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How to sell a product my brother had made in China?

by Joe Ramos
7 replies
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Hey Guys,
I'm brand new to Warrior Forum, and I wish I had found this site much sooner.
So, My little brother took some designs for plush toys with a pocket built in, and then proceeded to purchase about 6,000 units total (spread across 12 different plush toy designs). He paid for all of it up front with no market testing or anything. Long story short, they've been sitting in a warehouse for the past 18 months because he has no idea how to sell them!

I've been dabbling in eCommerce for a few years now, so he asked me to help him sell them. He gave me the price he needs to get per unit, and it seems like there would be a very good margin for me if I can figure out how to get people to buy them.

Marketing is by far my weakest area, but I need to get past that. So, I'm looking for some solid advice on where to start to get these things gone.

I'm working with practically no budget also.

If anyone has some thoughts they could share, I'd appreciate it.
#brother #china #made #product #sell
  • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
    Start with Amazon and eBay.
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    We help sellers get the MAXIMUM amount for their websites and all buyers know that these sites are 100% vetted.
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  • Profile picture of the author aloedrinks
    You can build a website for your product, if you do not understand this, you can go to the company dedicated to the site outsourcing services to do, our company is engaged in this, you can look at our website results
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  • Profile picture of the author Importexport
    @Joe Ramos, sorry to rub it in, but your brother put the cart before the horse.

    I am adding my comments because this thread and your question will be be read by many novice members and this is a very important lesson to learn.

    I frequently get questions about how and where to source products for sale online, and my answer often reminds people that the first step is to do market research.

    You might have the most beautiful, lowest price product, but if no one wants to buy it, its value is zero.

    Now that you have the product on hand, take @dave_hermansen's advice and start on Amazon or eBay. You cn test the market there and find out if the toys will sell.

    You can start with a low price and if they sell like hot scones you can gradually increase the price. Or you can start at a high prices and reduce the price until you begin to get sales.

    Even at this stage, appropriate market research will give you a guide as to what price you might expect, but don't forget that there is a lot more to successful selling than just having a the lowest price.

    Walter Hay
    Provenchinasourcing
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    Use emotions and perceptions to build a great brand. Ask me about my book LabelsThatExploit. For safe sourcing and easy importing from 41 countries globally, see https://provenglobalsourcing.com
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Walter is the expert on this but I have a question.

    If these are toys I'd want to know exactly WHAT is used to make them - what material is used for the stuffing - whether they have are potential choking hazards, etc. They haven't been made under US standards for materials...and I wonder what your (or your brother's) liability exposure could be.

    Maybe I'm looking for problems ..don't know.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      Walter is the expert on this but I have a question.

      If these are toys I'd want to know exactly WHAT is used to make them - what material is used for the stuffing - whether they have are potential choking hazards, etc. They haven't been made under US standards for materials...and I wonder what your (or your brother's) liability exposure could be.

      Maybe I'm looking for problems ..don't know.
      I'm glad you raised this issue. Stuffed toys ex China have been found with a variety of unacceptable materials used for stuffing, including the worst one: used medical dressings!!! Probably the majority of stuffed toys from China are OK, but it is essential to be sure before putting them on the market.

      I have also realized that I should have asked where the designs came from. I hope they aren't copies of big brand products.

      Walter Hay,
      Provenchinasourcing
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      Use emotions and perceptions to build a great brand. Ask me about my book LabelsThatExploit. For safe sourcing and easy importing from 41 countries globally, see https://provenglobalsourcing.com
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  • Profile picture of the author quadagon
    It's hard to give specific advice as there are several ways to go. My choice would be

    Product Placement + Scarcity + Collectable + Subscription

    Could be profitable and mean you'd need about 500 sales instead of 6000.

    You could equally call each one after a different month and target birthdays or if safe baby births. Honestly there's a million ways. I think we'd really need to see the toys to give accurate advice.

    What's the purpose of the pocket?
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  • Profile picture of the author Fred Kimberly
    With no budget in hand, create a page on facebook and share your products in the facebook communities and groups. You can also boost sales by spending a little fortune on facebook ads.

    Amazon and eBay are also good platforms to start with. You'll learn through the process and establish a good business.

    Good Luck!
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