Import export??? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

Manders · 12-04-2008, 02:06 PM

I have heard countless times about how inexpensive it is to buy valuable things from their country of origin, like buying pearls in the Philippines, rugs from Persia, or china from china. My question is, has anyone here been able to finance at least part of their trip, if not more, by buying things and sending them home to be sold. And if so, what kind of tariffs, or restrictions could hinder such an enterprise.

Manders · 01-14-2009, 05:59 PM

Hmmmmm so much for that question. LOL

**BedtimeontheMoon** · 01-14-2009, 06:24 PM

Check out this link: Support Home Page

It might be able to answer your questions. If you are planning on going to the country itself and bringing items back with you, I don't think it will be as big problem as long as it's not a prohibited item. When my school group went to China, we all went crazy buying stuff at the cheap markets and no one had a customs problem upon reentry into the U.S.

**mbo108** · 01-15-2009, 05:28 AM

^ Maybe that's because its the cheap stuff! ;-)

But seriously just read up on the State Dept's website about various customs rules and regulations.

I have never done it and I don't recall hearing other stories around here of people doing it but that doesnt mean it can't be done. Be a tpunk pioneer and go for it. just dont end up on "Locked Up Abroad"

Manders · 01-17-2009, 09:10 PM

amen to that. The last thing I want to risk is ending up in some scary foreign prison (shivers...). Anything we would buy we would mail home to either a family member or someone we had preset to buy it. So I think it should be legit as long as they would let us mail it. Ideally I would like to get in contact with someone who sales said items, lets say Persian rugs in the states and be able to buy a few here and a few there, ship them back and have the buyer wire the money to our account. Kind of a way to make money along the road. I mean if we were able to do that with a few kinds of regional items it would be a great way to earn some extra money. One other option is to start our own online store, but for some reason I wonder if there might be more restictions on something like that. How hard would it be to maintain something like that on the road do you think? hmmmmmm who knows. thanks for the imput