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Yes, and many brands do. You become or hire the importer of record, classify the goods, pay duties and clear customs through a licensed customs broker. Ask the broker about continuous bonds, current tariffs on your product and any agency rules for your category before you place a large order.
Most commercial imports need a customs entry filed by a licensed customs broker, a customs bond, an importer number and accurate classification and valuation. Some goods also need approval from agencies such as the FDA, USDA or CPSC. Customs and Border Protection publishes the current requirements.
Tariffs raise your landed cost, and the rates can change with little notice. Build a cost model that you can update, add a buffer to your quotes and include a price adjustment clause in your terms if lead times are long. Check current rates for your product code before you set wholesale prices.
A licensed customs broker files the entry that clears your goods through customs, pays duties on your behalf and checks that the paperwork matches the shipment. Most importers use one, because the filing rules are detailed and mistakes cause delays. Ask for a quote before your first shipment.
A customs bond is a guarantee, issued by a surety company, that you will pay the duties and follow the rules on goods you import. You can buy a bond for a single entry or a continuous bond that covers many entries over a year. A customs broker can arrange either.
Add the factory price, freight, insurance, duties, broker and bond fees, port and handling charges, and delivery to your warehouse. Divide by the units you receive to get a cost per unit. Build the model in a spreadsheet so you can update it whenever a rate or quote changes.
Classify the product, then check which agencies regulate it. Food and cosmetics fall under the FDA, some plant and animal products under the USDA and children's products under the CPSC. Your customs broker can tell you what a shipment needs, and some approvals take weeks, so ask before you order.
Imported goods generally must be marked with the country where they were made, in a place and way that a buyer can see. Retailers also check it on your labels and listings. Customs rules set what counts as the origin, so confirm your marking with a customs broker before the goods ship.
Ask for business registration, references from other buyers and product samples, and consider a paid factory audit or inspection. Start with a small trial order before a large one. Pay in stages instead of paying everything up front, and put specifications and quality standards in writing.
Factories set minimums that can be much larger than your first wholesale orders, which ties up cash in inventory. Compare a higher unit cost at a lower quantity with a lower unit cost at a higher quantity, and count the cost of storing stock until it sells before you commit.
Responsibility depends on the Incoterm and the contract. Inspect goods before they leave the factory, insure the shipment and document problems with photos on arrival. Put quality standards and a remedy for defects in the purchase agreement, since resolving a dispute with an overseas supplier is slow.
Compliance answers are general information, not legal advice, and rules vary by product and state.
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