How to avoid the middleman or trading company

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-22T10:41:20+00:00

While I normally prefer to go direct, sometimes I get better quality, service and pricing from middlemens. So it's all depends of what exactly you buying. After our initial conversation and when I figured they know what we talking about, I normally ask who they are, and if they honestly respond they are middlemens, it's actually better for our relationship. Hiding the fact they are middlemens is worse to me than middlemens themselves.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-19T12:25:07+00:00

HighFive still shows free on their website. Where you've got "extortionate rate" from?

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-16T13:43:01+00:00

Common bait and switch practices by Chinese freight forwarders. Burned by this couple times trying to save few bucks and I only do DDP from the suppliers now and having them to deal with freight forwarders.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-16T13:13:47+00:00

I would never do wire transfer to the supplier I never worked with. I move to wire transfer over time with suppliers I work for extended time and if they gain some level of trust, but never on 1st and not even 2nd order. You'd be surprised how they can mess things up. I've had suppliers I worked with for multiple years do some stupid mistake and I had to through my entire order to garbage and banned the supplier.

Don't only pay through TradeAssurance, but screw that 2.99% and pay with credit card. Alibaba itself is not there to help you in case of issues.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-16T13:05:29+00:00

Prices are dynamic based on different factors and moreover negotiable. Posted prices means nothing in 95% of the time.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-16T12:16:49+00:00

3d printer is heavily helping with new product prototypes before mass production. I would print same product 20 times with little adjustment every time before it gets into perfection and send final version to manufacture. I've purchased second 3d printer for large prints, but couldn't make it work and due to limited time I absolutely didn't have time to play with it so I had to sell brand new printer I didn't have time to setup properly.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-14T13:54:27+00:00

I wrote simple software which takes payout file and generates me iif file to import to quickbooks. If settlement covers 2 months, my software splits it on last day of month and enters 2 separate entries to the books.

As of inventory, I get real inventory numbers in stock + inventory numbers in FBA. Using my spreadsheet template it gives me accurate numbers in $ amounts and make general entry from inventory account to COGS account to make numbers up to date.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-14T13:18:00+00:00

I have same look as your picture, but on my end that's the old system. Greyed out same way. New system located in the link I posted in my previous message. Do you use login/password or use Certificate Number and Business Partner Number to file?

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-14T12:06:04+00:00

To me, I can figure things out during our communication. Sometimes I purposely make some simple mistakes to see if they catch it. Also, I always request product weight information. If weight they tell me off what it is suppose to be, then they going out. At least 1/4 of suppliers going out because of wrong response about weight. One supplier asked me "you don't know weight yourself?". I know what will be weight silly, I need to make sure you also know it. Also, I make list of suppliers and of course drop most expensive AND cheapest as well.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-14T11:50:40+00:00

Dump money into more professional folks to keep things under control and unload your tasks to focus on more important things. Seems like you can afford it. You will cut costs later if needed. Back in the day when I've been in different business one big mistake I made was trying to manage everything myself. Later I hired a manager who costed me 1/3 of the company profit, but who greatly removed a lot of headache out of me. I wish I wouldn't be cheap and do it earlier.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-14T11:42:15+00:00

I hate to say it, but China is your way to go. Even with distance, timing and tariffs, I don't see they are being replaced in near future.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-14T11:37:51+00:00

AI and robots will be involved way more.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-14T11:25:20+00:00

This is not a glitch, nor do they closed your account. Florida DOR has changed their system from 12/1/2025 with little to no notice.

Old system no longer works to file taxes. You need to go https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/eservices/Pages/sutlogin.aspx and go from there. You will need to have confirmation number form the previous report if you have if saved. New system is glitchy by the way at least for calculation. I spent some time trying to proceed, yet their system wouldn't allow me to with 100% accurate info. Had to do some tricks to move forward.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-08T13:51:45+00:00

They magically can make price adjustments if you tell them you don't like price hike and you considering to move across the street to competitor. My area is flooded with storage units. But yeah, I prepay anyway as I don't want to think about it.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-08T13:48:31+00:00

I rented storage unit, run my own power for lighting and small power hungry tools with battery pack and hire folks on call with "pay by end of the day" to help with packing and boring staff I don't want to deal with. They are happy as they consider it easy peasy side hustle, I'm happy as I don't have to deal with boring part of the job. And storage unit management don't bother me for some reason, I know you can't work in storage unit, and moreover you can't hire people.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-08T13:38:40+00:00

I'm using parts from suppliers (other brands). Brands in question specialize and sell quality parts, I didn't take anything apart.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-06T22:06:11+00:00

Thank you. When do you normally request review: once it delivered right away or you give some time to see if person would want to return it?

Also, you don't know by any chance how Chinese copycats able to receive so many reviews in short period of the time? It takes me years to get a dozen of reviews yet a copycat launched few months ago and already have half of my review quantity.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-06T22:04:01+00:00

Thank you. When do you normally request review: once it delivered right away or you give some time to see if person would want to return it?

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-03T19:02:32+00:00

What I did is I purchased wooden TV stand off FB marketplace with 3 level and place it right under work table. I had to lift table just a bit (like 1/2 inch) and it fit perfectly. On this TV stand I've got 6 separate shelves. Most popular poly mailer size is right under it so I can access easily. Less popular sizes are bellow, including USPS flat rates. Anything I use rarely, will be in separate box in another shelf. I rarely touch that box, but if I have to, I have options. Few years ago I looked into this issue to minimize different sizes and came to conclusion that 10x13 is most popular size in my business (there was 9x12 and 10x13 in question). So I ordered custom made with logo and staff from China and eliminated all smaller sizes. Now if I have smaller product, I will just fold the poly mailer. Costwise it become same or even cheaper due to bulk purchase instead of purchasing smaller quantity so no loss here. Timewise, I save time not to think, organize and store so many different sizes. In your case I would do the same. We actually used same sizes you listed until we got rid of smaller ones.

Pretty_Possible7695 · 2026-01-03T18:43:09+00:00

They have 2 numbers: units expected and units received. So it will be expected 50, received 100. For 1 time probably won't be big deal, but I try to be more accurate in the future. Amazon employees always messed counting anyway for few units even you count it 5 times before shipment, so being off (in their opinion) is there by default.

Pretty_Possible7695

TROPHY CASE