Let’s face it, the business world is overrun with uncertainties. You want to ship your goods into Nigeria, your market is ready, demand seems to be good and you need them before the end of the year, but, the million-dollar question remains “just when do I ship off? If you are worried about this, then this is just for you. Don’t forget to keep the important things in mine before you import, however.
We understand that the pandemic this year slowed down business and that works the world over has been affected by the lockdown but if you really wish to get your goods into Nigeria from anywhere in the world, particularly China, then the right time is now.
It doesn’t matter if you are new to the import and export scene or if you don’t have sufficient experience, you too can successfully navigate the business scene and make the right plans to grow your business if you have precious information. Even tycoons and experts do not outgrow learning and thrive from the quality of information available to them.
There are a few reasons why the slightest delay can affect your plans and disturb your business more. Some of them are:
1. December Rush
If you have ever transacted business in Nigeria, particularly from the bustling commercial hub called Lagos you understand that December is a war of all against all. Let’s say you want to import Christmas toys from China and you need them at the port in Lagos before the holiday spirit kicks in around early or mid-December, well you have to hurry because your competition is also thinking of that along with more than half the businesses in Nigeria.
Well, you don’t have to be the slow one, you can stay on top of the game by planning several steps ahead. Preparing and making adequate plans to ship your goods into Nigeria before December will save you several “stories that touch”.
2. Preseason Window
So we have talked about the December rush, now let us tell you the benefit of being the early bird. Just before the rush starts there is a still, calm atmosphere that can be beneficial for you, this is what we refer to as the preseason window. It is a slim window that starts between September and October with just a tiny little space in November and why is it important? Well only because it can save the madhouse of the season imports and, save efficient time and resources and satisfy manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers equally. If you have not noticed and found yourself at the last position, then you need to make that call.
Ideally, it takes at least two (2) months for goods to be successfully shipped, cleared, and delivered to the satisfaction of all parties involved. While some stakeholders procrastinate and try to squeeze their shipping plans into a month or few weeks under we do not advise this and delays in this line of business are not just dangerous but can also have a multiplier effect. If waiting for the right time to test the waters is what you feel like right now, then we advise that you make adjustments.
3. High Demand, Low Supply Equals Scarcity
It’s elementary economics, as easy as bread. One of the benefits of importing before the holiday is that you don’t get to experience the hassle that comes with season prices, from the manufacturer who could be hiking because they have a tight deadline and a million offers to the retailers or consumers who could literally peel your skin off for demanding what the market dictates, the scarcity and trouble that comes with the end of year shipping placements far outweigh the benefits.
4. Cramped Warehouses
So let us say you decide to ignore the preseason window, somehow you escaped the December Rush and you found your way around the high prices then your goods arrive and now the next blow is delivered to you – the warehouses. As a stakeholder in the import/export scene, you must understand that due to the high rate of requests during the holiday season the warehouses become cramped and everyone tries to squeeze in their commodities which may incur additional costs and sadly, losses sometimes. By shipping early, you can be assured that your goods will be delivered on time and the storehouses would not be stuffed.
But after all is said and done, more is said than done. While we understand that it is easy to speculate and discuss the benefits of planning early, we also realize that such planning and organization of shipping orders can be very stressful, to say the least. So, we also curated a few tips for you in trying to place your orders early, if you apply these to your plans for the rest of the year you are sure to land on a safety net when the chickens eventually come to roost because they will.
So some things to help you ship your goods into Nigeria:
5. Prioritize your orders for you t0 ship your goods into Nigeria
Because of the fluid nature of the preseason window that we discussed before, it is important that when you are planning your shipping order you prioritize based on the relevance or need for each order. In other words, let the most important and urgent things take the top of the list when you intend to ship your goods into Nigeria, things like durability, need, volatility and demand should also be considered.
A good example for this would be when trying to ship in toys from China you can itemize and list your orders so toys that are in high demand and have a limited shelf life can be requested for early while toys that last longer and may not be urgently needed can be at the bottom of the list.
5. Manufacturer, Call Me!
It is important to have an effective communication link with your manufacturer if you intend to ship your goods into Nigeria early. By staying in touch with your manufacturer you can get adequate information on inventory, delivery logs and have a prediction of accurate due dates. Another benefit of constantly staying in contact with your manufacturer is that you can get inside information and even be prepared if certain unprecedented problems come to the fore.
In all, nothing can actually substitute a cordial relationship with your manufacturer when planning for an early shipment.
7. Plan and Act to the End.
After making all the calls and strategizing you have to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get to work. You must be prepared to carefully monitor your shipment from start to finish and you must be ready to act. The import and export space thrives on timeliness, organization, and proper preparation, therefore, procrastination is a luxury you cannot afford and must do without.
It is not enough to do the talking and speculation but to take the required action and be ready to see it through to the end.
While it may be difficult to navigate the export and import business, with discipline, perseverance, and access to the right kind of information you can do just fine and satisfy your customers, manufacturers, and everyone involved.
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Tolu Omogunle is a journalist with a focus on finance, politics, economics, and policy analysis. You can reach on twitter via; @toluomogunle
