Become An Import Distributor Or Agent

An import distributor or agent brings products and services from another country into Canada for distribution and resale. A wide variety of products and services are available around the world, and many producers are looking for distributors or agents in Canada to expand the market for their items. An import distributor (jobber) buys products for resale while an import agent (representative) sells products on a commission basis.

Some Examples

1. A local businessman could not find high-quality hairpieces in Canada but located a supply in Germany. He now imports them, along with waterproof tape, for the Canadian market.

2. A businesswoman had a health problem and could not find a needed medical apparatus of sufficient quality in Canada. She searched abroad, found a suitable model in Europe, and is now the Canadian importer for this line of equipment.

3. Each year, a company, established by young entrepreneurs, imports Christmas cards in bulk from the U.S. The cards are then packaged in 15 card boxes and resold. This is an example of importing, packaging and breaking bulk.

How To Do It

1. Read overseas trade magazines.

2. Identify marketable items made in other countries and not previously sold in Canada. Foreign consulates in Canada can be an excellent source of this information.

3. Contact trade associations in other countries to ask for information on possible import products.

4. Identify a client group with special needs that can be met only by foreign products.

5. Look for new and innovative items made in other countries by travelling to those countries or reading advertisements in their magazines.

6. Join import-export associations, read their newsletters and attend their meetings.

7. Look for products that have been successfully imported to other countries but have not been imported to Canada.

8. Ask friends who travel frequently about products they may have seen that could be successful in the Canadian market.

9. Ask potential customers whether they would buy the product you want to import.

Key Questions

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