TopTen Tips for Importing and Exporting This Holiday

It looks like foreign trade has experienced a very turbulent and predictably headache-inducing conclusion… after the global economic recession triggered a wave of changes and reassessments in everything; from foreign policy, to how goods are valued on the international market. In short, it’s all up in the air right now, and it would seem almost as if there is no order to any of it… but the good news is that amidst the chaos lies a great deal of opportunity! The other side of this is that the opportunities will only be discovered by the wholesalers and retailers who are willing to dig deeper than everyone else, and expose the best chances to build valuable relationships and find the sources that can be relied upon. A large part of your search for great partners in this field can be narrowed down by visiting the directories at toptenwholesale.com, manufacturer.com, wholesaleu.com, and offpricenetwork.com for a head start. This is one of the best ways to locate those great items like general merchandise, apparel, accessories, gifts, electronics, handbags, jewelry, toys, and more!

Another thing to do is start with some ground rules in export and import. While the topic can seem a little broad at first glance, importing and exporting can be explained best by starting with the basics. If you are trying to get your head around what to do with all of the information, advice, and statistical data available – but you’ve found no solid starting point – this guide may be for you! Read on to see what I have to say about the TopTen things to look out for when kicking off your own export and import business…

1.Always maintain your integrity, and try to get into a business that you know something about… and enjoy doing. I’m not going to kid you, this can be a very tough business. I’ve probably quit about a half-dozen times while out here in China. It helps a lot to have a personal interest in whatever you’re selling, since motivation can hit an all-time low when you’re back’s against the wall in a deal. The best part of this is the feeling you’ll have when you emerge triumphant!

2.Focus on the customer… under-promise and over deliver. Bad service – it’s everywhere. It can also become your best friend, since so many other companies are willing to go this route. If you’re the one that gains a reputation for being the customer service king or queen, you’ll be in a very good place indeed.

3.Never ever run out of cash. What? You haven’t been reading the headlines since late 2008? There’s a lot of trouble you can get into by using credit recklessly, and my advice is to avoid it altogether every chance you get. Sometimes it’s necessary for security reasons, or to make the conversion or repatriation of currency possible… but you should always back your moves up with cold, hard cash if you want to sleep soundly at night. Harder to do than using credit, but it may save your business in the event of another period of instability in the global market.

4.Hit the books. Whether you opt to take international trade classes at the college level, or just spend a lot of time researching the topic, you’re going to have to learn something in detail before you blast off on some adventure in the wild and often unruly world of foreign trade. Grab a cup of coffee, and find a comfy chair… because you’re going to be reading and researching for some time before you ever reach out to a foreign supplier or government entity. Want proof? Check this out. Instant headache!

5.Personally visit your offshore suppliers or customers, and while you’re at it… visit the trade shows too. I can’t stress this one enough. You must get ample face time in front of your new trade partners, if you even hope to get the best price, best service, and best chance of not getting ripped off! Scams are coming out of the woodwork these days, and it will only get worse before it gets better. If you fall into the trap of believing the stuff on somebody’s website without ever knowing anything about them or making them feel personally obligated to you, then you are asking for trouble.

6.Inspect and approve merchandise before it is shipped. This one kind of ties in with point number 5… but it’s worth giving its own number. If you’re shipping a high-volume load of goods, and you’ve put a lot of money behind it… do us all a favor and take a flight out to wherever you are sourcing from. I know a guy from Africa who supplies uniforms and industrial safety wear to companies in his home country, and he always makes sure he’s the last to personally touch the shipping container before it’s locked up and transferred to the ship. Guess what? He’s never been ripped off since he started doing it. He also reckons he’s made up for the travel expense with the money that wasn’t lost.

7.Take advantage of online resources. Become an online resource. Nothing beats the Internet for ease of information-gathering… but when you become the source of information, the world really opens up to you. This doesn’t mean you need to be an expert in the entire field, but if you begin posting your findings and stories on the Internet, you’ll be amazed at how many others are looking for the same info as you were, back when you were just a noob…

8.Consider hiring an international trade consultant… but don’t neglect to become personally familiar with all monetary transactions. In short, hire the right person for the critical stuff… but make sure you know enough to keep that bean-counter from taking a little skim off the top.

9.Use a trade lawyer for agent and distributor agreements and licensing requirements. Not much more I can say about this one, since the legal stuff is something few of us enjoy sinking our teeth into. Make sure you get the right person for the job, and get updates on what’s going on at all major turning points.

10.Start on a very small scale. My mum used to tell me if I played with fire, I will get burned. Start with a small fire, until your hide gets thick enough to handle the really hot stuff.

With these little nuggets of tried-and-true wisdom, you can feel good about making the move towards expanding your horizons to include the vast array of goods that are available from outside sources. Don’t fear the challenges that lie ahead, and be prepared to do the work required to get yourself up to speed on handling this new operation of yours. If you’re looking at checking out the China market for some wholesale goodies, remember that doing business with China can at times be on friendly terms… and often turn into aggressive ones in a big hurry. Recent financial leverage gained by the PRC has made them the new bully on the block in some regards, and you’ll find that this attitude can manifest itself quite openly at the bargaining table… but you may be surprised to find another bargaining session taking place right before your goods are released to be shipped! Remember the guidelines above, and take a deep breath as you Find it. Source it. Profit!

Toptenwholesale.com Report: Orange Zone, Inc.

Looking for general merchandise, apparel, accessories, gifts, electronics, handbags, jewelry, toys, and more can be a real test sometimes, especially when there’s a lot of new products out there… and not much time to sort through it all. While sites like  toptenwholesale.com, manufacturer.com, wholesaleu.com, and offpricenetwork.com can help you cut through the haze, it’s often a good idea to check our regular updates to see what else is going on in the ever-changing world of wholesale.

This time, I’m going to point out a leading online wholesaler of off-price clothing named Orange Zone Inc. This company is going to become your best friend for sourcing the hottest fashions without having to pay top prices, especially if you’re looking for plus-size apparel! Orange Zone is putting the emphasis on quality, value, and purchasing new overstock apparel directly from the nation’s largest manufacturers and suppliers. Here’s a few points to consider about this amazing company:

Quality plus-size apparel

just got easier to source!

• Successful strategic partnerships that have been in effect since 1996 allow Orange Zone to provide you with the best deals on fashion at the lowest possible prices. That’s real buying power, and the savings are passed directly to you!

• Buying the latest fashion in large wholesale volume brings the discounts to you.

• The company carefully sorts through and categorizes merchandise into unique, marketable and right-sized wholesale lots. That means no odds-and-ends, and les guesswork!

• This company’s methods are built specifically for small to mid sized apparel retailers, on-line sellers, apparel distributors, and exporters.

• All of the apparel purchased is First Quality and Grade-A Authentic Merchandise.

• Orange Zone does not buy irregular or returns. You will receive the same product found in your mid and high end apparel companies and department store retailers… except for the incredibly low prices!

As if that wasn’t enough, the other great advantage is Orange Zone’s advantage is found in the shipping program and customer service. Every order is treated with care, and phone calls or emails are answered immediately. Products are 100% guaranteed, making the process much less painless, as you discover your next number one source for apparel. With no minimum dollar amount on orders required, you should give Orange Zone a try… and find out what happens when you discover a solid partner in the wholesale business as you continue to Find it. Source it. Profit!

Yanks Win 27th World Series; Wholesalers Cheer!

It looks to me like the whole country is fed up with bad news, news about the global economy, accounts of countries playing tug of war, and updates on prices going up and down… because the headlines are positively lit up with late-breaking stories of the New York Yankees and their latest big win in the World Series. This could result in a whole lot more than just a ticker tape parade in the Big Apple, but maybe it will become a serious sales extravaganza that makes your numbers for this year go from a foul ball, to a home run with bases loaded! Start looking around at the sites that feature wholesale goods like toptenwholesale.com and its network of sites manufacturer.com, wholesaleu.com, offpricenetwork.com to get a glimpse at the amazing general merchandise, apparel, accessories, gifts, electronics, handbags, jewelry, toys, and more that carry the Yankees logo, and other baseball-related themes.

Just to give you an idea of what I’m seeing from where I stand, there’s a few items besides the usual headgear and jackets that caught my eye. Here’s some of the more interesting – and maybe unusual – items that help buyers get into the fun of supporting their favorite baseball team:

• Wholesale sunglasses with MLB logos and designs…

• Sculpted Yankees mugs and cups for your morning coffee…

• Shot glasses and bar equipment…

• MLB / Yankees reclining chair. Yes, a reclining chair…

• Yankees jewelry and pins…

• Game ticket frames, mega-tickets, and ticket albums…

• MLB Yankees pet clothes…

It sure makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Are you being careful to offer the gifts and discount items that your customers are looking for? Be the one to pitch like the Yankees (who were positively smoking Philly with the pitches) and get your customers to take a swing! Keep in mind that the big parade in honor of the New York Yankees will be held on November 11 down the Canyon of Heroes… this could be the time to think about putting Yankees gear in front of everyone you can reach, since it will be a huge event that requires a lot of fresh merchandise and memorabilia to satisfy the need s of die-hard fans who want to show their undying support for their team. Be the one they turn to for the hot goods they want, and be sure to browse the pages of toptenwholesale.com to Find it. Source it. Profit!

TopTen Report: Dollar Days Recession-Buster!

I’m pretty confused. The headlines are all about a recession one day and a recovery the next, Ben Bernanke is assuring me that  the financial crisis is over, and the price of gold is making my head spin. Brazil is boosting its export market to the USA, and I’m sitting here in Hangzhou, China… watching the country continue to build, build, build. It’s a lot for me to wrap my head around. It probably is for you, too. While leading verticals like Toptenwholesale.com and its network of sites (manufacturer.com, wholesaleu.com, offpricenetwork.com) help buyers locate general merchandise, apparel, accessories, gifts, electronics, handbags, jewelry, toys, and more… there’s a few others in the industry that seem to have a better handle on reality than most right now. A great example of one of them is DollarDays, a wholesale distributor who offers some superb options to the people who are either preparing for lean times in the job market… or maybe even those who are looking for something to bring revenue in while they are unemployed!

Let’s face it, in the middle of this non-recession(?), it pays to have a set of alternatives up your sleeve. I’ve mentioned the rise of opportunities during these economic hard times before, and I’ll say it again: this kind of market presents a lot of chances to service customers who are looking for the best deals, and the most personalized service. While the big box retailers do fine at their job of moving massive amounts of goods, they fail at identifying each customer’s needs on a case-by-case basis. This is where you step in, and make everything right for the frustrated consumer who needs immediate attention! DollarDays offers a whole bunch of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs as well as a quick-install, affordable option to start your own online store.

Here’s some additional highlights:

• This is a company that sells over 25,000 different wholesale goods on its website, and they are very interested in helping you to begin and grow your own business.

• Visitors have a choice between getting set up through their affiliate program, or by allowing the option to stock and sell their own goods.

• While there are hundreds – if not thousands – of sites that sell DollarDays goods, there are also plenty of brick and mortar stores that stock their products as well.

• If you don’t have the space to stock products, DollarDays offers a convenient drop-ship program that allows venders to drop-ship certain products by the piece.

• If you plan on buying a lot of goods from DollarDays, you can enroll in their Platinum Program, which could mean huge savings for you.

Look out for the twitter and facebook links on their site as well, and while you’re at it… make sure you get connected to our pages as well, where you can sign up to receive tweets, feeds, and updates from us about all the ways you’ll continue to Find it. Source it. Profit!

Wholesale Hats: What’s Selling This Season

Among the wide array of fashion accessories for both men and women, none have been as varied – except maybe shoes – as the humble hat. It can give you a feeling of power… or make you shrink away into the shadows when you don’t want to be noticed. The right hat can give you an authoritative look… or make you seem mysterious and even shadowy. Let’s face it, hats are not going away… and as a savvy wholesale or retail specialist, you should pay attention to the fact that Winter is going to bring a whole new wave of customers who want to put a lid on their domes this season! Take a look at our own Toptenwholesale.com search results page to see some examples of companies that offer great hats at unbeatable prices! To see more ideas, check out manufacturer.com, wholesaleu.com, and offpricenetwork.com as well as a huge selection of general merchandise, apparel, accessories, gifts, electronics, handbags, jewelry, toys, and more!

Today I’m going to give you a little bit of help in selecting the right hat for your wholesale business, especially for those of you who are doing online sales and e-tailing.

• Choosing the hats to carry can be a lot like selling shoes, or watches, or even jewelry… but the price point is much lower, and that can make it easier for you to offer a wide variety of styles and materials, instead of cautiously keeping a limited supply on hand.

• The style choices and trends in the hat business follow distinctly cyclical cycles, which means that your inventory of hats that aren’t selling today could be flying off the shelves tomorrow!

• It’s also got a lot to do with the seasonality of wardrobe choices, since Winter tends to bring the richer and plusher fabrics to the fore… and these are always complimented nicely by a proper hat. Keep your eye on what materials are hot right now for jackets and scarves, and you will already have a good idea of what kind of hat material will pair up nicely.

• Hollywood has never made it easier to follow the fashion, as movies have brought hats back in a big way. Kate Hudson with a wide brim, the normally glammy Beyonce in a simple knitted wool hat, Brad Pitt and his signature newsboy cap, Mickey Rourke and the rugged cowboy hat. I’ve even noticed Justin Timberlake… who – in my opinion – has always been a bit of a fashion victim, but making news nonetheless in a variety of hats that customers are eager to find for themselves. You should be helping those customers find them, on your site.

As you can see, picking the hat isn’t the biggest issue… since there’s something for everyone out there, and a lot of existing marketing to support your selections. On the other hand, you’ve got to make sure that you stand out in the crowd when it comes to offering your customers the right blend of fashion and service. Here’s a few things you’ll want to keep your mind on, as you set up your site with a smoking-hot deal on hats:

• Make sure people know about your quality hat selection… whether you’re selling MLB caps, Stetson, Kangol, Cubavera, or even some of the designer-inspired gear… slap those logos up on your page! It will give your buyers something to reinforce their feeling of satisfaction, knowing that they’ve found a site that isn’t afraid to show who they carry.

• Selection is important… since there’s a hat for ever head, you need to carry a good range of choices. Be varied, and don’t be afraid to put two seemingly contrasting styles next to each other. After all, the one who gets noticed is going to get the sale.

• Make it easy to order… offer service online 24/7, design product category pages that are easy to navigate, create informative individual product pages are full of detailed color samples and other helpful information, etc… be creative!

• SSL provides encryption between web browsers and web servers… so make sure you’re using it. Putting a big header on your order page that says “100% Secure Ordering 128-bit encryption key over Secure Socket Layer (SSL) to provide the highest level of security” will only help you secure the sale, when the customer hesitates to click the buy button. Just make sure you’ve actually set it up correctly, or you’ll be dealing with some major headaches later on.

• Brag a little… about your customer satisfaction, that is. Offer a little insight into your store’s history, and give some testimonials from happy customers. Be honest. This will only lead to more sales with other happy customers, and everyone will win in the end.

Well, there it is… my little primer for those who want to throw their hat into the ring… and get going in the hat game. You want my personal point of view on the hottest hat trend for the season? I have always been keen on basic knitted watch caps myself, but I’m going to go out on a limb here… and say that for the ladies, cloche hats will make a big comeback. This one sure looks good on Hillary Swank, and it will look good on a lot of other girls out there too!

Check out TopTen Wholesale Winter Fashion Favorites!

It’s getting close to the end of another decade in fashion, and the styles that we are seeing these days are certainly keeping up with the overall mood of global news… since it looks like everything surrounding the financial crisis and political re-shuffling that’s been going on has impacted nearly everyone in some way. Fashion seems to be taking a plunge into some distinctly military-themed apparel, as well as fresh ultra chic and glammy club-inspired gear. As a wholesale or retail specialist, what are you supped to do? It almost seems like there’s too much choice, and carrying something for everyone might not be the direction you’re trying to go in, unless you’re a drop-shipping powerhouse. For starters, try taking a look at our own Toptenwholesale.com search results page to see some examples of companies that offer great seasonal fashions at unbeatable prices! To see more ideas, check out manufacturer.com, wholesaleu.com, and offpricenetwork.com as well as a huge selection of general merchandise, apparel, accessories, gifts, electronics, handbags, jewelry, toys, and more!

In other words, the past few years of anything-goes seems to be coming to a head this year, and I reckon things will take a more decisive direction again, as soon as the news reflects more stability and predictability in everyone’s lives. This also means that you are going to have a lot of great options for selecting wholesale fashions and accessories for your cache of collectibles this year, because the emphasis will be on how you market the goods, not necessarily upon what you carry!

Plaid patterns will be part of the look this year!

Awesome, huh? Well, it might seem like shooting fish in a barrel at first… but if you don’t form a solid sales strategy based upon a foundation of fashion 101, you will be left with a dead inventory of overstock that looks more like the contents of every closet you’ve ever filled since you were five years old. Not so good. Let’s take a minute to look at what the fashionistas out there are talking about, and try to find the right line to follow this season as you Check out my quick list of TopTen Wholesale Winter Fashion Favorites!

• First, take a look at some classics… designers like PRADA and D&G will always be respected for taking daring steps into uncharted waters, but the power of classic appeal is undeniable. Make sure you look closely at what Geoffrey Beene, Bill Blass, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Halston have on offer, because they are generally the ones to turn to for rock-solid classic style that doesn’t fade fast.

• Now that you’ve made note of the classics, take a look at what else has made the list. This year, designs from J. Crew and Michael Kors have been noted as style picks by some, especially for those seeking a refined look.

• The short dress was hot all Summer long, and it will continue to be a force in fashion through early Winter. Worn on its own as a breezy and light piece, or paired with leggings, jeans, and even layered with longer skirts and sweaters… well, let’s just say it’s not hard to promote an item like this one… especially since it usually holds at a price point that makes it attractive to wholesalers and online sellers.

• Jeans will never die, and this year is no exception to the great run jeans have enjoyed for the past 50 years. While this season is leaning more towards glammy fashion on-the-go, jeans offer the easy way out for those who don’t have the time or energy to get dolled up. They also keep your shoppers coming back for more, since this is the one all-time favorite apparel item that is notoriously well-paired with accessories!

• Dressed up, or dressed down… street chic is one of the driving forces behind fashion these days. With high-quality manicures and hair styles, it’s become the look of the decade to sport lower-end apparel with more glamorous shoes, bags, scarves, and other components that make the outfit shine. This is the ideal look to promote on your seller site, because it appeals to almost every demographic from the youth market, to the moms on-the-go!

• BOHO-style is still around, even after hitting its peak around 2005. It’s an easy one to accessorize, and with all of the free-flowing fabrics and colors to choose from, it is easy to carry on your inventory as well.

• Accessories rule! Hats, scarves, gloves, wraps, leggings, and other hot accessory items will be taking a large part of the order lists this year, as buyers try to keep their budgets under control. Once the core wardrobe has been built, many shoppers will be on the constant lookout for anything that adds variety to their existing gear. If you offer it, they will come to you!

That’s all for now, I hope you’ve enjoyed this little foray into the world of apparel and accessories, as we check out Topten wholesale winter fashion favorites! Don’t forget to browse the search results on our site, as you Find it. Source it. Profit!

DVD and Video Game Sales: Bulk Up for Turkey Day Blast!

Your customers are probably tired of the same old thing for Thanksgiving Day’s usual chain of events… you know, the wind-up of eating till you feel faint… then crashing out on the couch in frustration… and ultimately sleeping the whole thing off in guilt-ridden silence. Sound familiar to you? It seems that most consumers this year don’t want to repeat that scenario for the umpteenth time, and maybe they would prefer to have a fun-filled and entertaining holiday… but don’t like the idea of dealing with lead paint-contaminated toys, needlessly expensive diversions that don’t really add to the party atmosphere (but add to the guilt factor), or boring stuff that leaves everyone hungry for more?

Fear not, the good news is that most consumers seem to be leaning towards video gaming and movie-watching this year! While many people wouldn’t waste their time blasting aliens, monsters, other players, or any other type of target during their busy and hectic lives… this Turkey Day, it looks like it might be the best bet for families and friends who want to spend some quality time together, without breaking the bank or causing physical harm. Well, I won’t rule out the possibility of sprained thumbs and Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome, but that’s another story.

First, about family gaming: carrying the right selection of games and hardware for your customers can be a little daunting, since every major electronics producer seems to have some kind of answer to the gaming question. However, there are some things that stand out, and make your sales soar… when you consider the option of promoting and selling the games themselves, and maybe the gaming accessories too. Also, there is a great selection of  hardware that is not necessarily the name-brand stuff, but meets OEM specs for third-party production. I see these things all the time in the PC markets here in China, and it would be a good idea to offer this to your customers as well. With a growth figure of about 20 percent last year, you can bet that games will take a big chunk of the Thanksgiving Day revenue this time around, too. Video games outstripped sales of DVDs and movies as well, and I reckon people will only move further away from the movie experience… and closer to being the experience, in an interactive format that requires their input.

As for the movies: perhaps some of your customers are a bit like me, and don’t really get much pleasure from playing video games. That’s fine, because there’s a huge selection of movies and DVD options to stock your shelves and online pages with. I’ll admit, I have a totally unfair advantage over the rest of you living in the USA… since I can find movies for about $0.25 each, sometimes seeing the really good stuff at a premium price of about  $0.75! I know, you hate me… and maybe you’re seething over the fact that pirate DVD sales are crushing the biz back home (unless you happen to read the venomous news about Hulu.com, but that’s another story) but the reality is that DVD sales are almost entirely comprised of pirated stuff in the PRC, so there’s no existing market in China for services like Netflix, the DVD section of the electronics stores, or even pay-to-download sites. In fact, most Chinese simply watch streaming movie content that temporarily downloads onto their PCs at home and the office, without ever owning a copy for themselves. Well… why bother, when you’ve got the whole thing right at your fingertips anyway, right? Unless the USA starts following the same widespread East Asain model soon, there will be no freebies for everyone in the States… and that means the attraction to wholesalers and retailers who offer discounted DVDs will be more popular than the usual outlets that put them on display for $20 a pop! Ouch!

Visit the search pages of Toptenwholesale.com to find some killer deals on loads of closeout DVDs and to locate sources for dropshipping options on video games that will make your holiday sales a success!

TopTen Trends for Computers and Electronic Accessories

Last year was a downright gruesome scene for some wholesale and retail specialists, as consumer spending hit rather scary low figures, and the usual myriad of reliable trends and predictability schemes were tossed out the window… making the big question this year revolve around what the future brings for the holiday season in 2009. While there will undoubtedly be a lot of shopping going on (since the USA is largely comprised of a consumer-based economy), it’s no secret that the average consumer will exercise a great deal of caution this time around, and only the sellers who prepare for this renewed environment of customer pre-shopping mentality can hope to catch a substantial part of the revenue that will be flowing into the usual sales channels. The good news, however, is that for those dealing in computers and electronics… this could be a victorious year-end!

It’s been some time since we’ve seen a buyer’s market like this, and it looks like things will not be stabilizing for some time. Computers and electronics are now being manufactured by pretty much everyone from the USA… to the deepest and most underdeveloped regions of China… and this means that there will be a lot of choices for consumers to direct their dollars towards. You should be paying attention to what the people are reading and hearing, in order to prepare yourself for the choices you’ll have to make regarding what kind of gear to stock, what kind of deals to put on the table, and what sort of after-sales service will be received with the most appreciation by the current crop of savvy buyers.

First of all, the notion that consumers simply follow advertising and marketing hype is an old strategy that has met its end. Today’s consumer is smart, picky, and willing to wait. Too many people have been burned since 2008 to allow the same thing to happen again… and this means that your service, attitude, and follow-through will determine what kind of success you enjoy for the following years to come.

Secondly, there’s a lot of information being passed around, but it seems to follow a very predictable pattern: electronics are the hottest pick this year, as manufacturers and distributors are rallying to get buyers excited about their merchandise… and the merchandise has never shown such signs of being categorized as low-hanging fruit before. Yes, that’s right… love it or hate it, this is a buyer’s market in the realm of electronics, and you should be very watchful of the trends.

Okay, without being overly-dramatic… here is my list of items to keep your eyes on for this year’s electronics gold rush. In fact, I’ll just put it in another convenient TopTen list format, and let you decide what to do from there:

• Netbooks are going to be the champs in 2009, but there’s two sides to this story. They offer a counterpoint to the question of getting more bang for your buck. How much bang? Well, not blisteringly-fast processor speeds or incredible graphics performance… but for under about $200 bucks, that’s not a big problem for the consumer who seeks a laptop PC on the cheap. These will be coming out of the woodwork  at every turn, and people shopping for the low-cost answer to their portable computing questions will be happy to see them.
• Low-end notebook PC prices are also going to take a dive, as the netbooks create a huge competition factor that keeps the manufacturers from charging the prices they’d like to put forth this year. Even Apple is putting a new plastic-bodied low-cost alternative to the iBook on the shelves this year, in response to the tightened consumer purse strings that have all of the PC makers stressed out.
• Thanks for the memories… GB and MB of memory, that is. I’ve never seen memory so low. I remember when I was in college, a 250MB SyQuest drive (remember those?) cost me about $200 per disk. Nowadays, I just paid about RMB300 for a 1TB drive… and in the USA the prices are hovering around 5 cents per GB, so I expect to find 1TB USB 2.0 external hard drives for $49 bucks or so.
• Software is a necessary evil, but that might change pretty soon. I’ve mentioned cloud-based apps in past posts… and I do believe they will eventually put an end to the deluge of software that is sold for prices that sometimes make people think twice about even getting a PC. The pirate market has put a dent in the biz, too… and it only makes my suspicion that cloud computing will make all that software even cheaper. You should be looking for the price drops, and passing the savings along to your customers.
• LCD monitors can make all the difference between a good Internet-browsing session, and an amazing experience with your PC, time after time. be prepared to offer your customers the styles and sizes they want, at the prices they can afford.
• Game systems are not to be ignored, as people look for something relatively benign in a toxic world of job layoffs, company closures, and housing crises. Personally, I believe that the gaming industry is going to change the way we look at the computer screen… but it might be a little while before things fall into place. For now, it would be a good idea to offer your customers the selection of games and hardware that makes the difference.
• TV sets can bring the experience to you in a better light, and the bigger they are, the better. Prices are also dropping, and even with the maker of those coveted HDTV sets crowing about how amazing their picture quality is, many consumers will be looking for size, not razor-sharpness.
• Blu-ray disc players might be like the beloved beta cassette recorders of yesteryear (no, I don’t think Blu-ray will change the landscape of optical media as we know it) but this time – unlike the days of beta vs VHS – you won’t be stuck with useless discs that don’t play on any other piece of hardware. Where the beta cassettes went wrong was being unusable on any other system… this time around, the Blu-ray disc is compatible with just about any PC that has a decent set of codecs installed, and will be useful as long as the price is low. Consumers will be appreciative of any seller who can explain the mysteries of recording onto disc, and provide the answers to questions regarding their Blu-ray purchases.
• Digital picture frames might not be the sexiest of these items, but they are truly an idea that has become a reality. While many people might have been hesitant to make the switch from those yellowing, faded glossy prints from a one-hour lab that were printed in 1982… it’s going to be hard for people to fight the urge to put their favorite pictures on display – in a slideshow, even – for prices around $30 or less.
• GPS is the new best friend of tech-savvy delivery drivers, salespeople, and long-distance drivers everywhere… why let them have all the fun, as more people get used to the idea that a GPS system for their car is not really a luxury, but a necessity in these crazy days of finding the places you are supposed to be in, amidst all the traffic and chaos? If it helps any, I can tell you that Chinese car owners are one of the fastest-growing consumer segments in the GPS arena.

There it is… the good, the bad, and the not-so-ugly… especially if you’re looking to position yourself for some extreme holiday sales this year! Don’t forget to check in with us from time to time, and maybe even bookmark the Toptenwholesale.com site as one of your favorites, so you don’t miss the news as it comes down the pipeline! Good luck with your holiday wholesaling! Be sure to utilize our helpful search feature to effectively Find it. Source it. Profit!

Black Friday: Electronics and Cameras Expected to Sell Out!

Black Friday is coming fast, and with it come the possibilities of selling out your inventory of electronics and cameras, too! Are you ready for the electronics rush? In order to forecast what will be hot this time around, taking a walk down memory lane and getting a quick look at last year’s figures for what sold over Black Friday would be a good idea… but I’m going to go just a little further back on the timeline, by showing some figures from the 2007 season’s hot picks first:

• Women’s Boots
• Watches
• Blu-ray/HD-DVD Players
• Women’s Sleep & Lounge Wear
• Games & Puzzles
• Women’s Jackets
• Music
• Headphones
• Women’s Dresses
• Women’s Casual Shoes

Interesting how the electronics category didn’t seem to make such a big impression on this set of 2007 data, eh? Now let’s take a look at last year’s Black Friday sales winners:

• Nintendo Wii Console
• UGG Australia Boot
• Sony Blu-Ray Disc Player
• Samsung LCD TV
• Nintendo Wii Fit
• Panasonic Plasma TV
• Sennheiser HD Headphones
• Canon EOS Rebel SLR Digital Camera Kit
• Acer Aspire Notebook
• Canon PowerShot Digital Camera

This time, electronics positively smashed the other categories, and it looks like the only other noteworthy item that even made it onto the list was those puffy-looking Aussie boots. I don’t really know what that means (about the inexplicable popularity of UGG boots, that is) but two things I would take away from this history lesson would be that:

Things change pretty fast.

Electronics will most likely occupy a large part of next year’s list.

Be aware of what the big electronics retailers are doing, because they have wisely been changing up their strategies to compensate for this year’s dismal projections on holiday sales… and they’re also turning increasingly towards the rapidly-growing online shopping forum – your territory(!) – for some added consumer spending to flow their way. Remember those cute little mail-in rebates that Best Buy, Walmart, OfficeMax, and other big-box centers were tossing around at the checkout aisle? I don’t expect them to repeat that move, since a tidal wave of consumer complaints left people feeling bitter… and feeling a lot better about getting instant satisfaction online with e-coupons and discount codes. You could be the one to offer this, along with better service and more personalized attention.

Stay tuned, because I’ll have a list of predictions for you to feast your eyes on… when I post my blog about TopTen Trends for Computers and Electronic Accessories!

China Wholesale Electronics on the Rise, Part 03

This is the final installment of the three-part story on the 2009 Hangzhou Electronic and Information Fair. In the previous two articles, I’ve given a few of my perspectives on the upcoming tidal wave of Chinese electronic design entering the arena, and some of this is going to make a real difference to all end-users in the following months.

Now for the wrap-up: here’s a little video showing some cool stuff that I saw at the 2009 Hangzhou Electronic and Information Fair…

(click the picture to see the video!)

So what can you do to make the most of this period of change and innovation? Well, I’m sure you’ve heard someone say something once or twice about the fact that there are those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened, right? If you want to be the first one on that list, I suggest some of these handy little strategies, which I’ve neatly arranged into a TopTen list of points to consider in the new China wholesale electronics market:

• Forget everything you think you know about the PRC. For better or for worse, this place changes too darn fast… and if you come across some nuggets of wisdom that you decide to accept as truth and hold onto forever, you will be surprised – and most likely disappointed – with the outcome. Keep researching… and research some more after that.

• Made In China will start sounding a lot less funny in the future, as the world begins to see some really good products coming off the assembly lines. You’ll either be one of the guys enjoying the rewards of moving along with the enormous progress… or you’ll be stuck in a deep, dark hole of denial.

• Sleep less, do more. Benjamin Franklin said “there will be sleeping enough in the grave”… and he wasn’t even living in the Information Technology Age! I don’t recommend you run yourself ragged by not sleeping enough, but at least don’t watch TV anymore. You’ll find China’s long and sordid history to be stranger than fiction, and it will provide invaluable insight into what drives the country’s thought process today.

• Everything old is new again. You probably grew up with computers, VCR / DVD players, CD players, video games, digital watches, big color TV sets, etc… while those who were born in China before 1990 didn’t. You should remember that when dealing with your new partners, as they will have a much keener awareness of how excited the youth market gets over electronics. Look towards the entire Asian gaming industry if you aren’t sure what this means.

• … on the other hand, you shouldn’t be surprised to realize (after reading the point above) that the level of expectation in Asia is much higher for the performance and wow-factor of new electronic products, since most of the kids here grew up with the stuff we saw in lengthy (often awkward) development over the past three decades.

• Forget everything you know about consensus and majority vote. In China, decisions are made by the leadership, and that’s that. Speculation doesn’t always follow logic or trends, and part of what makes China such a great place for the risk-takers is the fact that it can present an opportunity at the drop of a hat… as long as you don’t mind navigating mine fields.

• Let sleeping dogs lie… because the best part of huge corporate entities in China is in their amazing inability to deal with progress or innovation at the street-level. You say the big manufacturers and distributors are unable to satisfy demand from a specialized niche market? You should probably do it, and you’ll probably do it better than they can.

• Everyone’s in search of Superman… the government bodies and administrations are always looking for somebody to come in and champion their cause, so it’s pretty easy for smaller companies to get the funding they need… if you’re willing to play the game. Nothing is for free, and you’ll have to adapt to the cheerleading and CPC-friendly hype if you hope to get your foot in this door. Might not be worth it, in my opinion… but it pays to watch the ones who are doing it, to get an idea about some hot new branding campaigns or industry buzzwords that will be useful to you.

• Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… and one hard-and-fast rule in the China market is that your ideas will be ripped off in a matter of days. This makes the big companies cringe over IPR and legalities… but doesn’t faze the small ones who have a strategy in place. For some, there’s no better way to get a push in the right direction than by allowing your competition to copy you.

• Speaking the language is important, if you’d like to keep from getting burned. It’s no secret that businesses will act upon whatever advantages they can take to keep you in the dark. You can at least try to make it harder for them to pull a fast one on you in China, by learning some Mandarin or Cantonese. Of course, you’ll be faced with some local dialects as well, and that could mean extra time reciting phrases out loud to yourself during your daily commute, in the shower, or during the elevator ride up to the office. Yes, you’ll look like a freak to those who see you… but you’ll be glad you did it when the less-scrupulous Chinese business ‘friends’ are grinning with delight as they plot your demise right in front of you! You’ll be smiling right back, knowing that the joke’s not on you.

I know it’s a lot to think about… and the truth is that this is only the beginning… but one thing is certain for now: there will be a lot of new chances to expand your visibility in China, if you are willing to do the work. You can either get on this train, or step aside as the competition hops aboard… while they contact their business partners on those sexy new Chinese-made 3G mobiles with open-source software powering their hanzi (written Chinese) character-set recognition text messaging functions. They’ll most likely be downloading a movie at the same time, too.

Don’t know where to begin? Source other global electronic suppliers at these sites today!