What kind of products do you work with?
We work with most product categories.

Is China the only country you source from?
China, with its vast industrial base and low cost labor, is the primary country where we source.
However, we also source from other Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam as well as India.

Do you have a catalogue of your products and manufacturers available?
We do not offer catalogues, nor do we provide a list of the many thousands of manufacturers with whom we work. At our client’s request, we do not publicly disclose information about their proprietary and/or patented product sources. Nor do we share our Client / Customer list.

Do you work with companies outside the U.S.?
Yes

How long have you been in business?
Since 1974. See About Us for more on our company.

How long does it take to get a quote?
The average is one to two weeks after we receive all the pertinent information on your project. It may take less or more time, depending on various circumstances.

Can you provide complete products with our custom packaging?
Yes, we often provide complete products with customized or private label packaging.

Once I place my order how long will it take before I receive the shipment?
For the first run of a new product, manufacturers need 45-90 days to produce molds or fixtures necessary for the production process. After this tooling is made, it takes an average is 45 days for production. Once your order is ready to ship you’ll have sea and inland freight transit time.

For example, it takes 11-16 days for a ship to go from a seaport in China to the port of Los Angeles.

Customs clearance and unloading can take another 3-4 days and then the shipment will be trucked to your door. For repeat orders or for product the factory is already making, it will take less time as the production tooling is already made. The factory can start manufacturing your order as soon as their
production schedule allows.

How does the shipping process work?
All shipments go direct from China or the country where goods are manufactured to a port of entry in a major city near you. You will then have a customs broker of your choosing (or you can utilize our services) to clear the shipment and get it shipped to your door.

Can we copy an existing product? Do we need to worry about patent issues?
Yes, we can send an existing product that is not patented to China to be duplicated but the responsibility of insuring there are no patent or trademark infringement issues lies entirely with you – we do not perform patent or trademark searches. We will not knowingly quote any product that would be an
infringement of a current patent or trademark.

What protection do we have against someone copying our product?
Our customers often request that we sign a license, exclusivity contract or non-disclosure agreement (these are provided by the client or the client’s attorney) whereby we agree not to sell or disclose the client’s product line to others. We have no problem in doing this. Upon request we also add exclusive clauses or license agreements in with our negotiations with the factory in China. In the U.S., Canada and all other developed countries realize that patents and trademarks are your only true legal protection. Without a patent or trademark any company – American or foreign – can legally copy and sell your product.

Do you sign a non-disclosure agreement with your customers?
Yes, upon request we sign non-disclosure agreements.

What are the total costs involved in importing?
In addition to the cost of the product, you will have the following:

1. Customs duty. This is your country’s tax on imported product. In the U.S. Customs Duties range between 1% and 30+%, depending on the product class. The average is probably around 5%. Your customs broker can tell you the duty rate for your product.
2. Customs broker fees. On average, about $100.00 – $150.00 per shipment.
3. Inland freight from the port of entry to your door.
4. Document Destination Charges (also known as DDC). This is the port of entry’s handling charge and it varies from port to port. In general DDC fees run about $30.00 per ton.
5. Labour/forklift fee to unload your shipment from the container. On average, about $40.00 per shipment.
6. Bond fee. This is required by US Customs to back up payment for the duty tax. Bond fees are set by the dollar value of the shipment. The minimum bond fee is usually around $50.00 and from there the cost increases by some $4.00 per thousand dollars of invoice value.
7. Our agreed negotiated fees.

Do I need a customs broker, and where can I find one?

Yes, you will need a customs broker to clear your shipment with U.S. customs. Your customs broker will get your shipment transported from the sea port to your door by the inland freight carrier of your choice. Customs brokers are easily found in the yellow pages and on the Internet.
The Customs website (https://www.cbp.gov/) has a list of customs brokers available in every state. They also have the addresses of the entry ports in the U.S., general information on importing, and much more.

How does Omni make money?
We charge an agreed upon commission on the value of shipments shipped from China or other countries to your designated port or warehouse. There is no charge for us to locate a factory for your product and provide you with a quote. We can also offer “bid & quote” for OEM or other projects based on client needs.

Do we contact Omni every time we place an order?
Yes, all orders are placed through us.

Don’t see your question? Contact us today.