thedespot29 wrote:
Just to kind of corroborate what netepic was saying, smaller companies carrying additional lines is not always feasible. From a US retailer standpoint, it doesn't really make too much sense to import stuff since there are no real punitive tariffs for online purchasers here. Combine that with the reasonable postal rates of some UK customers and the needs is really reduced.
There is also the profit issue. So, even though you are buying it at a wholesaler discount, you still have to foot the bill for the shipping of the product, which amounts to usually 25-30% of the order value (in my experience). So when all is said and done you are really only making a couple of bucks off of each pack sold. When you compare this to the cost to carry complete lines, it makes it nigh impossible to recoup the initial stock investment costs. This kind of segues into the next point - the extreme niche nature of the hobby.
If you were selling volume, it would be okay, but there is a 95% likelihood that you will sell few to none of any of the stuff you stock. Personally, I wouldn't want to saddle a fellow small miniature company owner with a big investment in stock that will likely still be sitting there in a couple of years.
I don't want to seem down on the whole thing, I would love if the situation were different. I definitely appreciate the horrid fees my UK customers suffer, which is why I try to keep prices and shipping as low as I can (they do make up about 50% of my business after all!).
I dont see why you cant just move the business to the UK
