Always On Call: Weekend Delivery – New China Warehouse Client!

Thats the thing about small business, YOU ARE ALWAYS on call. I am trying to get on somewhat of a schedule between Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, but life of a traveling salesman / social media dude (aka ME) life is anything but predictable and schedule-able.

This blog of mine has intertwined my personal and business life – But GOOD news on my business side – a new product line and client for fiveislands ecommerce warehouse, Karta I have been talking to for a couple months now, signed a contract and has stored his goods with us!

Once we got into details, it happened pretty quickly- I met him on the Futian, Shenzhen border of Hong Kong Wednesday night, signed the contract on the bus, and then did some more fashion networking in Lan Kwei Fong, Hong Kong district with him. Similar to the Hong Kong Fashion Night he got me into a couple months ago.

I’ll hold back on Piotr’s request to blog about today’s world and how to separate business and personal life- BECAUSE I AM FULLY INTEGRATING business and personal. I think that is the future….my life and my work are one in the same….I live my job, but at the same time, for the most part, I love my work and am passionate about it. I hope those following this blog appreciate that and enjoy even the posts that are about “work”.

But its been quite some effort in Dongguan the past months, being teacher training a marketing team in a factory center, as well as balancing the pros and cons of each location between Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong – as each has valuable benefits over others. I am just one person.

Lastly we launched a chinese ecommerce site Cash N Carry that will sells the goods in our ecommerce center online, but also allow local pickup for wholesale orders.

So this weekend’s new delivery is A Go To B Bike Accessories, by an American currently living in London and Shenzhen – he designs urban bike gear (clothing, pedals, shoes, helmets, hats) for city bikers – really cool stuff. He also needs an ecommerce site, as he primarily sells it through distributors in Japan and London, as well as his 2 stores in London (a flagship double decker bus is one!).

Karta and I have really connected, both being Americans, living multiple lives going between Hong Kong, China, USA or Europe. He has been designing really cool gear, I don’t have specific pictures here, but we are excited to list them on cash n carry Chinese websites, as well as build up his worldwide ecommerce distribution. This will be a model case study for those considering warehousing and selling online directly from China.

The exhaustion of South China hustling continues, at least all the pieces are coming together and more people understand why I’m doing all these “random” parts.

THIS IS WHAT I DO International ecommerce

What is international ecommerce field include – sounds like EVERYTHING in business, but here is a quick list:

• international sourcing products from factories
• warehousing,
• logistics
• B2B shipping,
• B2C shipping
• end-country warehouse,
• customs duties taxes,
• merchant accounts in multiple countries
• shopping cart construction & upkeep
• SEO (search engine optimization)
• social media promotion

YES, its a LOT, and it is messy – but thats why I love it, I love chaos. And I smell opportunity! But this is what ecommerce is….and the same sector as Alibaba, DHgate, Light in the Box! Massive companies, but it means there is room in this “blue sea” market. Especially because mainly I am helping foreigners in the Chinese market, not exactly what these competitors I listed are aiming for. But I see more and more “stupid foreigners” coming into China being overwhelmed, under equipped, and in need of services Fiveislands can provide.