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How to Make Money Importing Goods From Thailand

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At some point in time, the thought of  importing products from Thailand, or exporting goods while in Thailand and selling them back home, crosses the mind of every expat and holiday maker.

Whether shipping containers of handicrafts to shops back home, or selling Thai exports on eBay, it is a tempting business considering the low prices you can buy goods for in markets and direct from factories.

But before you rush in and lose your life savings, there's a number of things you should consider…

import goods from thailand

1. Assess the Market & Make a Shortlist

The first problem people encounter when choosing a niche is choice. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of products to choose from, and a quick visit to Chatuchak market in Bangkok, or the Walking Street markets of Chiang Mai, will have your head spinning with potential ideas.

Settling on one sure idea that will strike gold is difficult. And this where you need to use your smarts, otherwise you'll end up thinking a lot and not doing very much. This is called ‘analysis paralysis'.

The key is not to dive in. Give yourself time to truly assess the market, the options and the potential profit margins. Make a shortlist of your ideas with comments by each one. In the comments section consider shipping, breakage, existing supply and demand and longevity (shelf-life).

2. Be Careful Selling Thai Goods on eBay

Since a kid I've always been a wheeler and dealer. I've always loved selling things. It's not all about the profit either – just the thrill of making a buck. Inevitably I became an eBay seller back in the UK, which always made for a nice little sideline income. And when I moved to Thailand, naturally my brain's cogs started turning over what potentially could be sold across seas.

Initially I tried a few things like crafts and clothes, but never with much luck, although I never really pursued anything for long enough to really have the data to make a judgement. That said, I think the main issues with lack of success was the posting from Thailand – the moment people see it's coming from a foreign address they worry about quality and scams, especially coming from SE Asia.

Also, with clothes (women's), there are so many people from China selling clothes for pennies that you just can't compete from Thailand.

I could be wrong though, because since these efforts, I have met a few people making good money on eBay from Thailand. One guy ships suits back home, another buys and sells jackets, another prints t-shirts (making loads), and another sells meditation products.

What I learnt from speaking to these people exporting goods from Thailand is that finding products is the easy part, it's the securing a supplier that provides reliable delivery and consistent quality that presents a difficult obstacle.

3. My Personal Advice From Experience

After my first few eBay endeavours, I have since found a niche sideline through my supplier, and I am happy to say I am making a tidy profit each month. I'm not going to name the product I am exporting from Thailand, but I will say that I am supplying someone else in my home country rather than selling on eBay. Again, having the reliable supply chain made things so smooth, especially when it came to shipping.

The way I made this idea work was by finding the right supplier; someone with a proper registered business, who speaks English and delivers on time!

So if I had to offer one piece of great advice, I would say this: don't continue buying from markets indefinitely, instead make it your mission to find a reliable supplier who can sell to you in bulk at low prices. This will take the headache out of traipsing around markets in the heat trying to do deals on the fly and carrying heavy bags.

The fact is, in the long term, by the time you factor in shipping and customs tax, it just isn't worth buying from markets for export, even if it seems cheap at the time. At the time of writing, the pound and dollar are getting weaker against the Baht, and every cent counts. Going to the supplier will save you up to 70% of the market price.

4. The Difficulty of Finding a Reliable Supplier in Thailand

Finding suppliers of goods in Thailand is so much more difficult than it should be, but as of 2012 things are getting better as the economic boom demands better B2B relations. Still, one thing Thailand lacks is a good website with a database to browse.

And so I decided to do it myself. As of 2016 You can now download the TTL Thai Exporters Directory by clicking here.

Another starting point I highly recommend is Tomas Belcik's Import Guide, which is a comprehensive book that  gives you step-by-step instructions of the entire process of the import/export business: where to source, how to negotiate, how to ship, assessing the competition and much more.

Tomas Belcik is an importer, wholesaler and retailer of products from South and Southeast Asia, China, Africa, Latin America and Europe for some 35 years.  His experience is really valuable. I got a hell of a lot from it and I'm sure you will too.

5. Use Your Intuition & A 6-Step Checklist

I think the most important thing is to follow your intuition and not get caught between too many ideas. Hone in on one idea that ticks all the boxes and just go for it, rather than doing what I did to begin with, which was to half-heartedly attempt multiple avenues.

But before you decide on that one thing you must consider the following list:

1. Use your intuition; it's the best insight to success you've got. If something just doesn't feel right and you aren't sure, step back and reassess the situation. Don't go in all guns blazing. Be methodical and organised.

2. Choose a niche with a fairly high markup on each piece sold. Try to make at least a few dollars per item. That way, if you can shift say 500 hats a month, you will make a cool $1,500.

3. When making a shortlist of products, consider shipping logistics as a priority thought. Find something easy to ship and store.

4. Don't try competing with Chinese eBay sellers who will undercut you until you're making less than $1 per sale. Trust me; this is a losing game.

5. Make sure you research your target market and the competition befor jumping in at the deep end. Market research is everything. That's why you should read Thomas Belcik's' book.

6. Set aside a budget for not just stock but also marketing. Think about how you will get your product out there and potential avenues for selling.

It is definitely possible to sustain a good living exporting goods from Thailand. There are thousands of people doing it successfully and making bank. But the reality is that most won't tell you what they're exporting, who they buy from and where they sell to.

The fact is, like any business, you have to put in the planning and research and initial hard work to ensure long-term profitability.

Good luck!

– Click here to download the TTL Thai Exporters Directory

– Please Note: If you are an exporter, do not leave your contact details in the comments section, they will be deleted. Instead, click here to find out what details you need to submit and how.

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  2. Hello,
    Hope you all doing great.
    I am from Nepal and want to start a small business for kids, with kids clothing, assessories and toys. It would be a great help if anyone can guide me through importing goods from thailand to nepal.
    Thank you

    Reply

  3. How do you take care of shipping? I run a small business here and all the express options are so expensive. I wish there was something in between, it’s either super quick and super expensive, or super cheap and super slow.

    Reply

  5. Hi Peter

    Very interesting site and full of useful info, I like your writing style,

    I have been retired here in Bangkok over 4 years now with my Thai lady, originally from England also Australian Citizen lived and worked there back in the nineties and it`s crossed my mind about buying and selling stuff from here.

    I was a Salesman back home so I know a bit about it, here is probably a lot different.

    You are dead right about getting a Good supplier and English speaking with a properly registered business, who delivers on time!

    Having a reliable supplier who can sell to you in bulk at low prices and save you up to 70% of the market price.

    I have read the Thomas Belcik`s guide, full of good tips.

    Now you say you are not involved with exporting but you know plenty who are.

    I have been through your site and checked a question!

    What I wanted to ask you was did you or do these exporters have a company or are they just sole traders buying and selling, the reason I ask is that I heard somewhere that you have to employ Thai`s and have an office, if that`s the case it makes it more complicated.

    Thinking about it I suppose you could test it first and buy a few things to see the outcome.

    Appreciate your expertise on it.

    Regards

    Lou

    Reply

    • Hi Lou, thanks for your kind words. Yes, those I’ve met/known have been sole traders without a Thai company. I assume they are paying tax in their home country as a sole trader, or have a registered business there. Technically they would need a business visa to cover the event of sourcing products and exporting in Thailand, or even a Thai company if they are based in Thailand. But most don’t. As I’m sure you’re aware many people are doing small businesses from home in Thailand and doing most communication online.

      Reply

  6. hi, i am planning to start a boutique business and import products from thailand..since I found that there are a lot of cheap products there..can anyone give me an advise on where to find a list of good and reliable suppliers and cargo companies

    Reply

  9. Hello Sir,
    i am new in this business import from Thailand. it is very difficult to find a correct and good supplier or dealer to provide me products what i want. please let me know in my email. how can find a dealer or supplier and how can make a deal with them.
    Thank you.

    Reply

  11. Dear TTL, a very good day to you. I would like to do some imports for fast moving products & setting up the manufacturing plants in food or consumer products in Myanmar. Can you please give advice and introducing with your good friends for speedy expedition.
    Thank you & best regards,
    Patricia su

    Reply

    • Hi Patricia, the list is up now. Please check the post for the link. I’ll be updating it every couple of weeks, as surprise, surprise, now that it’s up, lots of suppliers I had contacted previously are pleading to be on it now and acting all efficient 🙂

      Reply

  12. Hi,

    Wondering if you/anyone can help ?

    I have found a reliable supplier of niche products for a specific market in UK,
    trying to learn/understand best/cheapest/quickest import transport/postage service(s) ? Thailand- London

    Anyone help ?

    Thanks appreciated

    Les

    Reply

    • Hi Les, check out the directory I just put up. There’s a freight section with a couple of reputable companies you can contact regarding shipping. If you have specific questions on postal services, let me know.

      Reply

  13. Hey all, the directory (list) is now available. Apologies for the long delay. So many of the companies that had previously contacted me to be on my original list turned out to be unreliable, in that I contacted them numerous times and heard nothing back. This means the directory is quite small at the moment, but it also means that hopefully all those on the list are reliable!

    Reply

  14. Hi, I’m trying to understand your article and all you’re trying to explain?

    One thing I don’t get a clear picture of from reading: Who are these “Chinese sellers who undercut”? Is China where Thai products come from initially? How do you find the places where the products are made in Thailand?

    Also, how can you find the producers / factories / handcrafts teams, who create products?

    Reply

    • That reference is to eBay. It’s very difficult to make money in this marketplace because of the low prices charged by Chinese sellers who seemingly make pennies per sale. Some products in Thailand are made in China, others are part made there and finished here, and others are made here from scratch. It really depends on what product/industry you are referring to. To find the factories you need to do independent research, and usually have a contact to put you in touch directly.

      Reply

  15. It is very helpful to understand. I am Amy from South Korea and would like to just start running my own business; importing from Thailand, opening the online shopping mall and many different way. But I guess there are some worries that Thai people use online shopping mall not much. On the other hand, I am deeply thinking about what kind of goods is going to be attractive in Korean market. Thank you a lot.

    Reply

  16. Good Afternoon all,

    this is an interesting blog.

    Through my wifes relatives in Thailand I have access to reliable suppliers and workforce.

    They are in the business of reconditioning used trucks and reselling them in Thailand. The economy/business isn’t great for them at the moment. I was thinking it would be good to utilize their mechanical and refurbishing expertise and provide them with a consistent income by importing to my country Australia.

    Like many posters on here I lack one of the most important ingredients of the plan. Import what? I’m sure they could adapt their expertise to other products but I’ll need to research the options.

    Reply

  17. Hey guys, here’s a quick update:

    I have temporarily taken the supplier list down. I am in the process of contacting all the suppliers again and asking for more information and up to date details. The reason for this is that a few people contacted me saying that they sent emails to companies and didn’t hear back.

    I have also established my own reputable export contacts in a few product areas, so if you would like a personal introduction please contact me by email.

    Thanks

    Reply

  18. hi. I’m planning to set up a clothes boutique here in Rome, my bestfriend from Manila who went to Bangkok last july told me about a variety of clothing products in Chatuchak Market and Chang Mai street. she knows about my plan of setting up the business, so she said I should give it a try with Thai clothing. well, ive got nothing concrete yet about the boutique but I’m doing lots of research.
    I’m not sure yet about european laws regarding non eu imported
    products.
    but I do want to know more about clothes, how much will it cost me including shipping and taxes
    it will be of great help.
    Thanks.

    Reply

  20. Hi, Please can you help me for providing me some info about best products.
    We are looking for garments in wholesale the best product and price from Thailand to import, looking quality and latest trend in western dresses.

    Reply

  22. Dear Sir/Madam,

    My name is Niracha and I’m from the Northeast of Thailand (Korat). I’m interested in exporting Thai products such as Thai food, beautiful local crafts to overseas countries. So if you’re interested in importing some unique products from Thailand then may be we can do business together or be a business partner. I will be happy to share and help with other information about my country.

    And thank you to Khun “TheThailandLife” for opening this opportunity to everyone.

    Reply

  23. saurabh:
    Greetings
    I am an entrepreneur from India, I started by current business 4 years back after quitting my job in a Large MNC…I am looking to diversify since about last 6 months and have been researching.
    I have Narrowed down on clothing/garments/accessories/cosmetices etc from Thailand. My Plan was encouraged during my last visit to Thailand. I am travelling again to bangkok between 14-24th Aug 2015. Now, I Want to get into the details and nitty gritty of implementing the idea. Can i get further guidance about implemention on ground level , It will be much appreciated.
    Regards

    Reply

  27. Hi TTL, and everyone in the forum. I am from Nepal and planning to visit BKK for market analysis on high to mid-range quality woman’s and children’s clothing, bags and shoes. Since there is a tough competition due to Chinese goods it’s hard to make profit by doing business with retailers in BKK. It will be a great help if anybody can help me with the suppliers or the manufacturers that I can contact during my visit to BKK. If there is any suggestion on importing any potential Thai goods to Nepal please do share.

    Reply

    • Hi Niraj, please see the Thai exports list linked at the end of this post and use those contacts to find a suitable supplier. I have taken your email address off of your comment as re the guidelines for this post. Thanks.

      Reply

  28. Hi TTL. I contacted a few people from the list of manufacturers and suppliers provided by you but none of them has responded. I know you don’t deal with them personally but just wanted to know if there are any suppliers & manufacturers that you know personally? I am from India and recently visited Bangkok for holidays and was impressed to see some quality clothes available at a decent price. I am planning to set up an on-line store of clothes imported from Bangkok. Any help from you here will be appreciated.
    Thanks
    Mickey

    Reply

  29. Hi guys, just want to let everyone know that I have moved all the exporter/product manufacturer contact details left in these comments to a post of its own.

    This section is becoming cluttered with contact emails and numbers and I think having a list will be useful for those seeking contacts. I have linked to the list at the end of the post.

    If you are an exporter/product manufacturer and want to be added to this list, drop me an email with your details.

    If you are seeking to buy/export from Thailand, please don’t leave your contact details here. Instead, see the new exporter/product manufacturer list and contact suppliers directly.

    So, to clarify, the comments section here can be used as a discussion area for those interested in sharing ideas and advice on imports/exports, but those selling, or wishing to buy, should not leave contact details in this section, and should instead read the list as stipulated above.

    Thanks, TTL.

    Reply

  31. Hey TTL, thanks for the recommendation on the import guide. I’m glad I got this that before diving straight in or no doubt I’d have lost money like the majority of people do. I’ve been listening to the audio and learned loads from Tomas already. He definitely has a world of experience to share (pardon the pun). Great blog BTW :).

    Reply

  37. Hi “TheThailandlife”

    I am interested in moving to Thailand fairly soon, was after some advice. I currently own a house in Bangkok as well as an apartment. Do you live in Bangkok? I have some ideas for doing business want to get your feedback. Cheers mate.

    Reply

        • Dear TheThailandLife, Dale, and Chapagain,

          My name is Brad. I’m originally from Bangkok, Thailand, but currently owning a small company in Chicago, Illinois. I have a plan to go back to Bangkok in about a year from now and thinking about doing trading business between countries.

          If you are looking for information on Thailand side (regulations, benefits, suppliers, etc.) or a partner that is fluent in both Thai and English or if you ever think I could be of help, please feel free to contact me using the details on the exporters list which can be accessed through the link at the end of this post.

          I look forward to doing business with you. 🙂

          Brad

          Reply

  38. Hi,
    I have been doing ebay business for a year now but what I realised is that achieving customer satisfaction by selling Chinese products are extremely hard. Now I am looking into Thailand market. However, I am pretty confused where to source my products from in Thailand because they do not have very strong B2B websites for suggestions.

    Can anyone help?

    Reply

    • Sure, you can email me. I believed there’s a lot of detail to be further talk 🙂

      For doing business by importing products from China are like Gold mine in the past 5 years. However now it is very common and the markets are shared among people around the world from alibaba.com, I’m glad you have noticed it. I didn’t say it can’t be successful at this moment but it just more competitors coming in.

      however for Thailand market, from insiders view, there’s still opportunities and gov’t just supporting for the online business. So theres still a gap that you can importing from Thailand which i can help you with that.

      Reply

  39. Hey Guys,

    I’m Nattawat and i’m currently working in Thailand and used to study in USA.

    If any of you would interesting in doing business on importing Thai products to your hometown.
    I would say i could help you with contacting the suppliers, wholesalers or give you some suggesting products that might be able to sell in your countries.

    If you are interesting i’ll left my number down

    I can use English well since i graduated from USA. So no worries about language barriers 🙂

    Thanks for the nice articles

    Hope to be helpful for some of you

    Nattawat Chantanapokul

    Reply

  40. Shay:
    Agreed, great site.

    I have found a product that i think will do well in my home country(ireland).
    I am working here already with a teachers work permit.
    I was wondering what do i need to do to set this up legally???
    Set up company here or in Ireland???

    hi Shay I am in Ireland and I think a have found a product that will sell well in Ireland. I now am looking at import tariffs VAT and import duties to see if there’s any profit left maybe we can share cost of transport and shipping.

    Reply

    • Hi Shay and Ray,
      Hi! Im a mother and wanted to do start a small business. Can you please give me an idea on how much that it costs you to import products from thailand to Ireland? I am from Italy and i am still in the process of research/ getting some ideas.
      Thank you so much.
      By the way, thank you “thethailandlife” for this site. You’re such a great help! God bless you more.

      Reply

  41. Hello sir/madam,
    I’m looking 4 best thailand fashionable cloths and shoes items from thailand.. Pliz, do favour me to make contct with the company or a wholsaler.
    Pliz, suppliyer may contct on my :
    Facebuk I.D : Nelii Gobin

    Reply

    • Hi JP, I’m not currently selling anything on the side because my other work and young family is taking up my time. But who knows, I’m sure I’ll get back to wheeling n’ dealing sooner or later.

      Reply

  46. Thanks so much!! This has been extremely helpful! I just registered my corporation here for an import number, so hopefully will be able to just send packages to my existing, though small, corporation in Canada. Hopefully my sister in law will be willing to help out! Thanks again so much, you have a wonderful, very informative website!

    Reply

  47. We are planning to move to Thailand this May and are looking at options to supplement our income overseas. We have been looking into exporting Thai products. We have had success in the past selling products on Ebay.

    What I’m wondering is the legalities of selling products to North America from Thailand. We will be applying for a B-Visa through our corporation and then apply for a work permit. Do you have to register a business in Thailand to sell products online? Or would it be considered working from your home country? I apologize if this seems like a silly question, I just don’t fully understand how it works. Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Hi Brenda…. Many expats work on the web here and do so with visas that don’t permit work (tourist visas). They go under the radar because they aren’t actually going to a workplace in Thailand and aren’t working for a company, rather sitting in their room coding or writing via US-based websites, or selling on eBay, etc. There is no specific law that says you can’t send work-related emails from Thailand while on holiday, and so this is a slight loophole that gets exploited, but one I’m sure will be clamped down on sooner or later.

      That said, many people say the rule is straight forward; without a work permit, you should not be doing any sort of work while in Thailand.

      However, because your B-visa is business based and obtained through your corporation – I assume you are applying on the basis of seeking opportunities for your company, right? – Then doing some work at home or in a cafe can be linked to your corporation, and would therefore fall under the terms of that visa. Sourcing products to sell on eBay would also fall under the terms of the B visa, but actually selling them from Thailand to the US probably wouldn’t. That said, no one is going to batter an eyelid at you sending parcels to the US, but IMO it’s always best to go by the book.

      As an example; I had a friend visit Thailand for 6 months a couple of years back on a B visa. He was seeking opportunities for his company in the UK. His B visa allowed him to visit trade shows and conduct meetings with potential clients here. Under this visa he would also work on his laptop from home, sorting out business in the UK.

      The fact that you will be applying for a work permit too will cover you for selling goods overseas, and would be the best way to go if you are looking at setting up a fairly big eBay operation. You wouldn’t have to form a Thai company, unless of course you’d rather pay tax locally on the earnings – which would be less.

      Hope this helps!

      Reply

  48. “Since my first few endeavours I have now found a niche sideline, and I am happy to say I am making a tidy profit each month. I am not going to name the product I am exporting from Thailand…”

    Ah, go on! 😉

    I’ve never tried it, it’s not my line and it seems to have a really low barrier to entry now, with so many farangs here. However, I get curious about it from time to time. How did you know your product that you’ve got now was going to sell? Did you test it in small amounts on Ebay first and then do the supplier, buy-in-bulk, thing? Just a question of guessing and trying everything?

    Reply

    • Ebay is difficult now because of the final value fees wiping out profits, but I found someone back home who was already successful on eBay and started supplying then with a few products. One did pretty well so I kept doing it. It isn’t major money but since a kid I always enjoyed buying and selling stuff, even for just a few quid here and there.

      Reply

    • Agreed, great site.

      I have found a product that i think will do well in my home country(ireland).
      I am working here already with a teachers work permit.
      I was wondering what do i need to do to set this up legally???
      Set up company here or in Ireland???

      Reply

      • Hi Shay, you will have to ask a lawyer if the current work permit will allow you to conduct other business. My feeling is that you could set this up in Ireland and simply conduct the correspondence and arrange shipping under your current work permit – but make sure you check first! Best of luck.

        Reply

      • Hi Rajkumar,

        If I knew that I’d be pretty rich 🙂 Start but thinking about things that are made in Thailand cheaply and in demand in other countries at a considerable markup. This could be clothes, technology, natural cosmetics. It’s a case of sitting down and doing lots of market research I’m afraid.

        Reply

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