badly needed back home.

Go ahead and try your luck if you happen to be dropping by for a business or vacation trip. However, do take the necessary precautions of avoiding falling into the pink traps, following are some of the common tricks you need to recognized and dissolve.

1. Getting drugged with date rape drug, ATM, credit cards and cash can be siphoned off while one is under the influence of the pills, some even caused overdosed and ended in casualties occasionally.

2. Pick pocketed while valuable are left unattended

3. High pressure up selling with specials which could be unreasonably overpriced

4. Having the Personal data stolen which can be used for extortion and scams

5. Having the photograph taken on the disdain involvement for extortion

We are often taken for a ride with these unregulated service providers as we had no ways to trace back to them unlike those who are under close supervision by the pimp in the terrace houses.

I am sure, many of us had been taken advantaged one way or another and chose to remain in silence, it’s about time for us to share these experiences to safe guard our interests.

If you have a story to share, please do so.

Author is the founding member of the of the
http://www.chinawholesalesourcingguide.com/
http://www.singapuraproperty.com/

By David Foo
“It’s wonderful here but probably too serene for my taste as being an adventurous chap” one of my high school classmate wrote in his email. We just celebrated his departures to Japan a month ago, We were all elated for such a rare opportunity for him to further his studies there on scholarship. Yet now he expressed slight regrets having to leave a place full of dynamics activities.

Indeed, the same applies to the charming Chinese women, they are everywhere and of different classes. Chinese adopts a very practical attitude towards life and living here guaranteed you all range of life conveniences to make you comfortable. It’s full of vibrancies pulsating with 1.3billion Chinese’s lifeline. The excitements are fired up on all cylinders, gaining tractions as life goes on.

One year in China is equivalent to 3.87 years in Britain, 4.28 years in US or Nigeria’s 30 years. No one can catch up with the rapid developments in China. One needs to be here to immerse in the enthusiasm. It is simply too charming and obsessive to turn down. Pleasant surprise is almost a daily affair.

Its a lot easier to get divorced in China than other part of the world, having a lady to spend some unforgettable intimate nights with you to them is as common as catching a late Saturday night movie in cinema. Many young and attractive ladies had long ago discarded their conservative mindset and ventured into the entertainment industry to dig their own first bucket of gold. Being the 2nd oldest profession, they encountered little obstacles in pursuing their goals. It’s part of the many service industry thriving in China.

As China imposed strict control on human traffic, one needs approval to relocate to another province, there are as many highly affluent Chinese along the coastal area as extremely poor rural migrants. The old man back home didn’t mind what his daughters did for a living in the city area so long she sends money home regularly. It’s a common practice to despise the poor rather than on those who engages in disdain involvement.

Many expatriates now brutally fight for an oversea assignment in China betraying what used to be a death sentence having to be allocated here 10 years ago. Modern living facilities and aggressive dynamic economic growth are highly sought after. One must admit opportunities are where the actions are.

Living the life to the fullest matters on passionate living, working hard and playing hard, with huge domestic market opportunities and tension to keep it going, opportunities wait for those with the necessary means and resources. It all related to size and timing, like the battle field where thousands of Chinese soldiers died confronting the enemy wave after wave. Or the full range of china made products attacking the shelves in hypermarkets across the US meeting the insatiable hungers for materialistic consumption.

The same goes for Chinese lady, they are plenty of them willing to make friend with you, with seemingly constant supply from rural areas, you are definitely being spoilt for choice. The key is to go for quality and not quantity. How many girlfriends can you manage at one point of time anyway? How many time we bought the unnecessary products just because it was on sales and cheaper if you buy in bulk. So, why so many men obsessed with the Chinese women, it’s simply too many of them lying around all wanted to strike gold mines.

So, if you haven’t been to China, go and take a look by all means, be prepared when you are confronted by hundreds of charming attractive ladies. Go for qualities and do not feel sympathies towards their chosen profession. Hey, they could have made more money than you do on monthly basis, do ask for a discount by all means.

Good luck.

Author is the founding member of the of the
http://www.chinawholesalesourcingguide.com/
http://www.singapuraproperty.com/