Customs broker - any recommendations?

Fastglas

Pre-takeoff checklist
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This is not aviation related. I thought I'd try here.

In search of a customs broker to help me receive a pallet of commercial goods from China in DFW. It is 40 boxes of disposable spoons. I have used a different broker before, so thought I would just use the same person but perhaps the vast knowledge of this board might have other recommendations for me. I seem to be bringing in more product more frequently now.

Scheduled to arrive in a few days...

Thanks in advance.
 
You ordering spoons from afar reminds me of the Adam’s Ribs episode of M*A*S*H... I hope you remembered the cole slaw.
 
So how much would it cost to import cole slaw from China..????

And I just have to ask, are Chinese disposable spoons really that much better or cheaper than American disposable spoons..?? Or is making disposable spoons just so below American job descriptions now..??
 
In search of a customs broker to help me receive a pallet of commercial goods
Who is the freight forwarder? I've found it easier to use someone recommended by the forwarder on small shipments. I have used Panalpina at DFW and IAH in the past but it was for aircraft/parts plus they are a large company which may not fit your need.
 
So how much would it cost to import cole slaw from China..????

And I just have to ask, are Chinese disposable spoons really that much better or cheaper than American disposable spoons..?? Or is making disposable spoons just so below American job descriptions now..??
Disposable spoons is a code name for chemtrail precursors. The Chinese still make the most effective chemtrail chems. After all, they perfected the smog blanket as an area wide automobile distributed chemtrail program. We in the New Vectors office study their methods to this day.
 
Disposable spoons is a code name for chemtrail precursors. The Chinese still make the most effective chemtrail chems. After all, they perfected the smog blanket as an area wide automobile distributed chemtrail program. We in the New Vectors office study their methods to this day.

Ahhhh... got it. I get behind on these things.....:lol::lol:
 
Ahhhh... got it. I get behind on these things.....:lol::lol:
It's been getting tougher to stay up with all the happenings since we went to crowd sourcing on the chemtrail program. It did cut costs so overall it is a win but command and control is much more difficult. On the plus side we are seeing better response times and more accurate placement. There have been some embarrassments like that kid in a 150 over the school neighborhood and the administration is working diligently to ensure standards are met at all levels.
 
So how much would it cost to import cole slaw from China..????

And I just have to ask, are Chinese disposable spoons really that much better or cheaper than American disposable spoons..?? Or is making disposable spoons just so below American job descriptions now..??

This is all for my wife's biz. Spoons were originally thought of as a courtesy to her customers. She had some "wooden" disposable spoons made and put them out for any customer to consume along with other utensils, straws, napkins and such. It is really extraordinary how many spoons consumers use. You have to put into context that her product doesn't even really require them. I think some consumers just see "free" stuff and take them for the heck of it. Some stores are worse than others.

So she put on a big effort to reduce accessory costs, esp those with our logos on them...

To answer your question, it is more about cost than quality. And, we found that many local companies simply act as a middleman and field custom orders out to China but they take in the inventory so you PO a US company as opposed to a Chinese one. There is no scale in the US for this stuff so you end having to pay for things like custom tooling and the MOQ can be quite difficult to manage with a small(ish) warehouse.
 
This is all for my wife's biz. Spoons were originally thought of as a courtesy to her customers. She had some "wooden" disposable spoons made and put them out for any customer to consume along with other utensils, straws, napkins and such. It is really extraordinary how many spoons consumers use. You have to put into context that her product doesn't even really require them. I think some consumers just see "free" stuff and take them for the heck of it. Some stores are worse than others.

So she put on a big effort to reduce accessory costs, esp those with our logos on them...

To answer your question, it is more about cost than quality. And, we found that many local companies simply act as a middleman and field custom orders out to China but they take in the inventory so you PO a US company as opposed to a Chinese one. There is no scale in the US for this stuff so you end having to pay for things like custom tooling and the MOQ can be quite difficult to manage with a small(ish) warehouse.

Ok, thanks, now I am learned.
 
When I started importing from China I contacted a financial officer that worked for a company importing several manufactured items also from China and asked to buy him lunch. I explained to him I was going to expand my business model and import items that did not compete with his company. I shared with him shipping companies
I had explored and rates I had been quoted. We had an interesting lunch and he gave me names of two law firms specializing in importing and customs clearance procedures, how to look up product codes & tariffs on various items. All proved helpful and was well worth the expense of a lunch. May not be as important for your spoons though as I am bringing in container loads, just received my ocean freight bill, port charges, tarriffs, ocean insurance, customs inspections, rail freight from LA to Council Bluffs Ia, truck delivery from rail yard to warehouse (50 miles) taxes and attorney fees etc. & for my last 20 foot container = $5,150 roughly for all of it. It was worth studying. But it was a lot of work up front.
 
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