Sight trading

Having to trade sight unseen can be a frightening prospect, since you do not have the benefit of an inspect the item before offering a price. However, providing you due diligence and secure any agreement in writing you should know what to watch out for to ensure you get the best deal and both parties remain protected.

To begin with, communication is key. Make sure you communicate with the seller and establish any import/ export regulations and payment terms. Ask questions and get an understanding of the item and any possible returns. Where payments are concerned, you can use escrow services – money is held in a third party account until agree terms have been met.

Try to establish some trust with the seller. Ask for supporting documents and certificates of authenticity. Find out from the seller their exact location and when their products are shipped. Get contact information for their team. This will all help to establish trust and understanding.

It is also important to understand the process for inspection and testing. Make sure the seller provides pictures of the item and is willing to answer questions about the quantity of items supplied. Contact a third party to check that the item meets safety regulations if appropriate and arrange payment according to agreed specifications. Similarly, make sure you are aware of the country’s import/ export rules.

Finally, supporting documents should be put in place. This can include photograph and video recordings of the item or shipment, terms and conditions documents, invoices and even a bill of lading. This will demonstrate the correct payment and shipping procedures have been followed and will serve as a record if anything goes wrong.

At the end of the day, sight unseen buying and selling isn’t always easy but it is possible. With the right communication, trust, negotiation and agreements in place, you should be able to ensure a safe and secure sight unseen trading relationship.

E-commerce has revolutionized many aspects of business including brick and mortar retail stores and the global trading of goods. Before the Internet, companies had to rely on traditional retail stores to both market and distribute their products. There were two main problems with this system. Firstly, producers had little control over the product’s presentation and sale in the stores. Secondly, producers had to pay high retail markups to fund middlemen and distributors.

The arrival of the Internet changed this. Online stores and E-commerce websites allowed producers to control their own product displays and customer service. Furthermore, eliminating the need for middlemen resulted in a much lower cost of goods for sale. Companies have responded well to these changes, and we now have hundreds of websites selling an enormous array of goods from all different parts of the world.

As a result of E-commerce, a new concept known as curb-side pickup has become popular for businesses. This allows companies to offer customers the convenience of shopping on their computers, then picking up their goods from their local store. This has proved to be a great way for small businesses to take advantage of online tech without the overhead of running an online store.

Another interesting advantage of E-commerce is the fact that it allows companies to showcase both new and vintage products. This has become especially true with the advent of online marketplaces and crowdsourcing such as eBay and Etsy. It’s now much easier for consumers to find products from all over the world, enabling them to sometimes find cheaper alternatives that wouldn’t have been available in their own country.

Overall, the advent of E-commerce has changed the manner in which goods are bought and sold globally. It has allowed businesses to save costs associated with middlemen, given producers more control over product displays and sales, and allowed customers to access a wider array of products.

Therefore, E-commerce is here to stay, and its impacts on global trade of goods will continue to grow. Businesses must stay competitive and up-to-date with E-commerce in order to remain competitive in their respective industries. With its potential to grow even further, companies are wise to invest in E-commerce technology in order to keep up with the changing times.