Mini importation has come to stay in Nigeria. And I don’t see it ending any time soon.
So in this post, I will walk through the step-by-step of starting mini importation in Nigeria.
Also, you will learn how to buy products or goods at cheap prices from abroad, especially from China, and have them delivered to you in Nigeria.
Let’s jump into it.
Table of Contents
1. Mini importation explained
2. How to select products
3. Register the business
4. Find a supplier
5. Have your products delivered
6. Market and sell your products
1: Mini Importation Explained
Mini importation is knowing as the importation of goods or items from other countries at a cheap price and a profitable price.
This means you don’t need any middle man because you’re directly dealing with the products’ manufacturers. By doing this, you will be able to eliminate the services of a wholesaler or agents.
However, knowing the business secrets will help you do this business from the comfort of your home without having any problem with an agent or a big importer.
You need to understand that before buying products, there’s a need to carry out market research to know the goods that are rapidly sold. It will help know what you stand to gain (profits) and where to find the suppliers.
I know you’re already thinking about how you’re going to find a supplier and how your products will get to you. With the advancement of technology and an internet connection, you have nothing to worry about.
The supplier will be the one to handle the shipping process and make sure that your products get to you in perfect condition.
So to run this business successful, you need the following basic tools:
- A computer device or a smartphone
- An email address
- Access to the internet
- An ATM Mastercard (or visa card)
- An easily accessed address
- Capital (at least N20,000)
Now you know the basic tools, let’s discuss how to source for products.
2: How to Select Products
Make sure that the products you plan to select are in high demand by Nigerians. You need to carry out a detailed market survey to know the products to go for.
Also, it’s during the cause of the research you must answer the following questions:
- Your niche?
- Your target customers?
- Who are your competitors and what do they sell?
- When did your competitors start?
- How do your competitors sell their products and their profit margin?
- Are your competitors successful in business?
Answering the above questions will help you to know what products to import. Also, you need the guidance and advice of others to get first-hand knowledge about the business.
However, I have done thorough research that will help you know the high-demand goods to import, especially from China.
These high demand items are grouped into categories and they include the following:
Electronic and electric appliances and gadgets.
Under this category, you have:
- Flat-screen televisions
- Generators
- Rechargeable fans
- Home theatres
- Pressing irons
- Smartphones
- Computer systems
- And more.
Cosmetics and pieces of jewelry
This group has these high demand products:
- Hair wigs
- Bathing soap
- Perfumes
- Body Sprays
- Necklaces
- Bracelets
- Eyelashes
- Contact lenses
- Hand and leg chains
Clothing and accessories
They include:
- Underwears
- Sportswear
- Foreign designer clothes such as Versace, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Dior & Balenciaga, etc.
- Accessories include: belts, shoes, caps, bags, etc
And kitchen utensils and lots more.
3: Register the Business
Understand that registering the business is not compulsory before starting venturing into mini importation.
But having it registered will add more credibility and make your potential customers trust you.
Now imagine advertising your goods on platforms such as Facebook. Someone clicks through and lands on your website because they want to buy.
Only to find out that your business it’s not registered, there’s a possibility that the person won’t buy again because they can’t trust you with their money.
That’s what registering your business will stop because your RC number will be boldly written on your website and social media accounts.
4: Find a Supplier
There are websites where you can find trusted suppliers that will sell to you at a cheap price.
These websites include:
- AliExpress
AliExpress is a Chinese e-commerce platform where you can buy products at cheap prices.
You can buy products such as mobile phones, computer systems, pieces of jewelry, wristwatches, bags, health products, etc.
This platform is built such that you can easily contact the seller and negotiate prices before you place your order.
- Everbuying
This is a Chinese online shopping platform, where suppliers who are ready to do business can easily be found.
Major products on this platform include mobile phones, kitchen utensils, computer systems, clothing, etc.
From my findings, one advantage of using this platform is that you’ll get your products delivered to you for free, without any charge.
Other platforms include:
- Amazon
- DHgate
It doesn’t matter the website you decide to buy from, you have to create a user account to be able to buy on them.
5: Get your Products Delivered
Now, you know the products to buy and where (websites) to buy them.
How do you get the products delivered to you?
The simple answer to the above question is:
Make payment.
You have to pay via the option on the cart page of the supplier’s website. This payment can be done with your ATM card or via a Paypal account.
This is done without making use of any logistics company and your products and they will deliver your products to you, which can take 20 to 30 days before they get to you.
You can decide to pay a logistics company, which will serve as a third-party agent.
The company will receive your products from the supplier and have them delivered to you.
Let’s assume you’re using a logistics company to buy products on Amazon. These steps will help you get your products:
- Create an Amazon account
- Select the products
- Copy the link to the Amazon cart page
- Create an account with a logistics company (such as DHL)
- Paste the copied cart page link on DHL’s website
- DHL will place the order and receive them for you
- Ship the products to Nigeria for you to get them in any nearest DHL office
6: Market and Sell your Products
You need to know that no matter how great your products are, you won’t be able to sell them if people don’t know about them.
Meaning without marketing, your business won’t survive. So to sell your products to your potential customers, you have to do the following:
- Create an e-commerce website
Having a website gives your business an online presence which adds more credibility to your business.
Also, an e-commerce website will help you automate the sales of your products by leveraging advanced digital technologies to handle your customer relationship, keep track of your customer behavior and also predict what their next move might be.
- Content and social media marketing
Content, they say, is king. You need content on social media accounts to create awareness that your business exists.
This content can be in the form of text, images, or video. You can create a lead magnet that will help grow your email list and generate more traffic to your website.
- Word of mouth
Word of mouth is still a powerful type of marketing and mustn’t be overlooked.
You have to tell your family and friends about your business. They will help to spread the news about what you sell and they can be delivered to anyone that buys.
In the beginning, they will be your marketers, so don’t ignore them. Also, you have to share your complimentary cards that have your name, your business name, phone number, and website wrote on them.
Conclusion
Having exposed the secrets of the mini importation business to you. You now have what it takes to run the business and make maximum profits.
Also, understand that no business was built in a day. You have to be consistent with it to be able to make your business a profitable one.
So discard anything that anyone must have told you that mini importation business is one you can start today and become a millionaire today.
It takes consistency, patience, good customer relationships, and your ability to effectively manage your funds to run a successful business.
Don’t be in a hurry to make a huge profit but build a brand that will attract the kind of customers you need.
