The Import Desk
Guides for Brands That Build Overseas
Practical supply chain knowledge from a team that’s spent 15 years importing from Asia. Whether you’re placing your first overseas order or shipping multiple containers a year, these guides cover the lessons most brands learn the expensive way — from managing vendors and running QC inspections to navigating tariff changes and scaling without losing control.
The Hidden Cost of Managing Supply Chains Over Email and WhatsApp
Over 15 years of importing goods from Asia, I've seen the same story play out dozens of times — wrong packaging, incorrect UPC codes, missed shipments. Every single failure had the same root cause.
8 min read
7 Milestones Every Import Order Goes Through (And Why Most Brands Only Track 2)
Most DTC brands track two moments in the life of an import order: the day they place it and the day it ships. Everything in between is a black box.
10 min read
How to Run a QC Inspection in China When You're 8,000 Miles Away
Most DTC brands importing from Asia either skip inspections entirely or hire an inspector without preparing them properly. Both approaches cost money. Here's how to do it right.
10 min read
Why Your Freight Forwarder Hates Your Email Threads (And What to Do About It)
Ask any DTC brand founder about their freight forwarder and you'll hear the same complaint: 'I always have to chase them.' Ask any freight forwarder about their DTC clients and you'll hear the mirror image.
9 min read
Scaling From $1M to $10M: The Supply Chain Bottlenecks Nobody Warns You About
The uncomfortable truth about scaling a product business is that the supply chain bottlenecks don't announce themselves. They creep in gradually, and by the time you notice them, they've already cost you money.
11 min read
The DTC Brand's Guide to Surviving Tariff Changes Without Panic
The brands that survive tariff changes aren't the ones that predict them. Nobody predicts them reliably. The brands that survive are the ones that build their supply chains to absorb the impact.
12 min read