Finding the way (28)
This is how a story starts about two young guys, one Hong Kong Chinese and one Swedish, trying the new way of buying directly from the warehouses in Shenzhen. We will buy what they want or need to sell, at a really good price, and send it to Sweden.
The first time we go around to the different warehouses they look at us sceptically. Luckily I have Jacky Choy who speaks Cantonese and Mandarin. We have to pay cash for our first containers, but as time goes by we earn more trust and they recognize us when we come back again and again.
To save money wherever we can we even pack the containers ourselves just to keep the prices down. I love a good workout and this is better than going to any gym.
There are of course traders in Hong Kong buying for customers directly from the warehouses as well. The difference between them and us is that we buy for ourselves and only buy what we know we can sell. This means that we can say yes or no to a price immediately and make a fast deal.
This became a breakthrough for our way of purchasing in the early years.