I am an importer / exporter and has sold (3) businesses so far in this field. Before I was a Fashion Designer and fell into this business by accident by trying to receive lower prices from the factories in China, Bangladesh, Germany and Canada. I was a talker for a low price and I learned a little Mandarin for better communication.
It started out exciting a useful...once the manufacturers got to know me they would send me free samples and I would get news on the latest items before they hit the states it was amazing and then it happened someone invited me into a world of brokers and greed and talking to Microsoft Creators and Toshiba Executives, Distribution Centers about orders...this world was looking dark and I did not like it the more greed the higher the commissions and I realized then our prices raised on our products due to greedy brokers and I backed out and started a small store and called up all the factories and made deals with them to make sure I do not make the same mistake.
This is a lesson to those in the business of importing exporting there is the government way of doing it and then there is the retail stores way of doing it and then there is YOUR WAY...make sure it is legal and you are not too greedy..this business has many way to run it and make it ...so many angles to make money legit and smart.....do not let the drive of receiving money throw your morals out the door