If earlier our compatriots engaged in shopping needed only a couple of bags, now they order separate cargo transportation
As soon as free travel to foreign countries became possible, many of our compatriots set off along planned routes to purchase consumer goods and their subsequent cargo transportation across Russia and resale at our markets. But as distances shrink and trade barriers become transparent, opportunities are dwindling.
On the other hand, you can always find a niche. For example, at one time a resident of Derbyshire discovered that Germans from a twin town liked British goods. He went to the twin town with a supply of beach towels in the shape of the British flag, and there he sold them in a very short time at the local market.
Some travelers prefer bronze trinkets, jade jewelry, rosewood boxes, Tibetan woolen fabrics, Turkish carpets, or anything else that they know is expensive or impossible to find elsewhere. Before engaging in this activity, you need to master the art of bargaining, which includes patience and good nature. It is usually difficult to make good money on solo trips abroad. You should also familiarize yourself in detail with customs regulations.
Do not believe a foreign merchant who promises large profits in your home country, for example, when selling pearls from Tahiti or gems from Sri Lanka, or someone who assures you that you will have no problems at customs. In fact, do not believe any of them.
And yet there are many ways in which travelers successfully sell exotic goods. Of course, you should be careful when buying so as not to be deceived, but this can be learned.
You don't even have to wait to return home to start selling. Many travelers successfully sell jewelry and trinkets from Thailand and India in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In European markets, you can see Westerners selling leather goods and other items brought from India.
Selling duty-free tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and durable goods is the simplest way to earn money. In some Asian countries, Scotch whisky and European cigarettes are in high demand. In other countries, these products are available in stores, but at exorbitant prices. In the past, one could quadruple costs, for example, by cargo transportation of boxes of high-quality cigars from Cuba to Europe.
But be very careful when bringing alcohol into strict Islamic countries where it is prohibited. Also beware of highly organized local competitors, for example, along international trade routes where drivers and guides are familiar with all the tricks. And remember that using price differences on either side of an international border can be profitable only if your location is advantageous.