How To Be an International Buyer: Shop From All Over the World
Whether you’re buying for your business and looking for sample products or simply indulging in some international shopping, sometimes to find the right stuff you have to look globally. From gift baskets and specific food items to furniture and clothing, there are plenty of reasons that you might be looking for products from different countries, and with the power of the internet, finding those products has never been easier.
Remember, it’s important to be discerning, as the standards and practices in other countries regarding goods and quality of transit may not align with those that you’re used to. We’ve put together this simple guide for international shopping, so you can be more confident when using a foreign website.
Look Closely at the Business
Think about where you’re buying from. Is this a reputable brand, a smaller family-owned business, or a nameless wholesaler? Do some research on the companies and platforms that you’re buying from, such as viewing their presence on TrustPilot and other watchdogs, before making an order.
Make sure to also record the contact details of each business that you order from, to ensure you can easily get in touch if there are any concerns or questions to do with your purchase.
Stay On Top Of the Law
This should go without saying, but consider the legality of everything you order online, internationally, or otherwise. A food product that’s totally legal in the US might be considered illegal in the UK, and vice versa, with a flagging up from border control unlikely to be taken lightly.
Some companies might flag purchases before they’re made, while others may work on more automated systems, so it’s important to be clued up before making purchases.
Consider Third Party Shipping
Overseas delivery costs can be monumental and are often hidden until the last stage in a buying process, and since the pandemic, these costs have only increased. Things like national border tariffs and in-house currency conversion costs can also lead to inflated delivery charges. In some cases, the cost of shipping can dwarf that of the item, which is where third-party shipping could come in handy.
Using a third-party shipping agency you can shop for an array of products from a particular country and have them collated at a third-party holding facility through domestic delivery. Once they’ve arrived in such a location, those goods can then be consolidated into mixed, more space-efficient packages, helping you to secure the cheapest international shipping rates possible.
At USGoBuy, we offer a Ship For Me and Buy For Me service to make buying US products easier than ever for those living in other countries. With our system, products you want can be bought by either you or us for domestic delivery to one of our warehouses, before we compact orders and put items together to make shipping to you cheaper than ever.
For more on our services, click here.
Whether you’re buying for your business and looking for sample products or simply indulging in some international shopping, sometimes to find the right stuff you have to look globally. From gift baskets and specific food items to furniture and clothing, there are plenty of reasons that you might be looking for products from different countries, and with the power of the internet, finding those products has never been easier.
Remember, it’s important to be discerning, as the standards and practices in other countries regarding goods and quality of transit may not align with those that you’re used to. We’ve put together this simple guide for international shopping, so you can be more confident when using a foreign website.
Look Closely at the Business
Think about where you’re buying from. Is this a reputable brand, a smaller family-owned business, or a nameless wholesaler? Do some research on the companies and platforms that you’re buying from, such as viewing their presence on TrustPilot and other watchdogs, before making an order.
Make sure to also record the contact details of each business that you order from, to ensure you can easily get in touch if there are any concerns or questions to do with your purchase.
Stay On Top Of the Law
This should go without saying, but consider the legality of everything you order online, internationally, or otherwise. A food product that’s totally legal in the US might be considered illegal in the UK, and vice versa, with a flagging up from border control unlikely to be taken lightly.
Some companies might flag purchases before they’re made, while others may work on more automated systems, so it’s important to be clued up before making purchases.
Consider Third Party Shipping
Overseas delivery costs can be monumental and are often hidden until the last stage in a buying process, and since the pandemic, these costs have only increased. Things like national border tariffs and in-house currency conversion costs can also lead to inflated delivery charges. In some cases, the cost of shipping can dwarf that of the item, which is where third-party shipping could come in handy.
Using a third-party shipping agency you can shop for an array of products from a particular country and have them collated at a third-party holding facility through domestic delivery. Once they’ve arrived in such a location, those goods can then be consolidated into mixed, more space-efficient packages, helping you to secure the cheapest international shipping rates possible.
At USGoBuy, we offer a Ship For Me and Buy For Me service to make buying US products easier than ever for those living in other countries. With our system, products you want can be bought by either you or us for domestic delivery to one of our warehouses, before we compact orders and put items together to make shipping to you cheaper than ever.
For more on our services, click here.
