Newbie with questions about importing internationally

[bkholdem]

Just a regular guy, social worker and poker player. No business experience.

Have a contact overseas willing to sell me a product undercutting wholesalers. Shipping costs are very significant in relation to the product. Right now he thinks I have a business up and running and we are discussing details of a free test product shipment, etc. I don't want him to know how green I am. He says he will forward a sample if I supply a courier number (which I don't have).

What do I need to do? Set up an account at DHL? Are there different types of accounts? Can I set up a personal account with them and not a business account?

I"m not worried about reshipping within the USA at this point but need to set up so I can get this guy to ship to me. The payment to him is going to be minimal but the shipping is much more, how do I handle this? What do I do?



I am actually planning on getting a larger order from him due to economies of scale savings in shipping cost per unit but don't want to foraward payment to him for the items AND the shipping cost as the shipping cost is extremely larger than the cost of the product.

I would like to avoid setting up a business at this point as I don't know if I will stick with this or just turn around some product a few times.

My main issue right now is in arranging shipping and not having the guy figure out I am just some dude and not a business.

Help please [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Seriously, any help or poiting me in the right direction would be very appreciated. I am under some time pressure and don't want to put my foot in my mouth in dealing with him or DHL and wind up complicating my situation in a way that is not necessary.

Thanks so much in advance for any help anyone can offer. I am planning on having a baby and would like to get off the hourly grind, or at least try to.