We plan to bring eChai across 100 cities in India. It starts with eChai Startup Demo Day on 26 September, all in person. 11 cities confirmed, 151 founders registered. Any city that reaches 20 interested founders is on too. See your city
Make your product

Importing & global sourcing

Source from China & abroad without getting burned.

Level All Beginner Intermediate
Market All India Global
Who's asking Everyone Aspiring Brand Builder Maker / Artisan Trader Going Own-Brand Scaling Brand Cross-Border Founder
How do I actually import a product from China as a small D2C brand with no existing supply chain? Start on Alibaba to benchmark price and MOQ, but don't place a real order there blind, get 3+ quotes, order paid samples, and use Trade Assurance f... Beginner 2 resources → What's actually different between working direct with a factory, buying off Alibaba, and hiring a sourcing agent? Alibaba is fastest to start but you're often talking to a trading company, not the factory floor, fine for standard products, riskier for anything ... Intermediate 2 resources → What do I legally need in India to import goods, IEC, GST, anything else? An Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT is non-negotiable, without it you cannot clear customs or get paid in foreign currency, and it's a one-time o... Beginner 3 resources → How do I estimate my true landed cost before I commit to an order? Landed cost is CIF value (product + insurance + freight) plus Basic Customs Duty, Social Welfare Surcharge, and IGST on top of that, not just what ... Intermediate 4 resources → What are the classic ways first-time importers get scammed or burned? Watch for prices that undercut the whole market, demands for 100% advance payment off-platform, and 'golden sample' switches where a great sample i... Beginner 3 resources → Should I ship by air or sea, and how do I actually choose a freight forwarder? Air freight makes sense for your first small validation order or anything time-sensitive; sea freight (LCL/FCL) is dramatically cheaper per unit on... Intermediate 3 resources →
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