Attending a seminar of Import

Do you know about import? I mean how to import stuff with many requirements. Several days ago, I joined in the seminar of import conducted by a company for serving people to import something. I attended the seminar to know deeply what import is. All the time, I consider that import is complicated doing for those who want to build a business. And until the end of the seminar, my thought about import is still complicated. Haha... let’s see.

With modern business system nowadays with many technologies especially internet, people are able to buy something in different method, not traditional way in which between seller and buyer should meet directly. Yet, the transaction of both has been changing drastically. The Internet has been facilitating people for making trade easier, without meeting directly in the real world. For instance, I believe most Indonesians have known the online shop. For those who want to buy any good will use that platform. Also, sellers will post their stuff on the platform. And all transaction of trade will happen with help of internet and others technology. 

Such the technologies, I think why do we import commodities thorough online shop? This was my question before going to the seminar. I am a beginner of knowing the import in detail. But what I thought (my previous question) has little truth. According to the speaker in the seminar, the Indonesian government has regulation about the minimum prices of import commodities, but I forget the price. 

If the price of the commodity is suitable with minimum price or more, the government will apply some conditions for the commodity before coming to Indonesia like how many taxes we have to pay. Meanwhile, buying the commodity under the minimum price is considered by the government, not as the business good but the private interest. For instance, buying a book with low price will be easier because of not needing a tax for entering Indonesia like when we buy any stuff commonly in online shops in Indonesia. So many goods we can find in international online shop are uploaded by sellers.

To be honest, I do not understand comprehensively what the speaker explained in the seminar because of many new things addressed with new terms. To know it, as the beginner, I need to learn more and the most effective way is to engage in import activity. Therefore, the company holding the seminar encouraged us to be a member of the company in term of using its company service for doing the import. 

Actually, we can buy our own goods from other countries (import) but it will be difficult with many conditions made by Indonesian’s government. Like such the speaker saying, we should provide much money to pay for all documents and others including building a company, perhaps more than Rp 20 million. For the really serious businesses, the price is not problems and moreover, the businesses with big scale do not consider it as a problem. Yet, the problem will come to people with low economy like me, haha, considering the money is expensive.

I am grateful for joining the seminar although I have not imported any good yet. But, I got new knowledge. I believe that learning about the new thing will be useful for us. Maybe now I have not implemented the knowledge but it is possible in the future. 

 ~Makassar, 2 February 2019