How to protect yourself from import fraud?

Me, well my parents run a sweets (candy, lolly whatever you call it)shop. We tried to import 30,000 USD of Dr Pepper. We got scammed. Now we're in need of 80 grand of Poptarts. How can we make sure the same does not happen?

My parents are talking to this vendor, do they seem trustworthy?.\ Anyone have a container full of Poptarts they want to get rid of?

People drink that much worth of Dr Pepper in Oz??



:laughing:
I didn't think many people liked it... I haven't even seen it since I was 8!

Sorry for the off topicness



Did your parents lose all the money?

DimeRazorback said:

People drink that much worth of Dr Pepper in Oz??



:laughing:
I didn't think many people liked it... I haven't even seen it since I was 8!

Sorry for the off topicness



Did your parents lose all the money?

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I know that stuff is discusting. People are weird. We lost all the money. Yeah, thats a lotta Surefires... and everything on the first couple pages of Custom BST.

Ah man that sucks!
Sorry to hear about the loss

Buying Poptarts from a company out of Hong Kong named Union Camera (even if they are diversified) does not inspire confidence in me, but I'm not in the food business, so what do I know?

Perhaps your parents have already done it, but I would think that contacting the manufacturer (Kellogg's) directly and finding out who their authorized distributors are would be the starting point.

Just a thought.

Sorry that you guys got scammed.

It seems really strange that Dr. Pepper is a novelty down your way. It flows from fountains here...lol. Personally, I'm not much of a DP fan myself. I enjoy Coke.

If they had a business credit card and paid with it, that would protect them, wouldn't it?

Greg

we're in need of 80 grand of Poptarts. How can we make sure the same does not happen?

How about you go to the manufacturer and get a list of authorized vendors? How many shipping containers is that?

Since I live just outside of Waco, TX which is the home of Dr. Pepper, there's an oversupply of the stuff. Half the time you go to a restaurant and ask for a Coke or a Pepsi, they bring you a Dr. P instead. Coke and Pepsi are close enough to be served interchangeably. But Dr. P is a very different taste and not one I like. The worst is when it happens at a drive thru. If I don't discover it before I'm back on the road I'm stuck with that nasty Dr. P aftertaste.

DonShock said:

Since I live just outside of Waco, TX which is the home of Dr. Pepper, there's an oversupply of the stuff. Half the time you go to a restaurant and ask for a Coke or a Pepsi, they bring you a Dr. P instead. Coke and Pepsi are close enough to be served interchangeably. But Dr. P is a very different taste and not one I like. The worst is when it happens at a drive thru. If I don't discover it before I'm back on the road I'm stuck with that nasty Dr. P aftertaste.

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I know right! But there's this different Dublin Dr. Pepper. It is made with cane sugar instead of HFCF. The aftertaste is so much better. It tastes as pleasant as (Aussie no syrup) coke.

What you're really asking is how to find a reliable vender. There are a variety of tricks like those already mentioned and asking around, but fundamentaly what you want is a relationship. Find several and place small orders with each. See which one feels right, answers your questions, delivers on time. Order more, working your way up to the big stuff.

ElectronGuru said:

What you're really asking is how to find a reliable vender. There are a variety of tricks like those already mentioned and asking around, but fundamentaly what you want is a relationship. Find several and place small orders with each. See which one feels right, answers your questions, delivers on time. Order more, working your way up to the big stuff.

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i hate to say it, but this time tested approach will not work anymore. The Chinese are on to this concept big time. They carefully provide the "right" stuff all the way up until that big order - then - wham.

If you need that much product, then you should be able to buy it from either a food distributor or the original company. The bigger food companies are very careful about faud - they have the same problem that you do.

As far as Dr. Pepper, yes, all soft drinks tasted better when they used real sugar rather than the corn syrup we have now. I drink diet now - can't stand the corn syrup stuff.

HarryN said:

all soft drinks tasted better when they used real sugar rather than the corn syrup we have now. I drink diet now - can't stand the corn syrup stuff.

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See post #1, then see your local Costco:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/230829