Tips to save you a fortune when shopping for imported goods
If you’re a collector, or, if you’re into anything that is manufactured and mostly sold overseas, there is a likelihood that you will have to pay to import your desired items. This can be a big cost if you are into collectible statues or anime figures, for example, and can be a real barrier to having the collection you desire. Costs such as import tax, shipping, and VAT can all add up to be much more than the cost of the item you are buying which can be frustrating.
To build the range of items you want, you’ll need to consider ways to keep your costs as low as possible (unless money is no object of course, and if that’s the case, lucky you!). We have come up with some top tips to help save you a fortune when shipping for imported goods. Read on to find out what they are…
Buy in bulk
It may seem a strange concept that buying more will ‘save’ you money but think about it – the more you buy and ship at the same time means you reduce the number of times you get things shipped. Every time you import something you pay certain charges, if you only pay them once, the chances are they will be lower overall.
Order items from countries as close as you can
One of the biggest costs of importing can be the price of the physical act of having them brought to your country of residence so buying from somewhere nearer is always likely to cost less. If you can source your product in a country that is only a few hundred miles away as opposed to a few thousand, you will save on transportation costs. If you are looking for best car shipping options this is definitely something to consider.
Sell on some of what you buy
This isn’t specifically a ‘saving’ as such but it’s a great way to offset what you have to outlay to import your goods. If you buy a bit extra, you can sell some of the items on, making it much more favourable for your pocket.
Make sure you get the best price for your item in the first place
The last thing you want to do is pay all those importation costs as well as paying more for the item than you have to! The beauty of the internet means that we can shop around at our leisure and find the best deal. Don’t be fooled though – you might see the piece cheaper in one country but if the transportation costs are double that from another, you might be better paying a little more for your collectible.
Choose the slowest shipping option but track your imports
Nothing will make your purchase more outrageously expensive than it not arriving and you not getting your money back – you will have paid for nothing! Faster methods of shipping (such as flying it in) are a lot more expensive than say, then being actually ‘shipped’ over, but there are a much longer timeframe and more touchpoints making it more likely for the item to get lost in transit. Track it properly to make sure you don’t end up without it.
Importing products is a great way to get things you can’t buy in your own country, and can also be a way to get them more cheaply. Just be wise on how you import them!
Tips to save you a fortune when shopping for imported goods is a feature post
