When running a successful importing business, it’s critical that you look for places in which you can streamline. Today, we’ll be looking at one of the programs put in place by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to help importers smooth out the importing process. Like with any kind of business ops, “streamlining” essentially means saving time and money, which can help your bottom line and push your business forward.  “Truly world-cl...

You’ve done your market research, sourced a product, built a business plan… now what? Most Canadian or non-resident importers will source their commercial goods overseas, as the cost of manufacturing is much lower. In turn, driving your profit margins!  This is a relatively tried and true formula, that has been employed by businesses -- small and large, alike -- to keep production/sourcing costs low and ensuring business viability. So, al...

Getting into the business of importing cosmetics can be extremely profitable, as the margins are quite generous. Like with any other type of product imports, there are certain specifications for imports that must be complied with.  As per a study by retail tech company, Vend HQ: “Beverage manufacturers, jewelry stores, and cosmetics had some of the highest profit margins, with 65.74%, 62.53%, and 58.14%, respectively.”  So, it’s cer...

Whether or not you’re directly involved in the shipping of your commercial goods, having an understanding of the processes and documentation required is critical. In the context of our blog post today, we’re talking about the eManifest -- which is a document that changes depending on the mode of shipment (i.e. ground, air, ship). You may also hear the eManifest being referred to as part of the Advance Commercial Information (ACI) program.  ...

Taking on a new entrepreneurial business journey is exciting! You’ve built out an idea, you figured out your target market, and you got your cousin Bill to design a logo for you. Alright, not too sure about that last one, but growing a DIY business can be incredibly profitable if done correctly! It’s certainly natural to make mistakes while working on a first-time business, but the goal is to minimize the amount of mistakes overall. On the...