Manufacturing
Shipping & Importing
Shipping is a detail often overlooked when an inventor starts manufacturing their product. If manufacturing in the United States, or the inventor's home country, shipping isn't complicated. The local mail service or trucking company can easily deliver large inventory shipments. But if manufacturing in Asia, an inventor must be aware of the different shipping options, and import laws that apply to their particular product.
The two different shipping options to get products from the Pacific Rim into the United States are air freight or steam ship, carrier lines. Shipping products by airplane is very expensive, and should be used sparingly. Air costs depend on the weight of the product being shipped. Each extra product adds to the shipping costs. Shipping with a steamship is a more appropriate cost alternative. A flat fee is paid to receive container space on the ship, and as many products can fit in the container is allowed. In order to avoid steep shipping costs, a competitive ocean-freight service should be used. Visit this link for information on Asian shipping.
Another very important concept to be aware of is the United States importing process. It can be complicated and costly depending on the type of product being imported. All products must pass through US Customs before entering the country. Depending on what type of product it is, it could take weeks or even months to pass through customs. Customs duties and import taxes must also be paid. The import tax paid is a percentage of the fair market value of the goods.
Paper outline
- Protecting inventions
- Manufacturing the product
- Getting resources and financing
- Testing the market
- Preparing products for market
- Closing thoughts
- Download the entire paper
Check out the Silent Timer Web site to see the product Erik took to market. Contact him with any questions.
