It sounds as if you have a lot of research ahead. Perhaps start with Google using the same terms in your message. If you are looking to import and make a few dollars quick by reselling phones that market is covered.
Before starting a business some basic questions to ask yourself are:
- Is there a market for the product(s) I want to sell?
- Is there need for another reseller or is the market flooded?
- Do I have the financial backing for the business?
- Do I have the skill, knowledge and personality traits for this business?
- What will I do if the wholesaler fails?
- What will I do with excess inventory when the "flavor of the day" changes?
- Is starting internationally the best approach?
- Am I prepared to deal with different international phone protocols?
- What can I offer that others are not?
Better product, better service, better price, better return policy, etc?
- Am I familiar with export/import forms, regulations, procedures, duties and taxes?
- How will I understand and respond to customer inquiries requiring use of a foreign language?
- Am I prepared to accept and convert foreign currency?
Another approach might be to tap into a pre-existing need in the cell phone market. For example, the sector of the prepaid market that allows the customer to bring their own cell phone or device. There are other companies but I'll use PagePlus Cellular as I am most familiar with their products and services.
PagePlus allows customers to bring most Verizon compatible cell phones to be activated on their service. PagePlus has a terrible selection of phones that are preconfigued for their service. If a customer does not use a PagePlus configured phone and wants to activate one they own it often requires modification/hacking to get full functionality. People will pay for a service that will do the modifications for them. Almost all the answers and how to info can be found in the HoFo PagePlus and General Prepaid forums. Research each phone. For example, the Motorola Razr V3A has been reviewed as the worst Razr version, yet the V3M is a good one. The Moto Razr2 9M is reportedly an excellent phone. The espresso and gold colors aren't very appealing. Sellers on ebay are offering more attractive colors but is a nice color worth $295. for a dated phone? Consider rather you can beat those prices to offer what customers want. Definitely offer more up-do-date phones such as the models being offered in the post paid market. Offer both new and refurb. For the customer who purchases the phone from you perhaps an additional $10.00 for the prepaid service configuration. If the phone is purchased elsewhere, and the customer ships it to you, perhaps a $30.00 configuration fee. Since PagePlus does not offer support for byop/byod models offer this as an ongoing service to your customers.
Check out pagepluscellular.com and other prepaid providers that allow byop/byod to determine if becoming a dealer is something you would want to do.
Best of luck on your future endeavors.
