A question to the furniture importers ...
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[color=blue]A question addressed to the firms that operate in Irish market furniture: what are the main problems that you have in your purchases from the foreign countries? Thanks in advance for any replay. Have a nice week end![/color]

[quote="gessef"][color=blue]A question addressed to the firms that operate in Irish market furniture: what are the main problems that you have in your purchases from the foreign countries? Thanks in advance for any replay. Have a nice week end![/color][/quote] Hi gessef, With regards on your queries, it is quite a common problems every importer will need to face. There are basically can be summarised into two types of problems: 1) Reliability The first thing you need to ask yourself is how reliable the manufacturer is, in term of, finance, production reliability and workmanship. 2) Quality of Products Depends on which regions of your import, there is different type of material/wood that define the quality as well as pricing. When you doing import, I advise you carried a credit check on the company before commit into it. I am may be wrong on the above comments, but if anyone got any inputs are always welcome. Thanks Regards teotrad

Quality is a big issue. Also I have heard stories where exclusive products end up being to to other companies. They is very little in the way of copyright in some developing countries. Also any importer should be aware of the consequenses of product liabiltiy. If you are the first company to import a product into Europe, if there ever is an product liability case you will be the comapny that will ultimately be responsible. example you bring in a product into Ireland and some other company brings a product into another EU country, if there is a case in that country, you may end up being involved as you were the first company to bring the product into the EU. Richard www.furniture.ie

[quote="richard moyles"]Quality is a big issue. Also I have heard stories where exclusive products end up being to to other companies. They is very little in the way of copyright in some developing countries. Also any importer should be aware of the consequenses of product liabiltiy. If you are the first company to import a product into Europe, if there ever is an product liability case you will be the comapny that will ultimately be responsible. example you bring in a product into Ireland and some other company brings a product into another EU country, if there is a case in that country, you may end up being involved as you were the first company to bring the product into the EU. Richard www.furniture.ie[/quote] Hi, I quite agreed to what Richard you have pointed out. This is something most importer including myself are easily and commonly neglected issue. Furniture is not like some other type of products such as computing or any other electronic device where branding is a important or common approach, branding is not quite a common in this industry. Also, design can be easily be copy or duplicate. Good point :idea: Regards Teotrad http://teotrad.blog.com

[quote="teotrad"] Hi gessef, With regards on your queries, it is quite a common problems every importer will need to face. There are basically can be summarised into two types of problems: 1) Reliability The first thing you need to ask yourself is how reliable the manufacturer is, in term of, finance, production reliability and workmanship. 2) Quality of Products Depends on which regions of your import, there is different type of material/wood that define the quality as well as pricing. When you doing import, I advise you carried a credit check on the company before commit into it. I am may be wrong on the above comments, but if anyone got any inputs are always welcome. Thanks Regards teotrad[/quote] [color=blue]Hi teotrad The point you mentioned are basically correct. More when you are interested in a large range of items in different and customised finishing as on contract market. And what’s your opinion about logistic? How much can be evaluate the freight cost when the loading have to be made from different suppliers in the same area? And hopefully in the same time? Have a nice week. gessef[/color]

[color=blue]Hi teotrad The point you mentioned are basically correct. More when you are interested in a large range of items in different and customised finishing as on contract market. And what’s your opinion about logistic? How much can be evaluate the freight cost when the loading have to be made from different suppliers in the same area? And hopefully in the same time? Have a nice week. gessef[/color][/quote] Hi gessef, Sound like you have quite an amount to import. Do you don't might I ask, are you a first time importer or frequent importer?? Basically with regards on logistic, it is better you have a discussion with your freight forwarder, they will arrange a shipment with one container with different package into it. Furthermore, my advise is appointed an inspection company or personnel to do the inspection on your products if you don't have any representative office over the foreign countries, especially in your case, with dealing with so many varies suppliers/manufacturers. Do you don't might tell me which country are you importing? Regards teotrad http://teotrad.blog.com

[color=blue]Following my experience, very seldom exclusive products create such problems in furnishing. Only in Germany and sometimes in France similar case happened but only it the retail market. It is the Breuer chair, and other items by Thonet and Le Corbusier for example, that cannot be imported in those regions. Their copy rights are for about 100 years! In the contract market I never saw these problems. Often also Top Designers have different trade policy for retailers and contractors. And what’s your opinion about Quality warranties and test? Have a nice evenig! gessef[/color] [quote="richard moyles"]Quality is a big issue. Also I have heard stories where exclusive products end up being to to other companies. They is very little in the way of copyright in some developing countries. Also any importer should be aware of the consequenses of product liabiltiy. If you are the first company to import a product into Europe, if there ever is an product liability case you will be the comapny that will ultimately be responsible. example you bring in a product into Ireland and some other company brings a product into another EU country, if there is a case in that country, you may end up being involved as you were the first company to bring the product into the EU. Richard www.furniture.ie[/quote]

[quote="teotrad"] Hi gessef, Sound like you have quite an amount to import. Do you don't might I ask, are you a first time importer or frequent importer?? Basically with regards on logistic, it is better you have a discussion with your freight forwarder, they will arrange a shipment with one container with different package into it. Furthermore, my advise is appointed an inspection company or personnel to do the inspection on your products if you don't have any representative office over the foreign countries, especially in your case, with dealing with so many varies suppliers/manufacturers. Do you don't might tell me which country are you importing? Regards teotrad http://teotrad.blog.com[/quote] [color=blue]Thanks for your blog address. I see that your firm is complementary to ours. Our company is also involved in Trade Services so our work is to help the importers to solve any problem connected with the mentioned problems: find reliable suppliers, inspect goods before loading and for all that makes their purchases quick, sure and easier. The previous questions help us to better realise about the main problems that the foreign Firms have in importing. For about 30 years we collected a good experience but we are always looking to improve it. Our firm is in the far East part of Italy. This allow us to check and inspect goods before loading directly to the suppliers in North Italy and Slovenija. Kind regards and have a nice evening! gessef [/color]