how to export branded home furnishings to China?
Question
Hi i would like to export UK branded home furnishings to china. I have contacted the manufactures but they told me that they have already had exclusive distributors there. I was wondering if i can still export their goods to china? I mean can i still export if i dont intend to be their "distributor"? Is there any rules or restrictions in this area?
Thanks.
Answer
There are several issues with this that could cause you problems. Firstly, if you are exporting goods parallel to the formal channel established by the manufacturer you could, potentialy, be leaving yourself open to legal action by the distributor if (as it appears may be the case) they have an exclusive right to sell in China – you will want to check the position with a lawyer before deciding finally what to do. You may also find that you fall foul of the intellectual property rules in China, as these are set up to discourage parallel imports. For more details on the implications of IP rules you could contact my colleague in the UK Embassy in Beijing with responsiblity for IP issues his email is [email protected]
Answer
You give no name to write to, but if you wish to explore exporting products to China then by all means call me. We assist businesses to promote and sell products into China and do more now through online/e-commerce where there are significant opportunities as you can imagine. It’s difficult to find trusted distributors even if you are allowed to given the manufacturers you mention have already exclusive ones in place. This way can get you straight to the consumer market if you wish to sell to end users. The manufacturers agrrements with distributors may not include online sales so you should enquire if that’s open to you.
Brian Mclean
Meridian Marketing International
www.meridian-mkt.com
(07802 665616 as currently travelling)
Answer
I agree with Clive Allcorn that you could have legal problems if you try to bypass the manufacturers and their exclusive distributors in China.
You can find advice on this and various aspects of exporting at www.exporting-made-easy,com.
If you are selling into China and need a dual language, Chines- English contract, there are templates you can download at http://www.contractstore.com/chinese-contracts