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Peddling by pushcart
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April 7, 2000: 10:27 a.m. ET
Setting up a trading company to sell wares to tourists presents challenges
By Jane Applegate
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Dear Jane: I want to know how to set up a trading company that would import handicrafts from other countries to sell on the streets of London. I want to help people earn money on their own by setting up these micro-businesses.
You will have a few challenges with this concept. First, you have to source and import items of interest to Londoners. I would spend some time visiting the outdoor markets and talking to merchants about what appeals to tourists. Most people who buy gifts from street vendors are tourists, not locals who like to buy from their local merchants.
Once you have a list of appealing products, find out where they came from. One way to locate sources is to get help from the commercial officers who work in most consulates or embassies around the world. You might want to take the products you are interested in buying to a commercial officer and see if he or she has information about where they are made.
Once you find the source of the product, you will have to find a distributor who can handle the orders and deal with the customs regulations and paperwork. Start small; don't order a shipload of the product until you test its popularity.
Back home, you'll have to find out what permits or licenses are needed for street vending. You may want to rent or build simple pushcarts, although many vendors just set up table and sell their goods that way. You'll have to provide some training for your vendors, including simple math skills and basic record keeping.
Again, start small, test your products and work with your vendors to make sure they can answer questions about the products, make correct change and treat customers with respect.
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ApplegateWay
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