Perhaps you have recently traveled abroad and noticed products you think would sell well in the United States. Or you may want to start an import business because you have relatives or contacts in a foreign country. Before you import any product, you will need to get your business established here and develop a business plan. Before writing or as you write the plan, you will want to do market research to make sure there is a large enough US market for the product(s) you want to import. You will also want to make sure you include all your expenses and a sufficient profit margin in your final selling price. The general business counselors in the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) regional offices throughout North Carolina can help you get started. There is no charge for SBTDC counseling. If you are a start-up company, you may sign up for one of the SBTDC "Pre-Venture Orientation" educational sessions before meeting with a general business counselor. Go to the SBTDC homepage at www.sbtdc.org and click on OFFICE LOCATIONS to find the general business counselor nearest you.

Begin by reading as much as possible on the import process. Consult the US Customs and Border Protection website for much helpful information at www.customs.gov. When you arrive at the site, click on the Import tab at the top of the page. This site describes how to determine duty rates, a checklist to review before buying from a foreign source, products covered by quotas and other helpful information. Some helpful sections under the Import tab on the Customs website are:

1. Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

2. Communications to trade, which has DID YOU KNOW? TIPS FOR NEW IMPORTERS & EXPORTERS.

Another resource on the customs website is IMPORTING INTO THE UNITED STATES, A Guide for Commercial Importers (http://www.customs.gov/ImageCache/cgov/content/publications/iius_2edoc/v1/iius.doc). This on-line publication (that may be downloaded/printed) will walk you through the entire import process. Take special note of the following:

• Chapter 2 covers the ENTRY PROCESS for goods.
• The section on SURETY (p. 12) covers posting of a bond to cover duty owed on the formal entry of goods.
• See MAIL ENTRIES (p. 13) If the import shipment is less than $2,000 in value, you may be eligible for mail delivery instead of a formal entry. There are exceptions (p. 14). Virtually all commercial shipments of textiles require a formal entry regardless of value. Call your nearest US Customs Office if you are importing a textile product (see below).
• Chapter 13 discusses the DUTIABLE STATUS OF GOODS (p. 31) and how to request a binding decision on the amount of your import duty. This includes who to write and the information required.
• Chapter 37 covers PROHIBITIONS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER AGENCY REQUIREMENTS and has a section on textile products.
• Chapter 40 discusses IMPORT QUOTAS and COMMODITIES SUBJECT TO QUOTAS, including another discussion of textile imports.

First-time importers should use the services of a customs broker to clear goods. Even experienced importers continue to use a customs broker. Call the various brokers and find out what they charge and what services they provide. You will need to post a bond for formal entries if you take entry yourself. If you use a broker, the broker will post the bond. The bond insures payment at the time of final liquidation of any additional duty that might be levied by the US government. Check with Customs for details. A list of customs brokers can be found under each of the ports listed for North Carolina. (Most of these are also freight forwarders, should you also export). Check also with Customs, other importers, or the phone book for names of shippers operating out of a particular port. Another Internet site for locating North Carolina ports and shippers is www.ncports.com, then click on PORTS DIRECTORY.

Another helpful publication at www.customs.gov is US IMPORT REQUIREMENTS. Click again on the IMPORT tab, then INFREQUENT IMPORTER, then view PUBLICATIONS again on the side bar. According to this publication, "The US Customs Service does not require an importer to have a license or permit. Other agencies may require a permit, license, or other certification, depending on what is being imported." Customs entry forms do ask for your importer number. Your importer number is your Federal ID number. If you do not have a tax number, you may use your Social Security number.

All goods imported into the US are subject to duty or enter duty-free in accordance with their classification under the applicable items in the HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED STATES (HTS), a technical document. Once again, go to www.customs.gov, click on the IMPORT tab, then duty rates/hts on the left menu. Every imported item is classified with a ten-digit internationally recognized number and assigned a tariff if appropriate. Consult the HTS to classify your merchandise. The HTS number is used to determine the rate of duty and also used for statistical purposes. An annotated loose-leaf edition of the tariff schedule may be viewed at your local customs office. Your customs broker may also be helpful in identifying the number, or call Customs. You may also view a copy of the HTS on line at the US International Trade Commission website at www.usitc.gov by clicking on the PUBLICATIONS tab, then scrolling down to SIMPLIFICATION OF THE HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED STATES.

Consult any one of five US Customs offices in North Carolina if you have questions. They are in Charlotte (704.329.6100), Raleigh (919.467.3487), Morehead City/Beaufort (252.726.5845), Wilmington (910.772.5900), and Winston-Salem (336.668.7272). See the customs website at http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/nc/1512.xml for more complete information.