Since you know you need to move fast, you better begin preparation of your corporate identity by establishing your own brand name, logo, and sales packaging design.
The Importance of Branding
Many importers underestimate the importance of this step and get into trouble later on. Having your own brand name and a convincing sales packaging design can be the main key to the success for your import business.
Why is it so important to have your own brand name and gift box design? It involves your corporate image towards both the Chinese manufacturers and your customers in your home country. It sets you apart from the rest of the crowd with a professional touch.
Creating your own sales packaging design may seem like a waste of time and money since most manufacturers can provide you with their own (very simple) designs at no additional charge. Unfortunately, they will provide this service to everyone who is asks for it and identical look alike goods may even enter your home market via another importer without your knowledge.
The result is more competition and you will be unable to achieve your planned profit margin. In other words, you wasted a lot of time and money without reaping the full benefit.
Get Some Help
Let’s start with the brand name and logo first. You should seriously consider getting some outside help because the brand name that you choose for your products may already be registered somewhere else. It would be disastrous if you became entangled in legal battles with the registered brand name owner after you have distributed your imported products in your home country.
Ask a lawyer to do this for you because they have the tools to conduct a thorough research and can register your brand name for either worldwide or local use.
Think Product Expansion
Theoretically, your chosen brand name may only be appropriate for a certain type of product but I suggest choosing one which can be used for a wide range of products. You will certainly plan to expand into other products in the future and do not want to be hindered by not having a suitable brand name to do so.
Another reason is that the Chinese Government has implemented quite a few restrictions that help protect you. The restrictions prevent factories from producing and shipping branded products to other than the legal owners of the brand name.
If you have created a nice professional looking sales package design, there is always the risk that some factory or other importer may copy it and distribute it to other customers not necessarily in your home country. There is not much that you can do about this if you don’t protect your brand now. You can easily see why your own brand name is so important.
The Concept Stage
At this point, your sales packaging design should only be in the concept stage. You should have color combinations, graphics, any photos you will use, etc. The final design can be only created after you have finalized your product selection.
After you have finished preparations for your corporate identity, you will begin focusing on the cost calculations of the products you want to buy in China. In the next step, you have to look at the Incoterms, Tariffs, and at the Landed Cost Calculation.
When you attend a Chinese Trade Fair for the first time, you could look quite foolish if you do not have a minimum knowledge about import trade terms and import calculations. To prevent this from happening, please study the following two chapters carefully and familiarize yourself with the details.