Not good. Although selling items from Laos through eBay in a great idea, the problem is with posting items.

The cost of postage is not your concern because the customer can be responsible to pay for that.

The biggest problem is that sending and receiving mail through a Lao post office is slooooow! Even sending just a simple letter is too slow to reach its destination. eBay customers expect their items to arrive as quickly as possible, and if it takes forever, it's bad for your business.

You have some good idea Tee.


Tee wrote on 11^th Apr, 2011 at 10:34pm:

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 11^th Apr, 2011 at 11:29pm:

Every problem do have their solution,We just have to come up with an idea..that's why I put it here for every one to solve..... Come on guy....let's think about it...this is the time to help our people.....

The cost of sending Lao handicrafts to other countries is not a problem - it's just one more of your fixed costs.  You just absorb the cost by adding it to the price of your product, that's all.

The markup you can make from the handicrafts produced in Laos will more than cover any transport costs differential comparison with handicrafts of other countries.

In addition, you need not only think of selling to retail customers by EBay.  There are many companies that want to import large volumes of handicrafts, especially bamboo handicrafts, from countries like Laos.  You can reach these companies through trade websites like Tradelink.com, Alibaba.com and many other sites.  These companies will not have a problem with slow delivery times - not that I think 6 days is slow anyway.  This is not a problem.

The demand for items like bamboo products is huge and growing worldwide, whereas supply cannot keep up with the demand.  Laos is one of the few countries left with a substantial bamboo reserve and with a skilled workforce of bamboo artisans.

A few years ago I made a list of all the things which can and are made from bamboo.  The list ran into the many hundreds.  Look around your house - practically everything in it, big and small, can be made from bamboo.

A company in the U.S. even makes high quality racing bicycle frames from bamboo which are lighter and more flexible that the titanium bicycles.

The many advantages of a handicrafts, especially bamboo products, exporting company would be:

it's labour intensive- employs a lot of people in a skilled occupation

keeps traditional skills alive

raw materials like bamboo are sustainable.  Bamboo is the world's fastest growing plant.

bamboo furniture is much lighter than wood, so transport costs are greatly reduced.

worldwide demand for bamboo products is already established and growing

Lao craft workers have tremendous skill and produce items which are world class in terms of quality

Lao wages are very low, so you could pay your workers a very good (for them) salary while still having lower costs than handicraft manufacturers in other countries

Taxes on Lao businesses are much lower than business taxes in other countries.  Other business costs are also lower.

Tee, I hear you loud and clear brother.  I am still doing 'homework' as we speak -my own feasibility study for me to go to Vientiane.

Tee wrote on 12^th Apr, 2011 at 3:57am:

Tee wrote on 18^th Apr, 2011 at 9:22pm:


I would hope you don't think of those 4 points as 'worries' - rather they are just things you have to take into account.  Down the line, you will have real worries that will make you wonder why on earth you ever considered those 4 items as 'worries'.

If you are serious about his kind of business, you would be wise not to jump straight in with a large investment.  Just take baby steps and test out the market, the supply/demand situation and the logistical considerations (cost and methods of sending the products, tax, duty, etc.)

For example, you could spend a little time in Laos, go around the handicraft shops and workshops to choose maybe 20 bamboo items that you like personally and are satisfied with the quality of.  Then, advertise the items on ebay.

Very quickly, you will know which kinds of item are in most demand and what people are prepared to pay for them.  You can then set up your own website and start setting up contacts with wholesalers, etc. 

Further down the line, you can set up a company, think about economies of scale on delivering items (a share in a shipping container consignment, etc.) with local import/export companies (there are dozens of these in Vientiane) and consolidating working relationships with trusted producers and maybe setting up your own production facilities with your own craft workers, allowing you to manage quality control on the spot.

Anyway, just take a few baby steps first.


Old Man

No problem! The guy that I talk to in Udon Thani didn't have any website...I do have other company that base in Bangkok...here are their website...but there all in Thai...I have narrow in down to what you looking for..... http://www.innopack.co.th/truck_standard.asp

This one is easily can move one area to another.... How ever, I am sure we can custom make to fit the motobike or car to be toll away....
http://www.coffeemade.com/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%80...

http://www.aircraftcoffee.com/index.php?lay=show&ac=article&Id=538687285

Are you going to be do this your self all looking for partner?